Journal of Accountancy Podcast

Earlier in February, numerous amendments to the 2021 fiscal year budget resolution were voted on by the Senate. One of those nonbinding amendments, which passed unanimously by a voice vote, could lead to a lessening of an administrative burden for many employers and employees. The amendment related to mobile workforce legislation, introduced by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and supported by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, would extend the de minimis threshold to work in a state as a nonresident before owing state income taxes or being subject to withholding. It also would provide that during the pandemic, employers could withhold as they did prior to the pandemic or provide flexibility for employers to track where remote work is performed. It also would provide that employers would not have a nexus or apportionment impact by having a remote worker in a nonresident state during the pandemic. The AICPA has long supported and continues to support mobile workforce legislative proposals. The AICPA submitted comments in support of the bill on numerous occasions and issued a Feb. 8 press release on the passage of the Senate budget resolution amendment on mobile workforce legislation. For more on the development of mobile workforce legislation, see Yesnowitz, Sherr, and Bell-Jacobs, "AICPA Focuses Advocacy Efforts on Mobile Workforce Legislation," in The Tax Adviser. What you'll learn from this episode: Background on the AICPA's interest in mobile workforce tax legislation from Eileen Sherr, CPA, CGMA, director of the AICPA Tax Policy & Advocacy team. Why the legislation could be significant. FASB's recent response to a pandemic-related accounting concern. Several highlights from the JofA's February print issue, including more on tax penalty relief and Excel's Ideas feature.

A recent survey showed that a majority of couples have experienced relationship stress because of finances. So, how can couples openly communicate about money? Mike Landsberg, CPA/PFS, shares a few reminders. Also, Sara Lord, CPA, a member of the AICPA Auditing Standards Board (ASB), expands on the board's recent exposure draft related to quality management. The comment period on the ED runs through June 11, and comments can be sent to [email protected].

The onset of COVID-19 meant that more people became online shoppers out of necessity. Ordering groceries by phone or computer also means more of us are putting potentially sensitive information online. Robert Westley, CPA/PFS, shares advice to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, expanding on the tips in a recent Journal of Accountancy article. Alistair Nevius, J.D., the JofA's editor-in-chief, tax, explains more on recent legislative changes to the employee retention credit. Also, the AICPA Auditing Standards Board has issued proposed standards designed to change the way firms manage quality in their accounting and auditing practices.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and the start of tax season are two topics squarely on the minds of CPAs these days. This episode analyzes the Jan. 25 update by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) about processing second-draw loan applications and looks at what recent IRS announcements mean for tax season. Kari Hipsak, CPA, CGMA, a senior manager at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and Alistair Nevius, J.D., the JofA's editor-in-chief, tax, are the guests for this quick look at recent news that affects the accounting profession. What you'll learn from this episode: Why PPP loan applicants should be patient and vigilant. The practical applications of the SBA's recent update. A preview of the JofA's February print issue. What the announced date that the IRS begins accepting tax returns means for practitioners and filers. Effects of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), P.L. 116-260, on tax season.

Earlier, Eileen Sherr, CPA, CGMA, MT, a director of the AICPA's Tax Policy & Advocacy team, discussed prospects for reversing by legislation the IRS's position regarding deductibility of business expenses paid with loan proceeds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that are ultimately forgiven. Now, that legislation has been enacted, by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), P.L. 116-260. Sherr returns to outline that and other changes. Plus, we look ahead to possible developments during 2021 in tax legislation and pandemic relief. What you'll learn from this episode: What the CAA resolved regarding deductibility of business expenses paid by loan proceeds from the PPP, along with other AICPA advocacy priorities — and what remains unresolved. Possible emphases for tax legislation going forward from the Biden administration and the new Congress. Ongoing pandemic-related tax relief measures and advocacy at the federal and state levels.

