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 updates accounting for leasing standard

The Financial Accounting Standards Board aims to reduce cost and ease implementation of the standard.

By Danielle Lee
Editor-in-Chief

July 30
AT Think Can advisors ever be replaced by robots?

Financial planners need to find answers to the machine threat.

July 30

John P. Napolitano

Napier Financial
AT Think The Paciolian Calendar: Accounting’s new year

Changes in deadlines, workflow, technology and more are re-arranging the profession's schedule.

July 30

Daniel Hood

Accounting Today
CECL

FASB adjusts CECL deadline for private banks

The Financial Accounting Standards Board is proposing to modify the effective date of its Current Expected Credit Losses standard for nonpublic companies, giving many private banks and credit unions an extra year to get ready for the new rules.

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

July 27
Accounting standards

Companies with biggest lease liabilities face new accounting standard

Walgreens, CVS and AT and T top the list of U.S. companies with the most operating lease liabilities that will need to be added to their balance sheets under the new leasing standard, according to a new report.

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

July 27
CPAs

Accountants to Watch: Dr. Sean Stein Smith

The Lehman College professor hopes the accounting profession will be 'completely transformed over the next decade.'

By Sean McCabe
Senior Editor

July 26
International accounting

Steinhoff’s ex-Europe CFO quits as accounts probe deepens

Steinhoff International Holdings NV said the former head of finance in Europe has left the boards of two key units as an investigation into the scandal-hit retailer’s inaccurate accounts deepens.

July 26

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.