The Accounting Podcast

Blake and David discuss Trump's proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its potential impact on tax filing and federal remote work policies. They analyze the Pentagon's seventh consecutive failed audit and examine Intuit's ambitious plans to expand its enterprise offerings. The duo also explores a groundbreaking study showing ChatGPT-4 outperforming human doctors in medical diagnos...

Blake and David dive into the economic implications of Trump's election victory, including proposed tariffs that could significantly impact businesses and inflation. They explore potential tax changes under a new Trump administration, from corporate rate reductions to the elimination of the SALT cap. They also examines an alarming $47 million IRS fraud scheme targeting tax practitioners and debate...

Blake and David examine Sasan Goodarzi's apology and lukewarm reception regarding the recent controversial TurboTax ad campaign. They also take a look at Intuit's new Enterprise Suite product, which aims to compete with NetSuite and Sage Intacct by offering multi-entity accounting capabilities at a lower price point. Moving on, there's talk of Anthropic's new Claude computing capability, EY's resi...

In this episode, Amber Setter returns to discuss the AICPA and NASBA's newly proposed competency-based pathway to CPA licensure, offering a 150-hour-rule alternative. They argue that the complexity of the plan might create more bureaucratic barriers rather than simplifying the process. There's also talk on the challenges facing the profession, including stagnant salaries and declining CPA numbers....

Blake and David examine why Trump may win in 2024, discussing immigration's economic impact on working-class wages and how this could affect voting patterns, particularly in border states like Arizona. They also look at the AICPA's selection of Mark Koziel as its new president, questioning whether the organization truly advocates for average CPAs. Moving on, they discuss Intuit's controversial Tur...

Blake and David touch on several hot topics in the accounting world, including the fallout from Intuit's controversial TurboTax ad, and the National Association of Tax Preparers cutting ties with the company. They also examine Trump Jr.'s threats against Deloitte, KPMG's support for alternative pathways to CPA licensure, and rapper Fat Joe's recent experiences with BDO. Sponsors LiveFlow - http://...

Blake and David look into OpenAI's complex entity structure and potential conversion from nonprofit to for-profit, highlighting the significant financial implications. They also discuss the challenges facing FreshBooks amid recent layoffs and shifting market dynamics and then explore the journey of Vuori's CEO Joe Kudla, emphasizing how his accounting background contributed to the company's succes...

Blake and David discuss a controversial TurboTax ad campaign encouraging people to "break up" with their tax professionals, analyze survey data on AI adoption in accounting firms, and critically examine proposed changes to CPA licensure requirements. They also explore NASBA's influence on the profession end debate the merits of automatic mobility for CPAs across states. Sponsors OnPay - http://acc...

Blake and David meet with Natalie Lennon, the Australian accountant known as the "Queen of TikTok" in accounting circles. Natalie shares her experiences at Xerocon Nashville, discusses the differences between Australian and American accounting practices, and explains how she leveraged TikTok to grow her accounting business. She also outlines implementing a four-day workweek, embracing fixed-fee pr...

Blake and David examine the evolving landscape of remote work, discussing recent trends and their impact on productivity and employee well-being. They also explore the commercial real estate market's challenges due to the shift towards remote work and its potential implications for the banking sector. Moving on, they take a look at recent audit failures, particularly the FTX case and discuss the c...

Blake and David explore Intuit's new Enterprise Suite, a product that appears to compete with NetSuite in the mid-market ERP space. They also discuss a major audit failure by PwC in China related to Evergrande, raising concerns about the ethics and integrity at large accounting firms. They also discuss the tragic death of a young accountant at EY in India due to overwork and explore the implicatio...

Blake and David meet with Kenyth Holdefer, who shares his unconventional path to becoming a CPA. Kenyth details how he obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in just over four months through Western Governors University's competency-based education model, followed by passing all four CPA exams within six months. Kenyth highlights his transition from a successful career in mortgages to public...

