Journal of Accountancy Podcast

Roger Kenyanya, vice president of finance at home improvement store Lowe’s, took part in the inaugural AICPA and CPA.com AI Symposium about three months ago in New York. Why did he refer to the event as a “humbling, full-circle moment” in a LinkedIn post? Find out on this episode of the JofA podcast. Kenyanya, a[...]

Danielle Supkis Cheek, CPA, vice president and head of Analytics & AI for Caseware, had an interesting way to continue her exploration of the ethics of using AI tools in accounting: She asked ChatGPT to give her an answer. The response helped in her assessment of such tools. She shared more about that result —[...]

To Jen Croneberger, it’s easy for many in society to spend a lot of time planning to do big things but not always carrying out those plans. Taking an “if/then response approach” to life prevents accomplishing big goals, and so Croneberger advises people to take big leaps, even if they’re uncertain about having a safety[...]

In the first part of a two-part podcast discussion, Hamza Khan detailed how he was affected by a severe case of burnout about 10 years ago. In this episode, Khan, an author and keynote speaker, shares more about his battle with burnout today. Khan explained some of the reasons burnout can affect women in particular[...]

Hamza Khan believes the four-day workweek to be “an inevitability.” It is the sort of workplace trend that could help to diminish burnout, which is the main topic of this JofA podcast episode with Khan, an author and entrepreneur. This episode is the first of a two-part conversation with Khan, who has given keynote presentations[...]

Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, executive vice president–Business Growth and Engagement at AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, has his finger on the pulse of the profession. He’s traveled all over, talking to everyone from corporate CFOs to newly minted accountants and accounting apprentices, and he’s sharing some of the[...]

Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, AICPA & CIMA associate director–Management Accounting Research and Development, explains in this JofA podcast episode why finance decision-makers in the first-quarter Business & Industry Economic Outlook Survey are more optimistic now compared with the end of 2023. Witt summarizes the survey results, including CPA decision-makers’ expectations for revenue and profit increases[...]

The AICPA & CIMA CFO Conference begins April 24 in Charleston, S.C. Sandy Sloyer, CPA, CGMA, and Misty Geer, CPA, CGMA are long-time members of the conference planning committee, and they joined the JofA podcast to discuss how priorities have changes for finance leaders over the past few years — and how the conference agenda[...]

Melanie Lauridsen, vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy for the AICPA, returns as a guest on the JofA podcast to update listeners on the focus areas of tax advocacy.   Her team is paying close attention to employee retention credit claims, beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements, and IRS contingency plans in the event of a government shutdown.[...]

The factors contributing to a decline in the accounting talent pool are many, and so are the strategies to address the issue.  In this podcast episode, Sue Coffey, CPA, CGMA, AICPA & CIMA’s CEO–Public Accounting, explains what early research has shown about why students are showing less interest in accounting. She also details the steps[...]

Wassia Kamon, CPA, was a featured speaker at the Future of Finance Summit in Orlando late last year, and she joined the JofA podcast from the event to discuss how leaders can overcome their own biases to be more inclusive.   Kamon, vice president of finance at the Low Income Investment Fund in Atlanta, points[...]

Bring together three of the top experts in the accounting technology space, and you’re bound to learn something (often, many things) new. That’s been the premise of the JofA Accounting Technology Roundtable since 2011. It held true again in 2024.  After discussing artificial intelligence and automation in Part 1 of the roundtable, published Wednesday, the[...]

ChatGPT generates most of the headlines, but it’s only a small part of the big picture when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) in the accounting profession. What is the wider view on AI for accounting firms and finance departments, and how does it all relate to automation making life better for CPAs? Find out[...]

Darryl Bonner of Connecticut-based Liberty Bank is part of a pioneering finance apprenticeship program. He’s in the midst of a rotation through several departments at the bank, and he’s taking steps to receive the CGMA designation as well. Bonner is one of the first apprentices in the AICPA’s Professional Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners program,[...]

The practice of accounting is increasingly tied to technology, the T in the acronym STEM (science, technology, engineering, math). That tie-in is one reason the AICPA is advocating for accounting to be federally recognized as a STEM education field.  Two AICPA leaders join this episode of the JofA podcast to discuss the STEM topic: Jan[...]

Dan Crumb, CPA (inactive), CGMA, is a repeat guest on the JofA podcast, because, as CFO and executive vice president of the Kansas City Chiefs, his team is back in the Super Bowl for the second year in a row and the fourth time in five seasons. It’s a run he’d like to see continue[...]

Mike Westervelt, CPA, is chair of the AICPA Accounting and Review Services Committee (ARSC), and he joins this episode of the JofA podcast to discuss the committee’s role in assisting members. In 2023, ARSC released a decision tree to guide practitioners in eliminating confusion related to the applicability of AR-C Section 70, Preparation of Financial[...]

Melanie Lauridsen, vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy for the AICPA, joins the JofA podcast to review 2023’s tax advocacy highlights and look ahead to key issues this year and beyond. Her team’s focus areas include the employee retention credit claims, beneficial ownership information reporting requirements, along with numerous other issues of concern to tax practitioners.[...]

Jennifer Wilson is passionate about the accounting pipeline and the work being done by the National Pipeline Advisory Group (NPAG). Wilson, the CEO of Convergence Coaching and independent facilitator for NPAG, joined the JofA podcast this week to update listeners on progress in addressing talent concerns. Wilson details the timeline for delivering a draft report[...]

Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA, CGMA, the founder and CEO of KET Solutions and a former AICPA board chair, is energized by people she met and words she heard at recent events. Ellison-Taylor recaps some of the highlights in this episode of the JofA podcast, focusing on a session at the Future of Finance Summit in December[...]

Barry Melancon, CPA, CGMA, the CEO of AICPA & CIMA, explains why the accounting profession has to embrace generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) instead of running from it. And that’s not all he’s talking about in this episode of the JofA podcast. Melancon shares insights on the effect of AI on audit and assurance, how[...]

Steve Saah, executive director of the finance and accounting permanent placement practice at Robert Half, joined the JofA podcast last week at the Future of Finance Summit in Orlando, Fla. In the interview, he shares recent data that seems positive related to hiring trends.  He also offers insights into the future of in-office work, analyzes[...]

The JofA podcast took a road trip last week to the Future of Finance Summit, catching up with several leaders on highlights from the event and reflections on its growth since the first event in Nashville, Tenn., in 2021. Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, executive vice president–Business Growth and Engagement at AICPA & CIMA, leads off[...]

Barry Melancon, CPA, CGMA, the CEO of AICPA & CIMA, joins the show this week for the first part of a two-part conversation on the state of the profession and what CPA can expect in 2024 on several fronts. Melancon details concerns about a potential IRS shutdown in tax season, the state of ESG reporting[...]

In the fourth-quarter results of the Business and Industry Economic Outlook Survey, CPA decision-makers remain pessimistic about both the global and U.S. economy, but less so about their own organizations. They also are showing a hesitance to hire, facing an array of challenges, as explained in this episode of the JofA podcast. Guest Ken Witt,[...]

Jeff Drew, the JofA’s editor-in-chief, is the guest on today’s episode, taking listeners through some of the articles in the December issue, which goes live on Friday.  Drew, a former JofA senior editor and manager with the AICPA’s Private Companies Practice Section, has focused on content for the daily and monthly magazines for more than[...]

The 2023 Digital CPA Conference, Dec. 3–6 in Las Vegas, will be the event’s 12th year. To explore the trends that drive this year’s agenda – and to look back on the conference’s weather-delayed start – Michael Cerami joins the JofA podcast. Cerami is executive vice president of strategic alliances, business development, and communications at[...]

The title above is the first question posed to the guest on this episode of the JofA podcast. Byron Patrick, CPA/CITP, CGMA, vice president—Client Success at the B3 Method Institute, is a repeat guest on the show, and he’s spoken previously about best practices for virtual meetings. The conversation topic was spurred by an article[...]

When will the SEC’s proposed rule on climate disclosures become final? And what effect will new legislation in California have on companies across the country? Those questions and more are topics of this episode of the JofA podcast. Ami Beers, CPA, CGMA, senior director–Assurance & Advisory Innovation at the AICPA, discusses the latest news on[...]

For several years now, finance executives have had talent development and retention on their minds – even with all the other business headwinds they’re facing today. That’s why the timing of an apprenticeship program has been so important, and why it’s the main topic on this episode of the JofA podcast.  Today’s guest, Barry Payne,[...]

Stephanie Hughes doesn’t want anyone, especially families, to face an unforeseen crisis when it comes time to retire. Her family’s own struggles, when she was in college, helped shape that view. Hughes, CEO of the Wealth Management & Family Office at the firm Wiss & Co. LLP, said she’s teaching her daughter about money, saving,[...]

Nicole Davis isn't your typical CPA firm owner. She has five children, owns three businesses, and has zero work experience in a public accounting firm. She has crafted a presence on social media including an account with more than 12,000 followers on X, formerly known as Twitter. How has Davis done all of this, launching[...]

In the spring, two technology-focused accounting educators wrote an article about ChatGPT’s ability to answer hypothetical client questions. Now, they’re joining the JofA podcast to look into the future of generative AI. Mfon Akpan, CGMA, DBA, an assistant professor of accounting at Methodist University, and Scott Dell, CPA, DBA, an assistant professor of accounting at[...]

Ryan Bogner, EY’s Americas digital sustainability leader, is the keynote speaker at the AICPA & CIMA Oil & Gas Conference in November in Las Vegas. He explains on this episode of the JofA podcast how the regulatory landscape will affect reporting going forward, the link between cost efficiency and carbon efficiency, and why, even with[...]

Plenty of CPAs can say they learned something from Sid Kess, who died last week at age 97. Some earned CPE credits from a Kess conference session, others read his book, and some learned simply how to treat other people. Kess was passionately devoted to the profession; he continued serving on conference planning committees well into[...]

On Thursday, the IRS suspended the processing of new employee retention credit (ERC) claims to combat the prevalence of fraud. These measures will help protect small businesses and aim to stop fraud by promoters of ERC mills. In this episode, Kris Esposito, Director — Tax Policy & Advocacy, AICPA & CIMA, joins April Walker, CPA,[...]

For Kevin Martin, CPA, the many happy memories of his father — also a CPA named Kevin Martin — outweigh the grief that accompanied the elder Martin’s death in 2019.  An otherwise healthy 78-year-old, the grandfather to Kevin and Lisa Martin’s four children was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a debilitating disease that has[...]

It’s not a rosy outlook by any means, but the mood of finance decision-makers has brightened in the past three months. That’s according to a third-quarter survey of CPA decision-makers in business and industry. Optimism is rising, along with projections on revenue for the coming 12 months. Also, inflation is no longer the top challenge[...]

The AICPA’s Digital Assets Working Group published the first iteration of its digital assets practice aid in late 2019. Since then, much has changed related to digital assets, and so the practice aid has evolved with timely updates. The latest update, member-locked content published in late July, continues that evolution.  On this episode of the[...]

When Rand Greenblatt, PA, assumed the role as CFO of Elixir Solutions in early 2022, he set out to improve finance operations while empowering team members. He said that seeing direct reports improve through taking on stretch roles is a key part of talent development – and something that’s gratifying to him. Greenblatt shared what[...]

Future-focused consultant and entrepreneur Scott Klososky admits he doesn’t know exactly what the future holds as it relates to artificial intelligence. But he is definitely more upbeat about the productivity possibilities AI offers than down about the jobs AI might eliminate He believes AI will cut out parts of jobs, not entire ones. Klososky will[...]

