Firms Using AI Make More $, PCAOB Shutdown Fight, The Impossible Tariff Test

Could AI create a $20 trillion professional services earthquake? In this episode, Blake and David dive into the data showing that AI firms generate $45,000 more revenue per employee than non-adopters. You'll discover how AI is reshaping traditional accounting and what Claude's new ability to connect with your Gmail and calendar means for productivity. They also demonstrate how indistinguishable AI-cloned voices have become, sharing practical tips to protect yourself and clients from increasingly sophisticated voice scams. Plus, hear why the "impossible" US customs broker exam (with its shocking 4% pass rate) might offer accountants a lucrative alternative career path as tariff disputes heat up.SponsorsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpay Bluevine - http://accountingpodcast.promo/bluevine (Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.)   Reframe - http://accountingpodcast.promo/reframe2025 Payhawk - http://accountingpodcast.promo/payhawkChapters(00:37) - The Impact of AI on Accounting Firms (02:04) - Voice AI Scams and Protection Tips (03:34) - Legislative Updates and Industry News (05:44) - Live Stream Shoutouts and Sponsor Acknowledgements (06:50) - AI in Accounting: Revenue and Efficiency Insights (14:01) - AI Voice Cloning Demonstration (16:29) - Protecting Against AI Voice Scams (24:12) - AI's Impact on Work and Productivity (32:32) - AI in Tax and Accounting Firms (38:19) - Success in Contract Drafting (38:43) - Starbucks' Automation Reversal (41:07) - AI and Productivity Gains (53:58) - The Great Legacy Extinction (01:08:58) - The Impossible Tariff Test (01:13:09) - Private Equity in Accounting Firms (01:16:03) - Conclusion and CPE Credits  Show NotesFirms with AI report higher per-employee revenue vs othershttps://www.accountingtoday.com/news/firms-with-ai-report-higher-per-employee-revenue-vs-othersNine Ways to Protect Yourself from 'Impostor' Voice Scams https://www.magzter.com/stories/newspaper/The-Wall-Street-Journal/NINE-WAYS-TO-PROTECT-YOURSELF-FROM-IMPOSTOR-VOICE-SCAMSDanish study challenges claims about AI disrupting the labor market https://getcoai.com/news/danish-study-challenges-claims-about-ai-disrupting-the-labor-market/50% of finance teams still take over a week to close the books https://www.cfo.com/news/50-of-finance-take-week-to-close-books-ledge-month-end-close-time-cfo-three-day-close-myth-/746085/The Great Legacy Extinction: AI's $20T Takeover of Professional Services https://www.venrock.com/insights/insights-technology/the-great-legacy-extinction-ais-20t-takeover-of-professional-services/What Do You Think of the New PwC Logo? https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/04/30/what-do-you-think-of-the-new-pwc-logo/159946/Big Four accounting firm PwC to slash about 1,500 jobs in the US https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/accounting-firm-pwc-cut-1500-us-jobs-ft-reports-2025-05-05/How are different accounting firms using AI? https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/how-do-different-accounting-firms-use-ai/Customs Broker License Exam (CBLE)https://www.cbp.gov/trade/programs-administration/customs-brokers/license-examination-notice-examinationNeed 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/OvercastClassifiedsREFRAME 2025 - http://accountingpodcast.promo/reframe2025Want 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 ...

