bissett bullet: do you need an accountability partner?
today’s bissett bullet: “positive change in our firms happens when we decide to hold ourselves accountable for achieving the change and hire proven catalysts to help.”
by martin bissett
by martin bissett
raising the bar on client service doesn’t mean sacrificing all your time.
accounting arc
with liz mason, byron patrick, and donny shimamoto
center for accounting transformation

technology has changed how firms operate, but relationships—and setting clear expectations—remain central to client satisfaction.
in a recent episode of accounting arc, co-hosts liz mason, cpa; byron patrick, cpa.citp, cgma; and donny shimamoto, cpa.citp, cgma, tackled a pressing issue: how the accounting profession can evolve to deliver better client service in the digital age.
more accounting arc: ron baker: surviving tariff turbulence | crypto, cash, or chaos? the fallout of an irs-free america | is agentic ai a game changer or game ender? | kelly mann: thriving against all odds | are we ready for the hidden risks of ai in accounting? | the research imperative: why data drives accounting success | how coaching can unlock professional success | demystifying accounting governance | top 10 red flags to watch for in accounting offices | jeremy dubow: private equity as a catalyst for growth | break the burnout cycle in accounting | accounting in transition: 2024 reflections & the road ahead | ron baker: visions for the accounting profession | angie grissom: next gen inspo for accountants | does accounting belong in stem? | rose wang: where numbers meet strategy and creativity | tiktok fraud exposes gaps in financial literacy | how accounting pros own the stage in public speaking | greg kyte: being a cpa is like being the marie kondo of numbers | rachel bashore: a lawyer’s case for reinventing accounting | beyond the basics in ethics education
“client service is the number one reason we hear clients are looking for a new cpa firm,” says mason, founder and ceo of high rock accounting. “we need to get back to the roots of our profession—deep relationships and great communication.”

technology and the economy threw some wrenches into the mix.
this year’s tax season seems to have been pretty good, according to the latest from the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 busy season barometer, though not quite as good as expected.
survey respondents went into the season with cautiously optimistic expectations. the percentage who felt that this year they were better prepared for the three-month grind remains constant at about 46 percent, comparing december/january with early april.
but many who figured they were as prepared this year as ever were apparently in for a sad surprise. before the season, 41 percent said they were prepared as well as in 2024, but that number plummeted to 25 percent by april. the shift is toward the “worse” end of the scale, with the “much worse” response doubling from 3 percent to 6 percent, and “somewhat worse” nearly doubling from 11 percent to almost 20 percent.
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without the right strategy, even the best intentions can go to waste.
quick tax tip
with art werner
cpe today
charitable giving can be a powerful tool for clients seeking tax advantages and for ensuring their donations are used wisely. yet, many clients—and even some professionals—remain unaware of one of the most accessible vehicles for achieving these goals: donor-advised funds.
“the average client has no idea that a donor-advised fund exists,” werner says. “and if i, as a professional, am not aware of a technique, i probably won’t use it — not because i’m afraid of it, but because i’m ignorant of the ability to utilize it.”

tax professionals still edge out diyers.
by beth bellor
as the tax season slipped into april, the number of individual income tax returns filed topped 100 million.
the internal revenue service had received 101.4 million returns as of april 4, the latest data available, down 0.4 percent from the same period in 2024. it had processed 100.3 million returns, up 0.2 percent.
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