Office Sharing for CPAs

Advantages and Disadvantages for Small Firms and Sole Practitioners

John R. Ledgerwood, MSA, CPA, CMA, CFM, CGMA, and Bert J. Zarb, DBA, MBA, CPA, CGMA

In these challenging times, CPAs are not immune from the economic forces that negatively impact the bottom line. As revenue streams become more difficult to maintain, CPAs are turning their attention to their expenses. Office sharing is one strategy that can help; small CPA firms considering it should carefully weigh both the benefits and the costs. (In more than 20 years of practice, the authors of this article have operated in both standalone and office-sharing environments, and the following discussion will cover the advantages and disadvantages of the arrangements.)