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

SEC OKs Social Media for Disclosure

A report from the Securities and Exchange Commission clears companies to use social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter to announce key information, provided that investors have been alerted about which social media will be used.

April 2
Audit

FASB Proposes Update to Reporting on Discontinued Ops

The Financial Accounting Standards Board is proposing improvements to financial reporting about discontinued operations of major business lines or major geographic areas of operations.

April 2
AT Think The Spirit of Accounting: The Answer Is in Truth-Telling, Not Detailed or Broad Standards

We are republishing some classic Spirit of Accounting columns while we're extra-busy with a new major project. We selected this one because (alas!) several of its points are just as valid today as they were when it was printed in October 2002

April 1
Regulatory actions and programs

Assurance News

A roundup of audit & assurance news from the previous month

April 1
Audit

A Mixed Report Card

A new report from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board found that firms that audit 100 or fewer public companies showed a reduced rate of reported deficiencies in their 2007 through 2010 inspections, but in 2011, the rate of deficiencies showed little sign of declining.

April 1
Audit

FASB Extends Comment Deadline on Credit Loss Proposal

The Financial Accounting Standards Board has voted to extend the comment deadline for a much-debated proposal on credit losses and loan impairments.

March 28
Audit

FASBs Current Expected Credit Losses Model and Its Future Impact

Responding to concerns about their allowance model and in an attempt to simplify impairment guidance for financial institutions, the Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued several exposure drafts of proposed models to take into account expected losses rather than the current incurred loss model.

March 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.