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.

Audit

Asia gets tougher on auditors after high-profile defaults

Regulators in some Asian countries are getting tougher on auditors after landmark defaults, in an increasingly high-stakes game as investors call for earlier warning signs amid expectations for debt failures to mount.

March 14
AT Think 5 steps to differentiate your firm

Accountants need a strategy to make them stand out from their competitors.

March 13

Lee Frederiksen

Hinge
Financial reporting

SEC OKs 2019 GAAP reporting taxonomy

The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s 2019 GAAP Financial Reporting Taxonomy, along with the 2019 SEC Reporting Taxonomy, FASB said Tuesday.

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

March 12
Whistleblower

Olympus' whistleblowing ex-CEO to keep $84M pension

Olympus Corp. lost a U.K. lawsuit that tried to block the pension of former head Michael Woodford after he blew the whistle on an alleged $1.7 billion accounting fraud and 13-year cover-up at the firm.

March 12
Better Every Day Defining the elements of a simplified business model

Building the firm you want starts with figuring out 'What,' 'Who' and 'How'

March 11

Darren Root

Rightworks
Government accounting

Accounting watchdog group objects to GASB proposal

Truth in Accounting wants pension and retirement benefit costs included in state and local government reporting.

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

March 8
Gender issues

ACCA marks International Women’s Day

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants is offering a special tribute to its first female member while celebrating the role of women in accounting.

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

March 8

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.