The Accounting Podcast

Blake and David examine Bench's bankruptcy filing, revealing fascinating details about their spending patterns and challenges with the business model. They also explore venture capital's growing interest in accounting firms, particularly focusing on AI automation claims and their potential impact on the profession, and there's a lively discussion about JP Morgan's controversial return-to-office mandate and its implications for workplace flexibility, sparked by Blake's viral tweet that garnered nearly 5 million views.SponsorsTaxBandits - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxbanditsRelay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/relayBoomTax - http://accountingpodcast.promo/boomtaxBasil - http://accountingpodcast.promo/basilChapters(01:23) - Bench Accounting Bankruptcy Deep Dive (02:17) - Venture Capital's Interest in Accounting (02:42) - JP Morgan's Return to Office Policy (04:04) - Continuing Professional Education Credits (05:05) - Bench Bankruptcy Filing Details (05:50) - Bench's Financial Breakdown (07:42) - Bench's Customer Acquisition Strategy (10:55) - Bench's Development and Management Costs (13:17) - Operations and Outsourcing at Bench (16:07) - Service Delivery and Refunds (19:47) - Venture Capital and AI in Accounting (29:16) - Relay: The Small Business Bank (35:28) - AI-Powered Bookkeeping: A New Frontier (36:44) - Debating the Future of Software Costs (41:14) - AI's Impact on Job Markets (45:15) - Challenges in Replacing Human Jobs with AI (50:57) - The Remote Work Debate (01:02:05) - Corporate Accountability and Legal Issues (01:12:03) - Closing Remarks and Future Topics  Show NotesAI Has Venture Investors Excited About (Yes) Accounting Firmshttps://www.wsj.com/articles/ai-has-venture-investors-excited-about-yes-accounting-firms-3b9b3226Bench Accounting, Inc. and 10Sheet Services, Inc. https://www.ksvadvisory.com/experience/case/bench JPMorgan tells all its employees they must return to office full-timehttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/jpmorgan-tells-employees-must-return-140000800.html Work From Home Policies and Practiceshttps://pearlmeyer.com/insights-and-research/research-report/work-from-home-policies-and-practices Workplace Policies and Pay Transparencyhttps://pearlmeyer.com/insights-and-research/research-report/workplace-policies-and-pay-transparency H&R Block Agrees to $7M FTC Settlement and Will Make Downgrading Tax Tiers Easierhttps://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/taxes/h-r-block-agrees-to-7m-ftc-settlement-and-will-make-downgrading-tax-tiers-easier/ Capital One sued by CFPB over alleged deception on savings account interest rateshttps://www.msn.com/en-us/money/personalfinance/capital-one-sued-by-cfpb-over-alleged-deception-on-savings-account-interest-rates/ar-BB1rr4nY Imposing a $500,000 Fine, PCAOB Sanctions Baker Tilly US, LLP for Quality Control Violationshttps://pcaobus.org/news-events/news-releases/news-release-detail/imposing-a--500-000-fine--pcaob-sanctions-baker-tilly-us--llp-for-quality-control-violationsNeed CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring the Cloud Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/OvercastClassifiedsWant to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad. Go here to create your classified ad: https://cloudacctpod.link/RunClassifiedAdTranscriptsThe full transcript for this episode is available by clicking on the Transcript tab at the top of this page

Blake and David dive into major industry news, including Ohio ending the 150-hour CPA rule, setting a potential precedent for other states. They also discuss the Blackston acquisition of Citrin Cooperman and explore the implications of private equity involvement in accounting firms. Moving on, they examine workplace trends, including new data revealing that 61% of medium and large employers now require minimum in-office days, and debate the effectiveness of Net Promoter Scores (NPS) in accounting firms.SponsorsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayBoomTax - http://accountingpodcast.promo/boomtaxTaxBandits - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxbanditsBasil - http://accountingpodcast.promo/basilChapters(01:03) - Private Equity in Accounting Firms (03:14) - Personal Update: Blake's Hand Injury (05:18) - California's Insurance Crisis (13:57) - Ohio Ends the 150-Hour