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 adds five to Investor Advisory Committee

Following a refinement of the group’s constituents, the board has added a handful of new members.

By Daniel Hood
Editor-in-chief

February 21
Customer data

Question marks: Why or why not to do surveys

Every preparer wants to know what their clients think. The trick is how to find out.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

February 21
Tax season

Fear and loathing: What clients say about the IRS

Taxpayers often have radically different opinions of the Internal Revenue Service than tax professionals — which offers practitioners some opportunities.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

February 21
AT Think Why accounting firms need to broaden their focus

A global vision enables practices to better serve clients in a rapidly expanding world.

February 17

Gerald Herter

Integra International’s Americas, Asia, Australia & New Zealand (AAANZ) Chapter
Accounting standards

New print edition released of FASB Accounting Standards Codification

The Financial Accounting Foundation has published an updated compendium of U.S. GAAP in five volumes.

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

February 16
Audit

PCAOB updates guidance for new audit participant form

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has added information on secondment arrangements to its instructions for auditing firms filing the new disclosures.

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

February 16
Accounting standards

FASB business definition guidance will aid some companies, but not all

The Financial Accounting Standards Board’s guidance on the definition of a business could be of special benefit to the real estate, pharmaceutical, biotech and financial services industries, but doesn’t go as far as some had hoped.

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

February 15

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.