August is often thought of as a quieter month, but the market for professional practices certainly is not slowing down.
We continue to see significant activity across the professional services landscape, particularly in accounting. Recent industry data shows accounting services M&A activity is continuing to climb in 2026 after a record year in 2025. At the same time, private equity and other outside investors continue to explore new opportunities across professional services, while states are beginning to take a closer look at how outside investment may impact industries such as legal services.
For practice owners, the takeaway is not that everyone should be preparing to sell. It is that the options available to owners are changing, and understanding those options before you need them is becoming increasingly important.
My August tip: Run a “buyer test” on your practice.
Ask yourself: If I unexpectedly received an offer for my practice tomorrow, could I quickly provide accurate financial statements, explain any unusual expenses, show client retention and recurring revenue, document how the business operates without me, and demonstrate the strength of my team?
If the answer to some of those questions is no, that does not mean your practice is not valuable. It simply identifies where you can begin strengthening it.
One of the best things an owner can do is prepare the business as though a transaction could happen, even if selling is still years away. Clean financials, documented processes, strong client retention, a capable team, and less dependence on the owner can make your practice more attractive to a future buyer. More importantly, they can make it a stronger and easier business to own today.
At Private Practice Transitions, we believe owners should understand the value of what they have built and the options available to them long before they are ready to make a decision.
Enjoy the remainder of your summer, and as always, our team is here if you have questions about valuation, succession planning, buying, or selling a professional practice.
- Justin Farmer, Esq., CBI
President & Founder of Private Practice Transitions
DAD JOKE OF THE WEEK:
When they told me to stop impersonating a flamingo...
Grab your coffee and join Justin Farmer, Esq., CBI, President & Founder of Private Practice Transitions, for a new virtual Coffee Hour series.
VC with PPT will bring together business owners, brokers, investors, and industry professionals for casual conversations about today’s market, access to capital, business growth, mergers and acquisitions, and other topics that matter most. No lengthy presentations. No sales pitch. Just coffee, candid insights, and valuable conversation.
Stay tuned for our first topic, featured guest, and registration details!
For more than 58 years, the Practice has provided a comprehensive range of tax and accounting services to business and individual clients. As of July 2026, the Practice serves approximately 2,100 active clients. Its estimated 2025 service mix consisted of 86.8% tax, 4.8% accounting and assurance, 6.7% consulting, and 1.7% miscellaneous services. The Practice generated $3,761,530 in gross receipts in 2025, increasing to $4,017,959 during the June 2026 trailing 12-month period. The Owners are willing to provide transition assistance, including goodwill transfer, business development support, and ongoing mentorship, for a mutually agreed-upon period. The Practice’s long-standing success can largely be attributed to its deep technical expertise, differentiated approach to client service, and strong, enduring client relationships.
If you are interested in our featured listing,please email us and indicate the listing name and number in the subject line, or call us at 253.509.9224.
Selling your professional practice is about more than securing a buyer and agreeing on a price—it’s about structuring the deal in a way that helps protect the value you’ve worked so hard to build. With the right planning, the decisions you make before going to market can have a major impact on how much you ultimately keep after taxes.
By preparing early, practice owners can strengthen their financial outcome and avoid costly surprises at closing. In our latest blog, "Tax-Efficient Strategies for Selling Your Business," we break down smart, tax-conscious strategies to consider before listing your practice.
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