Could you spend years earning your CPA license only to be told you can't use it? In this episode, Mark Koziel, president of the AICPA, joins Blake and David to discuss the shocking trend of firms prohibiting CPAs from identifying themselves as such in emails, on business cards, and even on LinkedIn. Blake and David also explore the economic uncertainty created by Trump's tariff policies, with major corporations cutting costs and delaying investments. Plus, learn about Republican plans to eliminate the PCAOB, the wave of states creating alternative CPA pathways, and why Ramp could become the federal government's spend management platform.SponsorsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayBluevine - http://accountingpodcast.promo/bluevine (Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.) Cloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casRoboDebit - http://accountingpodcast.promo/robodebitChapters(01:13) - Top News Stories of the Week (04:18) - Ramp's Ambitious Federal Government Plans (14:04) - Republican Plans to Scrap PCAOB (17:56) - Impact of Tariffs on Major Corporations (28:45) - IRS Leadership Changes (32:31) - Private Equity's New Accounting Firm (36:03) - CPA Pipeline Updates: Tennessee, Texas, and Indiana (37:46) - Republicans and the Millionaire Tax Idea (40:20) - Interview with Mark Koziel: CPA Title Controversy (01:06:36) - Fun Facts: The Cost of Replacing the Pope (01:08:43) - Earn Free CPE on Earmark  Show NotesTrump Team Eyes Politically Connected Startup to Overhaul $700 Billion Government Payments Programhttps://www.propublica.org/article/trump-peter-thiel-ramp-gsa-smartpay-expense-payment-system Big 4 Alum Start Their Own Thing Hoping Clients Want Something Different and Conflict-Freehttps://www.goingconcern.com/big-4-alum-start-their-own-thing-hoping-clients-want-something-different-and-conflict-free/ Texas passes CPA law as push to lower licensure barrier gains steamhttps://www.cfodive.com/news/broadening-cpa-licensure-paths-marching-beyond-150-hour-rule-accounting-talent-shortage/745282/ Draft bill would eliminate PCAOBhttps://www.accountingtoday.com/news/draft-bill-would-eliminate-pcaob-empower-sec Why The IRS Went Through 4 Acting Commissioners In 3 Monthshttps://abovethelaw.com/2025/04/why-the-irs-went-through-4-acting-commissioners-in-3-months/ 'Hard no': Millionaire tax hike proposal has House Republicans dividedhttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/hard-no-millionaire-tax-hike-proposal-has-house-republicans-divided Tariffs and global trade: The economic impact on businesshttps://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights/tariffs-and-global-trade-the-economic-impact-on-business Firms with AI report higher per-employee revenuehttps://www.accountingtoday.com/news/firms-with-ai-report-higher-per-employee-revenue-vs-others The mysterious donor who paid for Pope Francis' funeralhttps://en.ara.cat/misc/the-mysterious-donor-who-paid-for-pope-francis-funeral_1_5357026.htmlNeed 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/OvercastClassifiedsREFRAME 2025 - http://accountingpodcast.promo/reframe2025Want 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 o...

In this bonus episode, David teams up with Caleb and Zach from Oh My Fraud to unpack the 2016 film The Accountant. Together, they explore how Hollywood portrays forensic accounting, internal controls, and what happens when your auditor brings a thermos full of sniper parts.Connect with David and Caleb https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlearyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/calebnewquistOh My Fraud Episodes mentioned in this episode https://ohmyfraud.com/episodes/the-fraud-came-first-remembering-crazy-eddie-with-gary-weisshttps://ohmyfraud.com/episodes/meet-the-fraudster-nathan-muellerhttps://ohmyfraud.com/episodes/blow-the-whistle-with-jason-zuckerman-and-matt-stockNeed CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comTranscriptsThe full transcript for this episode is available by clicking on the Transcript tab at the top of this page

