outlook & analysis

the profession’s future amid talent gaps, tech disruption, and evolving business models | accounting influencers

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global accounting leaders call for mindset shifts, better storytelling, and a redefined brand.

sponsored by “max: maximize productivity, profitability, and client retention” by august j. aquila  – see today’s special offer

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accounting influencers
with rob brown

in this edition of accounting influencers, four of the profession’s most prominent voices gather for a candid discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing the accounting world. from evolving business models to deep talent shortages, the conversation explores how firms must adapt—or risk irrelevance.

the panel includes randy johnston, co-founder of k2 enterprises and a long-time tech strategist for cpas; trevor greenway, ceo of interval, a software firm helping accountants uncover real-time advisory opportunities; harry blum, managing partner at rsm canada; and jennifer o’carroll, ceo of erp vendor hansaworld and former tax advisor.

“the knowledge is there,” says greenway. “the question is—do firms have the people and bandwidth to act on it?” he warns that while accountants understand the changes required—like the shift to advisory services and the adoption of ai—the labor shortage is the primary obstacle.

blum agrees, calling today’s environment “an experiment in change management,” where firms have never had more opportunity but also never faced more complexity. “the mindset shift needed to transform is the biggest challenge,” he says.

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what other tax pros want to know about you

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group of businesspeople hiding their faces behind question mark signs at office

what our busy season barometer didn’t ask (but should have).

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

the annual 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 busy season barometer is one of the most widely researched and respected surveys of trends at accounting firms across the nation.

more barometer: busy season barometer stats: who’s responding and how they’re doing | your colleagues give their best advice for clients | pro services, tech and mining sectors most likely to thrive | accountants see a host of woes for businesses | top three issues for business: tariffs, taxes and inflation | accountants reporting a pretty good year | concerns take curious shifts as tax season closes | tax season faceplant: accountants overrun by late chaos | accountants turn negative amid tariffs, trade, uncertainty | what cpa firms could do better | survey: which client industries will grow this year | tax preparers share advice for your clients | staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns | tax pros gear up for a better busy season | tax season 2025 begins. ready or not.
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

as you know if you’re one of the hundreds of barometer respondents, the survey looks for a wide range of hard data and subjective opinions. among them:

  • how firms are handling the current tax season
  • what their chief concerns are
  • success metrics on client lists, revenues, profits and extensions

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okorie ramsey: diversity’s about building bigger tables | accounting influencers

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“…not just filling seats.”
sponsored by “holistic guide to wealth management” by rory henry – see today’s special offer

subscribe to 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 podcasts anywhere: apple, google/youtube, spotify, iheart, deezer, amazon music, audible, player fm, audacy, rss.

 

accounting influencers
with rob brown

as past chair of aicpa and cima, okorie ramsey represented nearly 700,000 members worldwide. but in his view, leadership isn’t about wielding power—it’s about partnership, innovation, and service to the public.

in a wide-ranging conversation on the accounting influencers podcast, ramsey reflects on his tenure, the profession’s most significant challenges, and what excites him most about the future.

“it’s a huge role,” ramsey says, “but it’s also a wonderful opportunity.”
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busy season barometer stats: who’s responding and how they’re doing

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blue pencil marking survey

how does your practice compare?

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

the 2025 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 busy season barometer survey has been gathering data from hundreds of accountants and tax practitioners across the country. here are some of the stats on who’s responding and how they’re doing this year.

more barometer: your colleagues give their best advice for clients | pro services, tech and mining sectors most likely to thrive | accountants see a host of woes for businesses | top three issues for business: tariffs, taxes and inflation | accountants reporting a pretty good year | concerns take curious shifts as tax season closes | tax season faceplant: accountants overrun by late chaos | accountants turn negative amid tariffs, trade, uncertainty | what cpa firms could do better | survey: which client industries will grow this year | tax preparers share advice for your clients | staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns | tax pros gear up for a better busy season | tax season 2025 begins. ready or not.
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

small firms prevail.

  • 24 percent are sole practitioners.
  • 42 percent have 2-10 people in the firm.
  • 17 percent have 11-25 people.

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your colleagues give their best advice for clients

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woman and man walking and talking outside office building

… and lots of it.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

for many people, especially people running small businesses, their accountant is their best, if not sole, source of advice on financial matters, including business administration.

sometimes they come asking for it.

more barometer: pro services, tech and mining sectors most likely to thrive | accountants see a host of woes for businesses | top three issues for business: tariffs, taxes and inflation | accountants reporting a pretty good year | concerns take curious shifts as tax season closes | tax season faceplant: accountants overrun by late chaos | accountants turn negative amid tariffs, trade, uncertainty | what cpa firms could do better | survey: which client industries will grow this year | tax preparers share advice for your clients | staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

sometimes they expect their accountant to offer it.

sometimes they are even willing to pay for it.
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pro services, tech and mining sectors most likely to thrive

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magnifying glass showing bar charts

cars and construction? not so much.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

here’s a question for you: which business sectors are most likely to thrive over the next 12-18 months?

