tax season faceplant: accountants overrun by late chaos
technology and the economy threw some wrenches into the mix.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
outlook & analysis
refunds up 5% as tax returns top 100 million
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.
more: 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
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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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accountants turn negative amid tariffs, trade, uncertainty
survey respondents aren’t shy about placing blame.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
join the survey. get the results.
what struggling small businesses need
digital apps and credit cards are helping.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
small businesses with one to 100 employees were struggling a bit in the year ending october 2024, according to a survey conducted by intuit quickbooks, but may be starting to get back on their feet.
more: five ways to head off reluctant leadership | big growth coming for client advisory services | scams getting more sophisticated | you need capable successors for a seamless transition | mark koziel: the future of the profession | gear up for growth | america’s running short of financial advisors | maybe the pipeline problem is technology | what if the staffing shortage is just a myth? | staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns
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the survey results may be of interest to accounting practices that are advising small businesses in various sectors and regions. in that digital and ai applications are giving advantage to companies that use them, accounting clients may be looking for advice on how to put these tools to work.
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brian hock: qualifications matter more than ever | accounting influencers
“it’s a five-year degree for accounting versus four years for finance, and finance graduates often earn more.”
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accounting influencers
with rob brown
brian hock, founder of hock international, argues that accounting certifications and qualifications are more important than ever in an era of automation and artificial intelligence.
hock says the rapid shift in accounting standards is spawning a host of new specialty skills, including data analytics, cybersecurity, and automation.
“when i took the cpa exam almost 30 years ago, it was paper-and-pencil,” hock recalls. “now, technology is embedded in every aspect of accounting.”
mark koziel: the future of the profession | gear up for growth
mark koziel calls for cpa firm transformation amid industry disruption.
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originally published in september 2024
gear up for growth
with jean caragher
for 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间
mark koziel, newly appointed president and ceo of the association of international certified professional accountants (aicpa & cima), recently appeared on the gear up for growth podcast, reflecting on his tenure as ceo of allinial global and the challenges facing the accounting profession. koziel, who spent 14 years in leadership roles at aicpa before joining allinial global, emphasized the urgent need for firms to rethink their business models in response to industry shifts.
more 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 podcasts here | more jean caragher here
in his conversation with host jean caragher, koziel outlined how external pressures, including hybrid workforces, private equity investment, and shifting talent expectations, are reshaping cpa firms. he argued that while the covid-19 pandemic accelerated these changes, the profession was already moving in this direction.
“firms were always capable of hiring talent beyond their geographic boundaries, but it took a pandemic for them to act on it,” koziel said. “we now have a hybrid profession that is adjusting to these realities.” read more →
amy cooper: new research unpacks key retention factors | know-how korner
study finds job embeddedness, not engagement, drives retention.
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know-how korner
with donny shimamoto
center for accounting transformation
a new study by dr. amy cooper, cpa, cfe, cgma, an assistant accounting professor and program director at university of alaska fairbanks, challenges conventional wisdom, revealing that job embeddedness—not engagement—is the key to keeping accountants in public firms.
more: donny shimamoto
“i assumed smaller firms would foster stronger embeddedness, but my research showed the opposite,” says dr. cooper. “larger firms offer more career mobility, specialization, and structured support, which increase long-term commitment.”
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gaps galore at the irs
some of the fixes are simple.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
the word “gap” occurs 28 times in the national taxpayers advocate’s 2024 annual report to congress. the report highlights a wide and crippling assortment of gaps in america’s favorite tax agency.
- a tax gap
- a salary gap
more: is voluntary disclosure of tax noncompliance working? | irs needs to work better with its workers | why itin applications get delayed | the ouches of the tax ‘practitioner’ scam | could the irs do better with the phones? | irs sluggish on identity theft | tax preparers share advice for your clients | check these 41 items on business tax returns | irs must speed up tax return processing | first tax filing reports are in | cut down your tax work in progress | more than 1 million erc claims still not processed
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- a tax pro oversight gap
- a hiring data gap
expert panel: are you risking obsolescence? | accounting influencers
innovation, ai, and next-gen leaders must successfully adapt to constantly changing landscapes.
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accounting influencers
with rob brown
industry leaders bobby lane, ceo of factotum; tony szczepaniak, ceo of lea global; randy wootton, ceo of maxio; and rick richardson, ceo & founder of richardson media & technologies, probe the state of accounting, the biggest threats facing the profession, and the opportunities ahead.
szczepaniak sees hope in the pressing issue of talent shortages, noting that regulatory bodies are exploring new ways to accelerate certifications and attract non-traditional candidates. he acknowledges that while some firms are innovating, others remain stagnant. “the firms that can clearly articulate their value proposition and adapt to strategic conversations internally will thrive,” he asserts.
what cpa firms could do better
survey respondents have specific suggestions.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
people at cpa firms generally think their practice is pretty effective at meeting its objectives with consistency over time.
but only 5 percent think their firm’s doing a great job. and about that many think their firm’s doing a somewhat lousy job.
more barometer: 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.
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the 2025 busy season barometer is finding that on a scale of 1 to 10, 45 percent of respondents would rate their firm at an 8 or better, and another 25 percent give their firm a so-so 7.
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survey: which client industries will grow this year
respondents tell us what they’re watching. does it match what you’re seeing?
join the busy season barometer. get the results.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
it looks like 2025 is going to be a year of obstacles (a.k.a. opportunities), instability (change), potential (good and bad) and surprises (just wait) – not just for the accounting industry but for the industries of its clientele. and the biggest opportunities for accountants will be in their most successful clients.
more barometer: 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.
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where will growth occur? the 2025 busy season barometer is asking, and 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 members are answering. here’s where they’re telling us to expect growth:
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maybe the pipeline problem is technology
advances may have had an unintended effect.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
alarms have long been sounding over the dearth of new accounting professionals entering the field. the pipeline of talent running from colleges to entry-level jobs has been trickling just as it needs to gush.
more: what if the staffing shortage is just a myth? | staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns | five ways to fill the staffing gap | top 10 red flags to watch for in accounting offices | arc | deals 2024: over 100 cpa firm mergers and acquisitions | barry melancon: private equity and the partnership | gear up for growth | does your firm suffer cultural deficiencies? | audit fees continue to climb | cfos see ai as top risk and opportunity | does accounting belong in stem? | accounting arc | opportunity awaits incoming aicpa ceo
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since 2015, the number of graduates with accounting majors has been in steep decline. the number of incoming professionals is by no means keeping up with those who are retiring or switching professions. the vectors point toward an imminent crisis in available talent.
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tax preparers share advice for your clients
help them prepare for what’s to come.
join the busy season barometer. get the results.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
accountants sound worried. when the 2025 busy season barometer survey asked if anyone had advice on how small businesses should prepare for the next 12-18 months, almost half took the time to respond.
more barometer: staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns | tax pros gear up for a better busy season
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here’s a list of some of the more meaningful responses. which would apply to your clients? which should you share with them?
___ figure out which labor-intensive functions they can automate asap. (andrew schwartz)
___ take advantage of near-term opportunities with post-tax cuts and jobs act legislation (as they become clearer) and provide services/planning for more probable changes in taxes/economy for 3-5 year, 5-10 year and 10 year+ timeframes. (anthony aleta) read more →