Could AI be doing a day's work in just minutes for accountants? In this episode, Blake and David explore how accounting technology is revolutionizing traditional workflows, from Xero's new AI protocol that connects chatbots directly to accounting data, to Google's game-changing "I" function in Sheets that lets you analyze data with natural language. You'll discover why deep research tools might replace entire teams of analysts and why revealing your AI usage might actually hurt your professional reputation. Plus, hear about unusual recession indicators (men's underwear sales are down!), what Americans consider financial success versus reality, and why accountants everywhere are buzzing about Baker Tilly's merger with Moss Adams. Whether you're curious about automating journal entries or simply wondering if you should disclose your AI wizardry, this episode delivers practical insights for the modern finance professional.SponsorsPayhawk - http://accountingpodcast.promo/payhawkRelay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/relayCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casRoboDebit - http://accountingpodcast.promo/robodebitChapters(00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Overview (00:39) - App News and Intuit Updates (07:53) - Intuit's AI and Bitcoin Controversy (11:10) - Xero Innovations (20:16) - Paychex Acquires Paycor (21:11) - Flowcast's AI Agents (25:17) - Pipe Acquires Glean AI (26:28) - Google Sheets AI Formula (34:30) - Google Agent Space (42:29) - AI's Impact on High-Level Jobs (43:12) - Testing AI with Investment Analysis (44:25) - Mother Road Brewery Investment Evaluation (49:31) - Canva's New Sheets Feature (54:31) - Google's Monopoly and Data Breach News (58:22) - AI Disclosure in the Workplace (01:05:51) - Mega Merger of Accounting Firms (01:11:26) - Signs of a Recession (01:17:45) - Upcoming Events and CPE Opportunities  Show NotesAccelerating Money Innovation with Deserve Technology Platform and Talenthttps://www.intuit.com/blog/news-social/accelerating-money-innovation-with-deserve-technology-platform-and-talent/ WARNING: Quickbooks Checkinghttps://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/banking/warning-quickbooks-checking/00/1516063 Green Dot considers sale as CEO exitshttps://www.paymentsdive.com/news/green-dot-citi-strategic-review-sale-ceo-exit-gresham/742096/ Intuit Enterprise Suite Spring update features more efficient multi-entity accounting, enhanced reporting, and morehttps://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/enterprise/intuit-enterprise-suite-spring-2025-release-notes/ Strive targets Intuit for Bitcoin buys after orange-pilling GameStophttps://cointelegraph.com/news/strive-targets-intuit-bitcoin-buys-after-gamestop Xero Rolls Out New "Reconcile Period" Featurehttps://insightfulaccountant.com/accounting-tech/general-ledger/xero-rolls-out-new-reconcile-period-feature/ Xero introduces new Model Context Protocol server for smarter accountinghttps://devblog.xero.com/xero-introduces-new-model-context-protocol-server-for-smarter-accounting-4d195ccaeda5 Paychex Acquires Paycor in $4.1 Billion Dealhttps://www.pymnts.com/acquisitions/2025/paychex-acquires-paycor-in-4-1-billion-deal/ Introducing FloQast AI Agents: Revolutionizing Accounting Automationhttps://www.floqast.com/blog/introducing-floqast-ai-agents-revolutionizing-accounting-automation Pipe Acquires Glean.ai to Add Spend Management to Suite of Embedded Financial Solutionshttps://pipe.com/resources/press-releases/pipe-acquires-glean-ai-to-add-spend-management-to-suite-of-embedded-financial-solutions​Google Sheets Introduces AI-Powered =AI() Formula for Enhanced Productivity​https://yourstory.com/2025/04/google-sheets-ai-formula-gemini Scale enterprise search and agent adoption with Google Agentspacehttps://cloud.google.com/blog/products/ai-machine-learning/google-agentspace-enables-the-agent-driven-enterprise Sarah Friar’s LinkedIn Post … https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sarah-friar_what-an-ai-powered-finance-function-of-the-activity-7259765674506399744-IKQD OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar: We are building a lot of IP down into the data center layerhttps://www.cnbc.com/video/2025/03/20/openai-cfo-sarah-friar-we-are-building-a-lot-of-ip-down-into-the-data-center-layer.html Introducing Visual Suite 2.0: Productivity, meet creativityhttps://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/canva-create-2025/ Department of Justice Prevails in Landmark Antitrust Case Against Googlehttps://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-prevails-landmark-antitrust-case-against-google Dark Web Digest – Lessons Learned from the Wolters Kluwer Data Breachhttps://www.purevpn.com/blog/dark-web-digest-issue-4-wolters-kluwer/ New HEC Paris research suggests that shadow adoption of ChatGPT could benefit employees but not the firmshttps://www.hec.edu/en/news-room/new-hec-p...

