November, 2024

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Why accounting firms are bleeding talent

Accounting Today

Stagnating wages and gaps in career path awareness have pushed young professionals away from accounting, leading to a dearth of candidates and leaving firms scrambling to find a solution.

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Accounting Software Vulnerabilities: A Wake-up Call for Construction Companies

Withum

A recent alert from Maryland-based cybersecurity firm Huntress highlights a concerning vulnerability for construction companies using on-premise accounting and project management software with default login credentials. According to their report last month, a brute-force attack targeted users of a major construction accounting software vendor, exposing sensitive data due to default usernames and passwords being left unchanged.

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Choosing the Perfect Outsourced Client Accounting Services for Your Business

AccountingDepartment

Opting for outsourced client accounting services can significantly conserve time and resources for your business. Nevertheless, locating a reliable outsourcing partner can be difficult. But how can you be sure you’re choosing an outsourced accounting service you can trust? A few characteristics of trustworthy, competent, and reliable accounting services will help you know the provider you chose is the right one.

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Prioritizing the implementation of accounting advisory services

ThomsonReuters

← Back to blog For many accounting firm owners and leaders, the idea of transforming their practices from a traditional, transaction-based model into an advisory-centric firm is an appealing one. Advisory services can lead to stronger client relationships, a healthier bottom line, and a more balanced work-life dynamic. Yet, despite the advantages, making this shift can seem daunting.

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Live Demo - Supercharge your Month End Close

Automation generally supercharges any process and brings its value to the forefront. See how infusing automation such as ART (our month-end close solution), into your close can get you to the next level of closing. We will share a live demo of SkyStem's solution, ART and share the key elements of month-end close automation. Through ART, we'll take a look at: What month-end close automation entails Which process steps can and should be automated Benefits of achieving process automation, and Why i

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4 Key Challenges of Accounting for AI Startups

BurklandAssociates

Learn about the unique challenges of accounting for AI startups, from revenue recognition to validating expenses for R&D tax credit and VC investment. The post 4 Key Challenges of Accounting for AI Startups appeared first on Burkland.

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Changing the way people think about accounting

Accounting Today

For an industry that's often stereotyped as stagnant, the world of accounting is changing at unprecedented speed.

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How Outsourced Accounting Can Help Your Business Scale

Basis 365

Financial management is the backbone of any business’s success and ensuring that your financials are in order is essential to achieving growth. But how do you balance the demands of day-to-day accounting while focusing on scaling your business? This is where outsourced accounting services come into play. Outsourced accounting can streamline your financial processes, offer specialized expertise, and provide professional insight to help guide your growing business.

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Citing Rising Costs, Accounting Firms Plan to Increase Fees in 2025

Going Concern

*Smaller shops, that is. We know Big 4 and mid-tiers have this pricing thing down. Ignition has released its 2024 US Accounting and Tax Pricing Benchmark report and it reveals that the 325 Ignition customers surveyed are going all-in on fee increases in 2025. Or at least half-in. 90% plan to increase fees for individual tax returns, 87% plan to increase fees for business tax returns, 85% plan to increase fees for bookkeeping and accounting, and 76% plan to increase fees for CFO and controller se

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How predictive modeling can help accounting firms

ThomsonReuters

Highlights: Data analytics types : Useful data for predictive modeling includes historical financial data, operational data, customer data, market and economic data, and non-financial performance metrics. Predictive modeling types: Predictive models are categorized into non-parametric and parametric types, each with unique uses and techniques, including classification models for yes/no responses, outliers models for fraud detection, and clustering models for marketing strategies.

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Sales tax risk: What to ask (part 1)

TaxConnex

Whether you’re a consultant working with companies or you run your own company. whether you’re just looking to clean up your own operation or you’re doing homework for an M&A. sales tax risks and exposure should be an important topic. And getting to the bottom of that topic means knowing what questions to ask. Our recent webinar “What to Ask Your Clients to Identify & Manage Their Sales & Use Tax Risk” addressed many of these questions – along with what to do once you find out the an

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Mid-Year Review: How to Ignite Employee Potential Through Meaningful Feedback

Mid-year performance reviews aren’t just boxes for HR to check. Paycor’s toolkit empowers leaders to: Identify high-potential team members. Boost engagement with meaningful feedback. Support struggling employees. Nurture top talent to drive results. Learn how to ignite employee potential through meaningful feedback. When you nurture top talent, everybody wins.

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Nominations Open for 2025 “Most Powerful Women in Accounting” Awards

CPA Practice

CPA Practice Advisor has opened the nomination period for one of its most prestigious awards. The Most Powerful Women in Accounting Awards , now in their 12th year, were created by CPA Practice Advisor to promote and support the success of women leaders as part of its broader mission of sustaining the profession. There are no costs associated with nominations or award recognition.

