Case Study
Commonwealth CPA Group
Lexington, KY
A Lexington accounting firm is still advertising “PPP Loan Assistance” as a primary service — the Paycheck Protection Program ended in 2021.
The homepage Services section of commonwealthcpagroup.com lists the firm's primary offerings. One of the top-listed specializations reads:
“Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Assistance”
“We specialize in helping small businesses navigate PPP loan applications, forgiveness documentation, and IRS compliance for SBA relief funds.”
The Paycheck Protection Program ended in May 2021. The SBA stopped accepting applications over five years ago. The forgiveness window has also closed. There are no new PPP loans to apply for, no new forgiveness applications to file, and no active SBA COVID relief program to navigate. Commonwealth CPA Group is advertising an active specialty in a program that no longer exists — to every small business owner who visits their site in 2026.
The Firm
Commonwealth CPA Group has been serving Lexington businesses and individuals since 2002. Tax preparation, business advisory, payroll, bookkeeping, and accounting services for Central Kentucky clients. 24 years of Lexington market presence — a firm that has helped businesses survive the 2008 recession, the pandemic, and every economic challenge in between.
The irony is that helping clients navigate PPP loans during 2020–2021 was probably a genuine service this firm provided well. The work was real and valuable. But advertising that service as a current specialty in 2026 isn't a legacy statement — it's a signal that the website hasn't been touched in five years. For a CPA firm, that's the wrong signal.
What We Found
A service listing for a federal program that no longer exists, positioned as a primary specialization to every prospective client who visits the site.
The PPP Program Ended in May 2021
The Paycheck Protection Program was a COVID-era SBA loan program that ran from April 2020 through May 28, 2021. The SBA stopped accepting applications on that date. The loan forgiveness window effectively closed for most borrowers by 2022–2023. There is no active PPP program, no new applications, and no ongoing compliance work for new clients.
A small business owner who sees “PPP Loan Assistance” as a highlighted service on a CPA firm's homepage in 2026 either (a) knows the program is over and wonders if the firm is current, or (b) doesn't know and calls to ask about a loan that doesn't exist. Either way, the listing creates friction and confusion where there should be clarity.
The Wrong Message for a Firm Selling Currency
A CPA firm's value proposition is knowing what's happening in tax law and business regulation right now. A homepage that advertises an expired federal program as a current specialization — displayed in the primary services section, above the fold — undercuts that value proposition before a prospect reads a single other line of copy.
Same Legacy Template Platform
Commonwealth CPA Group's website uses the same legacy accounting industry website builder seen across multiple CPA firms in the region — the same platform that makes it easy to add services sections during active programs and hard to notice when those programs have expired. The PPP listing was accurate in 2020. It just was never removed.
What We'd Build
A Lexington accounting firm website that communicates what the firm actually does in 2026 — with services, industries, and specializations that are live and relevant today.
Current Services, Clearly Described
Tax planning and preparation, business advisory, payroll services, bookkeeping, and accounting — each described in plain language for the specific client types Commonwealth serves. No expired programs. No outdated service listings. A services section that tells a Lexington business owner exactly what's available today.
24 Years as a Credibility Signal
A Lexington CPA firm that has been operating since 2002 has helped clients through multiple economic cycles, regulatory changes, and major disruptions — including COVID. That longevity is the real story. A homepage hero that leads with “Serving Lexington Businesses Since 2002” is more compelling than a services list that includes a five-year-old pandemic relief program.
Industry-Specific Expertise Pages
Lexington's economy includes healthcare, equine, agriculture, retail, and professional services. A CPA firm that shows it understands the specific tax and accounting challenges of each industry converts at higher rates than one with a generic services list. Industry pages for the sectors Commonwealth actually serves would replace the outdated program listing with genuinely useful content.
Spec Redesign Deliverables
- ✓PPP service listing removed — replaced with current 2026 service offerings
- ✓“Serving Lexington Businesses Since 2002” hero — 24 years of market presence front and center
- ✓Industry pages for Lexington's major sectors (healthcare, equine, professional services)
- ✓Tax calendar and current-year deadline section — demonstrating active knowledge
- ✓Free consultation CTA with contact form and 24-hour response commitment
The Opportunity
Lexington is a significant CPA market — the University of Kentucky, a growing healthcare sector, agriculture, and a strong small business community all create demand for local accounting services. A 24-year firm with established client relationships has real advantages over newer competitors.
But a prospect evaluating CPA firms in Lexington today who finds a services section advertising PPP loan assistance has a simple question: does this firm know what's happening right now? The answer the website gives them is no.
The actual answer — 24 years, current expertise, real local relationships — is the right story to tell. The website just needs to tell it.
See what we'd fix on your site
We'll review your website top to bottom, record a 10-minute Loom walkthrough of exactly what's broken, and deliver a PDF report with prioritized fixes — in 48 hours.
No commitment. No pitch deck.