What happens when a trade war meets bureaucratic red tape? In this episode, Blake and David dive into the explosive impact of 145% tariffs on Chinese goods and what it means for American businesses' bottom lines. Through real-world examples—from small retailers to tech giants like Apple—they break down how these policies could devastate supply chains and force difficult decisions for companies caught in the crossfire.Meanwhile, the Department of Government Efficiency is shaking up the IRS, transforming a login button change from a 103-day project into a 71-minute fix. But that's not all: CPAs at private equity-owned firms are now being told to remove their credentials from email signatures and LinkedIn profiles. Tune in to understand how these seemingly separate issues reflect larger battles over professional identity, government efficiency, and America's economic future.Sponsors RoboDebit - http://accountingpodcast.promo/robodebitCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casBluevine - http://accountingpodcast.promo/bluevine (Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.) Chapters(01:40) - Weekly News Roundup (03:03) - IRS Updates and Controversies (03:59) - Private Equity and CPA Titles (05:08) - Government Efficiency and IRS Hackathon (20:08) - Tariffs and Trade Wars (29:19) - Impact of Tariffs on Businesses (47:55) - Economic Impact of Tariffs and Debt (48:48) - Trump Administration's Strategic Challenges (49:36) - Job Loss Projections Due to Tariffs (52:31) - China's Economic Transformation and Future (56:05) - Human Impact of US-China Trade Policies (01:00:10) - IRS Sharing Tax Information with Homeland Security (01:04:28) - Private Equity's Influence on CPA Firms (01:17:51) - Shopify's AI Hiring Policy (01:30:47) - Conclusion and Announcements  Show NotesDepartment of Government Efficiency – X posting on re-engineering a 103-day projecthttps://x.com/DOGE/status/1910067646827057152DOGE plans now reportedly include an IRS ‘hackathon’https://www.theverge.com/news/644327/musk-doge-irs-hackathon-taxpayer-data-transfer-cloudIRS Workers Get Final Chance to Take Deferred Resignation Offerhttps://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/04/07/irs-workers-get-final-chance-to-take-deferred-resignation-offer/158668/Appeals Court Clears Path for Trump to Resume Firing ...https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/us/politics/trump-federal-workers-firing.htmlElon Musk Secretly Working to Rewrite the Social Security Codebase Using AIhttps://futurism.com/elon-musk-rewriting-social-security-code-aiPentagon hits Accenture, Booz Allen and Deloitte with contract cancellationshttps://www.nextgov.com/acquisition/2025/04/pentagon-hits-accenture-booz-allen-and-deloitte-contract-cancellations/404525/?oref=ng-homepage-riverHere’s the iPhone. Here’s the iPhone With Tariffs.https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/iphone-apple-tariffs-china-bb20c7a3Between tariffs and survival, American business owners are doing alarming mathhttps://www.npr.org/2025/04/07/nx-s1-5352833/trump-tariffs-china-manufacturing-businessesAt Home Group, Stung by Trade War, Explores Bankruptcyhttps://www.wsj.com/articles/at-home-group-stung-by-trade-war-explores-bankruptcy-853b9a83How Much Revenue Can Tariffs Really Raise for the Federal Government?https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/universal-tariff-revenue-estimates/IRS agrees to share tax information of undocumented immigrants with Icehttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/08/irs-ice-tax-dataActing IRS commissioner resigning after agency reaches data-sharing deal with immigration authoritieshttps://www.cnn.com/2025/04/08/politics/melanie-krause-acting-irs-commissioner-resigning/index.htmlAccounting firm that sold out to private equity is now requiring CPAs that work for them to stop using "CPA" on their personal LinkedIn and in email signatureshttps://www.reddit.com/r/Accounting/comments/1jx2338/accounting_firm_that_sold_out_to_private_equity/?rdt=47047Shopify CEO: No new hires, unless you prove AI can’t do the jobhttps://thehill.com/policy/technology/5239841-shopify-ceo-ai-first-hiringKPMG’s new AI bot has cut interview scheduling time by almost 60% and saved more than 1,000 hours for the talent acquisition teamhttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/kpmg-ai-bot-cut-interview-121831887.htmlNeed 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.