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FP&A Software: An Introduction to Essential Features and Benefits

Acterys

Excel is a powerful, flexible tool, but for growing companies, it’s no substitute for robust FFP&A software. The drawbacks of spreadsheets are numerous and can lead to tremendous financial losses for an organization. Take, for example, the Excel-related Value-at-Risk (VaR) model error that caused JP Morgan to lose $2 billion. The model couldn’t help the bank accurately predict potential losses, masking the true risk exposure of their synthetic credit portfolio.

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S Corporations: Tax Preparation, Tax Planning, and the Benefits of Professional Tax Help

MyIRSRelief

S Corporations: Tax Preparation, Tax Planning, and the Benefits of Professional Tax Help S Corporations , often referred to as S Corps, are a popular business structure in the United States, particularly among small to medium-sized businesses. They offer a unique blend of benefits, including pass-through taxation and limited liability protection. However, navigating the tax landscape for S Corps can be complex.

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Layoff Watch ’24: KPMG Shrinks Audit By a Few Hundred People

Going Concern

You’ve likely heard of people in audit getting disappeared from KPMG in recent days, we certainly have. Anyone who tried to cope with a “they must have been low performers” might want to season their hat before they eat it. WSJ reports today that KPMG is laying off a few hundred people in audit “as it works to make up for lower levels of voluntary turnover.” Meaning attrition is still too low.

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Your Accounting Expertise Will Only Get You So Far: What Really Matters

Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA

In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. If you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner—and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top (a concept first popularized by Marshall Goldsmith in his book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There ). What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level.

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How GenAI is transforming ESG reporting and compliance

ThomsonReuters

Highlights: Growing importance and data demands of ESG : The increasing significance of ESG compliance is overwhelming teams with expanding data demands and regulatory scrutiny. GenAI’s role in ESG management : GenAI is revolutionizing ESG management by automating tasks, accelerating data collection, and providing advanced data analysis. Use cases and benefits of GenAI in ESG : Real-world examples show GenAI’s essential role in meeting ESG obligations, ensuring long-term resilience

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The pre-Black Friday outlook on ecommerce

TaxConnex

Black Friday for retail, the kickoff day for holiday shopping, started almost half-century ago with long lines outside brick-and-mortar stores and the dawn unlocking of doors (and the occasional injury of a shopper in the stampede). Then came Cyber Monday after Thanksgiving, as ecommerce – initially with such tactics as flash sales, mostly possible only online – began claiming a bigger slice of the retail sales.

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Stacking CPA and CMA Credentials Is an Investment for a Career-Long Payoff

CPA Practice

By Monte Swain, PhD, CMA, CPA, CGMA. If you’re planning a career in the world of accounting or finance, two distinctions have the branding impact and bench strength you need. Invest your time and effort into stacking the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA) letters behind your name. First and Lasting Impressions The first impression a potential employer will have of you comes in a flash – the top line of your LinkedIn profile or your resume or perhaps a qui

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Pay Equity Analysis: Compliance Obligation or Business Opportunity?

Acterys

Pay equity represents a strategic opportunity to drive tangible business benefits — if approached with the right framework and tools. But, although many business leaders report seeing the value in pay equity, many still haven’t elevated it to a priority level. For 71% of business leaders , implementing pay equity initiatives is a reactionary compliance exercise rather than a strategic initiative.

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The Hidden Science Behind Why Finance Teams Resist Change—And How to Fix It

Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP

The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.

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Understanding When a Retirement Plan Audit Is Required

Withum

Understanding when audited financial statements of a retirement plan are required to be attached to a Form 5500 is an important part of demonstrating fiduciary responsibility over the plan and preventing unnecessary fines for an invalid filing of the 5500. A plan is required to have an audit attached to the Form 5500 when they are a “large plan”. For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, the plan has an audit requirement if they have 100 participants with account balances as of the f

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One Quarter of Firms Say They’re Offshoring, Another 12 Percent Plan to Start

Going Concern

This Journal of Accountancy article was mentioned in last Friday’s Footnotes (*ahem* Footnotes a wrap-up of the week’s accounting news from other sources without the sassy GC commentary and is published every Friday at 5 pm Eastern) but honestly it deserves its own article in case anyone missed it. In “Offshoring for CPA firms: The hows and whys,” JofA throws out some figures on outsourcing — both foreign and domestic — based on responses from its MAP survey a

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The Real Cost Of Bad Construction Client Service

Randal DeHart

Have you ever paused to consider the real impact of your business's customer experience? Is it lifting your brand or dragging it down, along with your team's morale? Today's consumers expect nothing short of excellence, so understanding the consequences of poor customer service is vital. So, what does poor customer service cost you? Let's delve into the details—they might change your perspective.

