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Still feeling shaky about the economy? Not sure whether to pull the trigger on that massive technology investment or acquire that Chicago office? Your instincts are good: America is in a period of economic winter, and we haven't bottomed out yet.

The members of our Best Accounting Firms to Work For list are always unusual - after all, what's more unusual than being best? - but this year's top firms in two of the three size categories are even a little more unusual than usual.

This year, the fourth in Accounting Today's collaboration with the Harrisburg, Pa.-based Best Companies Group to present the annual Best Firms to Work For survey, saw a hefty 36 percent increase in participating companies - with 224 firms vying for 100 spots on the elite list.

Accounting firms generally are not who you think of when you mention "innovation," yet many firms excel at innovation and there is a pattern to their success. Innovation is directly linked to growth and not an epiphany like many think; but rather a process that combines hindsight, vision and insight. The accounting profession is going through significant changes and I am often told by firm leaders they just don't have the next generation of leaders in their firms.

Faced with the confluence of a still uncertain economy, ongoing fee and margin pressures, torrid competition for clients, and new business and the continual challenge to sustain growth, running some of the nation's top accounting firms has undoubtedly caused a number of sleepless nights for more than one managing partner.

Doug Shulman was confirmed as the 47th Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service in March 2008.

Return preparers will have much to discuss with their clients about their 2011 returns, both before and after the year's end.

'Wow" would be sort of an understated onomatopoeia to describe the past year in terms of events, changes and headlines within the accounting profession. As this is my 11th end-of-the-year column, I'll again foolishly predict that 2012 could not possibly top the previous year, despite a decade of being proved wrong. Perhaps this is why I rarely gamble while attending various events in Las Vegas.

December represents one last chance to consider certain year-end tax strategies before the door closes on the amount of income, deductions and credits set for the year. Many traditional eleventh-hour techniques are applicable to this year-end 2011, with certain twists that recognize changes on the horizon for 2013. This column examines a handful of considerations especially useful to the individual taxpayer in these final weeks of 2011.

ARIZONA