surveys & research

tax law is driving practice development

by

bar chart

virtual communication, hybrid work environments still pose challenges.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

new laws and regulations now rank as the primary management challenge at accounting practices around the world, according to a report from caseware.

more: olympics of outsourcing and offshoring for accountants | new study: strong and steady growth for accountant jobs and salaries | turnover timebomb: 4 of 5 senior managers at risk | are client services a fourth-rate priority? | revenues rising as pricing models evolve | 150 credit hours: helping or hindering? | can’t recruit? retain! | the accountant as a strategic business partner | report: efficiency still the top priority for accounting firms | is tech causing both cpa shortage and low salaries? | audit firms nervous about new tech | staffing tops list of woes at cpa firms | to replenish the talent pipeline, go back to the classroom | beware the work-life/workload doom spiral
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

and though the difficulty, and even impossibility, of meeting all legal requirements is a massive challenge, meeting that challenge is a driver of rapid change in the industry. this is evidenced by the second-most serious challenge, adopting new technologies – technologies directly or indirectly aimed at meeting legal requirements.
read more →

recently discovered antibiotic spares ’good’ bacteria

by

lolamicin defeated 130 drug-resistant strains of common gram-negative bacteria.

by rick richardson
technology this week

despite all the positive effects antibiotics have on the planet, one of the major drawbacks to their use is how they indiscriminately destroy both bad and good bacteria.

besides eliminating disease-causing invaders in the human body, a single course of this life-saving medication can have an “immense” effect on the gut and the microorganisms that live there, according to the national center for biotechnology information.

more: is nasa about to make air travel cheaper? | startup creates legolike brick that can store air pollution | your brain can store 10 times more than anyone thought | how many ev charging stations will we need? | google launches new private space feature | microsoft discovers a security flaw impacting android apps | what is an ai pc, and should i get one? | fool’s gold may not be so foolish now | ai-engineered enzyme could be solution to plastic pollution | german researchers develop ev motor with no rare-earth magnets
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

certain bacteria or fungi may occasionally overgrow because of this influence. for example, following antibiotic treatment, women may have a 30 percent chance of acquiring a yeast infection.

researchers at the university of illinois in urbana-champaign are developing a remedy. lolamicin is a novel antibiotic that has been found to target selectively gram-negative infections, sparing other bacteria.

read more →

olympics of outsourcing and offshoring for accountants

by

the only difference is it’s not a once in four years event.

by hitendra patil

 the olympic games are the epitome of human achievement. the best athletes in the world come together to compete for the ultimate coveted glory. the accounting profession is no different in its competitive spirit and quest for excellence.

take action now: take this 2-minute quick quiz to evaluate if your firm needs outsourcing.
you will instantly get your score and what that score means.

outsourcing and offshoring have emerged as a necessary remedy to overcome the challenges of the accounting talent shortage. accounting firms leveraging outsourcing and offshoring are like the athletes excelling at the olympics. like the olympics, accounting firms need rigorous preparation, strategic planning, and meticulous execution to succeed with outsourcing and offshoring. let us dive into the comparison between the olympics and outsourcing/offshoring strategies. let us see how accounting firms can assure gold-medalist performance in the olympics of outsourcing and offshoring.

read more →

student accounting enrollment shows third year of recovery | cornerstone

by

but

new data from the national student clearinghouse research center shows a 12 percent increase in fall 2024 accounting enrollment compared to fall 2023. the increase amounted to an additional 28,672 students.

total undergraduate accounting enrollment for fall 2024 was 267,278 students, the highest accounting enrollment reported since fall 2020 (263,092 students) and just shy of the pre-pandemic fall 2019 enrollment (275,963 students).

understanding the inflection points
in number of cpa exam candidates

卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 cornerstone report

the key factors contributing to the ups and downs – mostly downs in the last three decades – of cpa exam candidates reflect broader trends in the economy, regulatory environment, and demographic landscape.

read more →

turnover timebomb: 4 of 5 senior managers at risk

by

and seven ways to overcome staffing issues.

by hitendra patil

the talent crisis in the accounting profession has been relentless, and it now seems that the staffing issues are moving up the ladder.