Accountants played a crucial role in helping millions of organizations, most of them small businesses, receive $525 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans last year. Now, the PPP is back and businesses will again be looking to CPAs for advice and assistance in accessing the program, which provides forgivable loans that borrowers can use for payroll and other essential expenses as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to roil the economy. What do CPAs need to know about the new PPP? How is it different from the program that ran for five months before its loan application window closed in August? And what should accountants be doing to help businesses access the $284 billion available in the PPP's second iteration? Those topics and more are addressed by Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of the AICPA's business subsidiary CPA.com, and Lisa Simpson, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA's vice president–Firm Services. What you'll learn from this episode: When lenders can start submitting PPP loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Details about the new PPP second-draw loans. Why many banks won't be submitting PPP applications at the beginning of the application period. What the AICPA has been doing to support the accounting profession with the PPP over the past nine months. Why it is important for PPP borrowers to have two paths they can take in pursuing a second-draw PPP loan. More information about the CPA Business Funding Portal (see link in resources below). What CPAs can do to help businesses prepare for increased SBA scrutiny of PPP loans. The importance of helping businesses know their E-Tran number from their first PPP loan. Why firms will play a more important role in the second round of the PPP. The importance of keeping the intent of the PPP in mind when choosing the accounting method for calculating the decline in gross receipts to determine whether a business qualifies for a second-draw loan. Whether a business seeking second-draw PPP loans must spend all its first-draw PPP loan before the second-draw funds are disbursed. That some banks may require PPP borrowers to file for forgiveness on their first loan before processing a second-draw application.

In late 2020, Robert Half's Paul McDonald delved into the hiring outlook for 2021. The second part of that conversation addresses the ways organizations can keep those already on staff during COVID-19. McDonald, Robert Half's senior executive director, says the businesses that already had strong culture in place were better equipped to adapt to COVID-19. He offers advice for managers, details on their retention concerns, and insight into what employees are looking for beyond flexible work arrangements. What you'll learn from this episode: The reasons nearly 90% of senior managers are worried about losing talent. The steps companies and managers can take to show that they value employees. Why McDonald says company culture is more like an ocean liner than a speedboat. The types of nonfinancial benefits workers are seeking in the absence of raises. The steps employees can take to make themselves more marketable. McDonald's thoughts on what office work might look like in 2022.

As the year draws to a close, many clients are pursuing charitable giving. Mike Landsberg, CPA/PFS, partner at Homrich Berg in Atlanta, discusses what he's seeing in terms of charitable giving this year, how the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, P.L. 116-136, has affected giving, and how clients can use giving to save on taxes while contributing to causes that matter to them. What you'll learn in this episode: Why 2020 is a good year to give to charity. (1:43) How the CARES Act has affected charitable giving. (2:47) Giving strategies clients can use to save on their taxes (5:03), even if they're not high-net-worth. (8:25) How to start talking about charitable giving with your clients. (8:59) One way to help clients specifically interested in COVID-19 relief. (11:11)

Eileen Sherr, CPA, CGMA, MT, director of the AICPA's Tax Policy & Advocacy team in Washington, D.C., discusses recent IRS guidance regarding the tax treatment of loans under the U.S. Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This guidance holds that the amount of a PPP loan that is forgiven under the SBA's procedures is not included in the loan recipient taxpayer's gross income, but any expenses used to qualify for the forgiveness cannot be deducted on the taxpayer's income tax return as an ordinary and necessary business expense. We also look ahead to what the change in presidential administration in 2021 might spell for a broad range of taxpayers. What you'll learn from this episode: How PPP loan forgiveness is excluded from taxpayers' gross income for income tax purposes, but the IRS regards related business expenses as nondeductible. The progress of efforts by members of Congress to clarify in new legislation that the PPP forgiveness-related expenses are intended to be deductible as ordinary and necessary expenses of loan recipients. What form advocacy on this issue by the AICPA and its members is taking. How and when tax law changes proposed by the Joe Biden–Kamala Harris presidential campaign might be reflected in a proposed budget by the Biden administration.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented hiring freezes, job losses, or furloughs in 2020. While the outlook on hiring remains somewhat unsteady, there are reasons for optimism, according to Paul McDonald, the senior executive director at staffing firm Robert Half. In this episode, McDonald discusses the roles and certifications that are in demand, how remote work's rapid rise has affected organizations' approach to recruiting and hiring, and why the broad unemployment rate is not one that McDonald pays attention to the most. McDonald is the guest on the Journal of Accountancy podcast for the first of a two-part conversation. The second part, focusing on company culture and retention concerns, will be posted in early 2021. What you'll learn from this episode: The types of jobs that continue to be in high demand in the United States. How organizations are rethinking geographic obstacles to hiring. Why McDonald says that a preliminary discussion about salary is not a negotiation. The specific unemployment statistic that McDonald tracks. The ways organizations are adapting their pursuit of talent.

