February, 2024

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Study: ChatGPT Won’t Be Replacing Accounting Professors In the Near Future

Going Concern

If you’re a high school student and future accounting major hoping to receive your undergraduate education from a friendly chatbot, we’re sorry to say that won’t be happening any time soon. A study authored by Charles Darwin University Professor of Accounting Indra Abeysekera and published in Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity examined how well ChatGPT can explain the solutions to problems and found it’s about as good as a terrible professor.

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In ongoing accounting crunch, where to go for sales tax help?

TaxConnex

Your sales tax obligations depend on knowledge and that knowledge often resides in a professional tax specialist (usually an accountant) who helps your company meet its sales tax obligations. This is a complicated time for sales tax obligations – and a terrible time to try to hire an accountant. Accounting is beset by a triple threat: a looming wave of retirement, a lingering great resignation of younger professionals and a talent pipeline of new graduates that’s slowing to a trickle.

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Three Skills Every Accountant Needs to Differentiate and Scale Their Firm

CPA Practice

By Adam Lean. It used to be that all an accountant had to do to earn respect, win over new clients, and have a growing firm was simply be a great accountant. Those days are over. They’re over for a few reasons: Reason #1: Most clients don’t value accounting as much as we think they should. Reason #2: Most clients (especially business owners) would rather their accountant give them advice (instead of simply being a recorder of the past).

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Giving Some Love to the Concierge Accounting Practice

Insightful Accountant

Imagine a scenario in which you could devote more time to actually partnering with your clients to solve their issues and provide them solutions, rather than simply handling their books or processing their tax returns.

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Building a Business Case for Finance Automation

Speaker: Danny Gassaway and Wayne Richards

Finance leaders are prioritizing efficiency and digital transformation, yet many hesitate to automate due to uncertainty. Without a clear understanding of its impact, organizations risk falling behind competitors who are leveraging automation to drive productivity and cost savings. Join Wayne Richards and Danny Gassaway from AvidXchange for a practical guide on bringing accounts payable (AP) automation to your organization.

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FTC hits H&R Block over 'free' online filing claims

Accounting Today

The Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against tax prep giant H&R Block accusing the company of deceptively marketing "free" online tax filing when its products often were not free and deleting consumers' data when they tried to downgrade to less expensive products.

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Harvesting Tax Losses

Withum

Tax loss harvesting is an income tax planning strategy that involves selling investments at a loss with the intent to offset capital gain income. This strategy is beneficial to taxpayers who have large capital gain income and are seeking ways to lower their related income tax liability. It is important to note that any tax harvesting must be implemented prior to the end of the applicable tax year, which is December 31 st for individual taxpayers.

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More Trending

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Accounting standards blamed for lack of accountants

Accounting Today

It's not just the 150-hour rule for obtaining a CPA license that may be the culprit for the talent shortage, according to an academic study.

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Financial Cents Unveils the 2024 State of Accounting Workflow Automation Report

Insightful Accountant

Financial Cents is excited to announce the release of the 2024 State of Accounting Workflow Automation Report. This second edition study explores the experiences and challenges faced by accounting, bookkeeping, and tax firm owners.

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How to Measure Your SaaS Startup’s Net Revenue Retention (NRR)

BurklandAssociates

Net Revenue Retention (NRR), also known as Net Dollar Retention (NDR) is a key metric for SaaS companies. Measuring NRR provides important insights into a SaaS startup’s retention and expansion Read More The post How to Measure Your SaaS Startup’s Net Revenue Retention (NRR) appeared first on Burkland.

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LEAP into Compliance in 2024

TaxConnex

Happy Leap Day! While not at all related to sales tax, we thought that as we spend a day to align our seasons and the Earth’s orbit of the sun, we should also discuss how to ensure your processes align with maintaining sales tax compliance in 2024! LEAP into compliance with us as we discuss 4 specifics that need to be considered in order to maintain your compliance in 2024, and beyond.

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Fall In Love With the Month-End Close

It's the time of year to give our close process some TLC. Join us in this one hour webinar where we discuss how to adopt leading practices and infuse technology into the month-end close process to improve our experience and increase our productivity during month-end and quarter-end close. Learning Objectives: This course's objective is to understand how the month-end close can be improved with automation and adoption of leading practices.

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Demystifying Government Contract Requirements: A Guide for New Businesses.

SMBAccountant

Understanding the basics of government contracts is essential when engaging in contractual agreements with government entities. When reviewing such contracts, key considerations include a thorough examination of the scope of work, payment terms, performance metrics, and compliance with regulations. Utilizing tools like Suppl-O contract briefs can significantly aid in the efficient review process by highlighting changes, facilitating quick reference, and ensuring transparency.

