today's features
politics & government

the top ten problems the irs still needs to fix

angry man wearing tie and glasses, punching fist through laptop screen

despite improvements, substantial issues remain.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

erin m. collins, america’s national taxpayer advocate, has been unusually complimentary in her annual report on the irs, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t identified 10 problems that should be – and could be – fixed.

more: tax pros gear up for a better busy season | irs processing up; payouts down | help tax clients help you | art werner: beneficial ownership and control | quick tax tip | four challenges of managing new tax preparers | irs funding pays eye-popping 415x roi | tax season 2025 begins. ready or not. | every tax reviewer should be able to answer these ten questions | art werner: corporate transparency act and fincen reporting | taxpayer advocate sees big improvements at irs | major changes to circular 230: implications for tax professionals | cornerstone report
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all of these problems impact the tax preparation business. the impact is often indirect, hitting taxpayers who have a tendency to ask their tax preparers to do something about their particular problem.
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accounting influencers

diversity and technology take center stage in accounting debate | accounting influencers

firms must embrace ai, digital tools, and diversity to remain competitive.

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accounting influencers
with rob brown

in the latest episode of accounting influencers, an international panel of distinguished accounting professionals gathered to discuss the profession’s challenges, opportunities, and future. featuring dr. anton lewis, kelly mann, sabby gill, and eriona bajrakurtaj and hosted by rob brown, the conversation delves into the pressing issues shaping the accounting landscape and the innovative solutions driving transformation.

the panelists from diverse professional backgrounds shared insights into the industry’s evolution. dr. anton lewis, associate professor of accounting at governor state university, highlights the acute shortage of accounting professionals, particularly in the u.s., and its implications on talent development and diversity. he emphasizes the need for greater collaboration between academia and the profession to better equip students for the modern workplace.

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featured video

kristen rampe: accountability and simplicity in partner comp drive success | gear up for growth

“compensation is one tool, not the tool, to change behaviors and outcomes.”

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gear up for growth
with jean caragher
for 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

kristen rampe, managing partner of rosenberg associates, spotlights two key drivers for cpa firm success: accountability and simplicity in partner compensation systems. 

gear up for growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and efficient growth in today’s competitive landscape. more gear up for growth every friday here | more capstone conversations with jean caragher every monday | more jean caragher here | get her best-selling handbook, the 90-day marketing plan for cpa firms, here | more 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 videos and podcasts here

rampe shares insights from rosenberg associates’ recent report, “partner compensation: why accountability matters,” revealing a strong correlation between accountability and firm profitability. according to the report, firms with high accountability systems reported an average income per partner of $617,000, compared to $411,000 in firms with low accountability. 

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client accounting services

thirteen questions to evaluate prospects for client accounting services

stack of cards labeled with question marks

and why you should show your highest priced package first.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

will your existing clients or prospects buy higher-priced and more services from you? if you ask them to, will they feel put off? if you do not ask, will you leave real money on the table? if you do not tell them about more services your firm is capable of providing, will they switch to another accounting firm simply because they were not aware of your other services?

more by hitendra patil
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pitching relevant services to clients and prospects is nearly a fine art. it is fraught with the risk of coming across as is you have only your own interest in mind. at the same time, clients and prospects may not even know that you offer such services or that they need those services. you can lose such opportunities even before you explore those with your clients/prospects.
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outlook & analysis

five ways to fill the staffing gap

bar chart

it takes more than moolah.

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 barometer is finding that the talent shortage is one of the accounting industry’s primary concerns, and the wolters kluwer future ready accountant report confirms that the shortage of accounting professionals is expected to be a top issue over the next five years.

more: show us the money! accountants are making more | twelve years and out: seasoned accountants join the exodus | how accounting firms are handling the staff shortage
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the shortage is global, the wolters kluwer report says. around the world, 35 to 40 percent of firms identify recruitment and retention as their biggest challenge.
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pro member exclusive

tear down towers of knowledge to transform accounting

why sharing beats hoarding.

by donny c. shimamoto

series note: this post is part of a series inspired by “joy, inc.”, written by richard sheridan, cofounder and ceo of menlo innovations. while his book is about the software industry, there are many direct analogies applicable to the accounting industry. we must #transformaccounting and bring joy back into the work we do to sustainably address our industry’s people crisis.

a “tower of knowledge” (“tower”) is a person on your team who has vast technical knowledge that no one else has. this knowledge could be about a client or about the project itself. this person is often seen as the center of the team or as a key person who holds the project together.

more by donny shimamoto
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for high achievers – which many accountants are – this probably sounds like a good thing. being a tower of knowledge reinforces our worth and makes us feel important. “yes, i’m critical to this project. yes, the team needs me. yes, i know a lot. yes, i am important.” yes, being a tower can be very validating and make us feel good.
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mergers & acquisitions

how private equity is impacting accounting

and how these deals compare to traditional cpa firm deals.

by marc rosenberg
the rosenberg practice management library

one of the biggest game changers in the cpa profession since the dawn of the 21st century has been the introduction of private equity in merger transactions.