the answer matters. it matters to accounting clients, who need to know where their businesses stand, where they can find customers, maybe where to invest or form partnerships.

more barometer: accountants see a host of woes for businesses | top three issues for business: tariffs, taxes and inflation | accountants reporting a pretty good year | concerns take curious shifts as tax season closes | tax season faceplant: accountants overrun by late chaos | accountants turn negative amid tariffs, trade, uncertainty | what cpa firms could do better | survey: which client industries will grow this year
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

and it matters to accounting firms, too. thriving sectors need good accounting firms.
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expert panel: the year of the advisor is here | accounting influencers

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“your top clients are your competitors’ top prospects. are you showing up as their trusted advisor?”
sponsored by “radical pricing: optimize profits, delight clients, and build a top-value firm,” by jody padar, cpa  – see today’s special offer

subscribe to 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 podcasts anywhere: apple, google/youtube, spotify, iheart, deezer, amazon music, audible, player fm, audacy, rss.

 

accounting influencers
with rob brown

how well-equipped is the accounting profession to handle rapid technological advancements and a changing workforce? are firms ready to embrace the future or stuck in outdated models?

rob brown hosts an expert panel featuring angie grissom, co-owner of the rainmaker companies; itamar jobani, ceo of payem; todd robinson, director of practice engagement at woodard; and james hickey, chief “cat herder” at herding cats; to discuss the future of the accounting profession. the conversation explores critical challenges facing accountants today, such as adapting to technological changes, ai integration, talent retention, and shifting towards a more advisory-based role. the panel shares their unique insights on how firms must navigate cultural shifts, embrace leadership, and rethink their traditional business models to stay competitive.
read more →

accountants see a host of woes for businesses

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two worried businesspeople having coffee and looking at computer

capital, technology and the federal government are just some of the concerns.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 busy season barometer sure opened a can of worms when it asked what will be “important” for businesses over the next 12-18 months.

more barometer: top three issues for business: tariffs, taxes and inflation | accountants reporting a pretty good year | concerns take curious shifts as tax season closes | tax season faceplant: accountants overrun by late chaos | accountants turn negative amid tariffs, trade, uncertainty | what cpa firms could do better | survey: which client industries will grow this year | tax preparers share advice for your clients
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

the survey offers a list of nine issues to choose from but then asks an open-ended question about what else will be important in the near-term future.

it turns out a lot of things will be important. here are a few in the voices of accounting professionals across the country.
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top three issues for business: tariffs, taxes and inflation

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businessman talking on phone in the office

clients will need your help sorting through it all.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

back in the good ol’ days of december and january, 55 percent of accountants and tax practitioners were identifying technology as the most important issue for business over the next 12-18 months.

tariffs weren’t even on the radar, and inflation ranked third.

more barometer: accountants reporting a pretty good year | concerns take curious shifts as tax season closes | tax season faceplant: accountants overrun by late chaos | accountants turn negative amid tariffs, trade, uncertainty | what cpa firms could do better | survey: which client industries will grow this year | tax preparers share advice for your clients | staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

three months later, and so much has changed. the april results of the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 busy season barometer show tariffs and inflation tying at the top of nine issues at 66 percent. technology has dropped to fifth.
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tax refund totals up 4%

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data table

 

electronic filings take a dip.

by beth bellor

in the last days of tax season 2025, processed returns and e-filings by tax professionals both slipped back into the negative.

more: refunds up 5% as tax returns top 100 million | tax pros rev up filing pace as diyers lag | tax returns nearly match 2024 rates | tax pros edge diyers in e-filings | tax refund totals up 7% | tax pros handle 46% of e-filings | tax refund totals up 10% | tax refunds plummet, but no worries | tax refunds up 18% early on | first tax filing reports are in
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

as of april 11, the internal revenue service had received 117.6 million individual income tax returns, down 1.7 percent from the same period in 2024. it had processed 116.3 million returns, down 1.5 percent.
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accountants reporting a pretty good year

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woman and man in office high-fiving and giving thumbs up

revenue and profit both higher.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

in terms of client lists, revenues and profits, accounting and tax prep firms are reporting a pretty good year – maybe not as good as they expected four or five months ago, but still, not bad.

back in december and january, the early results of the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 busy season barometer survey showed respondents somewhat optimistic about their upcoming year.

  • 15 percent expected their client lists to grow by 10 percent or more. another 34 percent were hoping for a growth of 5 to 10 percent.
  • a mere 9 percent were anticipating any kind of decrease in clientele.
  • 41 percent didn’t see much change coming one way or the other.

more barometer: concerns take curious shifts as tax season closes | tax season faceplant: accountants overrun by late chaos | accountants turn negative amid tariffs, trade, uncertainty | what cpa firms could do better | survey: which client industries will grow this year | tax preparers share advice for your clients | staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns | tax pros gear up for a better busy season | tax season 2025 begins. ready or not.
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

but now with firms looking back over their season, the stats are shifting again, with a big increase in those experiencing a decrease.
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