Lexy Kessler, CPA, CGMA, is the chair of the National Pipeline Advisory Group, a group of accounting stakeholders formed to help shape strategy to address the profession's talent shortage. Kessler is mid-Atlantic leader for the firm Aprio and a member of the board of directors of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. She is[...]

Johanna Sweaney Salt, CPA, CGMA, used to work 100 hours a week during busy season. As the founder and managing partner of Gray, Salt & Associates LLP, she believed it was her responsibility to put in the time needed to make her small firm a success. Today, Johanna remains a full-time partner at the firm,[...]

This episode is a midsummer look back at insights from selected 2023 podcast guests, from a Super Bowl CFO to the AICPA vice chair.  

A survey report that focuses on enterprise risk management (ERM) and offers tools for risk practitioners is the focus of this episode of the JofA podcast. The 14th edition of The State of Risk Oversight, a report produced jointly by the AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and the[...]

In this podcast episode, a collaboration between the JofA and the Tax Section Odyssey podcasts, Tony Nitti, CPA, partner—National Tax at EY, joins April Walker, CPA, CGMA, lead manager—Tax Practice & Ethics at AICPA & CIMA, from ENGAGE 2023.   The main topic of their discussion is Rev. Rul. 2008-18, delving into S corporation reorganizations.[...]

Donny Shimamoto, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the founder and managing director of Intraprise TechKnowlogies LLC, recently co-hosted a conference session on feedback – specifically, how high performing employees sometimes get a low amount of valuable feedback. Such high performers can have their development halted if they fail to seek out the right feedback to advance in their[...]

As the components of a company’s value change, the role of finance must adapt to what it reports and how it manages tangible and intangible assets. That shift was underscored with the release of new global sustainability standards by the International Sustainability Standards Board, and it’s the topic of this episode of the JofA podcast.[...]

Advising legal cannabis-related businesses is a growing opportunity for CPAs. The landscape is ever-changing, on regulatory and other fronts. Andrew Hunzicker, CPA, the founder and CEO of Dope CFO Certified Advisors in Oregon, and Ron Seigneur, CPA/ABV, founder and partner at the firm Seigneur Gustafson LLP in Colorado, joined the JofA podcast recently to provide[...]

Chris Ortega is an upbeat person, as anyone who’s seen him present at a conference knows. But he also understands that, economically, times are tough, and he has advice for finance professionals to manage through the uncertainty. Ortega also shares how his role at conferences has changed since he first began volunteering, why he likes[...]

Carla McCall, CPA, CGMA, was a prominent speaker at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2023 for good reason. On this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast, McCall, recently named AICPA vice chair, discusses her career path and interest in volunteering while also serving as managing partner of the firm AAFCPAs. McCall shares some of the[...]

CPA decision-makers in business and industry weren’t optimistic at the end of last year, but their outlook grew a bit sunnier as 2023 began. Now, as 2023’s midpoint approaches, the outlook of finance executives is again taking on a more pessimistic tone in a quarterly survey. Contraction plans are more common, and projections for revenue[...]

ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence bots have made a big splash this year, with ChatGPT even passing the CPA Exam earlier this month, but there is another kind of bot accountants need to know about. Cybercriminals have started using bots to identify zero-day vulnerabilities in routers, servers, smartphones, Windows, web browsers, and antivirus software.[...]

Technology experts in the accounting space have plenty to say about the assets that organizations should protect from cybercriminals, what Web 3.0 could mean for the profession, and what skills future CPAs will need. This is part two of a two-part conversation with: n  Amanda Wilkie of Boomer Consulting; n  Wesley Hartman of Kirsch Kohn[...]

Technology experts in the accounting industry have plenty to say about ChatGPT, staffing issues and a push toward more automation, and how organizations can decide which projects are done in house or through outsourcing.  This is part one of a two-part conversation with: n  Amanda Wilkie of Boomer Consulting; n  Wesley Hartman of Kirsch Kohn[...]

For Dan Griffiths, CPA, CGMA, the president at Lume, a deodorant company headquartered in Utah, taking a rigorous approach to analysis – whether it be marketing spending or performance management – is critical. The human side of running a business is also important. In a conversation more than seven years ago, Griffiths spoke about emotional[...]

Terrell Williams is about to graduate with a master’s degree in accounting. That’s something he never would have considered after dropping out of college nearly 10 years ago. A chance event in his hometown of Louisville, Ky., changed everything for Williams. He nearly died outside a convenience store one March afternoon. “My time was ticking,”[...]

Incentivize the behaviors you want. That was the theory behind GRF CPAs & Advisors’ decision to change its partner compensation model several years ago. Firm leaders knew that if they wanted their partners to operate as a cohesive team, they needed to stop paying partners in ways that drove individualistic behaviors. More than five years[...]

Nikki Winston, CPA, can recall a time when, for her, it might have been easy to give up on pursuing CPA licensure. Now, she receives messages from CPA candidates and advises them on how to continue to the journey. Winston, a career coach and CPA Exam strategist, shares in this episode the common questions she[...]

It’s obvious that change is happening rapidly these days, but is the accounting profession moving quickly enough to adapt to that change? It’s a question Joey Havens, CPA, has pondered often in his career at the firm Horne LLP. Havens joined the Journal of Accountancy podcast to discuss the building of organizational culture, why the[...]

As consumers, the current environment of higher interest rates affects us in several ways. One of the obvious ways is for potential homebuyers, who are keenly aware of 30-year mortgage rates that are far higher now than several years ago. But how do higher rates affect accounting practitioners and their business clients? Bob Durak, CPA,[...]

Hamza Khan had just spoken at a TEDx event in 2016 when he got a message from his boss: See me in my office, first thing in the morning.  Khan, an author and speaker who will deliver the May 10 keynote address at the AICPA & CIMA CFO Conference in Salt Lake City, recounts the[...]

Avani Desai, CPA, doesn’t trace her journey to becoming the CEO of a top firm to her youth — she goes back to before her birth, to the emphasis her grandparents put on education in the 1940s in India. In keeping with the “starting early” theme, Desai believes that, instead of talking to students about[...]

Overall, positivity about the U.S. economy remains muted, with just 23% of respondents to a recent survey saying they are optimistic about the domestic outlook for the next 12 months. That’s an improvement from the fourth quarter, when just 12% expressed optimism. Also, 45% of respondents in the first-quarter Business and Industry Economic Outlook Survey[...]

Kelly Richmond Pope, CPA, CGMA, is a professor at DePaul University and the author of a book scheduled to be published later this month on fraud. Fool Me Once: Scams, Stories, and Secrets From the Trillion-Dollar Fraud Industry is designed to help people “see themselves or see their businesses in the stories” so that they[...]

Uncertainty isn’t going away. And because of that, entrepreneur and consultant Pascal Finette says that organizations and leaders should think differently about how they view the current business environment. Finette, a keynote speaker at the Future of Finance Summit in Austin, Texas, challenges leaders to think of uncertainty as an opportunity, not an obstacle. He[...]

A well-defined, vibrant work culture certainly can help employees perform at or above expectations. And a poor culture can absolutely be a performance constraint. But how do leaders change culture, or grow it in the age of remote and dispersed workforces? Kerry Brown has a few thoughts. Brown specializes in workforce transformation, and she spoke[...]

Robin Thieme, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the founder and CEO of KBS CFO, has gotten all kinds of questions over the years from clients. As an early adopter of offering advisory and fractional CFO services, she’s someone well versed to share the insights that simply getting those questions can unearth.

Making a run to the Super Bowl never gets old. That’s one of the messages that Dan Crumb, CPA, CGMA, the CFO of the Kansas City Chiefs, shares in this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast.  The team has qualified for the Super Bowl three of the past four seasons, and Crumb encourages the[...]

Steve Ursillo, CPA/CITP, CGMA, is a partner in the Risk & Accounting Advisory Group at Cherry Bekaert and the firm’s national leader of information assurance and cybersecurity. He explains much about digital assets and the threats that digital asset owners must guard against. Cyberattacks are on the rise, including attacks focused on digital assets In[...]

Jody Grunden, CPA, the co-founder and CEO of Summit CPA Group, isn’t afraid to fail — he says he’s done it many times over the years. The firm, now part of Anders CPAs + Advisors thanks to a 2022 merger, is an innovator in several aspects of client billing and payment, from getting away from[...]

Consternation and chaos are two of the words used to describe some of the reactions to IRS updates related to Schedules K-2 and K-3. On this collaboration episode with the Tax Section Odyssey podcast, CPAs Tim Chan of KPMG and David Sites of Grant Thornton talk about the particulars with April Walker, CPA, CGMA, lead[...]

Orumé Hays, CPA, CGMA, didn’t follow a traditional path to owning an accounting practice. From Africa to the Big Apple, she blazed a trail all her own. Raised in Nigeria, Hays moved to Miami with a college degree in sociology and anthropology and a budding career in modeling and acting. Her pursuit of Hollywood stardom[...]

On Wednesday, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins delivered an annual report to Congress, saying that the IRS is in better shape than at this time a year ago. Now, to talk more about those issues and offer advice for taxpayers and tax practitioners, Collins is appearing on the Journal of Accountancy podcast. The interview was[...]

In November, Paul Young, CPA, CGMA, senior executive vice president and CFO at Liberty Bank, was part of the formal recognition by the Department of Labor of the AICPA’s Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners program. His company has been an early adopter of the program, and he’s an advocate of its value. On this[...]

Lindsay Stevenson, CPA, CGMA, chief transformation officer at the firm BPM, reflects on two recent conferences and shares thoughts on what might be next for remote work. The conversation also touches on her hopes for 2023, including the importance of addressing change fatigue and rebuilding relationships. Here are links to Stevenson’s previous appearances on the[...]

When Jeannine K. Brown was a Journal of Accountancy podcast guest in September, she talked about the need for organizations to create a sense of psychological safety for employees. A few weeks back, after she had spoken at the Future of Finance Summit in Austin, Texas, Brown said that personal well-being and professional development were[...]

With the pace of change accelerating on numerous fronts, finance leaders are aiming to stay ahead on trends such as hybrid work, lack of talent, and other issues. A group shared ideas and hopes for the future at the Future of Finance Summit last week in Austin, Texas, and this podcast episode summarizes the key[...]

Few people in the accounting space know more about technology than Inspector Gadget. Inspector Gadget? The cartoon character with the go-go arms from the 1980s? Good guess, but no. The man wearing the trench coat in this case is David Cieslak, CPA/CITP, CGMA, executive vice president and chief cloud officer for RKL eSolutions and a[...]

Julia Lamm is a workforce transformation partner at PwC, and in her role she hears executives’ thoughts on strategies and their concerns related to talent management. Lamm joined the Journal of Accountancy podcast earlier this month to discuss recent PwC data related to talent — developing it, potentially reducing staff numbers, and more.

Sentiment about the economy, domestically and globally, is quite low in the quarterly Business & Industry Economic Outlook Survey. In fact, the last time there was this much pessimism among U.S. CPA decision-makers was 13 years ago, according to the data. This podcast episode takes a closer look at that sentiment, explores specific challenges, points[...]

If the words “busy season” start your stomach churning, Rabecca Eunis, CPA, knows how you feel. Starting her accounting career with her father’s firm, Eunis soon learned to hate the three-month grind to tax day. Her disdain grew so strong that it motivated her to launch her own firm — not to escape tax season[...]

Steve Player, a CPA with a passion for advancing the profession, recently died. Today, we pause to remember Player and the contributions he enthusiastically made to accounting. Player generously lent his expertise to numerous Journal of Accountancy and FM magazine projects over the years, and he was a regular speaker at conferences. He did all[...]