more by marc rosenberg
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prior to roughly 2020, 99 percent of all cpa firm mergers were between two cpa firms. an early exception was the “consolidator” phase of the cpa industry from the mid-1990s through the early 2000s. this is when three companies, the consolidators – american express, h&r block and cbiz – acquired a few hundred cpa firms, spawning the creation of alternative practice structures. because cpa firms must be majority owned by cpas, this new structure featured the attest function spun off as a separate but related entity, owned primarily by cpas while the remainder of the firm was owned primarily by the consolidators.
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marketing & sales

bissett bullet: sit on the other side of the table

today’s bissett bullet: “when i prepare training material, presentations or videos, i always do so from the same perspective. what does it feel like to be on the receiving end of them? will the person who will be listening, reading or watching get what they need from it and want to come back for more?”

by martin bissett

you need to do the same thing when you prepare for a meeting with a prospective client. take a moment to sit on the other side of the table and ask yourself what they need to get from their time with you.

today’s to-do:

look at your diary. find your next meeting with a potential client and make some notes. why have they agreed to the meeting, what do they want to get from it and what will they do after you leave? prepare for the meeting from their point of view.

see more bissett bullets here

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accounting arc

demystifying governance | arc

from state societies to the aicpa, the hosts shed light on the collaborative ecosystem guiding cpas. 

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accounting arc
with liz mason, byron patrick, and donny shimamoto.
center for accounting transformation

the accounting profession operates within a complex framework of governance, where state and national organizations play critical roles in shaping standards, supporting professionals, and maintaining public trust. in a recent episode of accounting arc, donny shimamoto, cpa.citp, cgma; byron patrick, cpa.citp, cgma; and liz mason, cpa, dive deep into the often misunderstood relationships between state societies, boards of accountancy, and national entities like the aicpa and nasba. their discussion offers a candid look at how these organizations work together to regulate, educate, and advocate for cpas, while highlighting the importance of participation at every level. 

more arc: analysis, reaction, comedy

 

more accounting arc: 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 eduction | bailey lenart: from ledger sheets to transformational change | election tax plans: what cpas need to know |

“many see state societies as just cpe organizers, but they’re also advocacy powerhouses,” explains patrick, ceo of verifyiq and co-founder of tb academy, who details maryland’s proactive society. state societies also facilitate specialized communities and foster advocacy efforts on behalf of cpas. 

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outlook & analysis

tax pros gear up for a better busy season

survey respondents say the new year means new plans.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

it’s shaping up to be a pretty good year, according to early results from the 2025 busy season barometer. half expect a year better than last year’s good year, and less than 10 percent think it will be worse.

more: irs funding pays eye-popping 415x roi | tax season 2025 begins. ready or not. | every tax reviewer should be able to answer these ten questions | art werner: corporate transparency act and fincen reporting | quick tax tip | taxpayer advocate sees big improvements at irs | ask tax clients the right questions | major changes to circular 230: implications for tax professionals | cornerstone report
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why?

  • the market’s in a good place. plenty of clients out there.
  • so far (fingers crossed) no big changes to the tax code.
  • no pandemic quarantines (more fingers crossed).
  • the economy’s chugging right along (keep them crossed).

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charts & graphs

irs processing up; payouts down

data table

figures for 2024 topped those of 2023 until it came to refunds.

by beth bellor

as the 2025 busy season kicks off and we wait for the first individual income tax return reports to trickle in, let’s take a peek at how the last drips of 2024 compared to the dregs of 2023.

more: tax pros are making changes for a better busy season | irs funding pays eye-popping 415x roi | tax season 2025 begins. ready or not. | every tax reviewer should be able to answer these ten questions | art werner: corporate transparency act and fincen reporting | taxpayer advocate sees big improvements at irs | ask tax clients the right questions | major changes to circular 230: implications for tax professionals | cornerstone report | art werner: due diligence and irs enforcement | make ‘done but’ tax returns a thing of the past | six methods for getting paid faster this tax season | use humor to get tax documents in early
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

by the end of 2024, the internal revenue service had received 163.5 million returns, up 0.9 percent from the end of 2023. it had processed 163.5 million returns, up 0.3 percent, which included returns received in the prior or current year and processed in the calendar year.
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pricing, fees & billing rates

how to structure agreements for value pricing

latina woman working on laptop

plus how to automate getting paid.

by jody padar
radical pricing – by the radical cpa

a well-structured agreement can make or break an engagement. we see this happen every day.

were you a fan of the television show “two and a half men”? remember when charlie sheen was fired? he ended up suing for what he thought he was owed for the remainder of his contract. and, surprisingly, there was not a comprehensive agreement detailing the terms. no one likely thought sheen would end his run on the show in this manner and didn’t plan for it.

more by jody padar
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a similar scenario could happen to you, albeit with fewer global headlines i suppose. that’s why, once your client is ready to start working with you on a value basis, you’ll need to create a contract to finalize the deal.

there are two main agreements used by accountants today – the engagement letter and the service-level agreement. both are legally binding but look a bit different.
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busy season management

help tax clients help you

eleven steps to better instructions.

by ed mendlowitz
tax season opportunity guide

providing instructions of what a client needs to do must be clear enough so that the client doesn’t call you to find out what to do.

more: is your team ready for tax season? | six methods for getting paid faster this tax season
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sometimes taking an extra minute to lay out what the client should do can eliminate that call or indecisive moment a client might feel.
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