today's features
charts & graphs

first tax filing reports are in

data table
* total tax returns processed includes returns received in the prior or current year and processed in 2025. # total refunds issued represents refunds for returns received and processed in 2025, which reflects current year returns only. however, the number of direct deposit refunds represents refunds for both current and prior year returns processed in 2025, which makes this figure larger than the “total number of refunds” listed for the current year.

 

refunds are up; everything else is down.

by beth bellor

the first week of tax season is over! cue the applause!

some of you seem less than excited. we know it’s early. all too early.

more: steve yoss: unlocking business insight with power bis | quick tax tip | more than 1 million erc claims still not processed | art werner: the godfather and tax issues | quick tax tip | advanced tax preparers need managing, too | the top ten problems the irs still needs to fix | tax pros gear up for a better busy season | irs processing up; payouts down | help tax clients help you | four challenges of managing new tax preparers
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

still, it’s time to begin our weekly tally of how things are going, starting with 13.2 million individual income tax returns received as of jan. 31, down 14 percent from the same period in 2024. the total returns processed was 11.7 million, down 15.8 percent.
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busy season management

cut down your tax work in progress

bonus: it’s cheaper than adding capacity.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

want to increase profitability and client retention? manage projects effectively.

if you don’t have these measures, get them, or turn in your ceo title. if, as a value pricer, you’ve sworn off practice metrics based on productivity, you’ll learn nothing from this article. you just don’t have the numbers. mark cuban is on hold waiting to yell at you.

more by frank stitely
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

there are only three ways to increase client happiness and thus increase retention:

  1. lower your prices
  2. decrease the turnaround time for client work
  3. increase quality

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pro member exclusive

measure partner potential with five questions

young black woman sitting in front of laptop looking thoughtful

ptp_2ndc
plus how to read your firm’s cultural blueprint.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

what conclusions can you draw from your knowledge of how the promotion system works in your firm that you need to keep in mind?

more by martin bissett
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

in terms of firm culture, you need to understand the four navigational points of the compass:

  1. who do i need to stay on the right side of?
  2. what are the unwritten rules in my firm?
  3. whose opinions can be trusted?
  4. what really impresses the partners?

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featured video

stefan van duyvendijk: develop operational mindset | the disruptors

don’t just check the boxes. provide benefits.

sponsored by holistic guide to wealth retention, by rory henry – see today’s special offer
this is a preview. the complete 1-hour video episode, with commentary and transcript, is first available exclusively to pro members | go pro here

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the disruptors
with liz farr

stefan van duyvendijk, accounting operations evangelist at floqast, wants accountants in the industry to expand their roles.

in addition to the vital role of providing the basic requirements of accounting, he wants them to develop an operational mindset, as described in the book van duyvendijk co-authored with mike whitmire, ceo of floqast: shift happens: the rise of the operational mindset and how controllers can drive real value. liz farr served as a developmental editor.

more podcasts and videos: steve evans: why traditional hiring methods fail | roger knecht: can you be an accountrepreneur? | beth whitworth: focus on outcomes not hours | mike sylvester: learn to say no | salim omar: identify your client’s $100,000 problem | jackie meyer: earn more with fewer clients | jack fleherty: don’t be a ‘yes’ person | greg adams: from finance to storytelling | the disruptors | jody padar: make radical changes now if you want to be relevant in 2030 | rebecca driscoll: amplify reach by helping other firm owners | rory henry: create the return on relationships | mike maksymiw: be the leader you wish you had | terrell turner: build a solid business showing up as yourself | kelly mann: be the bull in the china shop | alicia katz pollock: create a human-centric business |  nancy mcclelland: be the one your clients ask first |alan whitman: stop accepting the status quo | sean duncan: discover your own genius | ingrid edstrom: true wealth is not financial |

goprocpa.com exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

the operational mindset isn’t just about “making sure we make the product, and we move the product, and we get it to people,” but it means taking the discipline accountants already have for optimizing accounting processes and “taking that and applying it to our work and saying, ‘i’m going to track what i do in work. i’m going to measure what i do and work objectively so that i can go in and improve it and change it,’” van duyvendijk explains.  