Earmark Media Presents a bonus episode of Earmark Podcast:Join Blake Oliver as he interviews Yuri Kapilovich, a CPA who's cracked the code on balancing work and life in accounting. Discover how Yuri maintains a thriving practice while working just 10-15 hours per week outside tax season and a maximum of 40 hours during crunch time. Learn actionable strategies for setting the right fees, optimizing workflows, and prioritizing fun and family without sacrificing success. Yuri will share his insights on transforming accounting from a grueling profession into an enjoyable and rewarding career. This webinar will equip you with practical tools to revolutionize your work-life balance and rediscover the joy in accounting. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your career more fulfilling and efficient!(Originally recorded on December 4, 2024, on Earmark Webinars+)Meet Our Guest, Yuri KapilovichLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/Learn more about The Fun CPAhttps://www.thefuncpa.co/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

Could AI-generated fake receipts upend expense reporting as we know it? In this eye-opening episode, Blake and David demonstrate live how easy it's becoming to create convincing financial documents with AI—from receipts to audit opinions. They break down why Trump's new "reciprocal" tariffs aren't what they seem (complete with meaningless Greek symbols) and how they're already triggering market turbulence. You'll also learn why the federal government is ending paper checks by September, potentially saving hundreds of millions while reducing fraud by 16x. Plus, discover why Signal might be the most secure messaging option for your sensitive client communications. Whether you're concerned about fraud detection, economic impacts on your clients, or evolving professional standards, this episode delivers practical insights for navigating today's rapidly changing landscape.SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casBluevine - http://accountingpodcast.promo/bluevine (Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.)Chapters(02:49) - Implications of AI-Generated Receipts (05:23) - Sponsor Acknowledgements and Livestream Interaction (06:15) - Deep Dive into Trump's Tariffs (09:27) - Economic Impact of Tariffs (22:57) - Creating Fake Receipts with AI (37:01) - Signal App and Secure Communication for Accountants (42:22) - Corporate Espionage and Fraud Cases (47:23) - Generating a Fake Audit Report with AI (52:19) - Discussing Douglas Edelman's Tax Evasion (56:33) - Deloitte Layoffs Due to Federal Crackdown (01:00:14) - Mandating Electronic Federal Tax Transactions (01:10:08) - IRS and ICE Coordination on Unauthorized Immigrants (01:13:34) - Alternative Pathways to Becoming a CPA (01:20:24) - Critique of Big Four Accounting Firms (01:28:01) - Upcoming Events and New Content on Earmark  Show NotesChatGPT’s new image generator is really good at faking receiptshttps://techcrunch.com/2025/03/31/chatgpts-new-image-generator-is-really-good-at-faking-receipts/ Markets Swing Wildly After Trump Holds His Ground on Tariff Planhttps://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-trump-tariffs-trade-war-04-07-25 Trump’s Reciprocal Tariff Calculations Are Nonsense, Will Punish Mutually Beneficial Tradehttps://taxfoundation.org/blog/trump-reciprocal-tariffs-calculations/ Stellantis to temporarily lay off 900 US workers as tariffs bitehttps://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/stellantis-says-will-temporarily-lay-off-900-us-workers-following-tariff-2025-04-03 Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Accounthttps://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/modernizing-payments-to-and-from-americas-bank-account/ The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Planshttps://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/ @parkerconrad Tweet: Rippling sued @Deel today … https://x.com/parkerconrad/status/1901615179718406276 Scoop: Fashion startup accuses founder of misconduct, after raising $534 millionhttps://www.axios.com/2025/03/31/scoop-caastle-founder-hunsicker-misconduct​The $7 Billion Defense Contractor Who Became One of America’s Biggest Alleged Tax Cheatshttps://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/douglas-edelman-alleged-tax-fraud-who-ee65ea61 Deloitte is planning layoffs after a federal crackdown on consulting contractshttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/deloitte-planning-layoffs-federal-crackdown-063253531.html DOGE’s private contract crackdown has eliminated more than 120 Deloitte contracts—more than twice the amount of any other consultancyhttps://fortune.com/2025/04/03/doge-private-contract-crackdown-deloitte-consultancies/ Probationary IRS workers will be back to work before Tax Day: Trial Balancehttps://www.cfo.com/news/probationary-irs-workers-will-be-back-to-work-before-tax-day-trial-balance/744419/IRS sharing info with ICE would put illegal immigrants between 'rock and a hard place': experthttps://www.yahoo.com/news/irs-sharing-ice-put-illegal-130026839.html Georgia, Indiana join growing band of states to pass CPA licensure lawshttps://www.cfodive.com/news/georgia-joins-growing-band-states-pass-cpa-licensure-laws-accounting-talent-shortage/744384/ I Quit my Big 4 Accounting Job to Fry Chicken and Will Never Go Back …https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-big-four-accounting-fry-chicken-never-go-back-2025-4 Local firm slashes staff starting salarieshttps://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/local-firm-slashes-staff-starting-salariesNeed 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 fa...