About a year ago, the AICPA announced a new route to obtaining the Chartered Global Management Accountant designation. The path is an apprenticeship program that, earlier this week, welcomed the first three companies as official partners in the program. The Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners program was part of the festivities in Chicago at[...]

CPAs April Walker, Brandon Lagarde, and Kristin Esposito all attended last week’s AICPA & CIMA National Tax Conference in Washington. Walker is a lead manager in the AICPA Tax Section, and Esposito is a director on the Tax Policy & Advocacy Team. Lagarde, a Louisiana firm leader, is chair of the Tax Practice Management Committee.[...]

This episode of the podcast summarizes recent news coverage in the Journal of Accountancy, along with an article on what to consider before converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The episode highlights articles in the November issue of the magazine flipbook. Content mentioned in the episode includes: Coverage of the AICPA & CIMA[...]

Sarah Ference, CPA, is a risk control director at CNA, the underwriter of the AICPA's Professional Liability Insurance Program. She also is a co-author for the Journal of Accountancy’s monthly Professional Liability Spotlight column. In her current role, Ference advises firms of all sizes on how they can manage their professional liability risk.   In[...]

Nine articles have been posted on journalofaccountancy.com since Oct. 13, which means there’s been a lot of recent news affecting the accounting profession. This episode focuses on several of those articles, which offer advice, a chance to test knowledge, and some key numbers when it comes to thinking about the 2023 tax year. Here is[...]

An exposure draft was issued recently by the AICPA for the Statements on Standards for Tax Services (SSTSs). April Walker, CPA, CGMA, lead manager on the AICPA's Tax Practice & Ethics team, talks with Henry Grzes, CPA, also a Tax Section lead manager, and Dave Holets, CPA, a partner in the Crowe National Tax Services[...]

News coverage on the Journal of Accountancy site touched on numerous topics recently, from financial planning advice to questions interviewees can ask employers to updates from the IRS and SEC. This episode touches on all those topics, plus it has a clip from a recent AICPA & CIMA and CPA.com Town Hall Series discussion about[...]

To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, Gil Vasquez, CPA, the founder of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), joins the Journal of Accountancy podcast to discuss the history of ALPFA and how it has evolved over the years. The founder and managing partner of Vasquez & Company LLP talks about early struggles to[...]

Change has been the one constant for companies since 2020, and the wave of new developments is challenging corporate boards to consider a fresh approach. The Future of the American Board, a new report from the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), offers a framework for boards looking for answers. Sue Cole, chair of the[...]

For Tiffany Willis, CPA, the role as vice president and head of investor relations at Starbucks is “an overwhelming honor.” She wasn’t always certain she would end up in such a role, and in reflecting on her life, she said that her proudest moment was “just never giving up.” Willis also explains how finance professionals[...]

Jeannine K. Brown, CEO of a talent development consultancy, worked for 17 years as an accountant, so she rightfully refers to CPAs as “my people.” She is co-chair of the AICPA & CIMA Women’s Global Leadership Summit, an event scheduled for Nov. 8–10 in Miami, and she joined the Journal of Accountancy podcast to share[...]

CPA firm partners looking to retire in the next few years need to make sure they have a succession plan in place as soon as possible. That’s one of the messages shared in the latest episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast, produced in partnership with the AICPA Private Companies Practice Section’s Small Firm Philosophy[...]

This express podcast episode with transcript highlights recent Journal of Accountancy news coverage of student loan debt forgiveness, an AICPA letter requesting penalty relief from the IRS, and more. The article links mentioned in the episode are: Advice from a CPA financial planner related to student loan debt forgiveness. A quiz on SAS 145 and[...]

CFOs have “a rising confidence in their ability to manage through these challenging times,” according to Steve Gallucci, national managing partner for Deloitte’s U.S. CFO Program. He explains more about why finance chiefs are concerned and why they have a sense of hope in the face of an economic downturn in the latest episode of[...]

More than half of companies hope to add employees in the next year, but many of the CPA decision-makers at those organizations remain pessimistic about the U.S. economy. Those are a few of the key takeaways from the quarterly Business and Industry Economic Outlook Survey, which was released Thursday. Inflation is a top concern chosen[...]

Robotic process automation, or RPA, has been a buzzword in the accounting profession for several years. Despite that, many practitioners don’t have a great grasp of what RPA is and what it can do for accountants. Wesley Hartman has spent much of the past eight years developing RPA solutions for midsize firm Kirsch Kohn &[...]

David Cieslak, CPA/CITP, CGMA, aka Inspector Gadget, has been following technology tools and trends for years. He took time recently to share thoughts on the Journal of Accountancy podcast, explaining how he got his nickname, the “evolutionary” vs. “revolutionary” approach he takes to analyzing technology breakthroughs year to year, and why automation should be embraced[...]

The Inflation Reduction Act includes several tax provisions, including a corporate minimum tax, a 1% excise tax on stock repurchase by corporations, and increased funding for IRS enforcement efforts.   Adam Schrom, CPA, director of product management at Bloomberg Tax, breaks down several aspects of the legislation and provides a history lesson in the process.[...]

The COVID-19 pandemic led many CPAs and their employers to think deeply about mental health in ways they may not have before. Amber Setter, a former accountant and an International Coaching Federation-accredited professional certified coach, talks about signs someone may need to consider speaking with a professional about their mental health and what you can[...]

Tom King, CPA, has worked in corporate America and now is a professor of accounting at Case Western Reserve University. He wrote the book The Numerate Leader in part to help professionals better approach how they share data. If the right data is presented the right way, audiences won’t simply nod their heads or completely[...]

Pascal Finette, an entrepreneur, consultant, and keynote speaker, shares innovation lessons from interviews with other leaders, a story about how Pepsi set up a direct-to-consumer business, and why those fortunate enough to work remotely can develop a routine that leads to better quality of life.

Drew Niehaus, CPA, focuses on accounting advisory services and governance, risk, and compliance in his role as managing director of a firm in Texas. He shares knowledge on those and other topics in this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast, including where organizations should start with risk management practices, the most significant new accounting[...]

The role shift of the finance function was accelerated by the pandemic, and CFOs and controllers continue to adapt to provide value for their organizations. Few people have more insight on that topic than Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, executive vice president–Business Engagement & Growth for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, representing AICPA &[...]

IRS service issues are a top concern for firms small and large, according to results of the 2022 AICPA Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) CPA Firm Top Issues Survey. But those service issues are not the only concern. Lisa Simpson, CPA, CGMA, AICPA vice president–Firm Services, and Carl Peterson, CPA, CGMA, vice president–Small Firm Interests,[...]

Today’s CPA devotes time and energy to focus on areas not even in existence a generation ago. As a result of technology and other changes in business, there is a need for updated testing of the skills needed to become a licensed CPA. Lori Kelly, CPA, lead manager–Exam Content for the AICPA, explains how the[...]

Tim Keefe, CPA, CGMA, is continuing a family tradition in the profession. His grandfather, father, and two siblings have been accountants. Keefe has worked in several industries over the course of his career, and he found value in the mentorship of several people along the way. Keefe is curious by nature, and he likes to[...]

Risk management came to the forefront for many organizations during the Great Recession. Now, in the midst of the Great Resignation and other highly disruptive events, risk management continues to be vital. An annual report on the state of risk oversight takes a closer look into where organizations stand and what they can learn about[...]

Harvard Business School professor and author Ranjay Gulati says that sentiment is growing among business leaders that companies have a larger role to play than simply providing shareholder value. This episode is a rebroadcast of Gulati’s appearance on the FM podcast to discuss that topic and others highlighted in his recent book, Deep Purpose: The Heart[...]

Aaron Beam became a millionaire in the 1980s as a corporate CFO, but his story is a cautionary tale. In this episode of the podcast, Beam discusses his tenure at HealthSouth, the fraud that occurred, and the advice he has for students and leaders to avoid repeating his mistakes.

In her role at the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), Kristy Illuzzi, CPA, CGMA, works with small and midsize entities, including CPA firms. Her conversations with those organizations around the world have brought to the surface some of the ways in which the Great Resignation is affecting the accounting profession. In this episode, Illuzzi offers[...]

For Anoop Natwar Mehta, CPA, CGMA, the path to becoming chair of the AICPA board of directors might not seem traditional. First, he hasn’t worked for a public accounting firm. Second, he’s been with one company for just about all of his professional life. Mehta joined profession leaders for a discussion at AICPA & CIMA[...]

AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 22 emcee Jill Schlesinger, a CBS News business analyst, reviews some of the top moments from the event last week in Las Vegas. Schlesinger had conversations with keynote speakers and CPA profession leaders and has memories and knowledge to share from several of those conversations. Journal of Accountancy content mentioned in[...]

Fellow tax podcaster Damien R. Martin, CPA, (Simply Tax) perhaps put it best on Twitter: “No one can rap 1202 like Master Nitti.” Martin was referring, of course, to IRC Sec. 1202, the exclusion for gain from certain small business stock, and one of its foremost interpreters, Tony Nitti, CPA, as Nitti spoke about Sec.[...]

Carla Harris is an author, speaker, and executive with Morgan Stanley, and she was one of the keynote speakers at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2022. In this episode, she explains the terms “powerful presence” and “performance currency” and gives advice for those seeking a career shakeup. Also, several news articles are referenced, including the ongoing[...]

The AICPA Auditing Standards Board (ASB) voted in May to approve new quality management standards. In this episode, Sara Lord, CPA, the chair of the ASB, explains more about what those standards will mean for firms going forward and what changes they will need to consider.   To learn more, visit the AICPA’s resource page[...]

On May 24 in New York, the AICPA and CPA.com hosted the inaugural ESG Symposium, bringing together a group of accounting leaders, investors, standard setters, and others to exchange ideas and perspectives on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. One presenter and a leader in the ESG field is Ami Beers, CPA, CGMA, senior director–Assurance[...]

J’Maine Chubb, CPA, CGMA, studied avionics in high school and also took an interest in a law career. He followed a familial career path, however, becoming an accountant, and he discusses some of that journey in this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast. Chubb, now the CFO at TravelWifi, was previously CFO of the[...]

About three years ago on the Journal of Accountancy podcast, Lindsay Stevenson, CPA, CGMA, spoke about how to get over fearful moments in our careers. That topic is revisited in this episode, a follow-up conversation with Stevenson, now the chair of the AICPA Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee. Stevenson talks about CPAs and their comfort zones[...]

Amy Radin, the author of The Change Maker’s Playbook: How to Seek, Seed and Scale Innovation in Any Company, serves on the board of directors for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. She wrote for FM magazine on how CFOs can enable innovation in late 2020. And, in early 2021, Radin was a guest[...]

Burnout at work was a concern even before the COVID-19 pandemic quickly left so many people isolated. The components of burnout are heightened now, according to author Britt Andreatta, Ph.D., in a December interview. In this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast, you can hear more about burnout and how it can affect overall[...]

How soon is too soon to have a debrief after busy season? And what should be the goal of such a debrief? Those topics are addressed in a special crossover episode with the AICPA Town Hall series. Hear three CPAs discuss the topic, how it’s applicable to more than tax season, and how firm leaders[...]

This episode of the podcast focuses on a busy week in news and a story of finance transformation in action. Janis Parthun, CPA, and Steve McKechnie, leaders in RGP’s finance transformation practice, explain how a recent client engagement led to efficiencies for the client, a global food and beverage company, and lessons learned for RGP.[...]

