IPA's 2016 Best of the Best Accounting Firms

INSIDE Public Accounting’s (IPA’s) annual Best of the Best recognition honors 50 CPA firms across the country for their overall superior financial and operational performance on more than 70 IPA criteria. The right combination of planning, strategy and execution distinguish Best of the Best firms from among more than 540 firms that participated in IPA’s 26th Annual Survey and Analysis of Firms.

IPA considers a wide variety of metrics to evaluate who is a Best of the Best firm, including metrics that measure growth, profitability, income, productivity, accountability, turnover, professional development and governance.

IPA has also named 10 firms under $5 million in net revenue for the Best of the Best Under $5 Million. Unlike their large-firm counterparts, these firms earned this distinction with fewer resources to deliver top-notch client service, sought-after benefits and professional development across the firm – hallmarks of the Best of the Best.

New this year, IPA has named five Best of the Best firms from Canada. These firms, similar to U.S. accounting firms, have produced excellent financial results without compromising on training their professionals, planning far ahead and nurturing a culture where everyone – staff and clients alike – can succeed.

The IPA Best of the Best firms come in all sizes – from 26 employees to 2,400 – and are geographically dispersed across the U.S. and Canada. “Best of the Best firms are financially successful, but that’s only part of what makes them exceptional,” says Michael Platt, principal of the Platt Group and publisher of the accounting trade publication, INSIDE Public Accounting. “Best of the Best firms are built on a strong foundation that consider the needs of staff, owners and clients as the three key constituencies of any successful business. They are not content to stand still. They plan ahead for the future of the firm and they anticipate the needs of their clients.”

Kelly Platt, publisher of INSIDE Public Accounting, says firm leaders who are looking to improve can look to the results produced by the Best of the Best. “Best of the Best firms show that discipline, planning and a systematic approach to improvement can result in measurable progress toward their goals. In a rapidly changing business environment, Best of the Best firms thrive.”

A full list of the 2016 IPA Best of the Best firms, including the Under $5 Million category and, new this year, Best of the Best in Canada can be found here.

INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA), founded in 1987, is published by The Platt Group. The Platt Group publishes both the award-winning INSIDE Public Accounting newsletter and the award-winning National Benchmarking Report. The Platt Group also consults with firms to help them become more successful. The Platt Group works with managing partners, CFOs and thought leaders across the nation to provide practical ideas, benchmarking data and information to take firms to the next level of improvement.