What happens when tax enforcement weakens? With 17% of millennials considering skipping their tax filing altogether, Blake and David dig into how IRS budget cuts might impact compliance and revenue. They analyze fascinating survey data revealing what taxpayers truly value when choosing between professional preparation and free options like Direct File. Plus, discover the accounting scandal forcing Financial Times to retract its Tesla analysis, exposing how GAAP complexity confounds even financial experts. You'll also learn why three major US cities face billion-dollar budget holes and the disturbing revelation that duplicate Medicaid payments are costing taxpayers billions—all while Tether still can't produce an audit after ten years of promises.Sponsors Bluevine - http://accountingpodcast.promo/bluevine (Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.) TeamUp - http://accountingpodcast.promo/teamup RightWorks- http://accountingpodcast.promo/rightnow2025Chapters(00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Overview (00:42) - Top Stories of the Week (02:27) - Sponsor Messages and Event Announcements (04:52) - Interview with Christina Ho on PCAOB (07:57) - Discussion on IRS Cuts and Tax Compliance (19:44) - Survey on IRS Direct File (28:21) - AI's Impact on Tax Professionals (29:14) - Discrepancies in Tax Software Results (30:08) - Public Opinion on Tax Filing Services (31:23) - Challenges for Tax Professionals (33:56) - LA's Budget Crisis (37:41) - Federal Government Spending Issues (38:45) - Medicaid Duplicate Payments Scandal (47:12) - Tether's Audit Controversy (51:55) - Tesla's Financial Discrepancies (57:33) - Big Four Transparency Rankings (59:24) - Conclusion and Farewell  Show NotesTax Revenue Could Drop by 10 Percent Amid Turmoil at IRShttps://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/03/22/irs-tax-revenue-loss-federal-budget/ Survey: Some Americans Might Roll the Dice on Not Filing Their Taxes This Year Due to IRS Job Cutshttps://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/03/26/survey-some-americans-might-roll-the-dice-on-not-filing-their-taxes-this-year-due-to-irs-job-cuts/157877/ Most Americans Are Interested in Using IRS Direct File to Prepare and File Their Taxeshttps://taxpolicycenter.org/briefs/most-americans-are-interested-using-irs-direct-file-prepare-and-file-their-taxes TurboTax vs Free Tax USA: A Shocking Price Comparison https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinesadventure/video/7482613418801859870 Survey: 91% of Americans Think Filing Taxes Should Be Freehttps://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/03/11/survey-91-of-americans-think-filing-taxes-should-be-free/157176/ Why you should think twice before claiming an income-tax extension. ‘This is not the year to do your normal procrastinating.’https://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-you-should-think-twice-before-claiming-an-income-tax-extension-this-is-not-the-year-to-do-your-normal-procrastinating-89937e0d LA Faces $1 Billion Budget Hole, Warns of Thousands of Layoffshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-20/la-faces-1-billion-budget-hole-warning-thousands-of-layoffs WSJ investigation: Medicaid paid health insurers billions by covering the same patients twicehttps://www.risehealth.org/insights-articles/wsj-investigation-medicaid-paid-health-insurers-billions-by-covering-the-same-patients-twice/ Tether seeks Big Four firm for its first full financial audit — Reporthttps://cointelegraph.com/news/stablecoin-issuer-tether-big-four-firm-full-reserve-audit-report Financial Times retracts report on Tesla’s alleged shady accountinghttps://www.teslarati.com/financial-times-retracts-report-tesla-shady-accounting/ The Big 4 Transparency Accounting Awardshttps://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/p/the-big-4-transparency-accounting-awards 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.y...

