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

Study questions value of auditor rotation

Mandatory change of auditing firms and engagement partners doesn’t necessarily foster greater professional skepticism, according to new research.

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

April 24
AT Think The Spirit of Accounting: It’s time to reform accounting for stock-based compensation

Now that the political battles of the 1990s are past, FASB should be able to correct these deficient practices.

April 24

Paul B.W. Miller

University of Colorado and Colorado Springs
AT Think Numbers people

Steve Ballmer’s new USAFacts offers a model for accountants to serve clients more deeply.

April 24

Daniel Hood

Accounting Today
International accounting

IASB proposes tweaks to financial instruments standard

The International Accounting Standards Board has proposed a set of minor amendments to the financial instruments standard to make it easier to implement.

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

April 21
AT Think PCAOB enforcement sweep targets non-U.S. accounting firms for failing to report disciplinary matters

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board announced six settled actions against non-U.S. accounting firms late last month for failure to report certain disciplinary or regulatory actions against them in their home country.

April 21

Jonathan A. Roberts

Meister Seelig & Fein LLP
AT Think Does service diversification reduce risk for firms?

Adding new practice niches is good, right? Well, yes and no.

April 20

Lee Frederiksen

Hinge
Accounting firm networks

'Reconstituted' Arthur Andersen closes U.S. offices amid trademark infringement suit

The U.S. offices of a recently relaunched Arthur Andersen network have shut down as part of a legal settlement with one of the firms to resolve trademark infringement claims by Andersen Tax.

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

April 20

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.