By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: July 2026 | 14-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer To reduce review notes in accounting, do not lower review standards. Build staff who submit more review-ready work. Too many review notes are not just a quality-control
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By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: July 2026 | 14-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer An accountant development plan shows how a person moves from basic execution to independence, judgment, client communication, advisory readiness, and leadership. Most CPA firms do not really
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: July 2026 | 14-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer Client retention in a CPA practice transition depends on whether client trust transfers, not just whether the client list is assigned. Most firms treat a CPA practice
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: July 2026 | 14-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer Business development for accounting firms starts with staff capability because a firm cannot market its way past a capability ceiling. Most firms treat business development as lead
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: July 2026 | 14-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer A knowledge transfer system in a CPA firm protects what only your best people know before that knowledge walks out, burns out, or gets buried. A folder
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 12-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer Accounting staff need five layers of capability, not just technical knowledge: (1) technical execution — completing reconciliations, bookkeeping, tax workpapers, and closes accurately; (2) software and workflow fluency
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 12-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer To develop accounting staff without relying on shadowing: (1) define role-specific capability — a bookkeeper, tax preparer, senior, and manager need different pathways, not generic training; (2) stop
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 12-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer The 70-20-10 rule says people learn roughly 70% from experience, 20% from coaching and relationships, and 10% from formal training. It’s directionally right — courses alone never built
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 12-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer A new accountant’s first 90 days decide whether they become an independent contributor or a dependent one who needs constant manager rescue — and most firms waste the
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 12-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer Your best staff keep failing after promotion because firms confuse technical competence with management readiness — two completely different skill sets. Being excellent at preparing returns or reconciling
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