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????Busy, busy, busy season’s in full swing! ????We hope your teams are shining during crunch time this year. ?Onward, tax pros! ???Deloitte acquired #SaaS #technology company SimplrOps, Inc.???Thomson Reuters won the first major #AI #copyright case in the U.S. ??The AICPA is preparing to potentially become part of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Despite return-to-office #trends, the #BigFour are sticking with #hybrid work. #Accounting enrollment is rising at universities. And firms are still trying to maximize the #benefits of AI adoption. Brigham Young University won Deloitte’s 2025 FanTAXtic national case study #competition. Internal Revenue Service layoffs are taking place and #compliance challenges are emerging per various #tariff proposals. ??As always, we’re wishing the accounting community well, especially while getting #TY2024 out the door. ???If you need some coffee break distractions, you can always scroll the #financial #headlines in February’s Tax Pro Roundup!

??Got a few minutes to spare? ????Thomson Reuters has five time management tips to save you tons of time this busy season. ??See how automation, the Eisenhower Matrix, and the Pomodoro Technique can help your team work faster. From Thomson Reuters: "One of the most effective time management tips for tax professionals is to prioritize tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix. This framework helps you categorize your tasks into four distinct quadrants based on their urgency and importance. By understanding these categories, you can make more informed decisions about where to focus your time and energy." Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eu9FHyeH #CPA #Accountant #TaxPros #Tax #Taxes #Accounting #Accountancy #Bookkeeping #Finance?#Advisory #Audit #Auditing #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Innovation #Automation #Efficiency #Teamwork

??Is accounting’s role too small in today’s financial landscape? ??Industry experts Garry Carnegie, Lee D. Parker, and Erin Twyford examine what applications accounting could have beyond its narrow definition. ??Their collective work makes the case for reframing accounting as a more dynamic discipline with functions that expand its value in the world. From The CPA Journal: "For accounting to retain its social and community legitimacy and maintain the trust of stakeholders, it needs to reflect and account for organizations not only in their economic contexts but also in their social contexts. Accounting is not solely the technical calculative execution of accounting processes." Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e5UFYDf2 #CPA #Accountant #TaxPros #Tax #Taxes #Accounting #Accountancy #Bookkeeping #Finance?#Advisory #Audit #Auditing #Academia #Educators #Social #Moral #Change

??The Big Four consulting and accounting firms—despite employing 1.5 million staff globally and occupying prime real estate—are resisting the shift toward stricter return-to-office (RTO) policies seen in other major corporations like Amazon, AT&T, Dell, and JPMorgan. ??Business Insider explored their perspectives on maintaining hybrid work models into 2025. From Business Insider: "KPMG?operates a hybrid working model, with employees splitting time between the office, client sites, and home. The firm has permitted some hybrid work since before the pandemic. The exact number of days teams come to the office is at the discretion of each member firm within the KPMG network." Read the full article here (requires login): https://lnkd.in/gcw79G3F #CPA #Accountant #TaxPros #Tax #Taxes #Accounting #Accountancy #Bookkeeping #Finance?#Advisory #Audit #Auditing #Labor #Staffing #RemoteWork #Remote #WorkFromHome #WFH #Hybrid #ReturnToOffice #RTO #Amazon #ATT #Dell #JPMorganChase #BigFour #Big4 #Deloitte #EY #KPMG #PwC

??The Virginia House and Senate have approved legislation to offer an alternative path to CPA licensure, which addresses the 150-hour education requirement. ??Starting January 1, 2026, aspiring CPAs can qualify for licensure with a bachelor's degree, required accounting coursework, two years of experience, and passing the CPA Exam. This CPA licensure option emphasizes practical experience over additional educational hours. From CPA Practice Advisor: "Virginia becomes just the second state behind Ohio to pass legislation with a new CPA license pathway. As a champion of initiatives to support strengthening the CPA pipeline, the VSCPA is thrilled to see Virginia legislators supporting measures to strengthen the workforce." Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eU_3-DWK #CPA #Accountant #TaxPros #Tax #Taxes #Accounting #Accountancy #Bookkeeping #Finance?#Advisory #Audit #Auditing #Law #Labor #Change #News #Virginia

