Do I Need a Fractional CFO, Interim CFO or Part-Time CFO? What’s the Difference?

by: Lucrum Staff

As a business scales, it reaches a point where more financial expertise is needed than existing resources can provide. Hiring a full-time CFO may not be an option, especially if the business is still in the early stages of growth. Once the business can hire a full-time CFO, it may also go through transition periods where a temporary full-time CFO is needed to fill a vacancy or support during rapid change.

That’s where fractional CFOs, interim CFOs, and part-time CFOs come in.

These are all financial executives who can provide strategic financial expertise on a part-time or temporary basis. But what’s the difference between them? Below we’ve created summary charts and detailed descriptions to help compare options.

Fractional CFO

A fractional CFO is a seasoned financial executive or firm that works with multiple clients on a part-time basis. They can provide a wide range of services, including financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, cash flow management, and strategic financial planning. Fractional CFOs are a good option for businesses that need ongoing financial expertise but don’t need a full-time CFO. While some fractional CFOs operate as individual consultants, many work for fractional CFO firms. Learn more about Lucrum’s fractional CFO services here.

Interim CFO

An interim CFO is a financial executive who is brought in on a temporary (but often full-time) basis to fill a specific need. This could be due to a CFO vacancy, a merger or acquisition, or a period of rapid growth. Interim CFOs typically have a lot of experience and can provide leadership and stability during times of change.

Part-Time CFO

A part-time CFO is a financial executive who works for a company on a regular basis, but for fewer hours than a full-time CFO. They can handle many of the same tasks as a full-time CFO, but on a scaled-back basis. Part-time CFOs can be a good option for businesses that need some ongoing general financial oversight but don’t need (or can’t afford) the full-time commitment of a CFO.

Here’s a look at how schedule, availability, duties, benefits and cost compare between the three options.

Which CFO Option Is Best?

Here are some factors to consider when selecting the best temporary or fractional/part-time option for strategic financial help:

• Stage of growth. If in the early stages of growth, a fractional CFO may be a good option. As the business hits key growth milestones, the transition to a full-time or part-time CFO may be needed.
• Specific financial needs. Do you need ongoing financial expertise (Part-Time or Fractional), or do you need someone to fill a temporary gap (Interim)?
• Culture. Do you need a resource more deeply integrated with your team (Part-Time) or are you ok with external resources to help work on specific areas or projects (Fractional)?
• Budget. Fractional CFOs are typically the most cost-effective option, followed by part-time CFOs and then interim CFOs.
• Urgency. Did you just lose a full-time CFO or are going through sudden and rapid M&A activity? Interim CFOs are ideal for immediate or urgent needs, while fractional or part-time can be planned for in advance.

Here are a few examples of business situations with the above rules applied to suggest the best CFO option(s).

It can be confusing when the terms fractional CFO, part-time CFO and interim CFO are used interchangeably (after all, they are all quite similar!). But we hope that any questions you had about the differences between them are now cleared up!

Interested in further exploring fractional CFO services for your business? Book a no-pressure, no-commitment consultation with one of our business financial advisors today.