Earmark Podcast | Earn Free Accounting CPE Inside Thomson Reuters’ Plan to Automate the Tax Return
Jan 13, 2026
Elizabeth Biestrom, President of Tax and Accounting Professionals at Thomson Reuters, and Kirat Sekhon, Head of Product Engineering for Tax, discuss the future of tax automation. They cover how AI is transforming workflows, emphasizing the shift from desktop to cloud and the importance of customer-centric technology. The conversation reveals plans to automate document intake and how tools like SafeSend enhance efficiency. They also explore turning tax prep into advisory opportunities and the role of AI in empowering young accountants to deliver insights sooner.
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Talent Shortage Drives Customer-Centric Change
- The talent shortage plus increasing complexity forces firms to rethink how they serve clients.
- Firms must center customer value while using technology to deliver more with fewer people.
Automate Routine Work First
- Automate routine, repetitive tasks so professionals focus on advisory work.
- Freeing staff from data entry increases capacity for client-facing judgment and strategy.
Leaving Accounting Because Of Mundane Work
- Elizabeth left public accounting because repetitive data entry blocked advisory work she valued.
- She preferred client conversations and management comments over re-keying tax data.