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IRAs: Build a Tax-Favored Retirement Nest Egg

RogerRossmeisl

Although traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs have been around for decades, the rules involved have changed many times. The Secure 2.0 law, which was enacted at the end of 2022, brought even more changes that made IRAs more advantageous for many taxpayers. What hasn’t changed is that they can help you save for retirement on a tax-favored basis. Here’s an overview of the basic rules and some of the recent changes.

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The 2024 Top New Products

Accounting Today

This year's roster of great new tools for accountants is heavily inflected with AI.

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The IRS Is Ready to Strike the Fear of God Into Anyone Who Took ERC

Going Concern

For posterity’s sake, here’s what the IRS says about its open Employee Retention Credit (ERC) investigations as of January 25: That’s nine open investigations, 123 under review, and anyone who comes forward to say they took ERC money they weren’t entitled to before the Voluntary Disclosure Program closes on March 22 will have to give up the name of the promoter that encouraged them to take the credits.

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Navigating Payroll Compliance: Future-Proofing Payroll in an Evolving Regulatory Landscape

Speaker: Jennifer Hill

Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.

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Startups Can Make Money Doing Nothing (and Minimize the Impact of Financial Meltdowns)

BurklandAssociates

A few proactive, off-the-radar strategies can provide even more protection and actually make a startup money on its spare cash. The post Startups Can Make Money Doing Nothing (and Minimize the Impact of Financial Meltdowns) appeared first on Burkland.

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5 Key Findings from Our Annual Survey of Financial Professionals and The Impact of Sales On Their Business

TaxConnex

At the beginning of January we announced the release of our annual sales tax survey. This year’s results provided insights into how businesses are managing the complexities of sales tax and how they are being impacted by economic and regulatory structures. The nationwide survey, conducted by In90Group in November of 2023, is composed of responses from 100 top finance professionals in a variety of industries regarding their thoughts and experiences in managing sales tax. 5 of our key findings are

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Acterys Selected as a Challenger in the 2024 Hackett Digital World Class Matrix

Acterys

Power BI Integration and Enhancements Have Brought a New Perspective Into the Market (Chicago, Il., February 27, 2024) — Acterys, a leading provider of enterprise performance management (EPM) solutions, is proud to be selected as a challenger in the 2024 Hackett Digital World Class Matrix. This inclusion represents another significant step forward in Acterys’ journey to simplify the EPM landscape and provide customers with unparalleled efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility.

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What’s the Best Accounting Method Route for Business Tax Purposes?

RogerRossmeisl

Businesses basically have two accounting methods to figure their taxable income: cash and accrual. Many businesses have a choice of which method to use for tax purposes. The cash method often provides significant tax benefits for eligible businesses, though some may be better off using the accrual method. Thus, it may be prudent for your business to evaluate its method to ensure that it’s the most advantageous approach.

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Next-Level Fraud Prevention: Strategies for Today’s Threat Landscape

Speaker: Sierre Lindgren

Fraud is a battle that every organization must face – it’s no longer a question of “if” but “when.” Every organization is a potential target for fraud, and the finance department is often the bullseye. From cleverly disguised emails to fraudulent payment requests, the tactics of cybercriminals are advancing rapidly. Drawing insights from real-world cases and industry expertise, we’ll explore the vulnerabilities in your processes and how to fortify them effectively.

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Minority CPAs deterred by 150-hour rule

Accounting Today

The 150-hour requirement for obtaining a CPA license has led to a decline in Black and Latino CPAs of up to 26%, according to a research study.

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Navigating IRS Bank Levies, Back Taxes, and Unfiled Tax Returns

MyIRSRelief

Facing the IRS can be a daunting experience, especially when dealing with unpaid back taxes, unfiled returns, and the looming threat of bank levies. For many, the stress and confusion surrounding tax debt can feel overwhelming. However, it’s crucial to understand that there are avenues available to navigate this complex terrain. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the intricacies of IRS bank levies, the repercussions of unpaid back taxes and unfiled returns, and the invalua

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Burkland Expands Services for Clean Energy Startups

BurklandAssociates

New specialty consulting area provides accounting expertise and financial guidance tailored to the needs of Clean Energy startups. The post Burkland Expands Services for Clean Energy Startups appeared first on Burkland.