Kelly Richmond Pope, CPA, CGMA, Ph.D., is an accountant and a professor. She's also a storyteller and TEDx speaker. Keeping people engaged is a better way to educate, said Pope, an associate professor at DePaul University's School of Accountancy and MIS in Chicago. In this episode, Pope discusses another way to keep learners engaged: gamification. Turning learning into a game helps with the recall and understanding of new concepts, whether in a college classroom or continuing professional education for accountants. What you'll learn from this episode: Examples of gamification that are already part of our daily lives. How learning to drive a stick-shift car applies to gamification. Why gamification is not just for younger generations. How COVID-19 has disrupted traditional CPE and how virtual meetings could be better for learning in some cases. How a speaker's style can help maximize learning through PowerPoint slide presentations. The ways organizations can gamify CPE-worthy content such as podcasts or TED Talks.

Several months into the pandemic, we take a look at how some CPA parents are faring. They talk about the struggles they've faced, how they balance parenting and working from home, what they do to recharge, and the unexpected joys they've experienced while spending more time with their families. Our guests for this episode are Lindsay Stevenson, CPA, CGMA, and Chris Hervochon, CPA. Stevenson is vice president of finance at 1st Financial Bank in North Sioux City, S.D., founder and CEO of Origin Evolution LLC, and mom to three sons: a 19-year-old college student, a 17-year-old high school student, and a 7-year-old second-grader. Hervochon is the owner of Chris Hervochon CPA, located in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and dad to a 7-year-old boy and 4-year-old twins.

In an economic downturn such as the one that resulted from the coronavirus pandemic, not-for-profit organizations can feel pinched in two ways. People who have lost jobs or fear losing them may be less likely to donate to the NFPs at a time the services offered by the organizations are needed most. Strategies and models must be changed to find new opportunities and deal with the challenges presented on multiple fronts. Amy West, CPA, CGMA, the CFO of AHRC in New York City, shares advice on how to adapt and find new paths during tough times. West also is a member of the AICPA Not-for-Profit Advisory Council.

Corporate board work may have changed forever as a result of COVID-19. The lessons corporate directors take away from the pandemic will be critical to company survival and success beyond 2020. Paula Loop, CPA, the leader of PwC's Governance Insights Center, explains in this podcast episode how boards have been changed and what they're thinking about as they navigate the pandemic's effect on business. What you'll learn from this podcast episode: - Why Loop says now is the time to learn lessons and be better prepared for the next crisis. - Why there seems to be a disconnect between board members and corporate crisis management plans. - The lessons boards have learned about digital transformation, customer habits, and corporate real estate needs. - The board topics on which male and female directors differ.

Cannabis for medicinal or recreational use is a fast-growing business, and the advisory opportunities for accountants in the industry are also growing. Along with those opportunities are emerging issues on the regulatory and risk fronts. Ron Seigneur, CPA/ABV, the managing partner of Colorado firm Seigneur Gustafson LLP, shares more on the topic, including what to look for in proposed federal legislation. What you'll learn from this episode: - An explanation of the difference between cannabis, hemp, and marijuana. - More on the cannabis-specific guidance for accountants offered by the AICPA and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. - The professional risks to consider before adding clients from cannabis-related industries. - The COVID-19 pandemic's effect on cannabis businesses. - Why legalization in some states does not mean those states become cannabis epicenters. - How legislation could change the landscape for cannabis businesses.

This podcast episode follows up one posted on Aug. 20 about President Donald Trump's memorandum directing Treasury to defer the withholding, deposit, and payment of workers' 6.2% Social Security or Railroad Retirement tax for the last four months of 2020. Since then, Treasury and the IRS have issued much-anticipated guidance on just how the deferral applies and how the taxes are likely to have to be repaid. Ed Karl, the AICPA's vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, described the memorandum in the first podcast episode. Now he returns to describe what the guidance in Notice 2020-65 provides — and what it still leaves unclear. He has also written a post on the AICPA Insights blog titled "Employee Payroll Tax Deferral — Is It Workable?" that outlines what CPA advisers can tell their business clients with employees about the deferral. What you'll learn from this episode: -The notice puts the responsibility for deferring — and repaying — the taxes squarely on employers. -Although the notice doesn't say so directly, it is clear that employers do not have to participate in the deferral. -The deferred taxes must be ratably repaid in the first four months of 2021 from wages and compensation of an employee whose payroll taxes were deferred. But what about an employee who leaves the job before that happens or a business that goes under? Employers "may make arrangements to otherwise collect" the taxes from the employee. The notice doesn't elaborate on how they might do that, so we hypothesize. -We assess efforts that are afoot in Congress on the one hand to forgive the deferred taxes entirely and to overturn the president's memorandum on the other.

