If you’ve been on the fence about selling your accounting or CPA practice, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the stronger windows we’ve seen in years. Here’s why we’re telling sellers this, and why we think the timing argument deserves a serious look.
Buyer demand is strong, and broad. We’re seeing a wider mix of buyers than ever before: private equity-backed consolidators, search fund buyers, and individual CPAs and EAs looking to step into ownership through SBA financing. When buyer pools widen like this, it tends to support stronger valuations and faster closings, both of which work in a seller’s favor.
AI is changing the profession, not ending it, but that itself creates urgency. Cloud accounting, automated workflows, and AI-assisted tax prep are reshaping how firms operate day to day. That’s not necessarily bad news for the industry, but it does mean firms that adapt well may pull ahead of firms that don’t. If you’re a practice owner who has already weathered several waves of technology change in this profession and isn’t eager to lead the next one, selling now, while your practice is stable and well-positioned, may be more appealing than riding out another transition.
Many owners have most of their net worth tied up in one asset: their practice. That’s a normal outcome of building something for decades, but it also means a lot of personal financial risk is concentrated in a single business. Selling while demand is high is one practical way to convert that concentrated risk into diversified, realized value.
Selling is genuinely demanding, so timing your energy matters as much as timing the market. Even in a strong market, going through a sale (diligence, financing conversations, transition planning, all while still running the practice) takes real bandwidth. The smoothest transactions we see are with sellers who still have the energy to support a clean handoff, not those who wait until they’re fully burned out to start the process.
Markets shift, and this one may not stay this favorable indefinitely. We can’t predict exactly how long today’s buyer demand holds, but we do know that conditions like this don’t last forever. If you’ve been considering a sale at some point in the next few years, it’s worth exploring sooner rather than later while the market is working in your favor.
At Naab Consulting, we’ve represented the sale and merger of CPA, EA, and accounting practices nationwide since 1997, with over 500 successful closings. If you’re exploring what your practice might be worth in today’s market, or just want to talk through your options with no pressure, we’re happy to have that conversation.
Contact Naab Consulting:
(888) 726-6282 | Info@NaabConsulting.com | www.NaabConsulting.com