Disclaimer
Statements of fact and opinion are the authors’ responsibility alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of PICPA officers or members. The information contained in herein does not constitute accounting, legal, or professional advice. For professional advice, please engage or consult a qualified professional.
CPA Now
  • Consider a Chartered Accountant Staffing Solution

    Oct 11, 2022, 21:15 PM by Matthew McCann
    A great wave of CPA retirements is underway. Combine this with the fact that the rate of new CPAs joining the profession is falling, and this means a dangerous shortage is looming. Some firms that are facing recruiting difficulties have been advocating for chartered accountants to join the ranks of their staff.
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  • Manage Your Time to Accelerate Success

    Oct 10, 2022, 03:01 AM by Matthew McCann
    Those with strong time management skills tend to have less stress and get more meaningful work accomplished. The key is to focus on what is important to you and how you can realistically prioritize your day.
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  • 8 Bold Steps to Take Pressure Off Your Next Tax Season

    Oct 4, 2022, 21:30 PM by Matthew McCann
    Staffing issues have become more complicated than ever. To survive and thrive, several firms are looking at big, bold solutions to ease the pressures on their practices. Here are several bold steps some are enlisting to relieve pressure and strengthen their practices before the next tax season kicks into gear.
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  • The Benefits of Joining Professional Organizations

    Oct 3, 2022, 04:01 AM by Matthew McCann
    As you advance in your accounting career, establishing your personal brand and building a strong network become increasingly important. Joining professional organizations can be extremely beneficial in helping to accomplish career goals, expand your network, and make good and dependable friends.
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  • Consider Continuity Interviews to Gauge Employee Satisfaction and Bolster Retention

    Sep 27, 2022, 21:45 PM by Matthew McCann
    Keeping your business primed for growth requires strong relationships with your staff. Facilitating successful relationships requires maintenance, and continuity interviews (as opposed to exit interviews) have become a powerful tool in the employee retention process.
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  • The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax

    Sep 26, 2022, 03:15 AM by Matthew McCann
    The new Inflation Reduction Act is a large and complex piece of legislation that contains numerous tax components. This blog takes a deep look at the 15% Corporate Alternate Minimum Tax (CAMT) and several elements that deserve close scrutiny.
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  • Homes as Investments: Smart Plan or Bad Idea?

    Sep 20, 2022, 20:45 PM by Matthew McCann
    Did you ever hear "The best investment I ever made" said by someone referring to their home - or a vacation home in particular? Maybe the person was feeling giddy because of the sale price they received, but was it really a good investment? Often, it was not.
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  • Sales Tax and the True Object Test

    Sep 19, 2022, 04:25 AM by Matthew McCann
    Sales and use tax can be a complicated area of taxation. One of the challenges tax practitioners often confront is determining the taxability of a transaction when the sale includes both a product and a service. This is where the “true object” test comes into play.
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  • New PICPA Conferences Address Rapid Changes to Workforce, Services

    Sep 16, 2022, 03:26 AM by Matthew McCann
    Adapting to change is an integral part of being a CPA, and the PICPA, as your professional organization, is committed to doing no less. In watching the professional landscape and responding with the resources you need to succeed, we are proud to announce two new conferences this fall: the Accounting Workforce Conference and Evolve, a conference focused on services for future-focused firms
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  • Staffing and Workload Challenges Hit Accounting Industry Hard

    Sep 13, 2022, 20:45 PM by Matthew McCann
    Accounting firms are facing heavy competition to attract talent as the profession faces the kinds of hiring challenges confronting other industries in the current state of low levels of unemployment. Michael Cohn, the online editor-in-chief of Accounting Today, provides a preview in this blog of his presentation at PICPA's Accounting Workforce Conference.
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  • PICPA Study: The Accounting Profession Underestimates the ESG Opportunity

    Sep 12, 2022, 04:01 AM by Matthew McCann
    Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting offers CPAs unique challenges and opportunities. But a PICPA study finds many CPAs have been slow to seize the advantages this area may offer. The PICPA will discuss the opportunities ESG presents to CPAs at a Sept. 30 Zoom workshop.
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  • Pennsylvania Lawmakers Return for Brief Pre-Election Session

    Sep 8, 2022, 11:30 AM by Matthew McCann
    There are only a handful of session days in the Pennsylvania legislature before November’s election recess, so lawmakers will be using this narrow window to add to their list of 2021-2022 accomplishments. The PICPA will be involved, advocating for several important goals before time runs out on the session.
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  • Prepare Now to Avoid ASC 842 Induced Debt Covenant Violations

    Sep 6, 2022, 20:00 PM by Matthew McCann
    Lease accounting standard ASC 842 is effective for fiscal years beginning after Dec. 15, 2021, for nonpublic companies. While most attention has been focused on adding operating leases to the balance sheet, you should be aware that the regulation can also adversely affect debt covenants.
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  • The 3 C’s of Winning Communication: Clarity, Confidence, and Credibility

    Aug 30, 2022, 21:35 PM by Matthew McCann
    Creating a clear picture of your end goal is key to business success. One of the most important steps in this process is communication. The journey to effective communication progresses through the stages of clarity, confidence, and credibility.
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  • What Exactly Is “Fair Share” When It Comes to Corporate Net Income Tax

    Aug 29, 2022, 04:06 AM by Matthew McCann
    "U.S. corporations do not pay their fair share of taxes" is a common sentiment. But what exactly constitutes a “fair share”? Corporations and other business entities are subject to many different taxes.
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  • Get Curious: It May Kill the Cat, But It Makes for a Better Professional

    Aug 23, 2022, 21:30 PM by Matthew McCann
    Curiosity is stimulated not by an absence of knowledge, but by a gap in knowledge. We cannot become engaged in a topic we know nothing about. In fact, curiosity is as important to our professional success as it is to our personal lives. Read this review of “Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It” by Ian Leslie.
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  • Take a Close Look at LLCs when Asset Protection Planning

    Aug 22, 2022, 04:02 AM by Matthew McCann
    The asset protection measures of limited liability companies (LLCs) are a big reason LLCs have largely become the business entity of choice. However, the level of protection varies from state to state. Therefore, choosing the appropriate entity in your area for an asset protection structure is essential.
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  • New Pa. Rules for Tipped Workers Explained

    Aug 19, 2022, 05:30 AM by Matthew McCann
    For the first time in 44 years, Pennsylvania has updated the rules affecting tipped workers and salaried workers who have fluctuating work-week schedules. This blog from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry clarifies some of the key changes in the definition of tipped employees as well as some of the modified regulations in this area.
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  • Key Tax Changes Included in Inflation Reduction Act

    Aug 16, 2022, 15:30 PM by Matthew McCann
    Congress passed a sweeping tax, health care, and climate bill, which was signed by President Joe Biden on Aug. 16, 2022. Known as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the legislation contains major tax provisions of particular interest to CPAs.
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  • Crypto Risk Management: Think Defensive Documentation

    Aug 15, 2022, 03:10 AM by Matthew McCann
    When it comes to your client being exposed to cryptoasset risk, "plan for the worst" may be a necessity. Cryptoassets are unpredictable and potentially volatile, so if a crash occurs, your clients will wonder why their CPA did not warn them.
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