Blake and David look at the potential impact of AI on the accounting profession and discuss how AI tools like ChatGPT can boost productivity by automating tasks, improving communication, and assisting with problem-solving. They also examine the implications of these efficiency gains on the billable hour, predicting that firms will need to adapt their pricing strategies as a result. Finally, they review the results of a recent Accounting Today survey, which reveals accountants' perceptions and co...
Mar 29, 2024•58 min•Ep. 377
Professor Ed Ketz of Penn State joins the show to discuss audits' current state and future. We delve into the relevance of audits and explore the value of unqualified opinions in making audits meaningful. The discussion also touches on the overstandardization of audit reports and how this can lead to investor misunderstandings. Professor Ketz brings a unique perspective, sparking a debate on whether the existence of the unqualified opinion creates value rather than the content within. The episod...
Mar 26, 2024•23 min
Blake and David start with a discussion on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's testimony regarding the failure of small and mid-sized banks due to exposure to the commercial real estate sector. They also get into Minnesota's CPA licensure bill for 150-hour requirement alternatives and KPMG's audit findings on the Department of Education and the cost of the federal student loan program. Rounding out the episode, they answer listener questions and comments on topics including the psychologica...
Mar 22, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 376
Here's a preview of Blake's recent appearance on Federal Tax Updates, where he joined host Roger Harris to unpack some of the biggest tax stories making headlines, from a federal court ruling deeming a new business reporting law unconstitutional to the staggering estimates of tax evasion by the wealthy. To hear the complete discussion, visit Federal Tax Updates: https://share.transistor.fm/s/d8c45ed9 Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.com Subscribe to th...
Mar 18, 2024•17 min
Blake and David meet up with AJ Yawn, partner at Armanino LLP, about Armanino's new tool, Audit Ally, which streamlines and automates SOC 2 audits. They discuss the growing trend of tech companies entering the audit space and commoditizing services like SOC 2 audits, and explore how Audit Ally aims to help accounting firms compete on price and quality by utilizing AI and machine learning. Meet Our Guest, AJ Yawn LinkedIn: https://www.armanino.com/company/people/aj-yawn Learn about about Audit Al...
Mar 15, 2024•22 min
We're celebrating surpassing 10,000 YouTube subscribers! Thank you! Blake and David look into H&R Block's new reality show about teaching people life skills like doing their taxes. They also talk about workflow automation challenges for accounting firms, how the IRS is contacting wealthy non-filers, and the Trump Organization CFO pleading guilty to perjury. They also break down the SEC's extensive new climate disclosure rules and the job opportunities this could create for accountants. Spons...
Mar 12, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 375
Blake and David meet with Chris Vanover, President of CPAClub, about the recent $2 million PCAOB fine against Withum for poor audit quality on many 2021 SPAC audits. They examine Withum's 500% increase in audits with minimal staff growth, leading to overworked teams and partners working 100+ hour weeks. They also debate whether the fines are large enough to change behavior or just a cost of doing business. Meet Our Guest, Chris Vanover LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisvcpa/ Learn more ...
Mar 08, 2024•16 min
Fast food chain Wendy's considers demand pricing – should your firm, too? We discuss the potential for surge pricing tax returns to smooth workload and raise revenue. We also dive into new AI-powered accounting productivity tools from Sage and Xero, Zoho's $5 per user practice management suite, and analyze the results of our listener survey. Sponsors LiveFlow - http://accountingpodcast.promo/liveflow Zoho - http://accountingpodcast.promo/zoho Client Hub - http://accountingpodcast.promo/clienthub...
Mar 07, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 374
Aaron Harris joins Blake and David to discuss Sage's new AI offering, Sage Copilot, which brings generative intelligence into Sage Intacct to eliminate routine accounting work. They discuss specific use cases Copilot handles, like chasing people for approvals/documents, drafting emails, and answering ad hoc questions without running reports. Aaron also shares his perspective on AI’s impact on the accounting profession and why increased automation will make human review and trust even more essent...
Mar 01, 2024•24 min
Blake and David discuss the Lyft financial typo that sent its stock price soaring. They also examine how AI-powered help desks and customer service are improving efficiency by 10-20%, and look at some alternatives to the pesky 150-hour rule. Other news includes the future of commercial real estate taxes, the use of AI tools to monitor employee communications, and how the IRS plans to collect over $500 billion more in owed taxes. Sponsors OnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpay Cloud Account...
