How do I judge the seasonal workload and overtime hidden inside an accounting firm’s year?

Annual figures flatten the peaks. Ask to see time and payroll records broken down month by month, and compare them with the billing calendar. Where hours spike, look at who absorbs them. If the owner quietly does most of the late nights, a buyer inherits that load and may have to pay someone to replace it.

Talk to the staff, with the seller’s permission, about how the busy period actually runs. Ask how often people work weekends, whether time off is blocked, and whether anyone has left because of the pace. Turnover after a heavy season is a signal worth weighing against what the seller tells you. Ask too whether temporary or part-time help is used each peak, and how that help is found and trained.

Look at cash flow as well. Billing and collection often lag the work, so the quiet months can be tight. Ask your own accountant to read the monthly cash pattern and tell you whether the firm carries enough cushion to get through the slow stretch without borrowing. If the seller is reluctant to share monthly figures, treat that as information too, and ask what explains the reluctance before you move further.

Key takeaways

• Request monthly hours and payroll records, not just annual summaries.
• Find out who covers the peaks and what that coverage really costs.
• Check how the quiet months are funded before you commit.