It's safe to say that, for most CPAs, 2020 was probably the craziest year in memory. Setting aside the macro issues, what is fascinating to…
Before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, change was evolving in accounting firms. CPA firms were already seeing a movement away from time-based billing, an increase in…
As the new school year begins, it's time for the profession to examine how future CPAs are educated in the United States. It's no secret…
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused companies across the world to temporarily close their doors in an effort to halt or slow down the spread…
Last October's column was about the need for change in the way accounting is taught in high school and college (“The Accounting Curriculum Needs a…
As the 2020s approach, it is time for the profession to look to the coming developments for accounting software and technology over the next 10…
Every year on October 15, clients send this author's firm information late into the afternoon, expecting the CPAs to finish their individual tax returns by…
As the new school year begins, it's time for the profession to examine how future CPAs are educated in the United States. It's no secret…
Cybersecurity and Data Breaches
Learning from CCH’s Mistakes
By this point, every CPA knows that CCH was attacked by malware in early May, causing a mass outage of its platform for several days…
The 2019 tax filing season was a missed opportunity for the CPA profession. This was the year to get ahead of the new tax laws…
With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) coming into effect, completely new forms being issued, and the aftereffects of the government shutdown being felt,…
A core part of most CPA firms for over 40 years has been the quarterly or monthly preparation of CPA-issued compilations or reviews for clients.…
In the past year (2018), have you noticed any trends in practice at your firm/organization? For example, changing workloads; challenges in recruitment, retention, training, promotion,…
Every year on October 15, clients send this author's firm information late into the afternoon, expecting the CPAs to finish their individual tax returns by…
For a partner in an accounting firm, there is nothing more frustrating than when a good employee presents his resignation letter. Not only is losing…
With so many baby boomer CPA firm owners looking to retire without a proper succession plan in place, the market for CPA firms has become…
Most CPA firms today are focusing their efforts on eliminating client interaction. They want clients to drop off their tax info and pick up their…
This July, my wife and I are packing our bags and living for a month in Copenhagen, Denmark. This will not be a vacation, although…
Every CPA has probably dealt with this scenario: an initial meeting with a potential client who, while explaining their business or tax situation, asks a…
Three years ago, the server at the author's firm was hacked by a Russian scammer who got into the system by sending a phishing email…
2018 is here. Looking ahead to what will almost certainly be an eventful year, here are 10 trends that, in this author's opinion, will affect…
The world is changing. The CPA profession is not, or at least it's changing far slower than the accounting profession as a whole. Sometimes it…
CPAs love collecting data on employees, clients, and themselves. Most firms track dozens of key performance indicators (KPI) to manage their practices—most of them focused…
It's been 10 years since Steve Jobs announced the iPhone, the little gadget that changed the world, bringing the Internet to people's pockets and connecting…
Sustainable Leadership
Doing What’s Right for the Profession
On May 17, 2017, this author had the honor of speaking on a panel at the second annual NYSSCPA/Hedge Fund Roundtable Sustainability Investment Leadership Conference…
When hiring a new team member, the most important thing is cultural fit. New hires can be trained to do just about anything in accounting…
The best way for a CPA firm to become successful is to build long and lasting relationships with clients. The more time CPAs spend with…
Kraten opened the panel by showing a video produced by Deloitte highlighting its commitment to diversity in the workplace. Kraten then asked Barton about Deloitte's…
There was a time in America, and in accounting, when loyalty was the most important contract employees and employers had with each other. The employee…
Over the next five to ten years, CPA firms are going to see change at a pace the profession has never seen before. With the…