How this analyzer works

Buying an accounting or tax practice is one of the largest financial decisions a firm owner makes, and the numbers presented by a seller rarely answer the question that matters: after clients leave, staff turn over, and the debt is serviced, what is actually left for you?

What it measures

The analyzer projects retained revenue over your chosen horizon, subtracts operating and staffing costs, then applies acquisition debt and any earn-out. It reports operating cash flow, net cash flow, cash-on-cash return, payback, and the residual profit left after paying you fairly for the hours you would personally work.

Two scores, kept separate

A financial and operational score covers pricing, cash flow, service mix, and financing structure. A transition and qualitative score covers seller involvement, staff, fit, and the confidence you have in the information you were given. They are reported separately because strong economics do not cure a bad handoff, and a generous seller cannot fix a price that does not work.

Unknowns stay unknown

Where you do not have a figure, the analyzer records it as unknown rather than assuming zero. Metrics that depend on it are simply not reported, and the assumptions section shows exactly which conclusions rest on defaults rather than on your own numbers.

Owner labor is priced

Many acquisition analyses quietly treat the buyer's own time as free. This one asks what an hour of your time is worth and charges the practice for the hours you would work, so you can see whether the business earns anything beyond buying yourself a job.

Where it stops

This is a screening tool. It does not value goodwill for tax purposes, review engagement letters, test the quality of the underlying files, assess malpractice exposure, or replace a conversation with your attorney, lender, and tax adviser. It is a structured way to decide whether an opportunity deserves deeper work.

Your data

The analysis runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is transmitted to a server or stored, and closing the tab discards it. Print or save the results if you want a record.

Ready to evaluate a practice?

The questionnaire takes about fifteen minutes with the seller's figures in front of you.

Start an analysis

This analyzer is a product of Trio Tax, a full service tax and advisory firm serving clients throughout the United States.