SURVEYS & RESEARCH

PE Deal Tracker for Feb. 2026: 57 deals in 60 days

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February 2026 produced 21 recorded transactions — second only to January.

The accounting profession’s private equity wave shows no sign of cresting.

By CPA Trendlines Research

The 57 private-equity-backed accounting transactions recorded in the CPA Trendlines PE Deal Tracker™ through the first two months of 2026 represent more than three times the 18 deals logged in the same period a year ago, as the PE phenomenon continues to gather speed.

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February didn’t beat January’s record pace but it came in second, even if down 42%. Still, the underlying rate remains roughly double the 2025 monthly average of 12.1 deals. READ MORE →

Busy Season 2026: The Year CAS Firms Seize the Lead

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Why is the busy season better for CAS accountants?

CAS Comparison: At firms where CAS is the leading fee-generator, CAS accountants are handling half the book (left) and collecting 10 times the fees (right).

By CPA Trendlines Research

With busy season 2026, accountants specializing in client accounting services are reaping the benefits of a year’s worth of hard work, in a smoother path to April 15, more compliant clients, and higher fees, according to the CPA Trendlines Busy Season Barometer.

Join the survey, get the results

JOIN THE BUSY SEASON SURVEY. GET THE RESULTS

MORE BUSY SEASON BAROMETER | MORE CAS | MORE OUTLOOK 2026

The Busy Season Barometer marks the 2026 tax season as the breakthrough moment when CAS crosses from merely an aspirational experiment to a routine part of the service mix for small and midsize firms.

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Top Tech Trends for Tax Season 2026

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Holding Steady, Tuning Workflow, and Testing AI.

Tech plans: 43% of accountants say they’ll be working with new or upgraded versions of practice management & workflow apps, followed by 25% with tax prep packages.

By CPA Trendlines Research

With the 2026 filing season approaching, most accounting firms are not racing to rip and replace their technology stacks. Instead, they are making selective adjustments, tightening workflows, and cautiously experimenting with artificial intelligence — all while keeping a close eye on staffing limits, client behavior, and return on investment.

JOIN the Busy Season Barometer survey here.

MORE TAX, PRICING,  PAY, HIRING, and THE 2026 OUTLOOK

That restrained approach comes through clearly in CPA Trendlines’ Busy Season Barometer, which shows a profession that is less focused on transformation than on execution. The dominant theme across survey waves is not disruption, but discipline.

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Profit Squeeze: Billing Rates Rebound, but Staff Costs Are Rising Faster

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Accountants show renewed pricing power as rates gain 5.7%.

Mind the gap: CPA firms are raising billing rates at about a 6% rate, not quite enough to match the rising costs of staff.

By CPA Trendlines

CPA firms are raising prices again as they enter 2026, even as hiring remains weak and wage pressures show little sign of easing. The combination is tightening margins across the profession.

MORE Outlook 2026, Pay, Hiring, Pricing

A CPA Trendlines analysis of new pricing data shows that billing rates for core CPA firm services are rebounding sharply, reversing an earlier soft patch and vaulting fees to near record highs. At the same time, employment growth across accounting firms has stalled, while wage growth remains elevated, underscoring the growing imbalance between pricing power and labor costs.

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