Rule (22:02) - App News: OnPay, SafeSend, and More (30:16) - Carvana's Questionable Accounting Practices (36:36) - Return to Office Policies (40:01) - RTO Policies and Office Leases (41:15) - Client Satisfaction and Net Promoter Score (42:53) - Debate on the Effectiveness of NPS (44:20) - Implementing NPS in Accounting Firms (52:03) - PCAOB Fines and Audit Quality (01:03:15) - Bitcoin and Government Policies (01:06:54) - Private Equity in Accounting Firms (01:15:07) - Earmark App and CPE Credits  Show NotesReturn-to-office policies gain steamhttps://www.cfo.com/news/return-to-office-policies-gain-steam-remote-work-hybrid-wtw-resume-org/735710Citrin Cooperman, a Leading Professional Services Firm, to Receive Significant Investment as Blackstone Acquires Stake from New Mountain Capitalhttps://www.blackstone.com/news/press/citrin-cooperman-a-leading-professional-services-firm-to-receive-significant-investment-as-blackstone-acquires-stake-from-new-mountain-capital/Ohio is the first state to end the 150-hour rule for CPA licensurehttps://www.blakeoliver.com/blog/ohio-first-state-to-end-the-150-hour-rule-for-cpa-licensureOhio gov signs alternative CPA licensure pathway bill into lawhttps://www.cfodive.com/news/ohio-gov-signs-alternative-cpa-licensure-pathway-bill-law-accounting-aicpa/736942/Thomson Reuters Acquires SafeSend, Expanding Tax Automation Capabilitieshttps://www.thomsonreuters.com/en/press-releases/2025/january/thomson-reuters-acquires-safesend-expanding-tax-automation-capabilities.htmlXero Partners with Gusto to Offer Integrated Payroll Solutionhttps://www.wellesleyhillsfinancial.com/2025/01/05/xero-partners-with-gusto-to-offer-integrated-payroll-solution/Sync your transactions to QuickBooks Desktop with Ramp's direct integrationhttps://ramp.com/integrations/quickbooks-desktopHindenburg Research short on used-car retailer Carvanahttps://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/hindenburg-research-short-used-car-retailer-carvana-2025-01-02/Enforcement Activity Involving Auditors – 2024 Mid-Year Updatehttps://www.brattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Enforcement-Activity-Involving-Auditors-2024-Mid-Year-Update.pdfAmid Barely ‘Average’ Client Satisfaction, Why Aren’t More Firms Using NPS to Improve?https://insidepublicaccounting.com/2024/07/16/amid-barely-average-client-satisfaction-why-arent-more-firms-using-nps-to-improve/The federal government just got the greenlight to sell $6.5 billion in Bitcoin seized from Silk Roadhttps://fortune.com/crypto/2025/01/09/federal-government-allowed-sell-bitcoin-silk-road-courts/Need CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring the Cloud Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube:

Blake and David explore the controversial H-1B visa program's impact on the accounting profession, particularly how firms like Deloitte reportedly pay visa holders 10% less than U.S. workers and the potential implications for audit quality. They also examine Bench's sudden shutdown and subsequent acquisition and then discuss Barry Melancon's farewell interview with the Financial Times as he steps down as AICPA CEO, where he defended the 150-hour rule, his legacy, and his impact on the profession. SponsorsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayBoomTax - http://accountingpodcast.promo/boomtaxTaxBandits - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxbanditsBasil - http://accountingpodcast.promo/basilChapters(05:01) - Sponsors and H1B Visa Discussion (11:14) - H1B Visa Impact on Accounting (26:53) - Bench Accounting Shutdown (45:17) - VCs and the Tough Decisions (47:42) - Challenges in Automating Bank Transactions (48:58) - H1B Visa Workers and Financial Misconduct (52:19) - Predictions for 2025 and Beyond (58:12) - Private Equity's Impact on Accounting Firms (01:08:15) - Barry Melanson's Legacy and the Future of CPA (01:15:23) - Conclusion and CPE Credits (01:16:45) - Bitcoin and Quantum Computing  Show NotesRobert Sterling – Twitter - H-1B DATA MEGA-THREADhttps://x.com/RobertMSterling/status/1873174358535110953 Deloitte employees with H-1B visas were paid 10% less than US workers, report findshttps://www.hrdive.com/news/deloitte-employees-with-h-1b-visas-were-paid-10-less-than-us-workers/735162/ Bench to be acquired after abruptly shutting downhttps://techcrunch.com/2024/12/30/bench-to-be-acquired-after-abruptly-shutting-down/ ‘Most important man in accounting’ warns against lowering standardshttps://www.ft.com/content/033792af-18e4-4d69-92f9-5b78b01f2012 Meet Willow, our state-of-the-art quantum chiphttps://blog.google/technology/research/google-willow-quantum-chip/Need CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring the Cloud Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/OvercastClassifiedsWant to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad. Go here to create your classified ad: https://cloudacctpod.link/RunClassifiedAdTranscriptsThe full transcript for this episode is available by clicking on the Transcript tab at the top of this page

