Firm Transition

In yalls opinion/experience, when is the best time to send a letter to clients to let them know that their CPA is transitioning to working part time and a new CPA will be taking over the management of the firm? Also does anyone have a letter they’ve used they could redact the personal information to be used as a jumping off point?

Is the new CPA an existing employee? That will matter a lot in the wording.

When I bought an EA practice a couple of years ago, the broker gave us sample letters. We agreed on the general tone and tweaked them a little. If this is a completely new person to the firm, I’ll see if I can dig them out, but if the new person is already at the firm, I think they will be of marginal utility.

In yalls opinion/experience, when is the best time to send a letter to clients to let them know that their CPA is transitioning to working part time and a new CPA will be taking over the management of the firm? Also does anyone have a letter they’ve used they could redact the personal information to be used as a jumping off point?

I just did it and had to wait on some legal issues. I would say, anything after 10/31 is probably a bit unfair unless they are basic 1040's.

I sent a letter stating I am closing my office in December, joining a CFP firm and will limit my tax work to those clients with assets with me.

The slightly more complex clients, I offered to finish 2021 as to not leave them in a bind.

The response was overwhelmingly positive, full of "Good Luck, Happy for you , Thanks for the years etc.....

What's interesting is I have had 2 Dr's retire in the last 2 years. Received a cold letter etc.... I thin we CPA/EA's worry about this more than most professionals.