Back from SuiteWorld, Blake and David discuss key takeaways from Oracle NetSuite's conference, including product updates and the event's growing scale. They also examine recent fundraising in the accounting-tech space, notably bookkeeping startup Finally's $200 million Series B round. Moving on, there's Big Four firm news, including PwC's layoffs and return-to-office policies, as well as a viral T...

In our 400th episode, Blake and David dive into the controversial world of audit quality and Big Four accounting firms. They also discuss a listener's critical email about their audit coverage, explore recent audit failures and deficiencies, and debate the underlying incentives in the audit industry. The discussion turns to workplace culture issues at major firms and potential solutions to improve...

In this episode, Blake and David dive into Intuit's strategic shift towards enterprise solutions, discussing the potential impact on the accounting industry. They also examine some recent economic trends, including the U.S. debt situation and its comparison to historical empires. They then get into audit deficiency rates reported by the PCAOB, highlighting the need for transparency and reform in t...

Blake and David leap into the latest updates from Xerocon, including new features like traditional bank reconciliations, embedded bill pay with BILL and AI capabilities through JAX (Just Ask Xero). They look at Xero's strategy to double and how it compares to Intuit's mid-market growth focus. They also touch on the potential impact of QuickBooks' pricing strategy. Sponsors Lendflow - http://accoun...

Blake Oliver meets with Josh Poresky, a recent college graduate working in audit at RSM. Josh describes his innovative AI project that uses retrieval augmented generation (RAG) to query PCAOB audit guidelines instantly. They explore how this technology could potentially automate up to 99% of staff work for internal controls testing in SOX audits and also highlight some of the challenges and future...

Blake and David discuss the slow adoption of AI tools in accounting firms, with a recent study showing low usage rates. They also explore the potential of AI to streamline tasks like email writing and fraud detection, highlighting tools like Superwhisper. Moving on, there are political discussions around tax exemptions for tips and their potential consequences, updates on the Wirecard fraud case,...

Earmark Media Presents a bonus episode of Best Metrics: In this episode, host Glenn Dunlap is joined by Kenya Brooks, a partner at Saville CPAs and Advisors, to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities in property management and development accounting. They explore key metrics to monitor financial statements, the impact of economic trends on the real estate industry, and strategies for navi...

Blake and David, joined by guest Amber Setter, dive into the California Board of Accountancy's move to create legislation for an alternative to the 150-hour rule for CPA licensure. They discuss the potential impact on the accounting profession, the need for modernization, and the challenges faced by aspiring CPAs. The conversation also touches on various industry updates, including firm mergers, g...

Blake and David examine Blake's month-long working vacation in Southern California, and talk benefits of remote work for accountants. They also explore recent surveys on accounting firm satisfaction and the use of AI in tax practices and then delve into the ongoing accountant shortage, its impact on internal controls, and the challenges of recruiting new talent to the profession. Additionally, the...

Blake and David Leary dive into several hot topics in the accounting world including the IRS's renewed focus on enforcement, targeting high-income individuals and non-filers, as well as the push to regulate non-credentialed tax preparers. They also explore the ongoing US CPA shortage and discuss potential solutions, including changes to education and recruitment strategies. Moving on, there's talk...

In light of recent events, Blake and David examine assassination attempts on US presidents, providing historical context. They move on to Intuit's recent layoffs, critiquing the company's communication strategy and exploring potential AI improvements for such announcements, and then shift to the Synapse bankruptcy, its impact on fintech users, and evolving regulatory scrutiny. Finally, Blake and D...

Today, Blake and David explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping accounting, discussing its potential to handle 70% of information-based tasks and impact workflows like data collection, reconciliation, and client services. They criticize the current theoretical approach to accounting education, advocating for more practical, hands-on learning experiences. They also dig into the ongoing 150-...

Blake and David explore the intersection of AI, remote work, and accounting technology. They take a look at the phenomenon of "mouse jiggling," examine various AI tools reshaping the accounting industry, and analyze a survey showing widespread adoption of AI in the workplace. There's also a review of different AI chatbots, highlights on new AI-powered accounting startups, and a brief look at the U...