A monthly look at mobile apps that can make the CPA’s job and life better. This month: Clarity, QuickBooks Online, and Xero.
Firm practice management
Buckle up: The importance of engagement letters
If your firm has never used engagement letters or perhaps has not implemented them consistently, where do you start? Here are some tips to help increase the efficiency and effectiveness of this critical tool.
Robert J. Ciaruffoli, CPA
A conversation with Robert J. Ciaruffoli, CPA.
2014 MAP survey: Firms experience growth, stock up on cash
U.S. accounting firms are storing up equity as they prepare for a number of financial challenges over the next few years. That’s one of the findings of the 2014 National Management of an Accounting Practice (MAP) Survey, released Monday by the AICPA Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) and the Texas
Are social media posts protected? What all employers need to know about the NLRB and social media
The following strategies can help reduce the likelihood of a lawsuit or regulatory action due to a violation of Section 7 of the NLRA associated with employee use of social media.
Balance, teamwork part of vision for future
A team-oriented work culture and work/life balance are keys to keeping young CPAs engaged in the profession, says Jennifer Highsmith, a senior audit associate in Florida who became the AICPA’s 400,000th member.
Making manager: The key to accelerating a career in public accounting
Being promoted to manager is a key development in a young public accountant’s career. Here’s what CPAs need to learn to land that promotion.
Pricing issues for midsize and large firm sales
Partners in midsize to large firms face many challenges and complexities when negotiating a sale of their ownership interest.
Succession challenges for U.S. CPA firms to tackle
U.S. public accounting firms must tackle five challenges in their succession planning to fill the gaps left by Baby Boomer partners who have begun to retire, according to results from a Global Accounting Alliance survey.
How to deliver successful diversity and inclusion results and benchmark your progress
As leaders in the accounting profession come to understand the business case for diversity and inclusion, they often have a similar quandary. “The next natural question is, ‘So what do I do about it?’ ” said Kenneth Bouyer, CPA, chairman of the AICPA National Commission on Diversity & Inclusion and
Ibanez ruling set precedent for right of CPAs to advertise dual credentials
This June marked the 20th anniversary of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that remains of interest to the accounting profession because the litigants included a state board of accountancy and a dually credentialed attorney advertising that she was both a CPA and an attorney. In Ibanez v. Florida Board of
Pricing issues for small firm sales
When it comes to negotiating accounting practice sales, the owners of small firms often enjoy some big advantages over their counterparts at large firms. Why? Find out in this article, which examines the factors that determine the final price paid for a small accounting practice.
CPAs have opportunities in financial planning and forecasting
Many accountants may have opportunities to expand their service offerings to small business clients by providing financial planning and forecasting, according to a new survey. Just one in three accountants offers financial planning or forecast services as part of clients’ business planning process, according to a survey of 150 accountants
A pipeline for diversity
A professionwide effort to grow the ranks of underrepresented minorities in accounting has been developed by the Howard University School of Business Center for Accounting Education’s Pipeline Working Group, supported by the AICPA. The initiative is focusing on reaching out to high school and community college students in an effort to create a pipeline of talent to the profession.
Time’s up: The benefits and challenges of moving away from the billable hour
Transitioning away from a billable-hour model can improve margins and customer relations. But it also comes with plenty of challenges. Learn how one firm made the switch.
All in a dishonest day’s work
It’s difficult to believe, but sometimes CPA firm employees, and even partners, steal from clients. While a CPA firm’s leaders may believe this would never happen to them, claim experience in the AICPA Professional Liability Insurance Program demonstrates this does occur.
AICPA advises CPA firms to review state registration and compliance
CPA firms are being urged by the AICPA State Regulation and Legislation team to review their registration compliance procedures to ensure that they are complying with out-of-state registration requirements when performing attest engagements. The AICPA advisory was issued after recent activity by some state boards of accountancy to ensure that
High-functioning firms
High-functioning firms have leadership teams that assess situations, develop strategies, and make and execute decisions with relative ease, speed, and success. Others, however, function with a drag that pulls against their momentum, causing the business of leading, managing, and executing to take longer and produce less-than-stellar results. High-functioning firms seem
Risky business of serving the rich and famous
CPAs providing a menu of services to high-profile individuals are at risk of being blamed for a decline in the celebrity’s net worth.
The leading edge: Tips from the AICPA Leadership Academy
What does it take to be a great leader? What are the keys to inspiring and guiding others to maximize their potential? This article looks at five lessons learned at the AICPA Leadership Academy.
Features
SPONSORED REPORT
Preparing clients for new provisions next tax season
As the 2025 filing season approaches, H.R. 1 introduces significant tax reforms that CPAs must be prepared to navigate. These legislative changes represent some of the most comprehensive tax updates in recent years, affecting both individual and corporate taxpayers. This report provides in-depth analysis and guidance on H.R. 1.