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Sales tax risk: What to ask (part 2)

TaxConnex

Assessing a company’s sales tax risk and exposure starts (and maybe ends) with the right questions. As we saw in a previous blog, these questions cover a range of topics and hinge on knowing many sales tax terms. Let’s look at some of the questions discussed in our recent webinar “What to Ask Your Clients to Identify & Manage Their Sales & Use Tax Risk.

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Doing More With Less: The Modern Finance Miracle

Speaker: Mark Gilham, FCCA, CPP

Finance used to be the function that counted, now it's the one that’s counted on. 📊 For accounting firms, controllers, and finance leaders, expectations are rising faster than headcount. Businesses want agile forecasts, granular analysis, seamless reporting, and smart automation—often without added resources while demanding uncompromised accuracy and compliance.

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Decisions 2024: The Opportunities for Accounting Firms Have Never Been Greater

CPA Practice

A Top Technology Initiative Article by Randy Johnston. Many of you are anticipating the year ahead. The outlook couldn’t be brighter with new opportunities, technologies, challenges, and clients looking to take advantage of your service offerings. In this column, I will illustrate portal and AI support with some new platforms that are examples of improved automation and AI.

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Leverage FP&A for Smarter Financial Planning

AccountingDepartment

For any business owner, prioritizing the company’s future is essential. Financial planning plays a crucial role in this, enabling business owners to drive growth and broaden their operations. If a business owner hasn’t focused on this aspect, they need to understand what it is, what it does, and how it differs from regular accounting. What Is FP&A?

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Navigating ESG due diligence in vendor assessment

ThomsonReuters

Jump to ↓ ESG and supply chains What is ESG due diligence? Understanding ESG risks in the supply chain ESG due diligence checklist: What to look for when assessing a vendor How to communicate ESG expectations to vendors Staying ahead of ESG requirements The need for large corporations to conduct environmental, social, and governance (ESG) due diligence in their supply chains is rapidly becoming a mandatory piece of the corporate compliance puzzle.

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Private Equity is Picking Up Accounting Firms By the Handful Now

Going Concern

Well this is a surprising turn of events. On Friday, we prompted the readership to speculate about which mid-tier accounting firm was going to announce a private equity investment on Monday after a Reddit post teased an imminent announcement. Our money was on Carr, Riggs, & Ingram and a tip that came in shortly after publication confirmed that suspicion.

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Automation, Evolved: Your New Playbook for Smarter Knowledge Work

Speaker: Frank Taliano

Documents are the backbone of enterprise operations, but they are also a common source of inefficiency. From buried insights to manual handoffs, document-based workflows can quietly stall decision-making and drain resources. For large, complex organizations, legacy systems and siloed processes create friction that AI is uniquely positioned to resolve.

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Streamline tax time: Xero now supports partnership tax in the UK

Xero

We’re excited to announce that partnership tax has arrived in Xero Tax. You can now manage most of your clients’ tax needs – corporate, personal, and ordinary partnerships – in one simple, secure platform. No more juggling multiple tools or battling complicated software. By managing partnership tax in Xero, you can remove some of the stress around tax time for your practice and your clients.

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Understanding Fund Accounting: The Backbone of Nonprofit Finances

GrowthForceBlog

9 min read November 6th, 2024 Looking at nonprofit financial management from a for-profit perspective makes the unique needs of a nonprofit's back office seem exceedingly complex. Key Takeaways Why Fund Accounting Is Crucial for Nonprofit Organizations: In nonprofit organizations, the goal and rules of accounting differ from the for-profit world. Nonprofit organizations aim to use almost all of their resources to further their mission in the.

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End-of-Year Accounts Receivable Checklist: Ensuring Financial Stability for Your Clients into the New Year

CPA Practice

By Jana Rzezniczek. As the year comes to a close, clients will increasingly rely on their advisors to help them confidently close out their financials. Accounts receivable (A/R) management is a key area that requires attention to assess financial strategies for the new fiscal year, and effective A/R practices—such as collecting overdue payments, refining invoicing processes, and using automation—can strengthen clients’ year-end financial position.

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3 minutes with Callum Macrae

Accounting Insight

Callum is an experienced marketing leader with 14 years of B2B marketing expertise. Having led multi-channel strategies at IRIS, he’s an expert in driving growth through demand generation and strategic, creative campaigns. Now at JE Consulting, Callum applies his deep knowledge of SaaS, fintech, and professional services to create impactful marketing strategies.

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Data Talks, CFOs Listen: Why Analytics Are Key To Better Spend Management

Speaker: Claire Grosjean, Global Finance & Operations Executive

Finance teams are drowning in data—but is it actually helping them spend smarter? Without the right approach, excess spending, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities continue to drain profitability. While analytics offers powerful insights, financial intelligence requires more than just numbers—it takes the right blend of automation, strategy, and human expertise.