1+ week, 5+ day ago (492+ words) Fraud can significantly impact a company's resources and operations, often leading to low morale, management distractions, regulatory actions and, in some cases, bankruptcy. In this context, performing a business valuation is a powerful tool, not only guiding strategic growth and decision-making but also in uncovering any irregularities." To effectively mitigate valuation fraud, it is essential to understand the common types and their impact. The most common types include:" When fraud is present in a valuation, it can lead to a variety of consequences, including jeopardizing mergers and acquisitions, inaccuracies in financial reporting for fair value, and legal and financial repercussions." Fraudulent activity can derail M&A deals, significantly jeopardizing the transaction in some cases. For instance, if a company overstates its revenue, the acquiring firm may overpay, leading to post-deal profit loss, litigation or complete deal termination." Business owners can…...

5+ day, 17+ hour ago (296+ words) That accounting is a "people business" is a truism as old as the profession, and it seems, at first blush, a self-evident proposition. Accounting firm services aren't grown in fields or assembled in automated factories; they emerge from the brains and expertise and effort of the people who work in those firms. But on further inspection, it becomes clear that calling accounting a "people business" begs an important question: Just what kind of people are we talking about? All that is changing. Contributing to this is the fact that the younger generations in the workforce are no longer willing to be treated as undifferentiated masses; one size no longer fits all, as any HR director will tell you; one size fits one. With technology taking care of much of the work that entry-level employees used to do, a growing percentage…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago (692+ words) Small business owners are navigating one of the most complex economic environments in recent memory: costs are volatile, hiring is tough, and margins are thin. In times like these, they don't just need a tax return and help with compliance " they need a strategic partner to provide the guidance that could make or break their businesses. Recent research'shows that clients increasingly view their accountants not just as compliance partners, but as essential growth engines. A survey of 1,248 small business leaders shows that the accountant-client relationship is evolving rapidly, creating new opportunities for firms willing to expand beyond traditional services. 68% of small businesses now say their accountant makes them more productive'that's a 31% increase since 2021. This isn't about faster tax preparation. Small businesses credit their accountants with guiding critical decisions around investments, expenses, and financing that directly impact their bottom line. This…...

3+ day, 22+ hour ago (421+ words) As the chart below shows, since 2023, job satisfaction for female CPAs in tax, audit and CAS has improved by more than twice as much for female CPAs than it has for male CPAs in those areas, with female CPAs now reporting slightly higher job satisfaction than for male CPAs (6.79 vs. 6.75 on a scale of 10). Clearly the data supports some positive impact from efforts to improve female job satisfaction in the workplace. Erin Daiber, CEO of Well Balanced Accountants, a consultancy specializing in firm culture, told me recently that several studies she's familiar with confirm what she's seeing in the marketplace about substantial improvement for female accounting professionals. Daiber said the data presents "solid evidence" that investment in workplace culture and employee engagement is working, and highlights opportunities for greater impact." Personally, I have noted some other important trends in three…...

3+ week, 4+ day ago (540+ words) But the thing is, the month-end close isn't a true accounting standard. It's actually an artifact of batch-processing constraints that disappeared over a decade ago. This is confirmed by the SEC's Financial Reporting Manual, which doesn't mandate monthly closes. As far as the SEC's concerned, only timely quarterly and annual reporting for public companies is needed. These constraints made sense for decades, but they vanished around 2010. Since then, modern bank feeds update in real time. Subledgers sync automatically. Modern general ledger software accepts entries instantly, with audit trails and reversal capabilities. According to recent AICPA research, automated feeds and real-time ledgers are now standard features in continuous close implementations. Yet, many finance teams still do batch work. Transactions accumulate for 25 days, then there's a scramble: five days of reconciling, posting, and investigating variances that were unresolved for weeks. By the…...

4+ week, 1+ day ago (511+ words) Nearly two-thirds (63%) of firms cite burnout as the top reason employees leave, according to the 2025 Accounting MOVE Project Report." This year's edition of the report focused on the theme of "belonging," arguing that it is not merely a soft idea, but a hard business imperative for recruiting and retaining talent. "Through the survey and then external research that we did, belonging seems to be why people leave " more so than pay, more so than anything else out there," Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk, president of the Accounting MOVE Project, told Accounting Today." For working parents or employees looking to start families, taking time off can come with the worry of asking for too much time off and missing out on career opportunities because of it. But the report found that only 17% of firms track the number of employees who are working parents....

1+ week, 3+ day ago (758+ words) The role of the CFO continues to be redefined in 2025 and beyond in response to an evolving business landscape." This landscape presents a triple threat of economic volatility, increasing fraud risks and heightened board scrutiny. The end result is that boards are asking CFOs to do more with tighter budgets, effectively redefining what constitutes resilient financial leadership. Forward-thinking CFOs at leading businesses are meeting the moment by adopting Yooz's Lean Financial Operations, an approach that helps cut waste, reduce risks and enable real-time growth. Through this approach, CFOs can overcome the triple challenge and transform financial operations from a logistical bottleneck into a strategic growth driver. Many organizations are tightening their belts amid economic uncertainties involving inflation, tariffs, and poor consumer sentiment. Nearly half of C-suites have already considered making budget cuts this year. But this doesn't mean that expectations…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (504+ words) Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposal to levy a $21-per-employee, per-month tax on companies was shot down by a city council committee on Monday. Members of the city council's finance committee rejected the mayor's proposed revenue ordinance, which included the so-called head tax. Some aldermen opposed that tax on employers while others said they voted against the ordinance because the mayor's overall budget proposal doesn't include enough cuts and would lean on bonds to pay for salaries for firefighters and settlements. "There are two options here. We challenge these big corporations and the ultrarich to put more skin in the game or you ask people who are standing in line for bread, milk, food and clothing, ask them to put more skin in the game," Johnson said in a press conference." The business community fiercely opposed the proposed head tax, saying…...

3+ day, 19+ hour ago (115+ words) A recently released book explains a framework for improving a company's profitability." The IRS and the Treasury are asking for comments on regulations they plan to propose for a new tax credit for donating to organizations that give scholarships. Grant Thornton Advisors has expanded its rapidly growing multinational platform by merging in Kevane Grant Thornton in Puerto Rico. The Regional Leader is expanding its presence in Western Michigan, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The American Institute CPAs, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and state CPA societies voiced their objections to a government proposal. The Financial Accounting Standards Board issued a new accounting standards update aimed at improving its existing hedge accounting guidance....

4+ day, 13+ hour ago (425+ words) The American Institute CPAs, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and state CPA societies voiced their objections to a proposal from the Department of Education to exclude accounting from the definition of "professional degree programs," potentially reducing the amount of student loan aid available. The proposal has raised alarms, particularly in the nursing profession, but has excluded a number of other prominent fields that have traditionally been considered professions, such as architects, educators, social workers, engineers, physician assistants, occupational therapists and audiologists." However, early next year is approaching soon, and the proposed framework is already provoking opposition among industry groups, including the accounting profession. The AICPA, NASBA and a group of state CPA societies are urging the Education Department to explicitly include accounting programs in the regulatory definition of "professional degree programs."" "Recognizing accounting programs as professional degree…...