Looking More Closely at the Financial Crisis

Worries about the financial crisis are spreading rapidly, with job losses hitting levels not seen in over three decades, and people are wondering if CPAs have the answers to help them get through the turmoil.

We recently introduced the Financial Crisis Center on WebCPA. It's intended to provide a central repository of information on the financial crisis, with resources that CPAs can use to stay informed and advise their clients. We'll include the latest accounting-related news there about the crisis, along with stories from our publications, Accounting Today, Practical Accountant, Accounting Technology and CPA Wealth Provider. The section also includes links to Web seminars and a research vault. Later on, we're planning a series of podcasts and a discussion forum.

Our first Web seminar is scheduled to debut this Thursday, December 11, at noon ET. The topic is a timely one, "Is Your Nest Egg Burning?" You can register for it here.

We'll also be conducting surveys to gauge the types of concerns that clients have about the financial crisis. Our first survey is a short four-question poll about what types of financial planning advice they are seeking from accountants, and I hope you'll participate. Here's a link to the survey.

We'll be presenting the answers in an upcoming story and in our Financial Crisis Center. Look for it and other upcoming stories and resources.