Because of their training and experience, CPAs are rightly considered the foremost providers of tax services to taxpayers. Some CPAs also serve the taxpaying public at large — with appreciation for Congress’s task to enact equitable tax laws and the IRS’s job to diligently and fairly administer them — by recommending improvements to both. They[...]

Donny Shimamoto, CPA/CITP, CGMA, is one of two accounting firm leaders presenting at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE on where to begin when it comes to starting a technology-focused advisory practice. Client advisory services (CAS) are a growing opportunity for firms, so the presentation by Shimamoto and Liz Mason, CPA, is timely. In this episode, Shimamoto[...]

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it’s the focus of this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast. Kari Hipsak, CPA, CGMA, senior manager–Firm Services at the AICPA, explains why mental health matters to her and shares advice for how managers and organizations can better promote mental health of their staff. Several resources are[...]

Sean Stein Smith, CPA, CGMA, DBA, is speaking June 7 at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE on the blockchain ecosystem. Nonfungible tokens (NFTs) are a part of that ecosystem. In this podcast episode, Stein Smith explains what NFTs are and aren’t, how baseball cards or other physical items can be “tokenized,” and more. Also, get an[...]

Sandi Matthews, CPA, CGMA, was ready for a new adventure when she was hired in 2018 as an accounting manager for not-for-profit Khan Academy. It was not just a new job she accepted — it was a role in a faraway location. Matthews helped to establish Khan Academy’s subsidiary in India in its early days.[...]

Denise Dettingmeijer, CFO of Randstad North America, is part of a panel discussion at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE in June in Las Vegas. In this podcast episode, she previews the theme of that session and explains why having fellow CFOs “along the same part of the journey” is helpful. Dettingmeijer also shares advice on how[...]

Jill Schlesinger, a CBS News business analyst, author, and podcast host, built her brand as a purveyor of financial advice in part through radio call-in shows. She’s a seasoned speaker on all things money and the guest on this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast. Schlesinger is slated to be an emcee at AICPA[...]

“If anybody wants to accomplish anything, at some point, they have to believe it’s possible.” Those are the words of this episode’s guest, mental performance coach Chris Palmer. He discusses why belief is important, how it can be confused at times with arrogance, and why growing a sense of belief in ourselves can be done.[...]

John Garrett is rarely at a loss for words. A former CPA turned stand-up comic, Garrett these days is a speaker, podcast host, and author, and he’s a repeat guest on the Journal of Accountancy podcast for good reason. This episode puts a 2022 spin on two previous discussion topics: advice for presenting to groups[...]

Floyd Amuchie, CPA, has been the corporate controller at Virgin Galactic, the space travel company, for about a year. In this episode, Amuchie discusses his early fascination with astronomy, why the phrase “lift as you climb” is meaningful to him, what parenting a newborn was like during the pandemic, and why “invest” is part of[...]

CFOs and other finance leaders “are all on the same quest” to transform finance into more of a value partner, according to Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, executive vice president–Business Engagement and Growth for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. Hood’s 2021 conversations with finance leaders led to the formation of the Future of Finance[...]

Chris Ortega is speaking on multiple topics at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE in June. One topic is a guide for CFOs on people and process optimization. Ortega, CEO of the consulting firm Fresh FP&A and a regular speaker at financial planning and analysis events, delves into the critical role CFOs played at the start of[...]

Transformation of the audit goes beyond simply automating rote tasks, as Amy Pawlicki, vice president–Assurance and Advisory Innovation at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, explains in this episode.   She details some of the ways that audits can be more data driven while still complying with standards. The interview with Pawlicki is part[...]

In the midst of the Great Resignation, organizations need continued vigilance when it comes to recruiting job candidates. As it relates to the hiring of CPAs, this episode touches on advice and a new program that can help businesses cast a wider net for talent. Beth Berk, CPA, CGMA, writes in a recent Journal of[...]

Steven Harris was not always the outgoing firm leader he is today. Harris, the subject of The Last Word in the March issue of the Journal of Accountancy, said he struggled to connect with other professionals early in his career, but once he learned to be vulnerable and to listen, he was able to form[...]

A rapid shift to auditing remotely was especially challenging for CPAs who audited not-for-profit entities. Those NFPs might not have had top-of-the-line technology when the COVID-19 pandemic changed so much about the world two years ago, including the ability of auditors to visit client sites. To learn more about the state of remote auditing of[...]

K-2 — isn’t that a mountain? K2 is, but to tax professionals and with the hyphen, it’s Partners’ Distributive Share Items — International (and, for S corporations, a similar form), the new schedule filed with the returns of passthrough entities with “items of international tax relevance” and partners in foreign partnerships. Along with its “twin[...]

Some issues facing small CPA firms are the same as those facing large firms or other organizations — talent retention, change management, and more. But there are some issues that are specific to small firms, and potentially more acute, as explained in this Journal of Accountancy podcast episode with Carl Peterson, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA’s[...]

Amy Vetter, CPA/CITP, CGMA, wrote in 2021 that advanced technology for CPA firms was no longer a nice-to-have option; it’s a requirement. Vetter shared more about the future of tech-enabled CPA work in this podcast episode.   In addition to looking forward, she also looked back — all the way to the 1930s, telling a[...]

Tuesday, March 8, is International Women’s Day. To celebrate the day, the guest on this podcast episode is Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA, CGMA, the founder and CEO of KET Solutions and a former AICPA board chair. Ellison-Taylor has seen gains for women in public accounting partnerships, and in business and industry, but she stresses that more[...]

CPA decision-makers in business and industry in the United States maintained an overall positive outlook for their organizations, but plenty of factors could sour that sentiment quickly. Hear or read the analysis of Bob Sannerud, CPA, CGMA, a CFO in the Midwest, and Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, an associate director from the Association of International[...]

How many slides should be in a PowerPoint presentation? What are some steps to ensure your presentation has a consistent format? Byron Patrick, CPA/CITP, CGMA, has answers to these questions. He’s one of the Journal of Accountancy’s Technology Q&A authors, the general manager at Botkeeper, and someone always looking to improve presentation skills. In this[...]

Robin Thieme, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the CEO and founder of KBS CFO, was consulting remotely well before she was forced to do so by the COVID-19 pandemic, so communicating with clients who were not in the same room was familiar. Still, the changes society and business experienced in early 2020 forced her to learn new skills[...]

In the February edition of The Last Word, Ozlem Davis, CPA/CFF, alluded to some aspects of firm ownership as being “scary.” In this podcast episode, she explains more about why she had those fears, how she has overcome them, and how she escapes the pressure of work.

Calvin Harris, CPA, senior vice president of finance and CFO of the National Urban League, says he would not be in the position he is in today without the help of numerous mentors. In Part 1 of the conversation, Harris explained why donations at the National Urban League increased in 2020 and what the organization[...]

Calvin Harris, CPA, the CFO of the National Urban League, is the Journal of Accountancy podcast guest for a two-part conversation this week. In this first part, Harris explains why the National Urban League was well positioned to receive an increase in donations at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, what the organization[...]

Tax season is well underway, and the AICPA is part of a coalition asking for the IRS to make tax filing go smoother. The coalition has made recommendations to improve IRS service issues, and in this episode those recommendations are detailed by Melanie Lauridsen, the AICPA’s senior manager for Tax Policy & Advocacy. Also, get[...]

“We have to focus on culture,” says Jennifer Wilson, partner and co-founder of Convergence Coaching LLC. She’s talking about firm leaders and how they can better position themselves to take advantage of the growing opportunities related to client advisory service (CAS) offerings. Also, get article overviews on the following news items: A new process for[...]

Two CPAs are featured in this episode, which also highlights news of a rapid rise in malware attacks related to Microsoft Excel add-ins. First, Di Krupica, CPA, CGMA, of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, discusses the creation of the Blockchain Universal Glossary. Next, Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA, the CEO of Allinial Global, shares[...]

As humans, “we are wired to see change as a warning sign of danger,” says Britt Andreatta, Ph.D. Andreatta is the author of Wired to Resist and other books, and she is a speaker and consultant to a wide variety of organizations. She was a featured speaker at the Future of Finance Summit, a meeting[...]

Sales tax compliance is complicated and ever-changing. Diane Yetter, CPA, the president of Yetter Tax and the Sales Tax Institute, shares knowledge on the current landscape related to several sales tax topics. Hear or read the discussion on compliance since Wayfair, how some states are supplying resources to automate sales tax compliance, and advice for[...]

Nancy Bagranoff, CPA, DBA, didn’t think she was going to become an accountant. But a General Electric training program opened doors for her, and she learned that she was well suited to the CPA profession. These days, Bagranoff passes on accounting lessons as a university professor.   Plus, learn some of the highlights of the[...]

Favorite books, a craving for constant change, and building a finance “powerhouse” — all of those topics and more are part of this interview with Tanner Johnson, CPA, CGMA, vice president–Global Finance Operations at Nike. Johnson explains how his upbringing shaped him, what the phrase “there is no finish line” means to him, and how[...]

Ginnie Carlier, CPA, EY’s Americas vice chair for Talent, says that leadership’s focus has expanded beyond four walls and into being understanding of employees’ work and home lives. In this podcast episode, hear her thoughts on developing empathy, the importance of “office hours,” and why a focus on well-being is growing in importance.

One key to implementing change initiatives is understanding the why and what problem you’re trying to solve, according to Jennifer Elder, CPA/CFF, CGMA. Another component, Elder says, is having a way to measure a change initiative’s success. In this podcast episode recorded in Nashville, Tenn., Elder offers advice on the best approach to implementing change[...]

Pascal Finette, an entrepreneur and consultant, recently spoke at the Digital CPA Conference and the Future of Finance Summit in Nashville, Tenn. In this podcast conversation with the JofA’s Neil Amato, Finette shared innovation lessons from interviews with other leaders, a story about how Pepsi quickly set up a direct-to-consumer business, and why those fortunate[...]

James Miln, ACMA, CGMA, a finance executive at Yelp, identified several key takeaways from the recent Future of Finance Summit in Nashville, Tenn., which featured a collection of executives and outside experts discussing the ongoing transformation of the finance function. One point that was clear to Miln as it relates to transformation: “We’re all eyes[...]

This is the Journal of Accountancy podcast’s last episode of 2021. The guests in this episode are Lisa Simpson, CPA, CGMA, vice president–Firm Services at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and Floyd Amuchie, CPA, the corporate controller at Virgin Galactic. Simpson provides an update on the status of several business relief programs and[...]

December’s Last Word feature subject in the Journal of Accountancy is Amish Mehta, CPA, partner and nonprofit practice leader at the accounting firm Friedman LLP. Mehta explains why The Shawshank Redemption is his favorite movie, more about his path to becoming a CPA, and why it’s never too early to start networking. Also, hear a[...]

A group of finance leaders took an inward focus at the recent Future of Finance Summit in Nashville, Tenn. They also explored their vision for the finance function out to 2030. The group focused on listening, self-awareness, and staff development, among other topics. This episode will be the first of several discussions from the summit,[...]

New challenges are emerging for businesses in the United States and old challenges are persisting, according to finance decision-makers in a recent quarterly survey. Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, and Mellissa Reed, CPA, explain some of the headwinds and also the reasons for optimism in the future.

Accounting for and auditing of digital assets is evolving quickly. This episode passes on guidance from a CPA leader on the topic. Amy Steele, CPA, is co-chair of the AICPA Digital Assets Working Group. She’s also an audit partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP and serves as the firm’s Global and US Audit and Assurance[...]

