how to recruit and retain today’s top cpa talent
new data shows where many firms are falling short.
accounting firms need to start worrying that their best people could jump ship for the next great opportunity.
today's features
a&a alert: fasb amends derecognition of in substance real estate
accounting standards update 2011-10 [fasb asc 360] by dr. tom ratcliffe, ph.d, cpa plain-english accounting yesterday [wednesday, december 14, 2011], the fasb released accounting standards update [asu] 2011-10, entitled derecognition of in substance real estate. the guidance in asu 2011-10 … continued
six strategies to stop losing business to competitors
stop being a “best-kept” secret to prospects.
by sandi smith leyva
the accountant’s accelerator
it’s rare that i lose business to competitors, and it’s also not an accident. if you are losing business to your competitors, here are some strategies you can use to “become a category of one,” as they say in marketing.
1. build your brand. in accounting, professional services, and coaching, our brand is our name. we can build it up by building our reputation for delivering results to clients and becoming a thought leader in the profession. do this a number of ways: write articles, make speeches, offer teleseminars, post your testimonials and case studies, get interviewed by the press, serve on a committee or board of directors, and become a well-respected business leader in your community, to name a few. when you build your brand, people will come asking for you by name and won’t consider others.
billables look good for busy season
major metrics suggest rebounding business.
most tax and accounting professionals heading into busy season are expecting meaningful improvements over last year in revenues and profits, according to new 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research.
- complete findings are published in the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practitioner’s tax season performance review and outlook report. (learn more here)
1 in 3 americans witness wrongdoing in the workplace
but don’t know whom to tell.
more than a third of americans say they’ve been witness to serious wrongdoing at the companies where they work, and they’d report it, too — if they thought someone would do something about it.
the study by the law firm of labaton sucharaw suggests a significant amount of corporate corruption and financial fraud is going unchecked because american workers fear retaliation for blowing the whistle.
for the mobile accountant: a full-size monitor for your laptop
toshiba rolls out 14-inch mobile pc monitor. you’re accustomed to dual monitors in the office, why not on the road? with the toshiba usb mobile lcd monitor attached to your laptop, you’ll have all the room you need to multi-task … continued
there’s a 50-50 chance you’re reading this on an iphone
and 29% chance you’re on a tablet.
the oklahoma cpa society has released findings from its latest member survey on technology.
highlights:
- personal use of tablets comes in at 29 percent.
- that’s twice the rate of the business environment, at 13 percent. read more →
a&a bulletin: new aicpa audit risk alert
plain-english accounting bi-weekly report by dr. tom ratcliffe, ph.d, cpa plain-english accounting the accounting and auditing issues that are discussed in this bi-weekly report are as follows: peec adopts revisions to the code of professional conduct — the aicpa professional … continued
how to make your firm a success magnet
learn what it takes to attract the best talent and merger partners.
by robert fligel, cpa
rf resources llc
for many in the cpa business, organic growth is going to be very slow for the next several years. so, cpa firms seeking growth are:
- making strategic mergers or acquisitions, or
- bringing in new partners or groups of partners with strong books of business.
but how do you position your firm to be desirable to merger partners or new talent?
bbq’ing the billable hour
would you buy a pulled-pork sandwich if it was priced by the hour? at aries technology, a sage software reseller, they wouldn’t recommend it. that’s why they’re going to market with an aggressive value-pricing strategy. via ariestech.com
cpa cfos see slight spending increases ahead
but no new hiring.
via aicpa
the outlook for the u.s. economy improved in the fourth quarter, but broad pessimism about the progress of a recovery persists, according to the fourth quarter aicpa economic outlook survey, which polls chief financial officers, controllers and certified public accountants in executive and senior management accounting roles.
study shows auditors slow to adopt hi-tech fraud detection strategies
plus: top 10 reasons why.
an alarming number of audit professionals are failing to leverage modern data analytics techniques to uncover financial fraud, according to preliminary results from a new survey by auditnet, a clearinghouse of resources for auditors.
which tools are auditors using to uncover fraud today?
join the survey; get the results.
benchmark 1040 fee flattens out at $233
rates up only $4 in two years for “main street” firms.
most tax professionals will be charging an average of $233 for a typical itemized return this year, relatively unchanged since the beginning of the recession, according to a new survey of national society of accountants members.
the new $233 benchmark represents barely a $4 increase in the two years since the last biennial survey, when accountants posted a 10% advance from the 2007 poll, which followed a scant 2% gain from $201 in 2005.
the survey of nearly 8,000 tax preparers by the nsa found that the average fee for preparing an itemized form 1040 with a schedule a and a state tax return cost taxpayers only $233 this year. rates for non-itemized returns are also largely unchanged at $128 for a form 1040 and state return without itemized deductions.