Topics addressed will be of interest for practitioners looking to sell or to acquire a practice.  Topics will include current trends in the profession: soft issues in practice transition; merger vs. direct sale; valuation: risk, earnouts, transition time; taxation: sale of shares vs sale of assets (client list); client retention: the fit between the current and incoming practitioner, client relationships, communication; ethics: technology, communication with clients.

Join Melanie Russell, FCPA, FCA, CBV, CIM, CFE, CFF, ABV, FDRP-Val, Founder and President of Kalex Valuations Inc., who has valued, consulted with and sold a number of accounting practices, who will cover everything you need to know about purchasing or selling an accounting or tax practice.

TOPICS:

• The Why’s of buying a practice/book of business
• Why some practice/book acquisitions fail
• Preparing for a sale & the importance of a succession plan
• Options for starting the transition
• Indicators of a desirable practice
• Current trends
• Practice values
• Purchase price/payment structuring & tax implications – e.g., cash vs. earnouts
• Methods of transitioning
• Stages of purchase/sale of a practice/book
• Ethical and other practice issues including technology, and relationships and communications with staff and clients
• Lessons learned
• When to involve a valuator/intermediary
   

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Learn what you need to know when planning a sale or transition or your practice, or to acquire a practice 
• Consult with the Presenter via the Q&A panel
• Add to your professional development credits

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

You will require an Internet connection and a phone/voice connection at the same time. Most attendees use their computer for the audio. Participants are able to submit questions and comments during the session via a Q&A text panel. Terms, conditions, pricing and services subject to change.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

This webinar will be of interest to accountants and tax practitioners who are looking to purchase, sell or otherwise transition an accounting practice or client base.  The session with guide participants through the process and focus on key areas of concern based, and focus on practical issues.  

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CREDITS (CPE HOURS):

Wolters Kluwer professional development programs are designed to meet the continuing education requirements of a variety of professional associations. These requirements do vary by association and region. Please consult your provincial association to ensure this webinar meets the continuing professional development standards for your specific situation. 

Registrations for each Live Webinar are available until the start of each program. We reserve the right to substitute speakers in the case of instructor illness. In the event that we must cancel a Live Webinar, all registrants will be notified immediately and given the opportunity to either transfer their registration to another Live Webinar or a Recorded Webinar or obtain a refund. For all Live Webinars that are recorded, participants will have access to the recording for 12 months following the Live Webinar. Partial credit will not be awarded for attendees that are not present for the entirety of the Live Webinar. Credit will not be awarded if an attendee does not answer all of the polling questions (where applicable). Additional credit will not be awarded due to the instructor presenting over the allotted time.

CANCELLATION POLICY:

Due to the costs involved with planning Web sessions, cancellations must be confirmed in writing at least one (1) business day before the beginning of the Web session. If we receive your cancellation notice within the above-mentioned period, you will receive a full refund. No refund will be issued for notices received after the cancellation period.

THIS WEBINAR INCLUDES:

• 12 months to review the webinar recording
• Print version of the presentation slides
• PD Certificate for 2 hours 

PRESENTER:

This webinar is being presented by: Melanie Russell, FCPA, FCA, CBV, CIM, CFE, CFF, ABV, FDRP-Val, President and founder of Kalex Valuations Inc.

Since obtaining the CA, CPA designation in 1988, Ms. Russell has gathered experience in a number of areas including business, asset, financial instrument and liability valuations; income valuations/determinations; quantification of economic damages; expropriations; financial/forensic investigations; financial projections and modelling; due diligence; quality of earnings; external auditing; internal auditing; and treasury management.

Ms. Russell has worked in accounting and valuation practice for more than 20 years, and in industry for three years. Ms. Russell has qualified as an expert witness in the Ontario Court of Justice, the Ontario Superior Court, the Federal Court of Canada, the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the Law Society of Alberta, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (“CPAO”, formerly Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario)’s Discipline Committee (which determines whether members should be charged with offences as brought by the CPAO’s Professional Conduct Committee) and the Investment Dealers’ Association.  She has qualified as an expert in the areas of business/asset valuation, quantification of damages, income determination and forensic accounting.  She has also acted as an accounting expert in arbitration, mediation, mediation/arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution proceedings (e.g., collaborative practice), and negotiated a number of buy/sell transactions.

Ms. Russell has been active in accounting, auditing, valuation and finance education since 1987.  For example:

• Taught at various institutions including York University - Atkinson College and Schulich School of Business, CPAO (formerly ICAO), University of Toronto, Ryerson Polytechnic University/TMU, Seneca College, Humber College, Chartered Professional Accountants Canada (formerly CICA), School of Accountancy and various CA/CPA preparation courses.
• Presented lectures and seminars in various areas including valuation, income analysis, financial reporting, finance, forensic accounting, succession planning, accounting, auditing/assurance, tax, personal financial planning for various organizations including the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Bar Association, Canadian Bar Association, Law Society of Ontario, The Advocates’ Society, CICA/CPA Canada, the CICBV, ICAO/CPAO, Wolters Kluwer, Department of Justice, various district and entrepreneurial CA/CPA associations, CPA educational consortiums, ESOP Canada, Estate Planning Council of Toronto (“EPCT”), Estate Planning Counsel of Canada, Canadian Securities Institute, Canadian Tax Matters, FDRIO, Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts, Durham Regional Family Law Association, Financial Planning Association of Canada, Innovation Guelph, Manulife, RBC, Junior Trust and Estate Practitioners Group, Toronto Entrepreneurs’ Conference, M&A Club, Collaborative Practice Toronto, Russell Alexander, Junior Achievement, Federated Press, Peel Law Association, BETA-I, TechConnex, CommuniVet, and various law firms, accounting firms, banks, investment companies and industry groupsforensic accounting, succession planning, accounting, auditing/assurance, tax, personal financial planning for various organizations including the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Bar Association, Canadian Bar Association, Law Society of Ontario, The Advocates’ Society, CPA Canada/CICA, the CICBV, CPAO/ICAO, Wolters Kluwer, Department of Justice, various district and entrepreneurial CA/CPA associations, CPA educational consortiums, Employee Ownership Canada (formerly ESOP Canada), Estate Planning Council of Toronto (“EPCT”), Estate Planning Counsel of Canada, Canadian Securities Institute, Canadian Tax Matters, FDRIO, Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts, Durham Regional Family Law Association, Financial Planning Association of Canada, Innovation Guelph, Manulife, RBC, Junior Trust and Estate Practitioners Group, Toronto Entrepreneurs’ Conference, M&A Club, Collaborative Practice Toronto, Russell Alexander, Junior Achievement, Federated Press, Peel Law Association, BETA-I, TechConnex, CommuniVet, ACFI, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners GTA and various law firms, accounting firms, banks, investment companies and industry groups.
• Author of the Business Valuation content of CPA Canada’s Practice Management, Advisory, Compilations and Tax Guide (“PACT”)
• Co-author of “Understanding Valuation Reports – A Guide for Legal Professionals”, published by Thomson Reuters, 2021 and co-author of “Financial Crimes in Canada: An Overview of Money Laundering & Fraud”, published by LexisNexis, 2022
• Author of the CICBV Sponsored Research Paper “Best Practices for Quality of Earnings Reports”, 2024