Discussion:AICPA Membership

I started my firm about a year ago, and as you can imagine cash is tight. With Pro-advisor memberships being $650 per year (only because of the technical glitches with QuickBooks do I feel uncomfortable going without Tech support), chamber of commerce memberships ($300 per year), networking association dues, State CPA society dues, peer review membership and review fees, CPE, and CPA licensing fees, I am just feeling like all of my money is going to dues leaving me with not much left. (Don't you feel sometimes like everyone's making money off of your business except you, and you are the one doing all of the work.)

I'd love to join the AICPA, but right now I just don't have a lot of extra to spend and I have tried to put my money into things that will hopefully generate more money (i.e. networking associations like BNI and the Chamber of Commerce) For those that are members of the AICPA, do you get a lot from being a member of the AICPA? Do you recommend maybe just ordering some of their journals? Is there a way to get the meat of the membership (education) without paying the steep price? I just think the $395 plus $175 for the tax section is pretty steep especially when you have to finance the cost to join.

I am currently a member of my state cpa society. I don't get a lot of technical updates from the state society especially when it comes to taxes, but I do order a lot of PPC journals, I use the State CPA society library, I review the U.S. Master Tax Guides and Quick Finders annually, I also get IRS updates via e-mail, and of course I absolutely love you guys.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks

Nance

It does seem like you have a lot of memberships, and there probably is some overlap. If you have access to other tax references, you probably don't need the $175 tax membership portion of the AICPA. The only reason that I can think of is to get the tax checklists and tax newsletters.

Have you found BNI generates business for you? I was a member for about 1.5 years. I left after that time because I found I got more business from other places, and the weekly meetings got to be a little too much.

Personally, I find that being a member of three organizations is about the max that I can handle. Otherwise commitments (and cost) tend to get out of hand.

It's my opinion that the AICPA is far more interested in focusing its efforts on the large, or national, firm than it is the local practitioner. What clear-thinking group representing CPAs would allow the same set of financial statement criteria cast upon its members who prepare financials for your local Sam The Rag Man business and for GE, Microsoft or any ther giant? I don't think the AICPA gives a hoot about the small CPA. Why haven't they worked their fingers to the bone to insist upon several sets of criteria for financial statements. We all know there is compilation, review and audit, and SEC related but that's not enough. I think its been a disservice to its members.

The benefits include the tax checklists (if you join the Tax Section) but you can purchase that anyway. You do get access to a variety of other resources such as the Hotline.

If it is strictly a bottom-line profit decision I don't see how the AICPA puts anything to your bottom line.

Spend your "dues" money where you find the best return in gaining business.

My dues are $650 because I have the enhanced payroll service subscription. I do officer payroll and payroll for my smaller clients. QuickBooks also raised the payroll subscription price by $50 this year. My mix is about 70% compilations and 30% tax work.

Nance

My dues are $650 because I have the enhanced payroll service subscription. I do officer payroll and payroll for my smaller clients. QuickBooks also raised the payroll subscription price by $50 this year. My mix is about 70% compilations and 30% tax work.

Nance

I agree with the comment about the AICPA focusing on bigger firms. To their credit, they do have the PCPS sub group, but it costs more to join that. They do have some discounts that might be beneficial for members who travel a lot or use the services of the partners they have established relationships with.

One question I have is: Are there any the negatives or consequences to not joining the AICPA? Just want to make sure make informed decision.

I still have insurance benefits through PICPA, product discounts, Class Pass, etc, so I don't see that I lost anything by not being a member. I may re-join if not being in the AICPA becomes an issue, but I doubt that it will.

I don't refer to the AICPA, but I do use the report wording & follow their format and other recommendations.

I just am a member of the MACPA. After that, I don't think I will join anything else unless someone can convince me there is another membership that's useful out there.

Tom