Journal of Accountancy Podcasts

The AICPA supports proposed legislation that would categorize accounting as a STEM career, with STEM standing for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Diana Deem, CPA, CGMA, an AICPA director of congressional and political affairs, shares more about the thinking behind and the AICPA’s support for the bill. Also, hear from the JofA’s editor-in-chief, tax, about the annual IRS list of “Dirty Dozen” tax scams. What you’ll learn from this episode: More about the Accounting STEM Pursuit Act, recently introduced in Congress. Examples of how accounting has transformed since one of Deem’s early roles. Insight into the annual IRS list of “Dirty Dozen” tax scams and why this year’s release of the list is different. The reasons that stimulus payments are one focus of scammers. Summaries of JofA articles on business continuity planning as a tool to fight fraud, and Supreme Court news related to taxation of remote workers.

The auditing profession was already in the midst of transformation, thanks to technological advances and other factors. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic came along and accelerated those changes, further challenging auditors and their view of business as usual. As auditing continues to transform, Sue Coffey, CPA, CGMA, the Association’s CEO of public accounting, and Jennifer Burns, CPA, CGMA, the Association’s chief auditor, explain some of the drivers behind audit transformation — where it began and where it’s headed. What you’ll learn from this episode: An overview of the auditing landscape and why a transformation discussion is happening now. Insight into the key drivers of that transformation. The specific challenges the COVID-19 pandemic created for auditors. Details on the AICPA Auditing Standards Board’s work to update certain standards. New ways or new tools to approach auditing differently.

Business travel is on the way back, according to survey and anecdotal data, as well as the line at airport security. Donny Shimamoto, CPA/CITP, CGMA, is someone accustomed to regular travel, with set routines and preferences. That all changed when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, and so Shimamoto had to adapt. He reflects on what he learned from being at home and from being back in airports and onsite with a client. Also, ENGAGE 2021 panelist Jeremy Bloom, a former world champion in skiing and NFL wide receiver, shares his views on sport specialization at a young age, why our view of failure should be reframed, and what kind of skiing he prefers these days.

The COVID-19 pandemic led many CPAs and their employers to think deeply about mental health in ways they may not have before. Amber Setter, a former accountant and an International Coaching Federation–accredited professional certified coach, talks about signs someone may need to consider speaking with a professional about their mental health and what you can do if you notice these signs in someone else. She also gives advice on finding a mental health professional and suggests ways employers can foster staff’s well-being.

The G7 announced a framework for a global minimum tax last week. In this episode, Amy Wang Miller, CPA, J.D., senior manager with the AICPA’s Tax Policy & Advocacy team, explains what the framework means, what accounting and finance professionals can expect next, and what the future of a global minimum tax looks like. Also, we explore the growing risks and cost of ransomware with Gerry Glombicki, CPA, a director with Fitch Ratings insurance group, and how organizations should be approaching ransomware.

Many of our meetings in 2021 look far different from the meetings we had in 2019 or early 2020. That doesn’t mean they can’t be improved with the help of technology. In this episode, Technology Q&A co-author Byron Patrick, CPA/CITP, CGMA, shares insight into the ways that automation tools can help meetings go smoothly. Also hear some of the advice new AICPA board Chair Bill Pirolli, CPA/CFF/PFS, CGMA, has for providing excellent client service.

Several factors are contributing to finance decision-makers’ growing optimism about the economy and their own businesses, according to a quarterly survey. Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, shares insight into that positive sentiment, along with a look at hiring and the headwinds facing organizations. Also, hear the words of an AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2021 speaker on her path to becoming a sports agent and her advice on advocating for yourself.

In a letter to the IRS, the AICPA recently offered recommendations on six key areas of regulation of paid tax return preparers. A senior manager on the AICPA’s Tax Policy & Advocacy Team explains more about why the recommendations are needed. Also, learn more about a recent popular article on delivering and receiving feedback. What you’ll learn from this episode: Why it’s important for the IRS to address the issue of unregulated tax return preparers. Insight into preparer tax identification numbers (PTINs) and IRS authority over them. Why the current process to revoke a PTIN can be “time-consuming and costly.” An explanation of supervised, nonsigning return preparers. More on a recent JofA article about delivering and receiving feedback. News on the issuance of nonauthoritative guidance for auditing digital assets, and economic trends to watch.

Amobi Okugo, a pro soccer player, is scheduled to be part of a sports-themed panel discussion at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2021. He has continued to pursue education and business opportunities off the field, and he hopes to be a role model as a “frugal athlete.” Hear more about Okugo’s history and his plans. Also, get a refresher on where the term “imposter syndrome” came from, how many of us it affects, and what we can do to beat it. What you’ll learn from this episode: Why Okugo says that mega-millionaire athletes are anomalies. How he approached spending money when he was first chosen in the Major League Soccer draft. The agreement he made with his parents about pursuing his college degree. Tips from a recent JofA article on defeating imposter syndrome. A summary of two recent articles related to the IRS.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and the conversation in this podcast episode is meant to celebrate that and to offer organizations reminders on how they can support employees of Asian descent. The group is sometimes referred to as Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI. Lisa M. Ong, CPA, is a DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) consultant who says that May is always her busy season because that’s when organizations most often seek an AAPI speaker. Ong shared specific advice and actions for individuals and organizations seeking to support AAPI talent. For more resources on this topic, visit the AICPA’s Diversity and Inclusion page. You can also learn more about Ong’s organization, Wishing Out Loud.

