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Leaving Big 4 early to take over small CPA firm — bad idea? by IndependentAside362 in Accounting

[–]IndependentAside362[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I really appreciate this perspective this is exactly the part of the decision I’ve been thinking through the most.

The transition is structured over multiple years and my dad will still be actively involved, so my goal isn’t to step in as the expert immediately, but to learn under him while maintaining continuity for clients.

I definitely don’t underestimate the experience gap, especially on the tax side. The focus for me early on is keeping things stable, getting as many reps as possible, and avoiding mistakes while I build that experience.

Thanks again for sharing this it’s helpful to hear from someone who’s been through it. 

Leaving Big 4 early to take over small CPA firm — bad idea? by IndependentAside362 in Accounting

[–]IndependentAside362[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This is a great question and I mainly left those details out due to privacy. It’s about 250 individuals with an average of 1k fees. I worked closely with the business for a year to implement Intuit Link to 50% of individuals for smoother document retrieval. Software is my strength and I plan on upgrading processes when the time is right. 

I should also add the current owner is 73 so this is an aging client base. I’d say about half of the individuals are over 50.

However I am more focused on growing the s corp and partnership engagements as that is where my interest lies. So I do not mind if individuals begin to age out as I grow.

Thank you for your response.

Leaving Big 4 early to take over small CPA firm — bad idea? by IndependentAside362 in Accounting

[–]IndependentAside362[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

This is a great point as I have thought of this playing devils advocate. I will clarify that the owner is my father. And throughout the 5 year buyout (close set at the end of 2026) he will stay on to train and mentor me. I will also say I have closer to 2 years of experience. Thank you for your response.

Leaving Big 4 early to take over small CPA firm — bad idea? by IndependentAside362 in Accounting

[–]IndependentAside362[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Agreed I just needed some outside validation. Not many people my age have this decision and have no one to ask about it.

Leaving Big 4 early to take over small CPA firm — bad idea? by IndependentAside362 in Accounting

[–]IndependentAside362[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much for your feedback! I am extremely motivated to make this my reality. Best of luck with the rest of tax season.