Mar 01, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 373
Blake and David meet with Geoffrey Brown of the Illinois CPA Society to examine some key findings from ICPAS's recent retention report, including top reasons for turnover, where departing accountants are going, and ideas for improving work-life balance. Meet Our Guest, Geoffrey Brown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffrey-brown-cae-9039484/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/IllinoisCPA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ICPAS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illinoiscpasociety/ Learn more...
Feb 24, 2024•23 min
Blake and David break down the IRS's $99 million paper-check limit, how states use tax credits to attract movie productions (sometimes unsuccessfully) and give their take on actor Kenan Thompson losing $1.5 million to fraud as a child. They also cover couples arguing over finances, AI answering tax questions in California, accounting rules hiding commercial real estate loan losses on bank balance sheets, and the lack of action from accounting standards boards to change these rules. Sponsors Live...
Feb 21, 2024•57 min•Ep. 372
Blake and David talk with Chayton Farlee, an accounting student at the University of the Pacific, about his journey into accounting and his thoughts on the profession. They discuss his inspiring path from cleaning carpets during the pandemic to pursuing his CPA and CMA, the disconnect many students feel between accounting theory and real-world application, the importance of bookkeeping skills, and considerations around starting his career at a Big Four firm or a smaller, more lifestyle-friendly ...
Feb 16, 2024•23 min
Blake and David discuss a wealth of timely topics, including the risks of filing taxes electronically versus by mail, the impact of the 150-hour rule on diversity in the accounting profession, and how major accounting firms are turning to private equity funding to accelerate growth. They also explore news from the artificial intelligence space, including Google's unveiling of Gemini, as well as ADP's new AI assistant, and examine how deepfake video calls enabled the theft of $25 million. Sponsor...
Feb 15, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 371
Yoseph West joins Blake and David to examine Relay Financial's background and their ambition to solve banking problems by becoming a bank themselves, designing the ideal user experience, and overcoming regulatory challenges. West also outlines Relay's redesigned accountant partner program, its many benefits, and upcoming features like receipt capture. The discussion turns to best practices for incorporating technology like Relay into accounting practices to solve client problems and the importan...
Feb 08, 2024•31 min
CNBC tells taxpayers to seek out EAs if they can't find a CPA, crypto fraud by a pastor who claims God told him to do it, issues with IRS taxpayer notices and filing, accounting irregularities at agricultural giant ADM send the stock plummeting, CPA reciprocity is a pain, AI updates including Microsoft Mesh VR meetings in Teams, FTC forcing TurboTax to stop advertising as "free," Wave’s new paid subscription model, and the liquidation threat facing massive Chinese developer Evergrande. Sponsors ...
Feb 02, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 370
This week, Blake and David Leary sort through the mail and respond to a variety of listener emails and voicemails. Amongst the topics covered, they explore working as a TurboTax preparer to barriers faced by career-changers entering public accounting. They go on to debate the root causes behind accounting's heavy workloads and offer perspectives on how licensing rules and firm profitability shape experiences. Sponsors OnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpay A2 Advisors - http://accountingpo...
Jan 30, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 369
Blake and David discuss the challenges of busy season and achieving work-life balance as accountants. They also debate the value and investment risks of cryptocurrency and analyze global economic impacts like outflows from China's economy. They also review some of the latest AI trends including self-driving vehicle safety data, and examine some recent news regarding a software error falsely accusing hundreds, an SEC crypto ETF approval, and a feel-good small town tax budget balanced without rate...
Jan 25, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 368
Dominic Piscopo is the founder of Big4Transparency.com, an accounting salary transparency website. Dominic was inspired to start the site based on his experience discovering the disparity in compensation between his accounting job and what other accountants were making in the same city. To date, Big4Transparency.com has collected over 13,000 salary data points. In the episode, we discuss the value of using the platform for salary negotiation. Dominic also highlights trends in accounting salaries...
Jan 23, 2024•24 min
Blake and David mull over the Arizona CPA Society's survey revealing that 80% of Arizona CPAs support 150-hour-rule alternatives. They also examine the UK Post Office scandal that led to hundreds of criminal convictions of postmasters, as well as Deloitte's recent massive audit failures, and the impacts of the talent shortage illustrated by delayed government audits in Wyoming. Wrapping things up, some reflections on the need for major reforms in auditing and regulation of the accounting profess...
