Journal of Accountancy Podcast

Jeannine K. Brown, CEO of a talent development consultancy, worked for 17 years as an accountant, so she rightfully refers to CPAs as “my people.” She is co-chair of the AICPA & CIMA Women’s Global Leadership Summit, an event scheduled for Nov. 8–10 in Miami, and she joined the Journal of Accountancy podcast to share a few highlights from the summit’s agenda, what “psychological safety” means, and why managers should me more focused on the question “How are you doing?” Brown, also an author and ENGAGE speaker, shared some insights about the financial aspects of subpar people management.

CPA firm partners looking to retire in the next few years need to make sure they have a succession plan in place as soon as possible. That’s one of the messages shared in the latest episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast, produced in partnership with the AICPA Private Companies Practice Section’s Small Firm Philosophy podcast.

This express podcast episode with transcript highlights recent Journal of Accountancy news coverage of student loan debt forgiveness, an AICPA letter requesting penalty relief from the IRS, and more. The article links mentioned in the episode are: Advice from a CPA financial planner related to student loan debt forgiveness. A quiz on SAS 145 and its new and revised terms, and the companion article about the standards. The specific requests in an AICPA letter to the IRS requesting penalty relief. The September issue of the Journal of Accountancy. A Tax Adviser article that mentions an NBA team.

CFOs have “a rising confidence in their ability to manage through these challenging times,” according to Steve Gallucci, national managing partner for Deloitte’s U.S. CFO Program. He explains more about why finance chiefs are concerned and why they have a sense of hope in the face of an economic downturn in the latest episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast. The conversation focuses on Deloitte’s third-quarter CFO Signals report, with data from mainly large, public companies in the United States.

More than half of companies hope to add employees in the next year, but many of the CPA decision-makers at those organizations remain pessimistic about the U.S. economy. Those are a few of the key takeaways from the quarterly Business and Industry Economic Outlook Survey, which was released Thursday. Inflation is a top concern chosen by many of the respondents. Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, associate technical director for Management Accounting Research and Development at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, explains some of the pain points and potential bright spots from the quarterly data.

Robotic process automation, or RPA, has been a buzzword in the accounting profession for several years. Despite that, many practitioners don’t have a great grasp of what RPA is and what it can do for accountants. Wesley Hartman has spent much of the past eight years developing RPA solutions for midsize firm Kirsch Kohn & Bridge, where he is director of technology. In this episode of the JofA podcast, produced in partnership with the Small Firm Philosophy podcast, Hartman shares how he has used RPA, how RPA can help accounting firms address key pain points, and why he and his firm are so bullish on the technology that they have launched an RPA startup. 

David Cieslak, CPA/CITP, CGMA, aka Inspector Gadget, has been following technology tools and trends for years. He took time recently to share thoughts on the Journal of Accountancy podcast, explaining how he got his nickname, the “evolutionary” vs. “revolutionary” approach he takes to analyzing technology breakthroughs year to year, and why automation should be embraced by finance professionals.

The Inflation Reduction Act includes several tax provisions, including a corporate minimum tax, a 1% excise tax on stock repurchase by corporations, and increased funding for IRS enforcement efforts.   Adam Schrom, CPA, director of product management at Bloomberg Tax, breaks down several aspects of the legislation and provides a history lesson in the process.  

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. Editor’s note: This conversation was published originally in June 2021.

Tom King, CPA, has worked in corporate America and now is a professor of accounting at Case Western Reserve University. He wrote the book The Numerate Leader in part to help professionals better approach how they share data. If the right data is presented the right way, audiences won’t simply nod their heads or completely tune out. King shares advice for how to get more “wow” and fewer yawns in this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast.