Published October 26, 2026
Sell my accounting practice or sell your CPA firm
- Revenue
- $2,140,000
- SDE
- $486,000
- Asking price
- $1,650,000
- Multiple
- 3.4x SDE
- Reason for sale
- Owner retiring
To sell an accounting practice for a good price, you need three things before the first buyer call: three years of fees by client that show which work repeats, engagement letters on file for every active client, and a plan to move your largest accounts to someone other than you. Small practices commonly sell for about 0.8 to 1.5 times annual gross fees, with part of the price paid over one to three years based on the clients who stay. The buyer type matters as much as the multiple, so decide who you want to reach before you list a CPA firm for sale anywhere.
Who buys accounting practices
Most owners hear from one type of buyer and assume that is the market. Four types are active, and each pays differently.
| Buyer type | Typical deal shape | Strengths | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private equity backed roll up | Cash at close plus equity and an earn-out | Highest headline multiples for firms above about $1M in fees | Your brand, software and staff plans change, and equity may be illiquid |
| Neighboring CPA firm | Cash plus a seller note, often SBA financed | Keeps clients local and staff in place | Smaller budgets, and the buyer may drop low fee clients |
| Staff accountant or manager | Seller note over 5 to 10 years | Smooth handover and clients already know them | You carry the risk until the note is paid |
| Individual buyer or career changer | SBA loan plus a smaller note | Pays a fair Main Street multiple for a turnkey firm | Needs credentials, experience and often a longer transition |
If your firm has recurring business clients and a second manager in place, roll ups will compete for it. A solo tax practice with mostly seasonal individual returns usually sells best to a local firm or an individual who wants a ready book.
How much will I get for my accounting practice
Buyers price a practice on fees that repeat and on how safely they transfer when you step back. Under roughly $1 million in fees that means a multiple of gross revenue or of seller's discretionary earnings. Above that size, buyers move to adjusted EBITDA and look closely at the margin after a market salary for the owner.
| What the buyer sees | Effect on the multiple |
|---|---|
| 60% or more of fees from monthly recurring work | Pushes toward the top of the range |
| Fees spread across many clients, none above 5% | Higher, the loss of one client barely matters |
| Most revenue is annual individual returns | Lower, clients are price sensitive and easy to lose |
| You personally handle the top 20 clients | Lower, plus a longer earn out |
| Staff without signed non solicitation agreements | Lower, clients can follow them out the door |
| Clean practice management and tax software data | Faster due diligence and fewer late price cuts |
A quick sense check: a firm with $500,000 in fees, 60 percent recurring, with one manager, typically draws offers somewhere around $500,000 to $700,000 in total value. Run your own figures through the business valuation calculator for a range, then compare it with the offers you receive.
Selling the whole practice or only the client list
Selling the whole practice transfers the staff, the lease, the software and the brand, and it keeps clients because the people serving them do not change. Selling only the client list suits a solo preparer who is retiring and has no staff, and the buyer is usually a firm that wants to add fees quickly. Either way, expect part of the price to depend on retention. Common structures are:
- Cash at closing for 50 to 70 percent of the price on a clean recurring book, and less for seasonal individual work
- A payment over one to three years on fees actually collected from transferred clients
- A seller note at a fixed rate, common with SBA financed buyers and staff buyouts
- A consulting agreement that keeps you available through at least one filing season
Ask every buyer to show total value and cash at closing on the same page, because a higher headline number with most of it tied to retention can be worth less than a lower clean offer.
How to sell my accounting practice step by step
- Pull three years of fees by client and by service, and mark which clients paid every year.
- Put an engagement letter in the file of every active client, and confirm signed power of attorney forms where you hold them.
- Move your top accounts to a manager or staff accountant for at least one cycle so the buyer sees a firm that runs without you.
- Sign non solicitation agreements with staff and clean up the practice management data, with contacts, entities, filing dates and fees.
- Close the books for the firm itself every month for a year, so a buyer's accountant can tie your revenue to deposits without surprises.
- Get an indicative value, decide which buyer type you want, and list confidentially, releasing client names only after an NDA and proof of funds.
- Plan the client letter and your role for the first filing season after closing.
Step five is where many small firms lose time. When you take on bank statements as PDFs, a tool that can convert client bank statements to QuickBooks files helps keep your own and your clients' books current, which buyers notice. The general selling a business checklist covers the legal and tax steps that apply to any sale.
Where to sell your accounting practice
Practices change hands through four channels. Specialist practice brokers run a confidential process and charge a success fee, usually a percentage of the price paid at closing. State CPA society classifieds reach other local CPAs, but they list thin details. Roll ups approach firms directly, which gives you one offer to compare. And you can sell to a staff member or a known peer without a listing.
Listing on a marketplace with screened buyers sits between those options. On CompanyBrokers your practice appears with gross fees, SDE and the asking multiple in one format, and every buyer e-signs the NDA and shows proof of funds before the data room opens, so client names stay private until you choose. Brokers' fees run about 8 to 12 percent of the price, which the broker fees FAQ breaks down.
How long does it take to sell an accounting practice
Plan on four to nine months from the first buyer conversation to closing, plus up to a year of preparation if your fee reports and engagement letters are not in order. Listing right after tax season gives buyers time to review the firm and gives you time to introduce them before the next busy season.
Can I sell my accounting practice to an employee
Yes. Selling to a manager or staff accountant is common and keeps clients comfortable, but the buyer usually cannot pay much at closing, so expect a seller note over five to ten years. Get the price set by an independent valuation so both sides can defend the number.
Do I need a broker to sell my accounting practice
No. A broker runs a confidential process and brings several buyers, which helps larger firms, while owners with a known buyer in mind often sell directly and pay only an attorney and a valuation. A marketplace listing sits between the two and costs a monthly fee instead of a percentage.
What happens to my clients when I sell my practice
The buyer takes over the engagement letters and files after the clients are notified, and you introduce the buyer in person or by phone to the largest accounts. State rules on client consent and records vary, so have your attorney review the notice before it goes out.
Can I sell just my client list
Yes, but a client list alone usually sells for less than a whole practice, because the buyer gets no staff, systems or reputation and carries the full retention risk. Expect most of the price to depend on the fees that actually follow the clients over the first one to two years.
List your accounting practice where buyers arrive screened
One listing with gross fees, SDE and the asking multiple, a data room and NDA plus proof of funds on every inquiry, from $24 a month billed yearly.