Advisory Services Hot topics in tax and accounting technology for 2019 Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Written by David Bergstein, CPA.CITP, CGMA Modified Aug 22, 2023 3 min read Based on the conversations I’ve had with tax accountants over the past few months, along with trends I’ve heard about at a number of events, there is a lot going on in the world of tax and accounting technology. Today, the buzz is all robotic process automation and artificial intelligence. The world of accounting is changing from an historic view of a business through financial statements that look back at results, to a front-loaded dashboard with real-time results and information. The dashboard for QuickBooks® Online is a good example. Then, there’s revenue recognition. While software as a service has changed how revenue is reported and how financial statements are audited, the bottom line is that business owners are looking for answers on how to improve profitability, liquidity and cash flow. This all translates back to how we can capture the data for transactions quicker and push them through the accounting system to get out information that will allow us to make the right decisions on what to do next. Indeed, compliance work is becoming a commodity, and advisory services are where the real value is. CPA firms are becoming professional services firms and competing heavily with non-CPA firms in all areas, except in auditing, which will change from being done at a point in time to being done continuously. In fact, the AICPA is laying the groundwork for the future of audit by building a foundation for how it should be done via OnPoint PCR, which AICPA says can work hand in hand with the prescribed standards the association promulgates. Another hot topic in accounting is independence, especially when it comes to audits and on whose server the software resides. When tools are hosted on the web by third parties such as Amazon and IBM, accountants have less of an issue with independence since they are not controlling the data. However, the rules still apply; the person who makes the decisions concerning how entries are made, and who they are made by, will still create questions. It’s interesting to note that the same hot topics in accounting relate to taxes. I know most tax preparers spent a great deal of time this past tax season educating their clients on tax reform, especially the qualified business income (QBI) deduction. We also see CPAs and accountants advising their clients on the impact of the Wayfair decision on internet sales and purchases. SALT, or state and local taxes, is the area of concern based on the changes to the IRC relating to the limits on deductibility. All of this leads to turning from compliance to planning when it comes to where our clients should live and work, and comes back to automation, data analysis and technology usage in how to provide meaningful information. Software programs, such as Intuit® ProConnect™ Tax Online, Lacerte® and ProSeries®, produce reports that allow us to sit down with our clients and make planning suggestions based on the returns we produced. As accounting standards and tax rules change, hot topics also change, but the constant will always be the output of accounting reports and tax liabilities. Accountants must always find ways to help their clients become more liquid, solvent and profitable, along with reducing their tax burden whenever possible. Technology usage is involved in all of these areas. We must continually produce results more quickly and interpret the facts to advise our clients. Previous Post Key Takeaways From Tax Season Next Post May 2019 Tax and Compliance Deadlines Written by David Bergstein, CPA.CITP, CGMA David Bergstein, CPA.CITP, CGMA, is a thought leader in technology issues such as wireless, paperless workflow, apps, cloud and mobile at the Accounting Firm. David has been in the accounting industry for many years and has been a practicing accountant since 1966. While at the IRS he held various positions, including agent, trainer, speaker and technical chief. He received his CPA and a Masters in Taxation from Long Island University’s CW Post College. He was an accounting professor at Suffolk County Community College in New York for more than 15 years. He blogs on technology and new ideas in the global information industry, and has a strong Twitter following. He hopes to help CPAs understand the true power of Intuit’s offerings that allow them to become strategic advisors to their clients and increase their revenues and niche specialties. In 2011, he was the recipient of the ”On the Edge” Innovation Award from the Leading Edge Alliance, which recognizes industry leaders for their vision and significant contributions to the accounting profession. In 2012, he received the "Brand Ambassador" award from Enterprise Worldwide. Specialties: Please contact him if you are looking for a speaker for your group on growing and automating your accounting practice, the future of the accounting profession or top tech tools. You can find David on Twitter @DavidBergstein. More from David Bergstein, CPA.CITP, CGMA Comments are closed. 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