today's features
politics & government

why itin applications get delayed

bar chart

… and why they don’t have to.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

every year, more than a million taxpayers apply for an individual taxpayer identification number. these are people who, for various reasons, can’t get a social security number. these include

  • resident aliens with a “green card.”
  • foreign students who are allowed to earn a certain amount.
  • people in foreign countries who are required to pay u.s. taxes.
  • non-american spouses and other dependents of primary taxpayers who have ssns.

more: the ouches of the tax ‘practitioner’ scam | could the irs do better with the phones? | irs sluggish on identity theft | tax preparers share advice for your clients | irs must speed up tax return processing | first tax filing reports are in | cut down your tax work in progress | steve yoss: unlocking business insight with power bis | quick tax tip | more than 1 million erc claims still not processed | the top ten problems the irs still needs to fix | tax pros gear up for a better busy season | irs processing up; payouts down
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delays and disaster

the itin application process is an invitation for fraud, so the irs is very careful in receiving and approving applications.
read more →

featured video

bill sheridan: adapt or be left behind | gear up for growth

focus on your clients…or someone else will.

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gear up for growth
with jean caragher
for 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

bill sheridan, chief communications officer at the maryland association of cpas, believes cpa firms must embrace change to stay competitive. as technology automates compliance work, firms that focus on client advisory services will be the ones that thrive.

“our clients’ expectations are changing, and they are looking for more than just traditional compliance services,” sheridan says. “the firms that recognize this shift and focus on client advisory services will be the ones that thrive.”

gear up for growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and efficient growth in today’s competitive landscape. more gear up for growth every friday here | more capstone conversations with jean caragher every monday | more jean caragher here | get her best-selling handbook, the 90-day marketing plan for cpa firms, here | more 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 videos and podcasts here

sheridan emphasizes that while automation is transforming the accounting industry, it is not eliminating the need for cpas. instead, it is creating opportunities for professionals to enhance their roles.

“technology isn’t the biggest threat to cpa firms,” sheridan explains. “the real danger is failing to prioritize client relationships.” he drew a powerful comparison to the retail industry: “amazon didn’t kill retail—bad customer service did. the same applies to cpas. if we stop being client-focused, we’ll become irrelevant.”

read more →

accounting arc

are we ready for the hidden risks of ai in accounting? | arc

“without ai literacy, we’re all at risk.” 

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accounting arc
with liz mason, byron patrick, and donny shimamoto
center for accounting transformation

more arc: analysis, reaction, comedy

artificial intelligence is revolutionizing accounting, automating everything from bookkeeping to tax preparation. but as ai advances, accountants must ask: can we trust it? 

in this accounting arc episode, donny shimamoto, cpa.citp, cgma; byron patrick, cpa.citp, cgma; and liz mason, cpa, explore the growing risks ai poses to the profession, including deepfake fraud, financial market manipulation, and the loss of data privacy. 

more accounting arc: the research imperative: why data drives accounting success | how coaching can unlock professional success | demystifying accounting governance |  top 10 red flags to watch for in accounting offices | jeremy dubow: private equity as a catalyst for growth | break the burnout cycle in accounting | accounting in transition: 2024 reflections & the road ahead | ron baker: visions for the accounting profession | angie grissom: next gen inspo for accountants | does accounting belong in stem? | rose wang: where numbers meet strategy and creativity | tiktok fraud exposes gaps in financial literacy | how accounting pros own the stage in public speaking | greg kyte: being a cpa is like being the marie kondo of numbers | rachel bashore: a lawyer’s case for reinventing accounting | beyond the basics in ethics education

traditionally, software was designed and programmed by humans, making its logic transparent. now, ai writes its own code, making its decisions harder to audit. as patrick, ceo of verifyiq and co-founder and educator for tb academy, notes, “if we don’t know how ai arrives at conclusions, how can we verify its accuracy?” 

read more →

leadership

partnership vs. corporate styles of firm management

unbalanced brass scales

also: are you one firm or a bunch of solos under one roof?

by marc rosenberg
the rosenberg practice management library

“you get what you measure.” – peter drucker

in the context of this post, the terms “partnership style” and “corporate style” are used to describe a management style. these terms have nothing to do with the firm’s form of legal entity such as partnership, corporation, llc, etc.

more by marc rosenberg
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partnership vs. corporate style

in our work with cpa firms, we have observed two distinct styles of management: partnership and corporate.

partnership style. democracy heavily impacts the way partnerships are governed. in a democracy, every partner has a vote and there is a “majority rules” mentality. checks and balances prevent leaders from becoming dictators. the “citizens” want a reasonable amount of input into decisions. the partners sometimes feel collegiality is more important than management discipline.
read more →

busy season management

what cpa firms could do better

businessman looking thoughtful

survey respondents have specific suggestions.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

people at cpa firms generally think their practice is pretty effective at meeting its objectives with consistency over time.

but only 5 percent think their firm’s doing a great job. and about that many think their firm’s doing a somewhat lousy job.

more barometer: survey: which client industries will grow this year | tax preparers share advice for your clients | staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns | tax pros gear up for a better busy season | tax season 2025 begins. ready or not.
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the 2025 busy season barometer is finding that on a scale of 1 to 10, 45 percent of respondents would rate their firm at an 8 or better, and another 25 percent give their firm a so-so 7.
read more →

pricing, fees & billing rates

brand and online marketing matter

let them do the selling for you.

by jody padar
radical pricing – by the radical cpa

we’ve talked about alignment and how it can lead to saying goodbye to clients who are misaligned with your new client-centric business model. the goal should be to replace every misaligned client with one (or more) who is aligned with your new pricing model. marketing is the most powerful tool in the accountant’s toolbox to make this happen.

more by jody padar
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used properly and aggressively, marketing can help you build a pipeline of potential new prospects who fit your new business model. consider it your security blanket in the middle of changing times.
read more →

charts & graphs

tax refunds plummet, but no worries

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.