CPA firms are often more productive and profitable when owners work less, according to Brannon Poe, CPA, owner of Poe Group Advisors in Charleston, S.C. In this podcast episode, Poe, who has more than 15 years of experience buying and selling CPA firms, explains how delegating work can free owners to focus on what matters most. He also gives advice for determining which work you should delegate and how to do so with fewer worries.

How an organization frames the discussion around bringing staff back together in the office matters. Jennifer Wilson, partner and co-founder of Convergence Coaching LLC, expands on her recent Journal of Accountancy article about reopening mistakes for organizations. Wilson is a speaker at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2021 on the topic of managing a blended workforce (view the full ENGAGE agenda here). Also, hear a reminder about playing to your strengths from another ENGAGE 2021 speaker, executive coach Rhonda Peterson.

Life and work in the pandemic era can be exhausting. Stress can make it difficult to focus on and execute your goals. ENGAGE 2021 speaker Rhonda Peterson believes taking the time to care for and nurture one’s energy can improve your career success, increase your businesses’ profitability, and provide a deeper sense of fulfilment. Peterson shares her tips for discovering the activities and stresses that drain your energy, making it harder to succeed, and for uncovering the endeavors that bolster your energy. What you’ll learn from this episode: Why your personal energy matters and how it affects your life, business, and career. How to identify significant energy drains in your life. How to find activities that improve and boost your energy. Why managers should be paying attention to their team members’ energy levels and how they can help improve them. The best way to develop a personal energy protection habit.

A recent Journal of Accountancy article by Kelly Williams, CPA, Ph.D., detailed eight ways to calculate depreciation in Excel. Williams, one of two CPA authors of the Technology Q&A feature, shares why it’s helpful to CPAs to have so many methods and which one she prefers. She also talks about Flash Fill as a preview to her Excel session at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2021 in July. In the second interview segment, Mark Beasley, CPA, Ph.D., says one key part of enterprise risk management (ERM) is breaking down silos. Beasley, the director of North Carolina State University’s ERM Initiative, joined the JofA podcast for a discussion of lessons that can be pulled from a recent survey on risk management. An article on the survey appeared on the website of FM magazine. Also, listen to news on a proposed standard by FASB and an update on Paycheck Protection Program funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

CFOs and other leaders have been forced to adapt to challenging and fast-moving circumstances as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the executive vice president of business growth and engagement for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, reflects on what finance leaders have learned in the past year and previews two of his sessions at the upcoming AICPA & CIMA CFO Conference.

The IRS has issued updated guidance on several aspects of the employee retention credit. April Walker, CPA, CGMA, lead manager on the Tax Practice & Ethics team at the AICPA, touches on the highlights, including filing options for claiming the credit, an extension of penalty relief, and several key questions that have yet to be resolved. What you’ll learn from this episode: What recent IRS notices have addressed regarding claiming the credit in 2021 and penalty relief. Two critical questions about the credit that have yet to be addressed by the IRS. One common mistake that a CPA firm leader says managers should avoid when delegating tasks. Updates on a bill’s passage in the House of Representatives and other news.

Two featured speakers at the AICPA & CIMA CFO Conference, Josh Linkner and LaRae Quy, are sharing previews of their conference sessions in this episode. Linkner discusses how organizations can foster creativity, even in supposedly noncreative jobs, and how that creativity can lead to everyday innovation. Quy, an author and former FBI agent, shares details on the importance of mental toughness. What you’ll learn from this episode: Keynote speaker and innovation expert Josh Linkner’s explanation for calling himself a “creative troublemaker.” Why Linkner believes we shouldn’t link creativity to someone’s job title. The harrowing story of an FBI agent’s first ride-along and how it underscored the importance of mental toughness. The reasons our cerebral brain and emotional brain must work together. Updates on new treatment of excess premium tax credits, an extended comment period for an AICPA Auditing Standards Board exposure draft on quality management, and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program’s rough

Ben Nemtin, the keynote speaker May 5 at the AICPA & CIMA Employee Benefit Plans Conference, thought he was going on a two-week road trip with some friends 15 years ago. That trip lasted years, changing his life and those of many others they encountered. Nemtin also shares why it’s more important these days to talk about mental health, along with some of the inspiration he got from seeing complete strangers realize a few bucket-list dreams.

African Americans are still underrepresented in the accounting profession: Only 2% of CPAs are Black. In this second part of a two-episode podcast, we look at what the profession can do to increase the number of Black CPAs. Guests Ruth Harris, the first Black female CPA in Virginia, and Frank Ross, one of the founders of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), share their experiences as Black CPAs and educators, and Theresa Hammond, Ph.D., author of A White-Collar Profession: African American Certified Public Accountants Since 1921, shares her perspective as an accounting professor and scholar of CPA history. This podcast is associated with the Black CPA Centennial Campaign, a yearlong celebration and recognition of the impact of Black CPAs upon the profession.

The requirements for Paycheck Protection Program applicants who are not-for-profits are different from those for for-profit businesses. Dave Moja, CPA, a member of the AICPA Not-for-Profit Advisory Council, explains some of those differences and more about completing Form 990 and Form 941. Also, hear a section of a two-part podcast series that documents the triumphs and struggles of some of the first Black CPAs.