the company where I work has a decent sized (not big 5 or big 6) CPA firm do the audit and the tax return. This is the first year, since it is a newly purchased company.

Anyway...... we got a bill with an average of $205.00 per hour for them to do some tax work!!!!!

That is insane. These guys are just a click above ordinary in my opinion. Their audit was not anything special, which cost us $65,000.

Maybe I should go get my CPA License (passed exam but still need 500 more working hours to get it)!!!!!

 

$205/hr for 3 months out of the year...

I hope some of them were at least hot.

 

actually I don't think that's too bad... when I was a tech boy running around doing hardware support runs, I used to bill out at $250/hr to some clients. I've also heard some some client services guys from another company I used to work at(financial services software) billing out at $1k/hr.

all depends on what your arrangement is....

 

1k/hr????

Most I've ever charged for software development was $75/hr. Holy crap!

 

I thought a horribly overpriced Lawyer would maybe bill $300/ hour....... a normal lawyer $150.00/ hour....
I would never expect a tax CPA to bill out $205!

I'll be the average for our audit was close to $200 and 2 of the them were damn near right out of college!

but one did have a smoking body!

 

The CPA fees don't seem too out of line to me. They're similar to what the firms around here charge.

$150 for a lawyer is low. $300 is average.

Check and see if you can find a CPA who will work on a flat fee basis.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by thunderchicken
1k/hr????

Most I've ever charged for software development was $75/hr.

 

I worked at a consulting firm which had CPAs and Lawyers. Different projects would be billed at different rates but the minimum rate was $300/hour, a few projects were billed at $700/hour and up.

 

WOW..... this must be making the "partners" pretty wealthy. Doesn't the average staff lawyer make $100k or so for busting their ass?

Assuming a lawyer making $100k only billed 1500 hours per year that would be $67.00 per hour x 140% to cover fringe benfits = $94.00 per hour......

Then the FIRM bills them out at $250 per hour which covers the rent, utilities,computer expenses & some continuing education ...(secretary's hours are billable I think)...... not a bad deal!!!!!!!

So 1500 hours marked up $156 per hour = $234,0000 of income to help pay the bills.....

Wonder why everything is so expensive these days?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jmc1971
The CPA fees don't seem too out of line to me. They're similar to what the firms around here charge.

 

Does anyone here honestly think their time is worth $700 per hour on a continual basis?

I know lots of times you can help save a company $200k by changing a supplier, finding better cheaper health coverage, negotiating a lower interest rate on a big loan, etc............ so those would be different.... but $700/hr is NUTS!!!!!