2026 - Journal of Accountancy

June 10, 2026

IRS to merge tax practitioner offices despite AICPA opposition

The new Tax Professional Management Office will combine the Return Preparer Office and Office of Professional Responsibility functions under one structure, with the IRS saying their missions and oversight roles would remain unchanged.

June 9, 2026

ENGAGE takeaways: 7 principles to improve CPA firm profitability

For the 10th consecutive conference, former AICPA chair Bill Pirolli shared tried-and-true keys for next-level financial success for firms.

June 9, 2026

Student enrollment in accounting continues to rise

Enrollment in four-year accounting programs increased 8.9% from spring of 2025 to spring of 2026, the third consecutive year-over-year increase.

June 9, 2026

ENGAGE keynote: The thinking behind Costco’s hot dog special

Richard Galanti, CFO and the “voice of Costco” for nearly four decades, dishes on keys to the company’s success to kick off the 10th year of AICPA ENGAGE in Las Vegas.

June 9, 2026

AICPA launches national campaign championing the CPA profession

CPA Trust aims to boost the profession’s profile via media promotions that highlight the unique brand of trust that CPAs offer.

June 4, 2026

5 state CPA societies merge

The CPA organizations of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont have approved a merger to form the New England Society of CPAs.

June 4, 2026

Optimism mixed among US finance leaders

CPA decision-makers in business and industry are less optimistic about the U.S. economy now when compared with the first quarter of this year, but they are slightly more optimistic about their own organizations, according to an AICPA and CIMA survey.

June 3, 2026

SEC shares 3 goals in proposed 2026–2030 strategic plan

The commission is accepting comments on the draft through July 2.

June 2, 2026

6 top scorers on CPA Exam earn Elijah Watt Sells Award

Of more than 87,000 CPA candidates who sat for the CPA Exam in 2025, a half dozen passed all four sections on their first attempt while recording a cumulative average score above 95.5.

June 2, 2026

IRS proposes increase in cost of estate tax closing letter

Proposed regulations issued Monday would raise the cost of the letter to $76, from the $56 set in 2025.

June 1, 2026

Most retirees worry about savings — but few use financial advisers

Less than one-third of retired Americans in a recent survey reported working with a financial adviser, even though nearly 7 in 10 are concerned about managing their income throughout retirement.

June 1, 2026

HSA inflation-adjusted maximum contribution amounts for 2027 announced

Rev. Proc. 2026-24 also includes the revised maximum amount that may be made newly available for excepted-benefit health reimbursement arrangements and the aggregate monthly fees allowable for direct primary care service arrangements.

June 1, 2026

Two AICPA committees unveil proposed strategic plans for next 4 years

The Peer Review Board and Professional Ethics Executive Committee are accepting feedback on their proposed plans for 2027–2030.

May 29, 2026

IRS appeals Kwong as advocate says refunds may be at stake

The IRS filed an appeal of the Court of Federal Claims’ Kwong decision, in which the court held that the filing deadline for refund claims for penalties and interest was automatically extended by Sec. 7508A(d) due to the COVID-19 disaster declaration.

May 29, 2026

SEC proposes recission of climate disclosure rules

The proposal is the next formal step in the commission’s move away from historic rules it adopted in 2024.

May 29, 2026

PCAOB works to form Inspections Modernization Council

The board is accepting applications through June 15 to help “modernize PCAOB inspections so they remain relevant and resilient.”

May 27, 2026

IRS to develop system to track missing payments, TIGTA says

The report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration finds that manual tracking and uneven workloads slow resolution of cases of unidentified payments.

May 26, 2026

IRS overtime rose 12% in 2025 while workforce dropped, TIGTA says

Taxpayer Services staff handling calls, correspondence, and other tasks logged most of the overtime, the report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said.

May 22, 2026

GASB seeks new board member

The candidate selected for the part-time position will begin a five-year term in 2027.

May 22, 2026

FASAB seeks feedback on proposed practical expedient for embedded leases

Comments are requested by July 30 on a proposal that would allow reporting entities to apply a practical expedient to contracts or agreements that meet certain eligibility conditions.

FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

4 ways solo practitioners can stand out

Five years ago, a grieving Angel Zhen started his own CPA firm with no clients and no revenue. Today, he has 300 clients, $600,000 in revenue and 12 weeks of annual vacation. In this JofA article, he shares how he set up his firm and how you could do the same.