News

As accounting firms are increasingly targeted with cyberattacks, cybersecurity has become essential for every professional. Between data breaches, phishing attacks and malware, criminals are going after the sensitive financial data held by accountants. Modern accountants, then, must take their cyber defenses seriously for the sake of themselves and their clients.

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, an employee’s receipt of severance pay will now result in disqualification from receiving unemployment compensation benefits for the period of time covered by the payment.

Following a partly sunny summer forecast for the U.S. economy, the outlook among CPA decision-makers again clouded in the latest quarterly survey released Thursday by AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

Most finance teams are aware of poor data quality, but still use it to make decisions, according to a new survey.

Finance can stay prepared for a potentially bumpy 2024 by focusing on controllable factors, being agile, and carefully managing cash, capital, and expenses.

Since March, when the weekly Vendor Spotlight feature first launched, we have showcased 34 accounting solutions providers of all shapes and sizes — a wide variety of companies that, despite their differences, all focus on providing the tools that have become a necessity for any professional looking to guide their clients through the slings and arrows of this outrageous modern economy.

Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a final rule (RIN 1506-AB62) Wednesday extending the deadline for companies created or registered in 2024 to file initial beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports to 90 calendar days from the original 30 calendar days.

Human resources (HR) analytics offers the opportunity to evaluate HR strategies using quantifiable metrics. Also referred to as people analytics or workforce analytics, HR analytics collects and examines data to help assess the performance of the human resources functions within a company.

The average small business loan interest rates range from 5% to more than 11%. High-interest rates and limitations on traditional loans can impede small business owners’ ability to borrow money to reinvest in or expand their businesses. Supported by the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD), the Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund is focused on helping small businesses and nonprofits thrive. This low interest, fixed 4.5%, loan program provides access to flexible funding for capital expenditures and working capital and connects business owners with free support services. Supported by the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD), the Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund is focused on helping small businesses and nonprofits thrive. This low interest, fixed 4.5%, loan program provides access to flexible funding for capital expenditures and working capital and connects business owners with free support services.

Connecticut has passed four directives regarding CPA Exam credit retention.

John Raspante, risk management director at McGowan Pro, was featured in the Accounting Today podcast "Emerging risks for accountants." John and McGowan Pro Senior Vice President Stephen Vono spoke with Dan Hood on the new areas that are sparking claims against firms — and the tools they can use to protect themselves.

Mfon Akpan, CGMA, DBA, an assistant professor of accounting at Methodist University, and Scott Dell, CPA, DBA, an assistant professor of accounting at Francis Marion University, explain why CPAs and other professionals can be left behind professionally if they don't spend time learning about tools such as ChatGPT. They talk about productivity gains, the competitive divide that could develop, and how, in the short term, more training is needed to fully harness generative AI.

Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Wednesday that would extend the deadline for companies created or registered in 2024 to file their first beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports. The NPRM (RIN 1506-AB62) would provide 90 days for those companies to file initial reports rather than the original deadline of 30 days from the earlier of the date on which the company receives actual notice that its creation or registration has become effective or the date on which the secretary of state first provides public notice that the company has been created or registered.

If implementing generative AI can make the finance function more agile, it has the potential to be a source of competitive advantage, says Gartner.

If AI tools used for hiring are not thoughtfully implemented, it can create new challenges in the form of biased decision-making and possible litigation.

Accounting firms continue to grapple with significant labor shortages, as veteran employees retire in droves and fewer young graduates enter the field. CTCPA Executive Director Bonnie Stewart, Whittlesey Managing Partner and CEO Drew Andrews, and FML Partner Brian Kelleher were all quoted in the Hartford Business Journal article 'Numbers Crunch: Accounting firms turn to recruiters, high schools, apprenticeships in urgent search for new talent.' More than 300,000 U.S. accountants and auditors left their jobs in the past few years, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, leading to a 17% decline in employed accountants compared to 2019.

On August 30, the Biden administration issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from the Department of Labor to extend overtime pay eligibility to more than 3 million workers. The initiative comes following a similar attempt by the Obama administration over eight years ago to revise overtime eligibility regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under the new proposal, employers would be required to provide time-and-a-half pay for eligible workers who work beyond 40 hours per week. The previous threshold for this requirement set in 2019 by the Trump administration—$35,568—would be increased to $55,000.

Executives and employees believe artificial intelligence is good for business, but employees say some companies are not clear about how they intend to use AI.

Thomson Reuters (NYSE/TSX: TRI), a global content and technology company, today released its Future of Professionals Report. The survey of more than 1,200 individuals working internationally shares the predicted impact that generative AI will have on the future of professional work. The survey showed 67% of respondents believe AI will have a transformational or high impact on their profession in the next five years.

The Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) was enacted January 1, 2021, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, representing the most significant reformation of the Bank Secrecy Act and related anti–money laundering rules since the U.S. Patriot Act. The CTA is intended to address and guard against money laundering, terrorism financing, and other forms of illegal financing by mandating certain entities (primarily small and medium size businesses) to report “beneficial owner” information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”).