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The Current State of Managing Sales Tax Obligations

TaxConnex

To help financial leaders better understand what their peers are doing when it comes to sales and use tax in 2024, TaxConnex® conducted its fourth annual sales tax survey in November of 2023. More than 100 financial leaders from different industries and from a wide range of sizes responded. Their responses are included in the following blog. For the vast majority of organizations, managing the minutia of sales tax obligations can be described as clunky, cumbersome, and risky, with each state hav

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Cash Flow Secrets Every Upskilled CPA Should Know

Speaker: Debra L. Robinson

CPAs know the drill: taxes, compliance, rinse, repeat. But what about the sneaky cash flow that’s quietly messing with your organization’s success? It’s time to step into the spotlight and expose the “dirty little secrets” of cash flow to fuel strategic growth. By upskilling your accounting practices and shifting focus from tax compliance to the strategic movement of money, you can transform your role from reactive accountant to proactive financial strategist.

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How to Take Control of SaaS Sprawl

Acterys

As organizations increasingly rely on cloud-based software solutions, the ease of subscribing to and implementing SaaS applications has led to a rapid growth in their adoption. However, this widespread adoption often leads to SaaS sprawl. As a result, CIOs and CTOs are faced with increased costs, security risks, and integration complexities. According to Gartner, 61% of software buyers plan to increase their technology investments in 2024.

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Filing Jointly or Separately as a Married Couple: What’s the Difference?

RogerRossmeisl

When you file your tax return, a tax filing status must be chosen. This status is used to determine your standard deduction, tax rates, eligibility for certain tax breaks and your correct tax. The five filing statuses are: Single Married filing jointly, Married filing separately, Head of household, and Qualifying surviving spouse. If you’re married, you may wonder if you should file joint or separate tax returns.

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IRS commits to making Child Tax Credit changes quickly

Accounting Today

The Internal Revenue Service would be able to implement changes to the Child Tax Credit within weeks, IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told Congress, and send out tax refunds promptly.

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Deloitte Has Out-Cringed Itself

Going Concern

The Aussie Corporate ( Insta ) recently shared some uniquely Deloitte motivation attempts and we must warn you, it’s bad. Why are firms like this? HAHAHAHA because we make you work too much LOL aren’t we funny!! But wait! There’s more! Ten posters to be exact, nine of which are terrible. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Aussie Corporate (@theaussiecorporate) This set includes: Don’t “circle back” Do Talk straight [Take your own advice here, Big

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Profit in the Details: Rethinking Spend for Monumental Impact

Speaker: Aaron Berson

Managing spend is more than a cost cutting exercise – it's a pathway to smarter decisions that unlock efficiency and drive growth. By understanding and refining the spending process, financial leaders can empower their organizations to achieve more with less. Explore the art of balancing financial control with operational growth. From uncovering hidden inefficiencies to designing workflows that scale your business, we’ll share strategies to align your organization’s spending with its strategic g

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Do Your Startup’s Employees Have a Sense of Purpose?

BurklandAssociates

Your people will drive your business to success when they are highly engaged and know where the ship is headed. The post Do Your Startup’s Employees Have a Sense of Purpose? appeared first on Burkland.

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The changing state of e-commerce

TaxConnex

Not long ago, clicking a computer mouse to buy something was an idea of science fiction. Today, of course, e-commerce is how a significant amount of shopping takes place in general. Capital One reports that global e-commerce retail sales will hit some $6.91 trillion this year, up 9.5% from total e-commerce retail sales in 2023. Projections indicate that value will increase to $8.03 trillion in 2027.

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How Unified Data Fosters Collaborative Planning and Forecasting

Acterys

Fast-growing companies are constantly adopting new technology and systems, but each addition means another layer of complexity for your business data. Information quickly becomes scattered across disparate data sources, systems, and departments. When businesses don’t have unified data, they struggle to identify sales trends, cost optimizations, or supply chain bottlenecks.

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Should Your Business Offer the New Emergency Savings Accounts to Employees?

RogerRossmeisl

As part of the SECURE 2.0 law, there’s a new benefit option for employees facing emergencies. It’s called a pension-linked emergency savings account (PLESA) and the provision authorizing it became effective for plan years beginning January 1, 2024. The IRS recently released guidance about the accounts (in Notice 2024-22) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published some frequently asked questions to help employers, plan sponsors, participants and others understand them.

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Navigating Bleisure Travel: A Guide for Mid-Sized Companies

Bleisure travel — where employees combine work and leisure — has been around since the advent of corporate travel and is here to stay. Successful bleisure policies strike a balance between employee preferences and company goals — workers report a 64% improvement in work-life balance, while companies benefit from reduced travel costs and increased workforce innovation.