Hear from CPAs Maxene Bardwell and Jim Bourke in this week’s episode. Bardwell, the subject of The Last Word in the November issue of the Journal of Accountancy, shares more about her career path, why there’s value in volunteering and mentoring, how she brings her authentic self to work, and why there’s candy at her[...]

Ed Karl, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA’s vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, has followed infrastructure legislation closely. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was passed by the House on Nov. 5 and is now scheduled to be signed by President Joe Biden. But that version is different than the version approved by the Senate in August,[...]

Companies are still trying to find their way about 20 months after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their enterprise risk management (ERM) efforts were tested, as some risks were amplified and others emerged. Now, entities are trying to apply some of the lessons they learned along the way. CPAs Mark Beasley and Paul Walker,[...]

The Journal of Accountancy’s October cover story shares how one firm approaches succession planning. REDW is a top 200 firm with offices in Phoenix, Albuquerque, and Edmond, Okla. Christina Roderick, CPA, CGMA, is the head of REDW’s tax practice, a role she assumed in July 2020. She talks about her succession journey, REDW’s approach to[...]

Staff who aren’t a good fit for your firm’s culture aren’t likely to stay long. In this second part of a two-part podcast, Guy Gage, founder of consulting firm PartnersCoach, talks about interview questions to ask that can determine whether a job candidate will integrate well to your culture, and other key aspects of hiring[...]

Client advisory services (CAS) practices are growing rapidly, and Kalil Merhib, the vice president of Sales and Client Services for CPA.com, has details. Merhib discusses the recent CPA.com & AICPA PCPS Client Advisory Services Benchmark Survey along with the opportunities for firms interested in starting or growing CAS practices. Also, get a preview of the[...]

Having a good grasp of your organizational culture can help you hire the right people and adopt the right approach to change. But determining what type of culture your firm has isn’t always easy. In this first part of a two-part podcast, Guy Gage, founder of consulting firm PartnersCoach, discusses the three types of culture[...]

Stephanie Palmertree, CPA, CGMA, saw a need for better continuing professional education at the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor. The speakers were the same every year, and the issues weren’t necessarily the ones faced by staff at her agency. So, CPE offerings were revamped, becoming more meaningful and targeted. Palmertree explains the why and[...]

Transforming the auditing practice to be more digital requires more than just new tools. It also means a shift in mindset for firms serious about taking a digital-first approach. On this episode, the third in a series on audit evolution, Alan Langelli, CPA, lead partner of the technology industry services group at Aronson LLC, shares[...]

The AICPA Peer Review Board recently issued an exposure draft that includes proposed changes to AICPA standards for reporting on and performing peer reviews. Brad Coffey, CPA, an AICPA manager, explains more about the exposure draft and what the proposed changes are designed to accomplish.

Tax practitioners haven’t had it easy, with pandemic-related delays and legislative changes in the middle of tax season making their jobs more difficult. Year-end planning can’t eliminate all the uncertainty, but it can help. April Walker, CPA, CGMA, lead manager on the AICPA’s Tax Practice & Ethics team and host of the Tax Section Odyssey[...]

In the September issue of the Journal of Accountancy, Marie Brilmyer, CPA, said in The Last Word: “I think my greatest challenge has been in figuring out how to step back or when I need to step back.” In this podcast episode, Brilmyer expands on the need to prioritize and offers advice for others who[...]

Several ethics-related exposure drafts are in focus in this week’s episode. Toni Lee-Andrews, CPA, CGMA, the director of the AICPA’s Professional Ethics Division, shares details on three upcoming EDs, a timeline for comments to the drafts, and more about the division’s streamlined comment process. Lee-Andrews also previews two recent episodes of the division’s Ethically Speaking[...]

For the September issues of The Tax Adviser and the Journal of Accountancy, more than 2,100 tax professionals shared opinions on tax preparation software. Editors Alistair Nevius and Paul Bonner discuss details of the annual tax software survey — what CPAs liked and disliked, and the difficulties of the most recent tax season for preparers[...]

Although finance executives continue to be bullish about their organizations’ economic prospects, inflation and a difficult labor market are causing concern in the CPA Outlook Index in the AICPA Business and Industry Economic Outlook Survey. Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, takes a closer look at the findings and what they mean for companies. Also, Ebonie Jackson,[...]

There are two committees working on developing new quality management standards for auditors. Neil Amato talks to Sara Lord, CPA, the chair of one of those committees, about the feedback they are receiving, how the new standards incorporate a risk-based approach, and the next steps in the process. Also, Drew Adamek reviews a new study[...]

The Senate recently passed a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, which includes several tax provisions being monitored by the AICPA. Ed Karl, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA’s vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, details several provisions in recently proposed legislation that would affect CPAs. Also, the episode mentions recent coverage in the Journal of Accountancy on updated single[...]

In the July issue of the Journal of Accountancy, Carrie Kruse, CPA, CGMA, the economic development administrator for the city of Des Moines, Iowa, wrote about how her organization improved its process for interviewing job candidates remotely. In this podcast episode, Kruse goes into detail about the types of questions asked and how the revamped[...]

Businesses’ approach to fraud and internal controls has undergone drastic change as a result of the pandemic. Danielle Supkis Cheek, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the director of entrepreneurial advisory services at the firm PKF Texas, says that rules around things such as on-time payment of payroll taxes now have to be reconsidered. She shares more about the[...]

This week’s podcast episode brings together the voices of three presenters at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2021. One common theme in their interviews is the talent pipeline — how more candidates can be drawn to the profession, how existing talent can be retained and trained in a more tech-driven business environment, and more. Hear from[...]

The auditing profession was already in the midst of transformation, thanks to technological advances and other factors. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic came along and accelerated those changes, further challenging auditors and their view of business as usual. Part 1 was an overview of the audit landscape. In part 2, speakers Carolyn Newman and Jon Cardiello, CPA,[...]

Cybersecurity is a rapidly expanding opportunity for firms to offer advisory services. In a preview of an ENGAGE 2021 panel, Journal of Accountancy senior editor Neil Amato speaks with Steven Ursillo, CPA/CITP, CGMA, partner, risk assurance and advisory national leader at Cherry Bekaert, about how firms of any size can identify, prepare for, and take[...]

CFOs have reasons to be positive, but they also have several reasons to be concerned. Ways of working are changing, with employees seeking to continue the flexible arrangements that became the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic. Steve Gallucci, national managing partner for Deloitte’s U.S. CFO Program, shares insights into the minds of CFOs in the[...]

The number of organizations needing single audits has risen dramatically in the past year. Why? Deetra Watson, CPA, CGMA, an accounting firm principal, explains some of the intricacies of single audits and why demand is increasing for such specialized services. Also, Ed Karl, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA’s vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, shares an update[...]

The AICPA supports proposed legislation that would categorize accounting as a STEM career, with STEM standing for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Diana Deem, CPA, CGMA, an AICPA director of congressional and political affairs, shares more about the thinking behind and the AICPA’s support for the bill. Also, hear from the JofA’s editor-in-chief, tax, about[...]

The auditing profession was already in the midst of transformation, thanks to technological advances and other factors. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic came along and accelerated those changes, further challenging auditors and their view of business as usual. As auditing continues to transform, Sue Coffey, CPA, CGMA, the Association’s CEO of public accounting, and Jennifer Burns,[...]

Business travel is on the way back, according to survey and anecdotal data, as well as the line at airport security. Donny Shimamoto, CPA/CITP, CGMA, is someone accustomed to regular travel, with set routines and preferences. That all changed when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, and so Shimamoto had to adapt. He reflects on what[...]

The COVID-19 pandemic led many CPAs and their employers to think deeply about mental health in ways they may not have before. Amber Setter, a former accountant and an International Coaching Federation–accredited professional certified coach, talks about signs someone may need to consider speaking with a professional about their mental health and what you can[...]

The G7 announced a framework for a global minimum tax last week. In this episode, Amy Wang Miller, CPA, J.D., senior manager with the AICPA’s Tax Policy & Advocacy team, explains what the framework means, what accounting and finance professionals can expect next, and what the future of a global minimum tax looks like. Also,[...]

Many of our meetings in 2021 look far different from the meetings we had in 2019 or early 2020. That doesn’t mean they can’t be improved with the help of technology. In this episode, Technology Q&A co-author Byron Patrick, CPA/CITP, CGMA, shares insight into the ways that automation tools can help meetings go smoothly. Also[...]

Several factors are contributing to finance decision-makers’ growing optimism about the economy and their own businesses, according to a quarterly survey. Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, shares insight into that positive sentiment, along with a look at hiring and the headwinds facing organizations. Also, hear the words of an AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2021 speaker on[...]

In a letter to the IRS, the AICPA recently offered recommendations on six key areas of regulation of paid tax return preparers. A senior manager on the AICPA’s Tax Policy & Advocacy Team explains more about why the recommendations are needed. Also, learn more about a recent popular article on delivering and receiving feedback. What[...]

Amobi Okugo, a pro soccer player, is scheduled to be part of a sports-themed panel discussion at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2021. He has continued to pursue education and business opportunities off the field, and he hopes to be a role model as a “frugal athlete.” Hear more about Okugo’s history and his plans. Also,[...]

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and the conversation in this podcast episode is meant to celebrate that and to offer organizations reminders on how they can support employees of Asian descent. The group is sometimes referred to as Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI. Lisa M. Ong, CPA, is a DEI (diversity,[...]

CPA firms are often more productive and profitable when owners work less, according to Brannon Poe, CPA, owner of Poe Group Advisors in Charleston, S.C. In this podcast episode, Poe, who has more than 15 years of experience buying and selling CPA firms, explains how delegating work can free owners to focus on what matters[...]

How an organization frames the discussion around bringing staff back together in the office matters. Jennifer Wilson, partner and co-founder of Convergence Coaching LLC, expands on her recent Journal of Accountancy article about reopening mistakes for organizations. Wilson is a speaker at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2021 on the topic of managing a blended workforce[...]

Life and work in the pandemic era can be exhausting. Stress can make it difficult to focus on and execute your goals. ENGAGE 2021 speaker Rhonda Peterson believes taking the time to care for and nurture one’s energy can improve your career success, increase your businesses’ profitability, and provide a deeper sense of fulfilment. Peterson[...]

A recent Journal of Accountancy article by Kelly Williams, CPA, Ph.D., detailed eight ways to calculate depreciation in Excel. Williams, one of two CPA authors of the Technology Q&A feature, shares why it’s helpful to CPAs to have so many methods and which one she prefers. She also talks about Flash Fill as a preview[...]

CFOs and other leaders have been forced to adapt to challenging and fast-moving circumstances as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the executive vice president of business growth and engagement for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, reflects on what finance leaders have learned in the past year and previews[...]

The IRS has issued updated guidance on several aspects of the employee retention credit. April Walker, CPA, CGMA, lead manager on the Tax Practice & Ethics team at the AICPA, touches on the highlights, including filing options for claiming the credit, an extension of penalty relief, and several key questions that have yet to be[...]

Two featured speakers at the AICPA & CIMA CFO Conference, Josh Linkner and LaRae Quy, are sharing previews of their conference sessions in this episode. Linkner discusses how organizations can foster creativity, even in supposedly noncreative jobs, and how that creativity can lead to everyday innovation. Quy, an author and former FBI agent, shares details[...]

Ben Nemtin, the keynote speaker May 5 at the AICPA & CIMA Employee Benefit Plans Conference, thought he was going on a two-week road trip with some friends 15 years ago. That trip lasted years, changing his life and those of many others they encountered. Nemtin also shares why it’s more important these days to[...]