Finance executives in the United States are more confident about their own businesses than about the overall economy. Why is that? And what is the hiring outlook for companies for the next 12 months? Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, a senior manager for management accounting and member engagement at the AICPA, provides further detail and analysis on the quarterly Business and Industry Economic Outlook Survey, the last before the Nov. 3 presidential election. What you'll learn from this episode: - How finance leaders view the domestic economy and their own businesses. - Why election season brought about a change to the list of top challenges this quarter. - The component in the CPA Outlook Index that ranks higher than others by a wide margin. - The business sectors showing improvement and the ones that continue to struggle. - How the pandemic may be changing the real estate needs of businesses.

This episode explores the huge implications for state and local taxes raised by workers more often untethered from the employer's physical location, sometimes in another state. And now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, remote teleworking has become the rule for many professions. Eileen Sherr, CPA, MT, and Mo Bell-Jacobs, J.D., bring us up to speed. Sherr is a senior manager with the AICPA's Tax Advocacy team in charge of the AICPA State and Local Tax Technical Resource Panel, or SALT TRP, and Bell-Jacobs is a senior manager at RSM National Tax in Washington and a member of the SALT TRP.

In this podcast, we touch base with Ed Karl, the AICPA's vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, to discuss questions the AICPA Tax Executive Committee has raised in official comments to Treasury and the IRS concerning President Donald Trump's Aug. 8 memorandum ordering Treasury to defer the withholding, deposit, and payment of payroll taxes imposed by Sec. 3101(a) — better known as the employee portion of Social Security tax, currently 6.2% of covered wages and compensation — and a comparable rate of tax under Sec. 3201 — that's the Railroad Retirement tax — for Sept. 1, 2020, through the end of the year. We'll explore the range of issues that Treasury and the IRS face as they implement this order and what it all could mean for employers and employees.

The changes brought about and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic are numerous. Our day-to-day lives have been altered, forcing rapid adaptation. A new report from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and EY Seren, explores the patterns of behavior emerging from this uncertain time. The report, Human Signals, also offers actions for accountants to take. This podcast, the second of two parts, takes an in-depth look at what the report's findings mean for leaders and organizations. In part one, Association CEO and AICPA President and CEO Barry Melancon, CPA, CGMA, shared more about this transformational time. Then Joel Bailey, a director at EY Seren and a report author, delved into the research behind the report. In this second part, executive coach and consultant Gretchen Pisano offers practical applications from the report and discusses how its findings dovetail with what she's hearing from leaders. Pisano is the CEO and co-founder of pLink Leadership, a management consultancy that provides leadership development and executive coaching.

The changes brought about and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic are numerous. Our day-to-day lives have been altered, forcing individuals and organizations to adapt quickly. A new report from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and EY Seren explores the patterns of behavior emerging. The report, Human Signals, also offers advice for accountants in an era of uncertainty. This podcast is the first of two parts that take a closer look at the report's findings and action items. In this episode, Association CEO and AICPA President and CEO Barry Melancon, CPA, CGMA, shares more about this transformational time. Then Joel Bailey, a director at EY Seren and a report author, delves into the research behind the report. In the second part, executive coach and consultant Gretchen Pisano offers practical applications from the report and discusses how its findings dovetail with what she's hearing from leaders.

The culture of a workplace, be that in a company or an accounting firm, determines how employees and customers are treated, says Stephanie Creary, an identity and diversity scholar and professor of management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. To assess how racism is a factor requires open, frank conversations and leaders willing to listen and learn what they probably didn't know. What you'll learn from this episode: - Starting conversations about racism with Black Lives Matter and police violence may not be the most effective thing to do. - An expert or coach can facilitate conversations about racism, help people work with their emotions, and create learning environments. - It's necessary to customize diversity and inclusion training based on the roles and positions people hold in the organization. - Programs that succeed in recruiting and mentoring Black employees involve everybody in the organization.

These days, it's tough to know the best next steps for organizations that are reopening to customers or employees — or considering doing so. Lee Terry, who practices corporate and securities law for the Denver firm Davis Graham & Stubbs, has advised organizations and CFOs for years on crisis management. Terry offers insight into the legal concerns that organizations are facing and this advice on future business planning: "You cannot rely on the same kinds of estimates and expectations that you have in the past."