 

tax pros handling 41% of e-filings.

by beth bellor

refunds, the one bright spot of the 2025 tax season so far, have dropped, and not just a little – 31 percent and more.

more: tax refunds up 18% early on | first tax filing reports are in
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of course the irs has an explanation. it’s a plausible one and, as usual, tied to timing.

read more →

pro member exclusive

avoid the top 12 tax return preparation errors

red word "error"

the good news: they’re preventable.

by ed mendlowitz
tax season opportunity guide

here are the top 12 tax return preparation errors:

  1. number transposition and spelling errors. this includes income and deduction amounts and client social security numbers, addresses and zip codes. spelling errors should also be avoided – they indicate a lack of attention to what you are doing.

more by ed mendlowitz
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  1. unreported 1099 income. clients frequently leave out 1099s, but the preparer should make sure all 1099 items from last year are accounted for. missing 1099s that were not final for last year should be accounted for.

read more →

politics & government

the ouches of the tax ‘practitioner’ scam

bar chart

and two steps to protect taxpayers.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

in case you haven’t noticed, the world has no shortage of scammers. if don’t believe it, check your email inbox and spam folder. count the nigerian widows, the miracle pills, the fake invoices, the contests you’ve won and all the other attempts to rob you.

more: could the irs do better with the phones? | irs sluggish on identity theft | tax preparers share advice for your clients | check these 41 items on business tax returns | irs must speed up tax return processing | first tax filing reports are in | cut down your tax work in progress | 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 | art werner: beneficial ownership and control | quick tax tip
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

one of the most painful scams is the shyster tax practitioner. innocent, well intentioned taxpayers come looking for help only to find themselves paying a fee to be tossed into the labyrinthine hell of the irs bureaucracy.
read more →

busy season management

take the time to coach your tax staff

two businessmen looking at documents

true tales about the busy season.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

your first role as ceo is chief strategist. that means putting the right people in the right roles with the right resources.

your second role is trainer and coach. this role is closely related to your role as chief strategist. you can’t put the right people in the right positions without the right people. this second role is about creating and keeping the right people.

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

 

unfortunately, few of the people you hire will be the right people immediately. you have to grow them. they aren’t necessarily slackers or stupid. they have never worked in a forward-looking, well organized firm like yours. if you have made it this far through our discussions, you are well on your way to creating an extraordinary firm.
read more →

cannabis

monique swansen: align firm values with services | the disruptors

do the work that fulfills you.

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

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the disruptors
with liz farr

cannabis accounting is not for the faint of heart, says monique swansen, owner of accounting for green, which provides accounting services to cannabis businesses. first, there’s a big inventory component, so “if you’re an accounting professional that does not want to deal in inventory, cannabis is not your space,” swansen says. cannabis inventory is further complicated by federal law, which disallows tax deductions for anything but the cost of goods sold. this means meticulous tracking of all direct costs to get the maximum possible tax deduction. compliance with state laws also requires “documentation for every single movement of inventory or money,” says swansen. banking is also challenging because “no federal banks will bank cannabis.”  

more podcasts and videos: tina mcgill: how to create lasting client impact | stefan van duyvendijk: develop operational mindset | 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.

cannabis business owners tend to know less about running a business than many other types of businesses. “so you really have to start that relationship early and really try to talk with those people and understand those people where they’re at so that you can really help them,” swansen recommends. her personal sweet spot is starting to work with cannabis businesses three to six months before they become operational. read more →

pro member exclusive

four best practices for communication

woman listens as two clients speak

show that you value your clients – and yourself.

by martin bissett
 business development on a budget

i’ve had the benefit of meeting, speaking and observing hundreds of very successful and unsuccessful partners over the last two decades and there is indeed a set of differentiating factors that set a partner apart from the chasing pack.

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

 

here are the four “best-selling behaviors” that i’ve observed:

1. road tested

none of us can have a track record of partner-level excellence on day one in the position but we can be road tested in four ways:
read more →

advisory & consulting

america’s running short of financial advisors

bar chart
note: values are estimates. source: mckinsey analysis

 

guess who can fill that gap.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

good news for accountants: america’s running short of financial advisors.

bad news for accounting: america’s running short of financial advisors.

more: maybe the pipeline problem is technology | what if the staffing shortage is just a myth? | staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns | five ways to fill the staffing gap | top 10 red flags to watch for in accounting offices | arc | deals 2024: over 100 cpa firm mergers and acquisitions | barry melancon: private equity and the partnership | gear up for growth | does your firm suffer cultural deficiencies? | opportunity awaits incoming aicpa ceo | salary guides for accountants vary widely: whom do you believe? | are you earning what you deserve?
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

110,000 short

as if the accounting industry didn’t have enough of a talent shortage, the financial advice industry may soon be looking to scarf up money-savvy professionals from other financial areas. and cpas will be a perfect fit.
read more →