African Americans are still underrepresented in the accounting profession: Only 2% of CPAs are Black. In this second part of a two-episode podcast, we look at what the profession can do to increase the number of Black CPAs. Guests Ruth Harris, the first Black female CPA in Virginia, and Frank Ross, one of the founders[...]

The requirements for Paycheck Protection Program applicants who are not-for-profits are different from those for for-profit businesses. Dave Moja, CPA, a member of the AICPA Not-for-Profit Advisory Council, explains some of those differences and more about completing Form 990 and Form 941. Also, hear a section of a two-part podcast series that documents the triumphs[...]

In this first part of a two-episode podcast, we take a look at the remarkable accomplishments of Black CPAs in the 20th century, featuring the testimony of two CPAs who witnessed Black CPA history firsthand: Ruth Harris, the first Black female CPA in Virginia, and Frank Ross, one of the founders of the National Association[...]

Alistair Nevius, J.D., the JofA’s editor-in-chief, tax, explains the differences between IRS announcements on March 17 and March 29 regarding the postponement of 1040 tax filing and payments from April 15 to May 17. He highlights what’s changed, what hasn’t, and one question regarding how the IRS will handle estimated tax payments on a 2020[...]

Some individual taxpayers still have forms to complete and payments to make by April 15. That’s one reason the AICPA believes that the IRS extension from April 15 to May 17 didn’t go far enough. Ed Karl, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA’s vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, explains the reasons that the AICPA believes more relief[...]

When it comes to applications for Paycheck Protection Program loans or PPP loan forgiveness, a one-size-fits-all approach to assisting clients won’t work. Some clients will need more help than others, and there are ethical implications for how CPAs provide that assistance. Iryna Klepcha, CPA, and Toni Lee-Andrews, CPA/PFS, CGMA, of the AICPA’s Professional Ethics Division[...]

Risk management has always been important, and it came to the forefront for many organizations in 2020. A new risk heat map tool from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants can help measure and manage risks. Lori Sexton, CPA, CGMA, a senior technical manager for management accounting, explains some of the features of the[...]

“With women in particular, small moments matter.” Those are the words of Lara Abrash, CPA, chair and CEO of Deloitte & Touche LLP, about how seemingly inconsequential decisions can have a big effect on how women advance in the workplace. Hear more of Abrash’s thoughts on promoting diversity and on why the time was right[...]

On March 1, the IRS issued guidance on the employee retention credit. April Walker, CPA, CGMA, lead manager on the Tax Practice & Ethics team at the AICPA, explains the highlights of that guidance, including how the credit interacts with PPP loans. Also, Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, senior manager for management accounting and member engagement[...]

Do you know the name John Wesley Cromwell Jr.? Do you know the specific businesses targeted recently for Paycheck Protection Program loan applications? This express version of the JofA podcast gives you more on those topics, along with details on an accounting alternative related to goodwill impairment that FASB is expected to issue soon. Cromwell[...]

Earlier in February, numerous amendments to the 2021 fiscal year budget resolution were voted on by the Senate. One of those nonbinding amendments, which passed unanimously by a voice vote, could lead to a lessening of an administrative burden for many employers and employees. The amendment related to mobile workforce legislation, introduced by Sen. John[...]

A recent survey showed that a majority of couples have experienced relationship stress because of finances. So, how can couples openly communicate about money? Mike Landsberg, CPA/PFS, shares a few reminders. Also, Sara Lord, CPA, a member of the AICPA Auditing Standards Board (ASB), expands on the board’s recent exposure draft related to quality management.[...]

The onset of COVID-19 meant that more people became online shoppers out of necessity. Ordering groceries by phone or computer also means more of us are putting potentially sensitive information online. Robert Westley, CPA/PFS, shares advice to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, expanding on the tips in a recent Journal of Accountancy article.[...]

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and the start of tax season are two topics squarely on the minds of CPAs these days. This episode analyzes the Jan. 25 update by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) about processing second-draw loan applications and looks at what recent IRS announcements mean for tax season. Kari Hipsak, CPA,[...]

Earlier, Eileen Sherr, CPA, CGMA, MT, a director of the AICPA’s Tax Policy & Advocacy team, discussed prospects for reversing by legislation the IRS’s position regarding deductibility of business expenses paid with loan proceeds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that are ultimately forgiven. Now, that legislation has been enacted, by the Consolidated Appropriations Act,[...]

Accountants played a crucial role in helping millions of organizations, most of them small businesses, receive $525 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans last year. Now, the PPP is back and businesses will again be looking to CPAs for advice and assistance in accessing the program, which provides forgivable loans that borrowers can use for[...]

In late 2020, Robert Half’s Paul McDonald delved into the hiring outlook for 2021. The second part of that conversation addresses the ways organizations can keep those already on staff during COVID-19. McDonald, Robert Half’s senior executive director, says the businesses that already had strong culture in place were better equipped to adapt to COVID-19.[...]

As the year draws to a close, many clients are pursuing charitable giving. Mike Landsberg, CPA/PFS, partner at Homrich Berg in Atlanta, discusses what he’s seeing in terms of charitable giving this year, how the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, P.L. 116-136, has affected giving, and how clients can use giving to[...]

Eileen Sherr, CPA, CGMA, MT, director of the AICPA’s Tax Policy & Advocacy team in Washington, D.C., discusses recent IRS guidance regarding the tax treatment of loans under the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This guidance holds that the amount of a PPP loan that is forgiven under the SBA’s procedures is[...]

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented hiring freezes, job losses, or furloughs in 2020. While the outlook on hiring remains somewhat unsteady, there are reasons for optimism, according to Paul McDonald, the senior executive director at staffing firm Robert Half. In this episode, McDonald discusses the roles and certifications that are in demand, how remote[...]

Kelly Richmond Pope, CPA, CGMA, Ph.D., is an accountant and a professor. She’s also a storyteller and TEDx speaker. Keeping people engaged is a better way to educate, said Pope, an associate professor at DePaul University’s School of Accountancy and MIS in Chicago. In this episode, Pope discusses another way to keep learners engaged: gamification.[...]

Several months into the pandemic, we take a look at how some CPA parents are faring. They talk about the struggles they’ve faced, how they balance parenting and working from home, what they do to recharge, and the unexpected joys they’ve experienced while spending more time with their families. Our guests for this episode are[...]

In an economic downturn such as the one that resulted from the coronavirus pandemic, not-for-profit organizations can feel pinched in two ways. People who have lost jobs or fear losing them may be less likely to donate to the NFPs at a time the services offered by the organizations are needed most. Strategies and models[...]

Corporate board work may have changed forever as a result of COVID-19. The lessons corporate directors take away from the pandemic will be critical to company survival and success beyond 2020. Paula Loop, CPA, the leader of PwC’s Governance Insights Center, explains in this podcast episode how boards have been changed and what they’re thinking[...]

Cannabis for medicinal or recreational use is a fast-growing business, and the advisory opportunities for accountants in the industry are also growing. Along with those opportunities are emerging issues on the regulatory and risk fronts. Ron Seigneur, CPA/ABV, the managing partner of Colorado firm Seigneur Gustafson LLP, shares more on the topic, including what to[...]

This podcast episode follows up one posted on Aug. 20 about President Donald Trump’s memorandum directing Treasury to defer the withholding, deposit, and payment of workers’ 6.2% Social Security or Railroad Retirement tax for the last four months of 2020. Since then, Treasury and the IRS have issued much-anticipated guidance on just how the deferral[...]

Finance executives in the United States are more confident about their own businesses than about the overall economy. Why is that? And what is the hiring outlook for companies for the next 12 months? Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, a senior manager for management accounting and member engagement at the AICPA, provides further detail and analysis[...]

This episode explores the huge implications for state and local taxes raised by workers more often untethered from the employer’s physical location, sometimes in another state. And now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, remote teleworking has become the rule for many professions. Eileen Sherr, CPA, MT, and Mo Bell-Jacobs, J.D., bring us up to speed. Sherr[...]

In this podcast, we touch base with Ed Karl, the AICPA’s vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, to discuss questions the AICPA Tax Executive Committee has raised in official comments to Treasury and the IRS concerning President Donald Trump’s Aug. 8 memorandum ordering Treasury to defer the withholding, deposit, and payment of payroll taxes imposed by[...]

The changes brought about and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic are numerous. Our day-to-day lives have been altered, forcing rapid adaptation. A new report from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and EY Seren, explores the patterns of behavior emerging from this uncertain time. The report, Human Signals, also offers actions for accountants to[...]

The changes brought about and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic are numerous. Our day-to-day lives have been altered, forcing individuals and organizations to adapt quickly. A new report from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and EY Seren explores the patterns of behavior emerging. The report, Human Signals, also offers advice for accountants in[...]

The culture of a workplace, be that in a company or an accounting firm, determines how employees and customers are treated, says Stephanie Creary, an identity and diversity scholar and professor of management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. To assess how racism is a factor requires open, frank conversations and leaders[...]

These days, it’s tough to know the best next steps for organizations that are reopening to customers or employees — or considering doing so. Lee Terry, who practices corporate and securities law for the Denver firm Davis Graham & Stubbs, has advised organizations and CFOs for years on crisis management. Terry offers insight into the[...]

The new principles-based standard on audit evidence, issued last week by the AICPA Auditing Standards Board, addresses issues such as emerging technology, professional skepticism, and expanding sources of information. Jay Brodish, CPA, a partner at PwC, and Bob Dohrer, CPA, CGMA, the chief auditor of the AICPA, discuss the standard in detail, explaining how it[...]

We check back in with two AICPA leaders: Ed Karl, the AICPA’s vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, and Chris Hesse, a tax principal in the National Tax Office of CliftonLarsonAllen in Kennewick, Wash., who also chairs the AICPA Tax Executive Committee. They’ll update us on how the 2020 marathon of a tax return filing season[...]

The work-from-anywhere revolution received a jolt in March, when office workers were sent home because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. More companies were embracing flexible work practices before the pandemic, but now that movement has been accelerated. Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs and the Business Learning[...]

Laura Morgan Roberts, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, is an editor of the recent book 'Race, Work, and Leadership: New Perspectives on the Black Experience'. She has studied race in the workplace extensively. With attention on racial disparities sparked by killings and then protests, the time is right[...]

Our ninth annual technology roundtable podcast was initially recorded in early March, just before the coronavirus pandemic started wreaking havoc on American lives and the economy. With the world at a dramatically different place than when we first recorded, the roundtable participants agreed to hold another call May 6 to discuss the impacts of COVID-19[...]

A hard trend can be defined as a predictable, future fact. While it’s tough to predict the price of oil or the direction of the stock market daily or weekly, finance professionals can focus on hard trends to have a better understanding of where business is heading. Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the CEO of the[...]

Eileen Sherr, CPA, CGMA, a senior manager in the AICPA’s Tax Policy and Advocacy team in Washington, D.C., describes her work with volunteer members of the AICPA’s Technical Resource Panel for State and Local Taxation and with state CPA societies as they advocate with state tax authorities for coronavirus-related taxpayer relief at the state and[...]

Jonathan Flack, CPA, the U.S. family business services leader at PwC, discusses the struggles family businesses are facing during the current economic crisis, as well as the unique strengths that can help them weather hard times such as these. He also shares advice for clients who are family business leaders, especially around communicating with staff[...]

CPAs are playing a vital role in helping smaller businesses cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Julie Killian, CPA, a shareholder at Clayton & McKervey in Michigan, discusses how her firm’s clients are responding to the crisis. She also shares steps smaller businesses can take to improve their financial standing and increase their chances of staying[...]