more hitendra patil here
more on staffing here

the preliminary results of the inaugural accountants professional satisfaction survey show nearly two in five directors and senior managers at accounting firms report dissatisfaction. only one in four seniors are highly satisfied. on the other hand, one in three managers are dissatisfied at their firms, and only 17 percent are highly satisfied.

read more →

are client services a fourth-rate priority?

by

bar chart

there are a few barriers hindering expansion.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

when the thomson reuters 2024 state of tax professionals survey asked 500 professionals in tax and accounting firms what their top priorities were, client services came in fourth, behind efficiency/automation, talent retention/hiring, and pricing/revenue.

more: revenues rising as pricing models evolve | 150 credit hours: helping or hindering? | can’t recruit? retain! | the accountant as a strategic business partner | report: efficiency still the top priority for accounting firms | is tech causing both cpa shortage and low salaries? | audit firms nervous about new tech | what accountants can learn from t-ball | staffing tops list of woes at cpa firms | to replenish the talent pipeline, go back to the classroom | beware the work-life/workload doom spiral | why the dry pipeline? it’s about time
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

note how the top three all might be included in a category called “getting your act together.” they basically deal with fine-tuning the accounting firm machine.

putting that machine to work aims at offering more or better client services and, the fifth priority, growing the practice.
read more →

is nasa about to make air travel cheaper?

by

a larger fan and a smaller core can produce the same thrust with less fuel and air pollution.

by rick richardson
technology this week

a team of nasa specialists isn’t aiming for the stars with their ground-breaking jet engine core design, which is now under development. instead, the hybrid aircraft engine might result in a 10 percent reduction in fuel consumption for earth-based travel on future passenger aircraft.

it’s a component of a clever concept that aims to reduce air pollution and travel expenses.

more: startup creates legolike brick that can store air pollution | your brain can store 10 times more than anyone thought | how many ev charging stations will we need? | google launches new private space feature | microsoft discovers a security flaw impacting android apps | what is an ai pc, and should i get one? | fool’s gold may not be so foolish now | ai-engineered enzyme could be solution to plastic pollution | german researchers develop ev motor with no rare-earth magnets | ai named the highest-paying in-demand tech skill for 2024
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

aerospace is working with general electric to design the engine. it will use a larger fan and a smaller core, emphasizing sustainability and efficiency. read more →

revenues rising as pricing models evolve

by

bar chart

boosting your bottom line could come down to better billing.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

one thing cpa practices aren’t complaining about is revenue. according to a thomson reuters survey conducted in the first quarter of 2024, 72 percent of 500 respondents say their firms’ revenues increased over the previous 12 months.

more: 150 credit hours: helping or hindering? | can’t recruit? retain! | is tech causing both cpa shortage and low salaries? | staffing tops list of woes at cpa firms | why the dry pipeline? it’s about time | whole person retention: when it’s not just the money | seven enticements to keep talent on board | disruptors: talent crisis? what talent crisis? | seven steps to a stronger future | auditing standards ‘yellow book’ updated | compensation’s up, but up enough to retain staff?
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

average increase: 24 percent.

not bad, if you like money.
read more →

pause to praise the tax pro volunteers

by

two businesswomen meeting in an office

they prepared 9.3 percent more returns this year.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 hereby calls for a pause in the post-season doldrums to salute the 67,000 tax pro volunteers and other concerned citizens who helped the needy file their tax returns this year.

more: irs vs. fraudsters | imagine! the national tax advocate does | art werner: maximizing fringe benefits | is the irs mismeasuring phone service? | irs makes big progress but … | tax practitioners say happy days are here … again | the irs is coming! get your clients into compliance | end tax season meetings with clients … seriously | brandon hall: firms try to make too much on tax prep | eight steps to getting started with ai: a guide for tax professionals | ftc nails turbotax for ‘free filing’ scam | if only the irs’s tax pro were useful | id theft a problem for irs even when it doesn’t exist | the nightmare of non-credentialed tax preparers | taxpayer assistance centers: a good idea that should be better | irs still falling short on service | must the irs be a dark hole?
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

yes, 67,000. that’s really an impressive number of people. not only are they coming to the rescue of people who, despite their problems and limitations, really want to pay their taxes, but they are doing so during the tax season.
read more →

irs vs. fraudsters

by

the endless war is not going well.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

the fraudsters of the world continue to see the u.s. treasury as a bountiful chest of riches just waiting to be plundered.