Blake and David dive straight into the headlines, starting with the controversial IRS workforce cuts and their potential impact on tax collections. They examine corporate espionage allegations between payroll companies Rippling and Deel, including a complex web of legal battles, Russian connections, and political involvement, and go on to discuss how AI is rapidly improving at handling longer tasks. All this and much more, right now!SponsorsRightWorks- http://accountingpodcast.promo/rightnow2025 (use code TAP15 for 15% OFF)TeamUp - http://accountingpodcast.promo/teamupBluevine - http://accountingpodcast.promo/bluevine (Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.)  Chapters(00:31) - Exciting Stories and Headlines (03:07) - Live Stream Shoutouts (05:08) - Earmark Podcast and CPE Credits (10:56) - IRS Workforce Cuts and Tax Gap (30:13) - Rippling vs. Deel Espionage Saga (41:20) - Evolve Bank and Trust Controversies (42:39) - Rippling and Deal Lawsuit Drama (42:57) - Political Connections and Scandals (44:31) - The Future of AI in Accounting (46:36) - AI Performance and Moore's Law (50:42) - AI's Impact on Accounting Tasks (54:43) - Live Demonstration with Claude AI (01:08:27) - The Future of Accountants in an AI World (01:20:45) - Conclusion and Upcoming Events  Show Notes7,000 IRS workers ‘reinstated’ — but not yet returning to workhttps://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2025/mar/7000-irs-workers-reinstated-but-not-yet-returning-to-work/ IRS Retreats From Some Audits as Agency Slashes Workforcehttps://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/internal-revenue-service-doge-taxes-f00ac956 Opinion | With IRS cuts, DOGE would lose far more money ...https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/03/13/doge-irs-cuts-tax-revenue/ Former Defense Contractor and his Wife Indicted for Evading U.S. Taxes on Profits from Selling Jet Fuel to the U.S. Militaryhttps://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-ci/j5-media-release-7-3-2024.pdf Lawsuit Alleges $12 Billion "Unicorn" Deel Cultivated Spy, Orchestrated Long-Running Trade-Secret Theft & Corporate Espionage Against Competitorhttps://www.rippling.com/blog/lawsuit-alleges-12-billion-unicorn-deel-cultivated-spy-orchestrated-long-running-trade-secret-theft-corporate-espionage-against-competitor IRS in Crisis: Tax Professionals Bear the Brunthttps://cpatrendlines.com/2019/02/26/taxpayer-advocate-lambastes-irs/ Measuring AI Ability to Complete Long Taskshttps://metr.org/blog/2025-03-19-measuring-ai-ability-to-complete-long-tasks/ Earmark Podcast – Ep. 87 - How to Use AI to Analyze Data and Draft Financial Reports in Minuteshttps://share.transistor.fm/s/c86818f5 Earmark’s Screening of The Accountant 2https://www.eventbrite.com/e/screening-of-the-accountant-2-tickets-1225264421869?aff=EarmarkAppNeed 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/OvercastClassifiedsREFRAME 2025 - http://accountingpodcast.promo/reframe2025Want 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

Is the CPA exam fundamentally flawed? With FAR section pass rates plummeting to a 15-year low of 36% and a staggering 40-point gap between discipline section pass rates, something isn't adding up. Dr. Josh McGowan of Troy University joins Blake Oliver to dissect these troubling statistics and explore how the 2024 CPA Evolution model may be inadvertently pushing candidates toward "easier" disciplines. They tackle the growing movement to drop the 150-hour requirement and propose a provocative solution: splitting the credential into specialized tax and financial/audit pathways. Whether you're preparing for the exam or leading a firm, this conversation reveals how accounting's licensing system might finally evolve beyond its one-size-fits-all approach.Meet Our Guest, Dr. Josh McGowan, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-josh-mcgowan-cpa-503846b7/X: https://x.com/Jmcgowan3838Need 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