Chris Hesse, CPA, the AICPA Tax Executive Committee chair, analyzes how the CARES Act’s provisions allowing carryback of net operating losses for 2018 through 2020 interact with other new provisions.

Mary May, principal, and Stephanie Howard, client accounting services manager, at tonneson + co in Wakefield, Mass., discuss how client accounting services can benefit both firms and clients, and share their best advice for firms that are looking to add or expand their offerings in this area.

Boards that fall in lockstep with management decisions are neglecting one of their critical roles: being strong monitors of a company. Refreshment policies that include term or age limits are just one strategy that organizations can employ to keep their boards strong and independent. Corporate governance expert Charles Elson shares insights on board best practices.

Questions about the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans aimed at helping small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic are numerous. Glen Frost, CPA, J.D., and Matthew Kraeuter, J.D., partners in the firm Frost and Associates LLC, share information on eligibility, the amount of money available, interest rates, and more.

The consequences of the coronavirus on financial statement preparation and auditing are complex. Preparers and practitioners have not faced a disruptive event of this magnitude, so questions abound as new obstacles and scenarios present themselves. Two CPAs share guidance for preparers and practitioners.

Coronavirus is an opportunity for fraudsters to take advantage of fear and confusion. Elizabeth Woodward, CPA/CFF, and Howard Silverstone, CPA/CFF, discuss how accountants can identify and prevent coronavirus-related fraud.

As a local government employee, Carrie Kruse, CPA, CGMA, had almost no work-from-home experience before a few weeks ago. But Kruse, an economic development coordinator with the city of Des Moines, Iowa, has adapted well to the sudden change brought about by coronavirus concerns. She shares insights on staying efficient, knowing when to unplug, and[...]

As part of the government’s response to the coronavirus’s spread and economic fallout, the IRS postponed the deadline for income tax return filings and payments that would have been due on April 15, 2020, for 90 days, to July 15. In this episode, Ed Karl, CPA, the AICPA’s vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, outlines how[...]

Busy season has taken on a new meaning because of coronavirus concerns, which have forced firms and other organizations to quickly set up alternate work environments. Les Nettleton, director of information technology at New Orleans firm Bourgeois Bennett, has firsthand experience in crisis planning, having gone through Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He shares advice for[...]

The rules have changed for IRS examinations and adjustments of partnership returns at the federal level, but are the states following suit? We’ll find out how model legislation issued by the Multistate Tax Commission, developed in collaboration with the AICPA and other stakeholders, is being adopted across the United States.

Busy season is often the most stressful time of the year for CPAs in public accounting. Eustis Corrigan, CPA, senior managing director at CBIZ MHM in Memphis, Tennessee, a veteran of more than 30 tax seasons, shares what his firm does to support staff during busy season.

Veteran investigator Cynthia Hetherington offers practical tips and guidance on how forensic accountants can use the open source information found on the internet to make themselves smarter, better investigators while staying within privacy laws.

Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of CPA.com, and Ron Quaranta, founder and chairman of the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance, examine tax and accounting issues related to cryptoassets and explore assurance opportunities blockchain is creating for accountants.

Drake Software Vice President of Strategic Development John Sapp, CPA, briefly explains the Sec. 199A qualified business income (QBI) deduction safe harbor rule and Forms 8995 and 8995-A. (Sponsored by Drake Software)

After nine years writing our Technology Q&A column, J. Carlton Collins, CPA, decided the end of 2019 was the right time to retire. In this episode, Collins talks about how he came up with the hundreds of technology topics he covered, how he became a good writer, and how he feels about ending his run[...]

How long can cautious optimism last for an upward U.S. economy aptly described as “long in the tooth”? This episode delves into the thinking of CPA decision-makers.

In the world of tax law, words have statutorily set definitions or are interpreted by judges using precedent and reason. Annette Nellen, Esq., CPA, CGMA, walks us through four recent decisions by the U.S. Tax Court to show how the precise application of a word or phrase can make a world of difference.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made tax accounting easier for many businesses with average annual gross receipts of $25 million or less (inflation-adjusted to $26 million for 2019). The benefits include the cash method of accounting, exemption from UNICAP rules, exemption from some inventory accounting requirements, and more. But an “exception to the exceptions”[...]

What’s the latest on a new licensure model proposed by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and the AICPA? This podcast episode gets you caught up.

With mergers-and-acquisitions activity on the upswing and Baby Boomers retiring in large numbers, many owners are now looking to exit their businesses. Fentress Seagroves, deals partner for the U.S. with PwC, outlines the steps business owners can take to ensure a successful transition and discusses the many ways CPAs can support them during this process.

New technologies with the power to reshape accounting, such as data analytics, are emerging all the time. Rich Gallagher, CPA, senior director of content for the AICPA Examinations team, explains how the CPA Exam is able to keep up with such changes.

Tax planning and return filing readiness depend in no small part on the actions of Congress and the IRS and Treasury in the countdown to 2020. Ed Karl, AICPA vice president–Taxation, gives some inside-the-Beltway prognostications.

2020 is not far away, and that means major changes related to technology are coming at us fast. The tech-focused founder of a consulting firm provides a preview.

Fraud and forensics expert Roger Darvall-Stevens explores emerging global fraud trends and what finance professionals and accountants can do to protect themselves and their firms.

Can roller derby double as leadership development? Can we really exercise our “confidence muscles”? Jen Gardner, CPA, says yes to both.

Clients who feel an emotional connection to your firm can be your greatest assets — especially in an age where accounting work is becoming increasingly commoditized. Julie Littlechild, founder and CEO of Absolute Engagement, discusses what her organization’s research reveals about how clients become truly engaged with an accounting practice.

John Garrett -- a stand-up comedian, widely traveled speaker, and former practicing CPA -- shares insights on how to deliver a memorable presentation at your next conference.

Should you use an emoji in email? Is there value in reaching “inbox zero” status? Byron Patrick, CPA/CITP, CGMA, has answers in this podcast episode.

Karen Dillon, a former editor with Harvard Business Review and author of the HBR Guide to Office Politics, discusses assertive strategies for empowering your career when you have a rocky relationship with your boss.

What is the top challenge facing U.S. finance executives? This podcast episode explores that topic and two other fast-rising obstacles detailed in a quarterly survey.

A not-for-profit’s survival depends on high-quality oversight from its board. In this episode, learn how using the right governance strategy can help your not-for-profit thrive.

Have you ever wondered how much your favorite college football team is worth? Mark Zyla, CPA/ABV, and Dan Cohen, Esq., discuss the value of teams to universities — and the ways in which a CPA might try to determine their financial valuation.

Ample advice exists for managers to improve on how they deliver feedback. Less common is coaching on how to be better at receiving feedback. Rebekah Brown, CPA, director of development for the Maryland Association of CPAs and the Business Learning Institute, shares insight on receiving feedback.

Should you immediately tell a co-worker about a dysfunctional work environment? It’s one of several questions addressed by leadership expert Jennifer Wilson.

Jonathan Flack, CPA, discusses why leaders of family businesses have such a difficult time with succession planning and what CPAs can do to help them.

How does an “eager beaver” work best with a pessimist? This is one example of how different personality types might interact at work. Learn more in this episode.

Why are small business owners optimistic? And why do they have cause for concern? A close follower of small business has answers.

This episode addresses how and why CPA licensure requirements might evolve as a result of the technological revolution that’s transforming the accounting profession.

Legislation in states around the country could put CPA licensure in danger. This episode examines what practitioners need to know to help ensure the profession is protected.

FASB vice chairman Jim Kroeker shares advice for successful implementation of accounting standards, as well as what’s on the horizon for FASB.

Ted Benna talks about how and why he came up with the 401(k), its advantages and drawbacks, how he’d change it if given the chance, and how it’s reshaped retirement.

What is the top challenge U.S. finance executives say they are facing? This podcast explores that challenge, along with projections for the coming year.

Misty Geer, CPA, CGMA, believes that strong management goes beyond ethical behavior, efficiency, and carrying out company strategy — even though each of those is important. Managers are a key reason that employees show up to work engaged or not. Geer explains how managers can live their values, set clear expectations on schedules, engage in[...]

Not-for-profits have their own specific concerns related to the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s new revenue recognition standard. Find out in this episode how the new standard applies to not-for-profits.

Lindsay Stevenson, CPA, CGMA, has a message for those of us who doubt ourselves or let a fear of failure take hold in this special-edition podcast recorded at AICPA ENGAGE 2019 in Las Vegas.

What’s at the heart of fraud incidents? Opportunity is one angle, but so is rationalization, according to a university professor who has studied fraud through documentary filmmaking.

The candidate experience is essential to hiring and retaining the right personnel, especially in today’s tight job market. Even the applicants you don’t hire walk away with an impression of you as an employer that can affect how your organization is perceived, as Troy Ashby, CPA, founder of recruiting firm Benchmark Search Group, explains.

Have you ever had a stranger ask to borrow your mobile phone? Do you connect to public Wi-Fi networks? Cybersecurity expert Mike Foster has advice for handling those situations.

Cybersecurity is a multifaceted, ever-changing concern of organizations. Cyber expert Mike Foster offers advice for keeping their networks secure.

Auditors’ reports will provide additional information, including a “Basis for Opinion” section in all reports, under a new standard issued by the AICPA Auditing Standards Board. Learn more about the new requirements, which include updates related to going concern.

Jennifer H. Elder, CPA/CFF, CGMA, co-author of the book "Faster Disaster Recovery: The Business Owner’s Guide to Developing a Business Continuity Plan," discusses how to prepare so that an organization’s finances and reputation will be protected if a disaster occurs.

Troy Ashby, CPA, founder of Dallas-Fort Worth-area recruiting firm Benchmark Search Group, outlines steps you can take to improve onboarding and increase new employees’ sense of belonging.

Byron Hebert, CPA, explains why he has inverted the words on a common workplace phrase, and how a 2011 invitation changed his approach to work and life.

Having a poor relationship with your manager can be detrimental to both your work and your quality of life. Maureen Hoersten, COO of staffing and recruiting group LaSalle Network, recommends ways to uncover the root cause of a bad working relationship and strategies for repairing it.

As Gallup’s decades of research have shown, managers are key to an organization’s success. In this podcast, Nate Dvorak, a workplace researcher and client adviser at Gallup, reveals what Gallup’s studies say about the qualities needed for effective management and how employers can choose the right people to promote to manager.

IRS Form 990 is a complex, comprehensive form that can be a big challenge for a not-for-profit organization to prepare. Brian Yacker, CPA, managing director of YH Advisors, describes best practices for a stress-free and compliant preparation of Form 990.

To succeed in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), CPAs must be taught new ways to learn and must learn why machine learning means they should be patient with AI. Find out more in Part 2 of our annual Accounting Technology Roundtable podcast.

The unrelated business income tax (UBIT) provisions of the Internal Revenue Code have long been a source of confusion for not-for-profits. Dave Moja, CPA, a tax partner at CapinCrouse LLP, discusses some of the activities not-for-profits should be aware of that produce unrelated business income.

The Paul Reveres of accounting have been on their horses for the past couple of years, crying out that technologies such as AI and blockchain are set to invade the profession. “The robots are coming! The robots are coming!” Very well, but what should CPAs be doing about it? Find out in Part 1 of[...]

With tax season underway for calendar-year taxpayers, Betsy Krisher, CPA, president of the Pennsylvania-based firm Maher Duessel, explains four key provisions in the new tax law that have a significant effect on not-for-profits.