read more →

audit & assurance

make the best use of technology

hand pointing to gantt chart

two questions to ask when choosing new tools.

by alan anderson, cpa
transforming audit for the future

for years, as i go around firms all across the country, i ask them, “do you honestly feel that you’ve achieved a substantial return on your investment of technology in the audit?” and they tell me, “well, we’re now at three monitors in the field.” i remind them that i didn’t ask about their use of computers and peripherals. every firm is using technology, but few evaluate the return on investment they’re getting.

more by alan anderson
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

i’m a huge believer of embracing technology, but i think we need to think differently about how we use it. in my view, the current state is nothing but tremendous opportunity for all of you to learn what all these new tools, from mindbridge to inflo and everything new that we haven’t even conceived of yet, can do. they all accomplish an objective. it’s just a matter of figuring out which one you want to do, and go and dive in.
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charts & graphs

accounting profession sees some job losses

line chart
overall accounting profession employment

 

payroll earnings up 11 percent.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

a bit up here, a bit down there is the story for january employment figures, the most recent data available. professional and business services saw little change, total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 143,000 and the national unemployment rate ticked down to 4.0 percent.

goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

there are 1,144,700 people employed in the accounting profession as of january, up 600 for the month but down 9,500 or 0.8 percent for the year. they average 35 hours, down 6 minutes for the month and 1 hour or 2.8 percent for the year. they earn $42.79, up 12 cents for the month and $1.58 or 3.8 percent for the year.
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featured video

steve yoss: unlock business insight with power bis | quick tax tip

 revolutionize how businesses visualize and interpret data.

subscribe to 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 podcasts anywhere: apple, google/youtube, spotify, iheart, deezer, amazon music, audible, player fm, audacy, rss.

quick tech talk
with steve yoss
cpe today

businesses today are moving beyond traditional reporting methods to embrace the transformative potential of business intelligence tools. industry leaders emphasize the importance of platforms like tableau, qlik, and power bi, which allow companies to turn raw data into dynamic, interactive dashboards. these tools empower decision-makers to access real-time insights tailored to their specific needs, enabling them to make informed choices that drive success.

more steve yoss
more tech
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

business intelligence tools go far beyond static financial reports like balance sheets and income statements. by integrating sales, marketing, inventory, e-commerce, and even email newsletter data, companies can create a comprehensive “heads-up display” of their operations. imagine transforming sales data into visual charts, mapping customer trends geographically, and combining diverse datasets into a single interactive platform. these tools enable businesses to manage proactively, focusing on forward-looking strategies rather than relying solely on retrospective analysis.

read more →

busy season management

staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns

bar chart

 

small businesses are advised to prepare for change.

join the busy season barometer. get the results

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

if you think we’re in for a year of stability and calm, you haven’t been paying attention.

whether you think the nation and the world are moving in the right direction or the wrong, one thing we can all agree on is: we’re in for some change.join the survey

more: more than 1 million erc claims still not processed | art werner: the godfather and tax issues | quick tax tip | advanced tax preparers need managing, too | the top ten problems the irs still needs to fix | tax pros gear up for a better busy season | irs processing up; payouts down | help tax clients help you | art werner: beneficial ownership and control | four challenges of managing new tax preparers | irs funding pays eye-popping 415x roi | tax season 2025 begins. ready or not. | every tax reviewer should be able to answer these ten questions
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

if you need details on that, consider yourself lucky. return to your cave and go back to sleep.

on the other hand, if you’re an accountant, you need to stay awake, monitor the political-economic-financial situation and keep your clients advised. they need you now more than ever.
read more →

pro member exclusive

seven tech keys to a holistic service model

johnston
 randy johnston, shareholder, k2 enterprises, is a nationally recognized educator, consultant and writer with over 40 years of experience in strategic technology planning, accounting software selection, paperless systems and network integration, and business continuity and disaster recovery planning.