Rounding out 2024, Blake and David tackle tons of accounting news, including bookkeeping startup Bench's shutdown and the ongoing BOI reporting requirements saga. They also examine concerns about IRS Commissioner nominee Billy Long's credentials, including his "Certified Tax and Business Advisor" designation from a three-day seminar. Wrapping up, they review some of 2024's hottest stories, including declining CPA candidates, audit quality issues, and KPMG CEO Paul Knopp's Wall Street Journal op-ed about the "dying language of accounting."SponsorsLiveFlow - http://accountingpodcast.promo/liveflowSuralink - http://accountingpodcast.promo/suralink Cloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casTaxBandits - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxbanditsChapters(01:36) - Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting (BOI) (03:39) - Bench Accounting Shutdown (12:35) - Automated Bookkeeping Challenges (18:35) - Tax Fraud Case: The Magician (28:20) - IRS Commissioner Nominee Controversy (33:55) - Tax Refunds and Lifetime Advisors (36:16) - The Dying Language of Accounting (37:44) - CPA Licensure Reform (39:05) - Working Conditions in Accounting (42:28) - Reflecting on 2024: Key Themes and Events (55:34) - AI and the Future of Accounting (01:00:59) - San Francisco's Tax Controversies (01:04:03) - IRS Special Payments and Predictions for 2025 (01:06:25) - Bitcoin and Quantum Computing Risks (01:09:13) - Closing Remarks and CPE Information  Show NotesBench shuts down, leaving thousands of businesses without access to accounting and tax docshttps://techcrunch.com/2024/12/27/bench-shuts-down-leaving-thousands-of-businesses-without-access-to-accounting-and-tax-docs/New York tax preparer called ‘the Magician’ charged for tax fraud of $145mhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/17/new-york-magician-tax-fraudBilly Long, Trump’s Nominee to Lead the IRS, Touts a Credential That Tax Experts Say Is Dubioushttps://www.propublica.org/article/billy-long-irs-trump-certified-tax-business-advisor-missouriHow a Consulting Firm and Trump’s I.R.S. Pick Pushed a Problematic Tax Credithttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/24/business/billy-long-irs-tax-credit.htmlThe Dying Language of Accountinghttps://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-dying-language-of-accounting-cpa-licensing-fede2e74CPAs Deliberate on the Decline of Accountinghttps://www.wsj.com/opinion/cpas-deliberate-on-the-demise-of-accounting-kpmg-business-language-c0be3e68Most Americans say a salary of $270K deems financial successhttps://www.cfo.com/news/most-americans-say-salary-of-270k-deems-financial-success-gen-z-boomers-inflation/734019/CFPB Sues Walmart and Branch Messenger for Illegally Opening Deposit Accounts for More Than One Million Delivery Drivershttps://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-sues-walmart-and-branch-messenger-for-illegally-opening-deposit-accounts-for-more-than-one-million-delivery-drivers/Lyft Accuses San Francisco of $100 Million Tax Overchargehttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-24/lyft-accuses-san-francisco-of-overcharging-100-million-in-taxesIRS announces special payments going this month to 1 million taxpayers who did not claim 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit; encourages non-filers about approaching deadline to claim creditshttps://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-special-payments-going-this-month-to-1-million-taxpayers-who-did-not-claim-2021-recovery-rebate-credit-encourages-non-filers-about-approaching-deadline-to-claim-creditsNeed CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring the Cloud Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/Overcast