it doesn’t take much. a taxpayer’s name, a social security number, a bank account number, maybe an email address, a phone number and a little luck.

more: imagine! the national tax advocate does | art werner: maximizing fringe benefits | is the irs mismeasuring phone service? | irs makes big progress but … | business booming, but not as much as last year | busy season barometer offers clues for better business | tax practitioners say happy days are here … again | the irs is coming! get your clients into compliance | end tax season meetings with clients … seriously | brandon hall: firms try to make too much on tax prep | eight steps to getting started with ai: a guide for tax professionals | ftc nails turbotax for ‘free filing’ scam | if only the irs’s tax pro were useful | tax pros file 33% of early returns | can’t irs online accounts be more useful?
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

the irs is used to this. it knows what to do about it.

it just doesn’t do it very well.
read more →

what makes a great website? 

by

two women looking at a screen as they design a website

nine things to ask as you build.

by august j. aquila
price it right: how to value accounting services

don’t kid yourself: creating a great website takes a lot of time and creative talent. websites must also be constantly updated with new material.

more: losing can help you win more | three more strategies for growing your practice | understand the 10 steps of the buying process | calculate the cost of losing clients | eleven possible pitfalls of mergers | six ways to expand your client services checklist | ten questions to refine your successful marketing plan | four questions for choosing your marketing audit strategies | four steps to a successful email marketing campaign
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

if you plan to update your current website or prepare one for the first time, or if you plan to do it yourself or just hire a marketing communication specialist with website-building experience, make sure you have clear answers to the following questions:

  • who is your target market? accounting firms usually have more than one market they are going after. consider how your various markets will find themselves on your site.

read more →

150 credit hours: helping or hindering?

by

one study suggests there is little if any upside but plenty of downside.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

four decades ago, the american institute of cpas promulgated a rule requiring accountants to complete 150 credit hours to qualify for certification, an increase from 120 hours. basically, it required a fifth year of college education.

more: can’t recruit? retain! | the accountant as a strategic business partner | report: efficiency still the top priority for accounting firms | is tech causing both cpa shortage and low salaries? | staffing tops list of woes at cpa firms | to replenish the talent pipeline, go back to the classroom | beware the work-life/workload doom spiral | why the dry pipeline? it’s about time | whole person retention: when it’s not just the money | global trends show many dissatisfied cpas | more big firms shut their doors to new college grads | seven enticements to keep talent on board
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

state boards of accountancy had discretion over when to enact the rule. by 2015, all states and u.s. territories had adopted it.

fun fact: the national rule did not impose any requirements on what courses the students had to take. it didn’t have to be courses on tax law or accounting standards. philosophy, music theory or basket-weaving would do. state boards, however, often mandate specific course requirements.
read more →

can’t recruit? retain!

by

bar chart

other options: outsourcing, m&a, even freelancers with different skill sets.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

there’s no good news coming out of the talent pipeline. there are fewer accounting majors coming in at the college end, and fewer coming out at the cpa exam end.

the reasons are legion. kids these days have little interest in a career reputed to be boring and exhausting. they can make more money in some other area of finance or business. the extra credit hours take too long and cost too much.

more: the accountant as a strategic business partner | report: efficiency still the top priority for accounting firms | is tech causing both cpa shortage and low salaries? | audit firms nervous about new tech | what accountants can learn from t-ball | staffing tops list of woes at cpa firms | to replenish the talent pipeline, go back to the classroom | beware the work-life/workload doom spiral | why the dry pipeline? it’s about time | business model transformation: do it or die | misperceptions, corrections, accountancy and lemonade
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

the 2024 thomson reuters state of tax professionals report sums it up with illustrative stats.

  • 39 percent say recruitment will be “highly challenging” in 2024.
  • another quarter say it will be “somewhat challenging.”
  • 33 percent of firms with four or more employees say talent will be a top priority.

read more →