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DEAL CPAs
A deal CPA is likely be integral to your acquisition. A CPA will help with due diligence (by analyzing financial statements and internal controls), tax structures, financial terms, valuations, and audits. Both the buyer and the seller should have their own CPA firms. If a firm were to represent both sides, that would constitute a major conflict of interest and could expose the deal to potential litigation.
The Big Four accounting firms have the depth to offer all services regarding an acquisition. Of course, the prices are high. And, like a top law firm, you may not get the best people working on your project. But there are definitely strong regional accounting firms that can provide the necessary services to make your deal work.
If a CPA firm makes a mistake, the liability can be huge. In fact, several have gone bust. So before selecting a firm, see if there are any outstanding lawsuits. Just as with attorneys, allocate plenty of time to find a good CPA firm (assuming that your current CPA is not experienced with M&A work).
CPA FEES
Fees can range from $200 to $500 per hour. Ethically, the CPA firm is not allowed to take equity in the deal because that could pose neutrality problems, especially with audits.