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 367
Blake and David meet up with TJ Lewis and Aaron Van Ruler from Rightworks about their new AI tool called Spark, built specifically for accountants on top of ChatGPT. They discuss how Spark helps accounting professionals by providing industry-specific content, tools, and assistants to enhance efficiency and expertise. TJ and Aaron also share details on Spark's capabilities, roadmap, and potential integration with other Rightworks products. Meet Our Guests TJ Lewis, Innovation Strategist, Rightwor...
Jan 17, 2024•32 min
Blake throws his hat into the ring for President and CEO of NASBA! Hear how he intends to shake things up should he be chosen! Next, Blake and David unpack a survey on the surprisingly low tax-preparer fees across the country, discuss the headaches still posed by interstate CPA licensing, and consider some solutions like modeling CPA reciprocity rules! Grab some snacks and enjoy! Sponsors LiveFlow - http://accountingpodcast.promo/liveflow Uncat - http://accountingpodcast.promo/uncat Bookkeep - h...
Jan 12, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 366
In this 2023 wrap-up, Blake and David discuss an appeals court ruling that audit reports are so generic they are essentially useless to investors. They also explore the concept of "productivity theater" where employees pretend to be constantly working, even though it leads to disengagement and burnout. Continuing the theme, they contemplate why mandatory weekend work persists and share ideas on how firms can improve work-life balance. Rounding out the discussion, they offer up some career advice...
Jan 05, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 365
Just in time for the holidays, Blake and David examine the accounting professor from NYU who charged Trump nearly $900,000 for expert testimony. They also tackle issues around accountant retention and turnover, tax updates, the financial operations of Hamas, as well as Hunter Biden's indictment on tax charges, and tips for using spreadsheets in filmmaking and other creative projects. All this and more to keep you entertained while you wrap those last-minute gifts! Sponsors LiveFlow - http://acco...
Dec 28, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 364
Keila Hill-Trawick joins Blake and David to discuss her philosophy on intentionally building a firm to the "right" size, rather than pursuing endless revenue growth. She also explains how her firm narrowed its service offerings to focus on core recurring services like tax planning and fractional CFO work. Blake and David examine research on how much money Americans think they need annually to be happy, with millennials citing much higher targets. They also talk about an accounting reference in t...
Dec 22, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 363
Lexy Kessler, National Pipeline Advisory Group (NPAG) chair and Sue Coffey, Chief Executive Officer – Public Accounting with AICPA join us for a special bonus episode to address the accounting talent crisis and talk about how we can improve the CPA pipeline. Along with these issues, they also emphasize the importance of working together as a profession, being data-driven in their approach, and looking at the broader ecosystem of accounting, with updates and more comprehensive strategies expected...
Dec 21, 2023•28 min
Blake and David discuss Intuit's announcement that QuickBooks Desktop will no longer be sold as new subscriptions after July 2024. They also talk about the need for changes in the accounting profession, such as simplifying financial reporting requirements and revising the 150-hour rule. In other news, they cover sanctions against China-based accounting firms, incorrect IRC claims by businesses, and the Adidas-Kanye West fallout. They also explore how AI can help explain complex concepts to clien...
Dec 13, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 362
Blake and David discuss updates from the AICPA's Talent Pipeline Committee, including surprises about the high dropout rate of accounting majors in college. They also explore new custom AI capabilities in ChatGPT that allow users to create specialist bots and speculate on applications for accounting firms. They also cover lawsuits alleging Hollywood accounting tricks used by Disney to deprive financial partners of profits. Grab some snacks and enjoy! Sponsors LiveFlow - http://accountingpodcast....
Dec 06, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 361
Blake and David sort through the listener mailbag to find out what you think! Amongst the letters, we’ve got opinions on accounting without assurance and the industry talent crisis, as well as potential unethical practices by some tax experts, and the need for accrediting standards for accounting programs. Blake and David also address the complex nature of the taxation system and emphasize the need for industry-wide changes to address ethical dilemmas. Join us to hear all this and so much more! ...
Nov 29, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 360
We're back from QuickBooks Connect 2023 with announcements, updates, new features, and improvements in QuickBooks Online. Also, EY got fined $3 million for cheating on ethics exams, and 42 percent of firms are turning away work due to staff shortages. Finally, we discuss the disruption of Alphabet's main search business by Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple in the AI-powered assistant space. Sponsors LiveFlow - http://accountingpodcast.promo/liveflow Zoho - https://cloudaccountingpodcast.promo/zoho Ke...
Nov 22, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 359
