Advisory
Technical Accounting
Clarity on complexity. Expert guidance when the accounting answer isn't obvious — for transactions, standards, and situations that demand deep technical knowledge.
Expert Guidance on Accounting's Most Complex Questions
Modern accounting standards have grown increasingly complex. Revenue recognition under ASC 606, lease accounting under ASC 842, business combinations and purchase price allocation, variable interest entity consolidation, equity method investments, stock-based compensation — these are not questions that can be answered by reading a checklist. They require technical judgment, familiarity with the authoritative literature, and the ability to apply standards to facts that rarely fit cleanly into the examples.
C&M LLP provides technical accounting advisory to CFOs, controllers, and management teams navigating complex transactions or new standard adoption. We research the relevant guidance, apply it to your specific facts and circumstances, write clear technical memoranda supporting our conclusions, and help you communicate the accounting to your auditors and stakeholders.
We work on discrete questions — a single complex transaction that needs to be accounted for correctly — as well as broader implementation projects, such as first-time adoption of a new standard or the accounting consequences of a restructuring or acquisition. The goal is always the same: a defensible, well-documented accounting conclusion that holds up to scrutiny.
What You Receive
Technical Accounting Memo
A written analysis of the relevant accounting guidance applied to your specific facts — citing authoritative literature, addressing alternative interpretations, and documenting the conclusion reached. Structured to support review by your external auditors.
Journal Entry Package
Specific journal entries implementing the accounting conclusion, with clear descriptions of each entry, the accounts affected, and the period(s) covered. Ready to post, with supporting documentation.
Disclosure Drafting
Proposed financial statement footnote disclosures reflecting the accounting conclusion, drafted in plain language that satisfies GAAP disclosure requirements while remaining accessible to financial statement readers.
Who Needs Technical Accounting Support?
Technical accounting advisory is most valuable to companies facing a transaction or situation they haven't encountered before — an acquisition, a complex contract, a new financing structure, or a standard they're adopting for the first time. CFOs and controllers at private companies often do not have deep technical accounting specialists on staff, and even those who do benefit from an independent perspective on complex judgments. External auditors also require well-documented support for positions taken, and having a clear technical memo in place before the audit begins makes the process smoother for everyone.
Typical Clients
- CFOs and controllers at private companies
- Companies undergoing transactions or restructuring
- Organizations implementing new accounting standards
- Businesses seeking to strengthen audit documentation