#ICYMI ??Thomson Reuters secured a significant legal victory in the first major AI copyright case in the United States. ??A judge ruled that legal AI startup Ross Intelligence infringed upon Thomson Reuters' copyright by reproducing materials from Westlaw, dismissing all of Ross's defenses. From WIRED: "The generative AI boom has led to a spate of additional?legal fights?about how AI companies can use copyrighted material, as many major AI tools were developed by training on copyrighted works including books, films, visual artwork, and websites. Right now, there are several dozen lawsuits currently winding through the US court system, as well as international challenges in China, Canada, the UK, and other countries." Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eHPS2yvv #CPA #Accountant #TaxPros #Tax #Taxes #Accounting #Accountancy #Bookkeeping #Finance?#Advisory #Audit #Auditing #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #GenerativeAI #GenAI #Copyright #Law

????Bringing more skills to accounting students! ??The Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business at the University of Missouri-Columbia has partnered with Becker Professional Education to launch the Becker Academy. ??This initiative offers a series of courses aimed at addressing knowledge gaps and providing a robust foundation for those preparing for the CPA exam—with personalized learning approaches to accommodate diverse educational needs. From Show Me Mizzou: "Combined research by Becker and the?School of Accountancy?at the Trulaske College of Business indicated that there are existing foundational knowledge gaps for many individuals who are beginning or have already begun CPA exam prep. The first Becker Academy course is focused on addressing those issues." Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eA6cj9XX #CPA #Accountant #TaxPros #Tax #Taxes #Accounting #Accountancy #Bookkeeping #Finance?#Advisory #Audit #Auditing #Education #Learning #Training

???????Recent research highlights AI's potential to improve decision-making and productivity, leading many large companies to invest in the technology. ??However, up to 80% of these companies report not realizing the anticipated benefits. ???This is partly due to employees' reluctance to adopt AI, a challenge not fully understood because studies often focus on technological limitations or user perceptions. From CPA Practice Advisor: "'Often employees fail to embrace new AI and benefit from it, but we don’t really know why,' says Assistant Professor?Natalia Vuori?from Aalto University. 'Our limited understanding stems partly from the tendency to study these failings as limitations of the technologies themselves, or from the perspective of users’ cognitive judgments about AI performance, she says.'" Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gWBPVbv7 #CPA #Accountant #TaxPros #Tax #Taxes #Accounting #Accountancy #Bookkeeping #Finance?#Advisory #Audit #Auditing #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Technology #Tech #Innovation #Change #Productivity

??The National Pipeline Advisory Group (NPAG) has tackled the challenge of strengthening the accounting talent pipeline by studying data and proposing strategies over 13 months. ??They emphasize that a collective talent effort is critical, encouraging individuals, educators, and employers to take the "Pipeline Pledge" by committing to at least two activities that enhance the profession's appeal and retention. From Thomson Reuters: "For example, Michelle Randall, CPA, CGMA, is a pipeline pledge participant who is using her position and passion to influence her network to see the opportunities a career in accounting can offer. She has been finding creative and innovative ways to introduce young middle school students to a career in accounting. Some of her tips on how to get involved include…" Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g6DxMj6W #CPA #Accountant #TaxPros #Tax #Taxes #Accounting #Accountancy #Bookkeeping #Finance?#Advisory #Audit #Auditing #Talent #Hiring #Recruiting #Retention #Data #Strategy

#ICYMI ??????A team of students from Brigham Young University won Deloitte’s 2025 FanTAXtic national case study competition by analyzing the effects of a proposed corporate income tax rate change on business structure decisions. ??The competition, held at Deloitte University in Westlake, Texas, also required teams to calculate revised taxable income projections and consider asset depreciation. ???Baruch College took second place while the University of Florida took third place. From CPA Practice Advisor: "Each of the 16 teams competing in the national competition secured victory in the Deloitte FanTAXtic contest within their respective U.S. regions. Prior to the final event, 72 teams from over 55 colleges and universities took part in regional qualifier events. Over 315 students participated, representing a 12% increase over 2024. This was driven by an uptick in participating universities, including 13 schools who participated in the competition for the first time." Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gFgxNKaE #CPA #Accountant #TaxPros #Tax #Taxes #Accounting #Accountancy #Bookkeeping #Finance?#Advisory #Audit #Auditing #Competition #Success #Winning #Texas #Utah #NewYork #Florida