The new principles-based standard on audit evidence, issued last week by the AICPA Auditing Standards Board, addresses issues such as emerging technology, professional skepticism, and expanding sources of information. Jay Brodish, CPA, a partner at PwC, and Bob Dohrer, CPA, CGMA, the chief auditor of the AICPA, discuss the standard in detail, explaining how it can be applied to today's evolving business climate.

We check back in with two AICPA leaders: Ed Karl, the AICPA's vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, and Chris Hesse, a tax principal in the National Tax Office of CliftonLarsonAllen in Kennewick, Wash., who also chairs the AICPA Tax Executive Committee. They'll update us on how the 2020 marathon of a tax return filing season is going, whether the coronavirus-related return due date delay until July 15 is long enough, and what other relief taxpayers and their CPAs need.

The work-from-anywhere revolution received a jolt in March, when office workers were sent home because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. More companies were embracing flexible work practices before the pandemic, but now that movement has been accelerated. Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs and the Business Learning Institute, shares insight into the future of remote work, why a company's approach to flexible work can define its culture, and more.

Laura Morgan Roberts, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, is an editor of the recent book 'Race, Work, and Leadership: New Perspectives on the Black Experience'. She has studied race in the workplace extensively. With attention on racial disparities sparked by killings and then protests, the time is right for organizations to hear her message. Morgan Roberts shares insight on why some organizations and leaders resort to silence instead of speaking about racism, why it's easier to talk about diversity and inclusion than about race, the qualities of an effective public statement, and what follow-through after the statement looks like.

Our ninth annual technology roundtable podcast was initially recorded in early March, just before the coronavirus pandemic started wreaking havoc on American lives and the economy. With the world at a dramatically different place than when we first recorded, the roundtable participants agreed to hold another call May 6 to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on accounting, accounting technology, and accountants themselves. Participating in the episode are two of the top technology experts in the accounting space: Donny Shimamoto, CPA/CITP, CGMA, founder and managing director of IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC, and Amanda Wilkie, a consultant with Boomer Consulting. They are joined by small firm owner Nikki Winston, CPA, who leverages technology to provide accounting services and CPA Exam coaching through her firm, The Winston CPA Group.

A hard trend can be defined as a predictable, future fact. While it's tough to predict the price of oil or the direction of the stock market daily or weekly, finance professionals can focus on hard trends to have a better understanding of where business is heading. Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs and the Business Learning Institute, shares insight into three hard trends and why they matter for accountants now.

Eileen Sherr, CPA, CGMA, a senior manager in the AICPA's Tax Policy and Advocacy team in Washington, D.C., describes her work with volunteer members of the AICPA's Technical Resource Panel for State and Local Taxation and with state CPA societies as they advocate with state tax authorities for coronavirus-related taxpayer relief at the state and local level, and resources for keeping track of each jurisdiction's response. What you'll learn from this episode: - In what ways state tax filing and payment relief measures do and don't correspond to those of the federal government. - What further provisions the AICPA has recommended for state and local tax administrative and filing and payment relief during the pandemic. - Links to AICPA resources for learning more about state and local tax relief provisions and guidance related to COVID-19.

Jonathan Flack, CPA, the U.S. family business services leader at PwC, discusses the struggles family businesses are facing during the current economic crisis, as well as the unique strengths that can help them weather hard times such as these. He also shares advice for clients who are family business leaders, especially around communicating with staff and stakeholders. What you'll learn in this episode: - How family businesses are faring during the current economic crisis. - How these businesses can improve liquidity during the economic downturn. - Advice for family business leaders having hard discussions with stakeholders. - The strengths of family businesses that can help them endure in this crisis. - What role continuity planning can play in crises of this nature.

CPAs are playing a vital role in helping smaller businesses cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Julie Killian, CPA, a shareholder at Clayton & McKervey in Michigan, discusses how her firm's clients are responding to the crisis. She also shares steps smaller businesses can take to improve their financial standing and increase their chances of staying afloat. What you'll learn in this episode: - The relatively simple tool that's an essential first step for businesses struggling to get a handle on their situation. - What businesses should do first if they find themselves short on cash. - Why demand for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is so high. - How businesses can determine whether they're eligible for the PPP, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, or both. - What clients should know about applying for government stimulus programs.

Chris Hesse, CPA, the AICPA Tax Executive Committee chair, analyzes how the CARES Act's provisions allowing carryback of net operating losses for 2018 through 2020 interact with other new provisions.

