Here’s what you’re looking for: CPA Trendlines Research

OUTLOOK & ANALYSIS

Talent Gap Widening: Be Very Scared

pie charts

 

Five strategies for retention.

By CPA Trendlines Research

How long will your CPA firm or finance department be a going concern if a quarter of your accounting professionals walk out?

You shouldn’t just worry about that; you should be downright scared.

MORE: Accountants Hopeful, Concerned and Confused about AI | Looking for Recent Grads? Good Luck | CPA Biz Is Booming, But for How Long? | Survey Respondents See Exciting Year Coming Up | SURVEY: Accountants Economic Outlook Brightens | Understanding the Full Cost of a Data Breach
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Devastating losses of staff and a dearth of job candidates have reached crippling proportions, according to a study from the Institute of Management Accountants and personnel placement firm Robert Half, “Talent Retention in the U.S. Accounting and Finance Profession.”
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OUTLOOK & ANALYSIS

Accountants Hopeful, Concerned and Confused about AI

bar chartTax and accounting pros share their thoughts, both negative and positive.

By CPA Trendlines Research

Early results of the CPA Trendlines Outlook 2024 Emerging Issues, Opportunities and Trends survey are finding practitioners cautiously optimistic about the potentials of artificial intelligence.

MORE: Looking for Recent Grads? Good Luck | CPA Biz Is Booming, But for How Long? | Survey Respondents See Exciting Year Coming Up | SURVEY: Accountants Economic Outlook Brightens | Research: Accounting Pros Cautiously Optimistic about Generative AI | How Auditors Can Beat AI | Why the U.S. Must Act Now to Protect Our Online Privacy
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A lot more respondents see AI having a positive impact on their firms rather than a negative impact, but the vast majority – 67 percent – admit that they just aren’t sure.

Twelve percent say the impact will be “very positive” as it increases efficiency, and another 17 percent are pretty sure the impact will be “somewhat positive.” Only 4 percent fear a negative impact.
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OUTLOOK & ANALYSIS

Looking for Fresh Accounting Grads? Good Luck

line chart of degree trends

The pipeline is just a trickle.

Join the new staffing survey.

Benchmark your firm.
Be the first to get the winning strategies.
By CPA Trendlines Research

The American Institute of CPAs 2023 Trends report on new graduation data has good news and bad.

Which would you like first?

MORE: CPA Biz Is Booming, But for How Long? | Survey Respondents See Exciting Year Coming Up | SURVEY: Accountants Economic Outlook Brightens | Research: Accounting Pros Cautiously Optimistic about Generative AI | Why the U.S. Must Act Now to Protect Our Online Privacy
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Spoiler alert: Even the good news is pretty bad.
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OUTLOOK & ANALYSIS

CPA Biz Is Booming, But for How Long?

man's hand drawing upward arrow labeled "profit"

Five reasons that growth in profit is outpacing growth in revenue.

By CPA Trendlines Research

The Rosenberg 2023 Practice Management Survey exults in the growth and profitability of CPA firms last year, but warning bells are flashing. How long can this keep up?

MORE: Survey Respondents See Exciting Year Coming Up | SURVEY: Accountants Economic Outlook Brightens | Research: Accounting Pros Cautiously Optimistic about Generative AI
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The good news: Firms with revenue greater than $2 million saw 2022 average income per partner soar 11.8 percent over the previous year, and revenue shot up 11.4 percent. This was the second year that profits grew faster than revenue.

Yay, right?
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OUTLOOK & ANALYSIS

Accountants Bullish on the 2024 Outlook

bar chart

But big challenges loom.

By CPA Trendlines Research

Click here to launch the Survey. Get the first look at the results.

No question about it: the 2023 tax season was a banner year. Generally speaking, revenues were up, profits were up, no quarantines and the IRS didn’t pop any surprises in the middle of it.

MORE: SURVEY: Accountants Economic Outlook Brightens | Tax Pros Are Expanding and Earning More | Research: Accounting Pros Cautiously Optimistic about Generative AI
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Yes, it was also a tough year, with staff shortages increasing the workload on practitioners, but it was that extra work, unburdened with payroll costs, that led to higher profits.

So what’s up for next year?
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