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.

Accounting standards

FASB proposes changes for financial instruments, equity method investments

The Financial Accounting Standards Board is aiming to clarify the interaction between two of its earlier standards.

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

July 30
Tax preparation

Voice of the voiceless: What preparers want in the next NTA

As the original National Taxpayer Advocate, Nina Olson, retires, practitioners want someone to build on the strong foundation she created.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

July 30
Tax preparers

In the rear-view mirror: Tax pros discuss lessons from this season

Tax reform brought plenty of problems, but some were pleasantly surprised.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

July 30
International taxes

Sports Direct falls as tax bill deepens governance worries

The U.K. retailer reported a surprise tax bill of almost $750 million, the departure of its financial chief and deepening woes at department-store chain House of Fraser.

July 29
AT Think The quickest way to get clients interested in CAS

Identifying the right clients, showcasing CAS, and more.

July 29

Gabrielle M. Luoma

MOD Ventures
Accounting standards

Private companies can learn from public company implementations of the lease accounting standard

By the end of this year, as much as $3 trillion in lease liabilities will have landed on the balance sheets of our nation’s public companies.

By Mark Davis, Jeanne McGovern and Sean Torr

July 25
Tax preparers

8 summertime to-dos for tax practices

With the spring tax deadline behind us and the fall deadlines looming, now is a good time to work on the firm.

By Roger Russell and Daniel Hood

July 25

Resources

The latest Accounting Today research and discussion:

Predicting the next 15 years in accounting

Take a look at what the accountant and the accounting firm of the future will look like with AICPA chief Mark Koziel.

Sponsored by BILL
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

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.