Accounting

Accounting News & Professional Insight

Accounting Today delivers news, rankings, thought leadership, and analysis for accounting professionals so they can navigate change in standards, firm strategy, technology adoption, talent, and the overall business environment.

Accounting professionals are facing rapid transformation, including shifting professional standards, demographic change, technology disruption, practice consolidation, and changing expectations for advisory services. Our coverage surfaces these strategic dynamics and provides insights and analysis for firms, leaders, and the accounting profession.

Tax season

Before the rush: Tax pros discuss early-season marketing

From blogging and social media to email marketing and prize drawings, preparers share how they lure in new clients.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

January 31
IFAC

IESBA proposes ethics guidance on objectivity of engagement quality reviewers

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants released an exposure draft Thursday proposing changes to the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants to provide additional guidance to audit engagement quality reviewers about their professional objectivity.

By Michael Cohn
Editor-in-chief, AccountingToday.com

January 30
AT Think Relevance is critical to the future value of audit

Auditors need to provide value beyond the compliance function.

January 30

Alan Anderson

Accountability Plus
Audit

Danske’s EY auditors face disciplinary action for failures

Denmark’s business watchdog said it has brought two auditors before a disciplinary board after concluding they violated regulations while reviewing Danske Bank A/S, the lender caught up in Europe’s biggest money laundering scandal.

By Bloomberg News

January 29
IFRS

IASB mulls update to IFRS for SMEs

The International Accounting Standards Board is considering an update to IFRS for SMEs, its stripped down version of International Financial Reporting Standards for small and midsize entities, the second major update to the standards since it was introduced in 2009.

By Michael Cohn
Editor-in-chief, AccountingToday.com

January 28
Accounting firm networks

Crowe Global grows revenue 3.5% to $4.4B

Crowe Global, the eighth largest network of audit, tax and advisory firms, reported global revenues of $4.4 billion in 2019, an increase of 3.5 percent (not counting the impact of foreign currency exchange), the network’s eighth year of consecutive growth.

By Michael Cohn
Editor-in-chief, AccountingToday.com

January 28
Accounting firm networks

Mazars revenue grew over 10% last year

The international accounting firm network reported revenues of $1.98 billion in its 2018-2019 fiscal year.

By Michael Cohn
Editor-in-chief, AccountingToday.com

January 28

Resources

The latest Accounting Today research and discussion:

The changing world of government financial reporting

The serious new pressures facing governments of all sizes are changing their financial reporting, says GASB Chair Joel Black.

Sponsored by Intuit Quickbooks
Special Report Technology and CAS

Handling the compliance work that is the foundation of modern CAS while also creating time and insights for the advisory overlay that really drives its value to clients requires the careful deployment of a suite of technology tools — and that suite is constantly evolving, meaning accountants need a strategy to keep up.

Sponsored by Canopy
The future of the accounting workforce

While concerns remain about the profession's pipeline of new accountants, Cathy Moy, chief people officer at BDO USA, sees plenty of ways to keep it full.

Sponsored by Intuit Quickbooks

Accounting: Key Questions & Analysis

What are the key trends and strategies emerging from accounting industry leaders?

Top leaders are focused on structural challenges facing firms, including succession planning, evolving service mix, and long-term sustainability of traditional models.

How are accounting firms positioning themselves for the profession’s next phase?

Firm leaders are redefining and evaluating their strategy for growth. This includes investing in people and systems as well as rethinking how firms deliver value to address changing client needs and competition.

What role does professional identity play as accounting continues to change?

Debate continues over how accounting defines itself. This is due to accounting expanding into advisory, consulting, and technology-enabled services. These changes can raise questions about standards, training, and long-term credibility.

How are accounting firms managing leadership and succession risk?

Demographic shifts are accelerating in accounting. This means more firms are confronting leadership transitions and ownership succession which can create critical strategic risks that influence growth, culture, and valuation.