To live up to her full professional potential, Geni Whitehouse, CPA, CGMA, became the “Countess of Communication.” It wasn’t easy to become a speaker people listen to, but the result is rewarding on multiple levels. Find out how Geni did it.

Sentiment is positive overall among U.S. finance decision-makers. Hear more about the issues causing them concern, both at home and abroad.

What can FP&A professionals learn from a famous Super Bowl play? And what’s the role of storytelling in FP&A? Learn more in this podcast episode.

Having clients fail to take your advice can be frustrating. But by changing the way you offer that advice, you can increase the chances that clients will comply.

Fraud prevention doesn’t need to be complex. In fact, a few simple steps can help organizations of any size be better at fighting fraud.

Practitioners still have a lot of questions about tax reform — including everything from dealing with binding and nonbinding Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA) guidance to individual planning considerations.

Kevin Gienger, CPA, shares ways CPAs can better manage their time and become more productive without losing sight of what’s most important to them.

One of the areas that accountants are most interested in regarding tax reform is Sec. 199A guidance — and, more specifically, how the deduction for qualified business income relates to a specified service trade or business. In this episode, Tony Nitti, CPA, addresses some popular questions on that topic.

If poor communication is leading to inefficiency — or worse — at your firm, this podcast episode with AICPA board member Melody Feniks will provide strategies that can help.

Each quarter, the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants surveys finance decision-makers in the United States about their outlook for the coming 12 months. The fourth-quarter results show that sentiment has dipped regarding the domestic and global economies. The decline is in part due to subsiding euphoria of the first quarter and tax law changes,[...]

Identical twin brothers Harold Little, CPA, CGMA, Ph.D., and Carroll Little, CPA, DPA, share the unusual distinction of having both served as the chairs of AACSB-accredited accounting departments. The brothers look back at their journey from students to practitioners to faculty members.

What do accounting firms waiting on others to develop AI, automation, and data analytics tools have in common with a baseball fan sitting in a stadium filling with water at an exponential rate? The answer could determine your firm’s fate.

What do accounting firms waiting on others to develop AI, automation, and data analytics tools have in common with a baseball fan sitting in a stadium filling with water at an exponential rate? The answer could determine your firm’s fate.

Blockchain expert Amanda Wilkie provides a guided tour around the blockchain ecosystem, explaining how the internet, ATMs, and even postage stamps can help CPAs comprehend how the digital distributed ledger and related technologies work.

Lester McKeever talks about what it was like to work for Mary T. Washington, a legendary accountant who became the first female African-American CPA in 1943, and also offers advice on succession planning at smaller firms.

This episode will bring you up to date on the latest developments in CPA firm mobility.

Accounting students are the future of the profession. So how can professors and practitioners work together to make sure those students complete their education and go on to earn their CPA license with the skill sets they need to be successful?

An expert on large-company CFO searches shares insights into where executives are coming from and more in this podcast.

Rian Powell, senior director of recruiting at Chicago-area staffing and recruiting firm LaSalle Network, explains the right questions to ask during job interviews to assess candidates’ soft skills.

John Garrett, a former accountant and stand-up comedian, speaks on how being energized by our outside interests can energize us at work.

Hear more about companies’ hiring plans and profit projections from the third-quarter Business & Industry Economic Outlook Survey.

Cortlon Cofield, CPA/PFS, offers his best advice for marketing to and working with Millennial clients.

Aaron Beam, the first CFO at HealthSouth, tells a cautionary tale of greed taking precedence over ethics.

Hermann Sidhu, CPA, global assurance digital leader at EY, walks us through EY’s exciting new project to use drones to help audit large warehouses and outdoor inventories.

Tommy Spaulding has traveled the world speaking on the topic of leadership, and he’s the author of two books, The Heart-Led Leader and It’s Not Just Who You Know. Listen to this episode to learn more about Spaulding’s focus on leading with the heart.

The regulatory environment around the country is causing concern among CPAs — who are keeping a close watch on state legislation that might affect CPA licensure.

Jeffrey Porter, CPA, discusses how practitioners are dealing with the changes so far.

According to Brandon Allfrey, CPA, CGMA, partner with Squire and Company, thought leadership can be a career-booster for just about everyone.

Mike Decker, the vice president of examinations at the AICPA, discusses changes being made to the exam as a result of tax reform — and about how Excel will now be available for use on the test.

Nancy Droesch, CPA, co-founder of WILLO LLC, explains what employers can do to make their women’s initiatives stronger and more successful.

Four women CPAs look back at that time, and share their funny, inspiring, and eye-opening stories about what it was like to be a pioneering female CPA.

Time management specialist Pam Vaccaro, CEO of Designs on Time, discusses ways CPAs can improve their focus to become more productive and satisfied at work.

Forget Boomers, Millennials, and Xers. Robby Riggs, co-author of Counter Mentor Leadership, says generational conflict in the workplace boils down to tensions between two groups: the BOSSes and the KIDS.

Providing accounting services to marijuana businesses is full of potential legal and ethical minefields. This episode explores what CPAs need to know about the latest developments in providing accounting services to marijuana businesses.

For 40 years, employees at HMWC CPAs and Business Advisors in Orange County have taken part in an annual tradition dubbed the “Death March”: a camping, hiking, or rafting trip in one of the continent’s most beautiful national parks.

Todd Cohen, a regular speaker at the AICPA’s CFO Conference, explains why we should network regularly, as opposed to networking only when we need to.

Brandy Amidon, CPA, the CFO at South Carolina marketing and creative agency Brains on Fire, found a way to hold employees’ interest and get them to care more about the organization’s profitability.

Mark Zyla, CPA/ABV/CFF, joins this edition of the podcast to talk about business prenups and divorce — and how they can impact your business’s valuation.

Wesley Middleton, CPA, founder and managing partner of MiddletonRaines+Zapata, discusses his unique leadership style and how and why his firm does things differently.

CPAs around the country are still trying to figure out how the recent national tax reform will impact their clients at the federal level. But they’re also interested in how it will impact their clients at the state level. In this podcast, guest Eileen Sherr, a CPA and CGMA who is an AICPA tax expert,[...]

What will accounting firms and accounting departments look like after lower-level, repetitive tasks are automated and unprecedented amounts of data can be mined for business insights? That topic takes center stage in the second part of our annual accounting technology roundtable podcast.

Three of the profession’s top technology experts discuss the radical changes emerging technologies will bring to accounting — and accountants — over the next 1–5 years.

Individual taxpayers have plenty of questions about how the new tax reform law will impact them. So we asked Amy Wang, a CPA who is a senior technical manager for tax advocacy at the AICPA, to provide some clear, easy-to-understand answers to some of the most common questions. If you care about tax reform —[...]

Borrowing money to pay for school has grown in popularity over the years, but it can have consequences that linger long after graduation. We examine what potential borrowers need to know when considering taking out private student loans.

We take a look at what potential borrowers need to know when considering taking out a government-funded student loan.

Detecting fraud is often extremely difficult. But there are some things that accountants can watch out for. Howard Silverstone, a CPA who is a director at Forensic Resolutions Inc., shares some great stories about fraud — and explains the red flags that they help illustrate.

Accounting history is a lot more exciting than you realize. Historian and MacArthur Fellow Jacob Soll, author of "The Reckoning: Financial Accountability and the Rise and Fall of Nations," discusses the vital role accounting played in the French and American revolutions.

Tax reform is the hot topic in Washington right now. In this episode of the podcast, which was recorded Nov. 6 at the AICPA National Tax Conference, we talk about what CPAs need to know with tax reform expert Tony Nitti, CPA, a tax partner with WithumSmith+Brown and an editorial board member of The Tax[...]

Health care reform has been one of the biggest policy issues of the year. In this episode of the podcast, which was taped Nov. 6 at the AICPA National Tax Conference, we ask health care reform expert Eddie Adkins, CPA, of Grant Thornton what will come next in the process — and what accountants need[...]

Blake Christian, a tax partner with HCVT, drops in to reveal the secrets he’s learned from opening several new offices over the years.

On Wednesday, Sept. 27, Republican lawmakers released a framework for tax reform--a key issue for CPAs and their clients. So what do practitioners need to know about the framework? Two expert guests, Alistair Nevius and Tony Nitti, join us for a special episode to help bring CPAs up to speed on the development. Nevius is[...]

CPAs sometimes struggle to hold their audiences’ interest when presenting financial data. Peter Margaritis, CPA, tells CPAs how to use storytelling to make their presentations more compelling.

Every year, The Tax Adviser conducts a tax software survey that readers have come to rely on to help them choose what software to use and keep up with changes in the industry. In this episode, The Tax Adviser Editor-In-Chief Alistair Nevius explains what we can learn from this year’s survey.

A workplace offering an unlimited paid-time-off policy sounds like paradise for employees… and nothing but headaches for the managers responsible for making sure all the work gets done. But the management team at ATKG, a CPA firm in San Antonio, has implemented just such a policy and has been very happy with the results. In[...]

Artificial intelligence and blockchain are among the technologies being touted as potentially disruptive and transformational for the accounting profession. How and when will new technologies reshape the accounting profession? That’s the focus of the conversation in part 2 of our annual technology roundtable.

John Mattar, the director of Psychometrics & Research for the AICPA Examinations team, talks about how the exam was developed—and answer some common questions about scoring.

What should CPAs be doing to better protect their data and derive more value from the investments in technology? Find out from our panel of accounting technology experts.

Great public speakers can be made, not born. Elizabeth Pittelkow, CPA, accounting and compliance director at ArrowStream, discusses how her experience with Toastmasters turned her from someone who avoided public speaking to someone who’s made it a key part of her career.

Nick Graf, an ethical hacker with CNA, joins the show to discuss all the cyber threats that go bump in the night and ways to prevent them from harming your business.

Being a public accountant entails a certain amount of professional liability risk. But accountants can take steps to mitigate that risk. In this episode, guest Sarah Beckett Ference, CPA, of CNA talks about ways that CPAs can help prevent, or defend themselves from, lawsuits.

Many CPAs have considered giving back to the profession by teaching accounting. In this episode, practitioners-turned-professors Tony Bucaro of Case Western Reserve University and Jim Biagi of Marywood University discuss what it takes to make the move to academia.

As the founder of brokerage firm Poe Group Advisors, Brannon Poe, CPA, has helped hundreds of CPAs sell their firms. He shares insights he has learned over the course of his career, as well as best practices for selling your firm.

In the third part of a three-episode series, independent recruiter Beth Berk, CPA, offers her final recommendations on what job candidates can do to secure that new position.

A lot of things can go wrong when changing jobs. In second part of a three-episode series, independent recruiter Beth Berk, CPA, continues her discussion of the key mistakes job seekers should avoid making.

Independent recruiter Beth Berk, a CPA herself, talks about the key mistakes you need to avoid in order to land that coveted new gig.

Guest Lynne Waymon of Contacts Count joins this episode to explain how to navigate the sometimes awkward social situations created by conferences so that you can get your money’s worth out of your attendance.

CPA mobility is a key consideration for CPAs and aspiring CPAs, who often have a lot of questions about whether their licenses and credentials will be recognized in a different state. In this episode, guest Lindsay Patterson of the AICPA joins the show to help answer some of the most common questions.

The military and delivery companies aren’t the only ones exploring the potential of drone aircraft. CPAs—specifically some types of auditors—may soon be using drones to help on the job. In this episode, guest Julia Morriss of the AICPA joins the show to give us a glimpse of accountants’ aeronautical future.