mitigate risk by balancing technology’s significant benefits: how to overcome your three biggest concerns.

by randy johnston
the holistic guide to wealth management

in order to provide clients with the holistic service model that we’ve explored throughout our book, you’ll need a technology stack that can keep up.

more: four ways to provide wealth management in your accounting practice | profile of a modern firm: putting the vision into practice | toward a 21st-century cpa: a dynamic vision | what multiples mean to accounting firms | why cpas are best positioned to become financial advisors | how wealth management has evolved | introducing you to a fulfilling return on relationships | why now is the time for cpas to embrace wealth management
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

there are seven important reasons why a holistic service model is particularly beneficial for accounting professionals. below i’ll explain how having the right technology in place will significantly facilitate your transition from tax preparer/financial historian to trusted holistic advisor.
read more →

innovation & change management

transform accounting by fighting fear and embracing change

smiling man facing camera while seated at table with four colleagues behind him

focus on actual risks, not artificial fear.

by donny c. shimamoto

series note: this article is part of a series of articles inspired by “joy, inc.”, written by richard sheridan, cofounder and ceo of menlo innovations. while his book is about the software industry, there are many direct analogies applicable to the accounting profession. we must #transformaccounting and bring joy back into the work we do to sustainably address our profession’s people crisis.

“fear is one of the biggest killers of joy,” says richard sheridan. this is viewed as so important by sheridan that he dedicates an entire chapter in his book to explaining why we must fight fear and embrace change. that’s how important these concepts are to create joy in a company.

more: tear down towers of knowledge to transform accounting
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

accountants are often stereotyped as being afraid of change and behind the times, and even as killers of joy. but i will contend that we are ahead of many of the other major professions like doctors, lawyers and teachers. people also often stereotype our work as boring and mundane – not work that would bring joy to people. but all of us who have had successful careers as accountants, and other professionals who are a part of the accounting profession, know that we do very meaningful work that helps people prosper and communities thrive. we help bring joy to people’s lives.
read more →

accounting influencers

jean caragher: fire clients who don’t fit | accounting influencers

removing clients isn’t just about profitability—it’s a firm-wide morale booster.

subscribe to 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 podcasts anywhere: apple, google/youtube, spotify, iheart, deezer, amazon music, audible, player fm, audacy, rss.

accounting influencers
with rob brown

with over 35 years of industry experience, jean caragher has witnessed the profession’s transformation, noting that marketing roles in accounting firms are now more strategic and influential than ever.

caragher describes her work at capstone marketing, where she serves as a fractional chief marketing officer for firms specializing in branding, content marketing, pricing, and client satisfaction strategies. “the foundation of marketing remains the same,” she explains, “but today, we have a wealth of digital tools and data to enhance how firms promote themselves.”

read more →

politics & government

more than 1 million erc claims still not processed

line and bar chart

fraud didn’t help, but it’s not to blame for all of the delays.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

congress established the employee retention credit to help businesses survive the covid-19 pandemic. the program saved a lot of companies – as evidenced by today’s buoyant economy – but many employers filed fraudulent or otherwise ineligible claims.

how many? at one point, the irs said that tax professionals were estimating that 95 percent of claims that came to them were ineligible. the professionals blamed “promoters” who were aggressively pushing people to apply regardless of the rules.

more: art werner: the godfather and tax issues | quick tax tip | advanced tax preparers need managing, too | the top ten problems the irs still needs to fix | tax pros gear up for a better busy season | irs processing up; payouts down | help tax clients help you | four challenges of managing new tax preparers | irs funding pays eye-popping 415x roi | tax season 2025 begins. ready or not. | every tax reviewer should be able to answer these ten questions | taxpayer advocate sees big improvements at irs
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

in fairness to the employers claiming the tax credit, the rules were very nuanced, complex and hard to understand. while some of the claims were intentionally fraudulent, many were innocently ignorant of their ineligibility.
read more →