Firm Structure Changes

Peer Review Program Change Form

The purpose of this form is to assist AICPA and CSCPA members required to be enrolled in a practice monitoring program. Use this form to notify the AICPA or CSCPA of firm or employment changes that may impact your peer review and/or the firm's enrollment in peer review. For assistance with this form, please contact Practice Programs Manager Bonnie Olivieri.

If you are enrolled in the NPRC Peer Review Program, please contact their administrative team at 919-402-4502.

Change Form Instructions

Complete the pages most appropriate for your firm's situation. Please read the Description of Changes FIRST to ensure you complete the section that is the most appropriate. Each section contains an area for comments to include additional information pertinent to your situation.
Please print legibly or type this information. This form can also be found on the AICPA website at aicpa.org.

Email, fax, or mail the completed pages of this form to your administering entity. See Exhibit A for a complete list of contact information for all administering entities. All change forms must go through the administering entity for verification purposes.

For firms with peer reviews administered by the AICPA's National Peer Review Committee ("NPRC"): please contact the NPRC at 919-402-4502 (option 0). Email inquiries may be sent to nprc@aicpa.org. If your review is administered by the NPRC, mail the completed form to the address listed in Appendix A.
Once the administering entity determines the form has all required information, it will be forwarded to the AICPA. AICPA staff determines the impact to their firm's (firms') peer review on a case-by-case basis. You will be notified via email once the form has been processed by the AICPA.

DESCRIPTION OF CHANGES

Change in Employment

If you are moving between public accounting firms, retiring, or changing your industry, complete this section. Note: If you are leaving or joining a public accounting firm, and you took or brought in any non-SEC A&A clients, this is considered a Firm Dissolution or Firm Merger for peer review purposes. Please complete the Firm Dissolution or Firm Merger section.

Firm Name Change

If your firm is undergoing a firm name change due to one of the following, complete this section:

A partner is leaving the firm and not taking accounting or auditing (A&A) hours from this firm.
A partner is joining the firm and not bringing any accounting or auditing clients into the firm.
A staff member has been promoted to partner impacting the firm name.
A firm name is changed for commercial purposes (i.e., PLLC, LLC, PC).

If the firm name change is for any other reason, please check the descriptions below to determine if they apply to the change.

Note: If a partner is leaving the firm and taking ALL the A&A clients, complete the Firm Sale section. This category should NOT be completed if you are an individual changing firms/jobs. The Change in Employment category should be used.

Firm Dissolution

For peer review purposes, a firm dissolution occurs when one or more partners leave a firm, and takes a portion of the non-SEC A&A clients from the firm. When this occurs, the AICPA will determine whether there is a successor firm and whether any new firms are formed. This is done on a case-by-case basis.

Decisions regarding successor firms include the calculation of the non-SEC A&A hours performed in the 12-month period prior to the effective date of the dissolution. This 12-month period should only include non-SEC A&A hours related to engagements with periods ended during the 12 months prior to the effective date of dissolution where the reports on those engagements have been issued. The status of the partners, and possibly staff, in addition to other relevant information, may also factor into the decision.

The administering entities and the AICPA will not be responsible for determining if the information submitted is accurate. If conflicting information between parties is submitted, all affected firms will be considered new firms for peer review purposes. None of the firms will be given successor firm status which would include peer review history.

Firm Merger/Purchase/Sale

If your firm is combining with another firm, purchasing another firm, or selling your practice, complete this section. Please review the information below regarding firm mergers, purchases, and sales.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION RELATED TO A FIRM MERGER, PURCHASE, OR SALE:

For peer review purposes, a Firm Merger is when two or more firms begin to practice as one firm. This may also include one firm acquiring another firm, including owners and engagements. The resulting firm's status and due date for peer review will be determined by the AICPA, on a case-by-case basis, based on the information provided.

For peer review purposes, a Firm Purchase/Sale is when a firm purchases the non-SEC A&A practice from another firm (or firms). This ordinarily means a partner has sold his or her non-SEC A&A practice to another firm and retired or becomes an employee (non-owner). The nature of each firm's practice will determine whether the purchasing firm is deemed a successor firm or a new firm and the peer review due date.

In completing this form, each original firm should calculate the non-SEC A&A hours that are being brought to the "combined" firm. These hours should exclude tax, management consulting or other work associated with non-A&A engagement and SEC issuer A&A engagements. The percentage of non-SEC A&A hours should be calculated on engagements with periods ended during the 12-month period prior to the effective date of the merger, where the reports on those engagements have been issued.

There should be agreement as to the number and percentage of hours that each firm is contributing to the "combined" firm. The firm's status and due date for peer review will be determined by the AICPA based on this information on a case-by-case basis.

Firm Structure Changes

Peer Review Program Change Form

Change Form Instructions

DESCRIPTION OF CHANGES

Peer Review Quick Links