Mary May, principal, and Stephanie Howard, client accounting services manager, at tonneson + co in Wakefield, Mass., discuss how client accounting services can benefit both firms and clients, and share their best advice for firms that are looking to add or expand their offerings in this area.

Boards that fall in lockstep with management decisions are neglecting one of their critical roles: being strong monitors of a company. Refreshment policies that include term or age limits are just one strategy that organizations can employ to keep their boards strong and independent. Corporate governance expert Charles Elson shares insights on board best practices.

Questions about the U.S. Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans aimed at helping small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic are numerous. Glen Frost, CPA, J.D., and Matthew Kraeuter, J.D., partners in the firm Frost and Associates LLC, share information on eligibility, the amount of money available, interest rates, and more.

The consequences of the coronavirus on financial statement preparation and auditing are complex. Preparers and practitioners have not faced a disruptive event of this magnitude, so questions abound as new obstacles and scenarios present themselves. Two CPAs share guidance for preparers and practitioners.

Coronavirus is an opportunity for fraudsters to take advantage of fear and confusion. Elizabeth Woodward, CPA/CFF, and Howard Silverstone, CPA/CFF, discuss how accountants can identify and prevent coronavirus-related fraud.

As a local government employee, Carrie Kruse, CPA, CGMA, had almost no work-from-home experience before a few weeks ago. But Kruse, an economic development coordinator with the city of Des Moines, Iowa, has adapted well to the sudden change brought about by coronavirus concerns. She shares insights on staying efficient, knowing when to unplug, and why she won't wear sweatpants while working at the dining-room table.

As part of the government's response to the coronavirus's spread and economic fallout, the IRS postponed the deadline for income tax return filings and payments that would have been due on April 15, 2020, for 90 days, to July 15. In this episode, Ed Karl, CPA, the AICPA's vice president–Tax Policy & Advocacy, outlines how the delay came about — and what it means for CPA tax practitioners and their clients.

Busy season has taken on a new meaning because of coronavirus concerns, which have forced firms and other organizations to quickly set up alternate work environments. Les Nettleton, director of information technology at New Orleans firm Bourgeois Bennett, has firsthand experience in crisis planning, having gone through Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He shares advice for organizations assessing the feasibility of longer-term remote work in response to the coronavirus.

The rules have changed for IRS examinations and adjustments of partnership returns at the federal level, but are the states following suit? We'll find out how model legislation issued by the Multistate Tax Commission, developed in collaboration with the AICPA and other stakeholders, is being adopted across the United States.

Busy season is often the most stressful time of the year for CPAs in public accounting. Eustis Corrigan, CPA, senior managing director at CBIZ MHM in Memphis, Tennessee, a veteran of more than 30 tax seasons, shares what his firm does to support staff during busy season.

Veteran investigator Cynthia Hetherington offers practical tips and guidance on how forensic accountants can use the open source information found on the internet to make themselves smarter, better investigators while staying within privacy laws.

Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of CPA.com, and Ron Quaranta, founder and chairman of the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance, examine tax and accounting issues related to cryptoassets and explore assurance opportunities blockchain is creating for accountants.

Drake Software Vice President of Strategic Development John Sapp, CPA, briefly explains the Sec. 199A qualified business income (QBI) deduction safe harbor rule and Forms 8995 and 8995-A. (Sponsored by Drake Software)

After nine years writing our Technology Q&A column, J. Carlton Collins, CPA, decided the end of 2019 was the right time to retire. In this episode, Collins talks about how he came up with the hundreds of technology topics he covered, how he became a good writer, and how he feels about ending his run with our most popular column.

How long can cautious optimism last for an upward U.S. economy aptly described as "long in the tooth"? This episode delves into the thinking of CPA decision-makers.

In the world of tax law, words have statutorily set definitions or are interpreted by judges using precedent and reason. Annette Nellen, Esq., CPA, CGMA, walks us through four recent decisions by the U.S. Tax Court to show how the precise application of a word or phrase can make a world of difference.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made tax accounting easier for many businesses with average annual gross receipts of $25 million or less (inflation-adjusted to $26 million for 2019). The benefits include the cash method of accounting, exemption from UNICAP rules, exemption from some inventory accounting requirements, and more. But an "exception to the exceptions" denies these advantages to tax shelters, including "syndicates." Chris Hesse, chair of the AICPA's Tax Executive Committee, reveals where the traps lie.