The PFML federal tax credit is no longer temporary. Here's how to claim it, avoid pitfalls, and support your workforce.

Quick Tax Tip

With Art Werner

CPE Today

If you’ve been taking advantage of the federal Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) credit, here’s some good news: It’s no longer set to expire. Thanks to recent legislation, the enhancement of this credit is now permanent—a significant win for employers who want to support their staff without taking a major financial hit.

In the latest Quick Tax Tip episode, tax expert Art Werner breaks down exactly what this means for your business, how you can qualify, and the rules you must follow to keep this benefit in play.

Two-thirds of current firm leaders risk being obsolete within three years.

Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

A stark warning is shaking the accounting profession: 65% of current firm partners will be considered “digitally obsolete” within three years. The unsettling part? Private equity (PE) investors are not planning to retrain them—they are preparing to replace them.

On the latest episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, host Rob Brown uncovers how private equity–backed firms are redrawing the profession’s leadership map. The digital divide is no longer theoretical. It is already defining who will lead the future of accounting and who will be pushed aside.

Reform firm structures before outside forces impose changes that erode independence.

Gear Up for Growth

With Jean Caragher

For CPA Trendlines

“We don’t change unless we have to, but waiting for a crisis to force transformation is a failure of leadership,” says Michael Meihaus, owner of Meihaus CPA, appearing on Gear Up for Growth, hosted by Jean Caragher, president, Capstone Marketing. Meihaus calls for firm leaders to embrace meaningful ownership authority and rethink outdated business models that are no longer serving their people or their purpose. 

Meihaus identifies two core failings within many accounting firms.

Attention CPAs and accounting pros! Are you ready to take your practice to the next level? Then it’s time to upgrade to CPA Trendlines PRO Membership—your all-access pass to premium insights, strategies, and tools designed just for YOU!

See today 's best PRO  offers here.

Get exclusive access – Over 10,000 articles, tools, and expert guidance—keeping you ahead of the curve in practice management, growth, and industry trends.

Enjoy VIP perks – Be the first to get new content, receive special handling on orders, and unlock priority concierge service just for PRO members.

Save big– In the CPA Trendlines Shop, plus deep discounts on membership plans!

And here’s a bonus: New PRO members receive welcome gifts worth over $300!

Stay informed – With exclusive member surveys, studies, and expert insights that help grow your firm and boost your success!

More support, more value, more power for your practice!

Upgrade today at CPA Trendlines and start maximizing your potential!

As private equity reshapes the profession, accounting leaders debate who should hold the keys to ownership.

Accounting ARC

With Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny Shimamoto

Center for Accounting Transformation

When New York passed the first CPA licensure law in 1896, the goal was simple: protect the public by ensuring financial professionals met high standards. More than a century later, that mandate is at the heart of a heated debate about who should be allowed to own CPA firms.

In the latest episode of Accounting ARC, hosts Liz Mason, CPA; Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP, CGMA; and Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, explore the evolution of firm ownership rules and their implications for the profession.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act can reward smart planners—and punish the unprepared.

Quick Tax Tip
With Art Werner
CPE Today

In the aftermath of the newly enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), taxpayers and businesses alike are scrambling to determine whether they stand to gain or lose under the sweeping changes. But according to tax authority Art Werner, the dividing line between winners and losers is clear: those who plan will win; those who don’t will lose.

“There are always winners and losers in a tax bill,” Werner says in the latest Quick Tax Tip podcast. “But the best answer I can give at this point is that the winners are going to be the people who plan.”

“You can’t ask people to act like partners and then treat them like employees.”

Big 4 Transparency
By Dominic Piscopo, CPA
For CPA Trendlines

In an industry marked by incremental change and cautious tradition, Tim Petrey, managing partner at HD Growth Partners, is going all-in on a radical reimagining of what an accounting firm can be. Speaking on the Big 4 Transparency Podcast, Petrey shares how his firm has abandoned the tired trappings of the old model - mandatory billable hours, rigid promotion timelines, and siloed service delivery - in favor of a more dynamic, entrepreneurial approach. 

And he isn’t just talking about change, he’s living it. 

The episode dives deep into how HD Growth Partners embraces a consulting-first approach, using accounting services as a wedge rather than a foundation. The firm encourages team members, even juniors, to build one-on-one relationships with clients. Petrey believes the best learning happens on the job, with mentorship layered into real-world client work. This, he argues, is what keeps staff engaged and clients loyal. 

Automate common workflows, ensure accuracy, and free your time for higher-value work.

Quick Tech Talk

With Steve Yoss

CPE Today

For years, QuickBooks Online (QBO) has been a go-to accounting platform for small and midsized businesses. Now, its Advanced Edition takes efficiency to a whole new level by introducing robust workflow automation features designed to eliminate repetitive tasks and keep financial professionals focused on what matters most.

Imagine never having to manually send invoice reminders, route approvals, or post recurring journal entries again. With QBO Advanced, automation handles it for you. The platform now offers numerous automations to help you ensure accuracy, increase transparency, and allow you to focus on the work that means the most to you.

Attention CPAs and accounting pros! Are you ready to take your practice to the next level? Then it’s time to upgrade to CPA Trendlines PRO Membership—your all-access pass to premium insights, strategies, and tools designed just for YOU!

See today 's best PRO  offers here.

Get exclusive access – Over 10,000 articles, tools, and expert guidance—keeping you ahead of the curve in practice management, growth, and industry trends.

Enjoy VIP perks – Be the first to get new content, receive special handling on orders, and unlock priority concierge service just for PRO members.

Save big– In the CPA Trendlines Shop, plus deep discounts on membership plans!

And here’s a bonus: New PRO members receive welcome gifts worth over $300!

Stay informed – With exclusive member surveys, studies, and expert insights that help grow your firm and boost your success!

More support, more value, more power for your practice!

Upgrade today at CPA Trendlines and start maximizing your potential!

CPAs can help guide four types of client transformation - and break through their own listlessness.

The Disruptors
With Liz Farr

Ron Baker has been pushing accountants to change how they think and how they operate their businesses for decades, starting more than 20 years ago by ditching the timesheet, and followed recently by adopting a subscription approach to services. Now that more than half of CAS firms have abandoned hourly billing, according to the latest CPA.com CAS benchmark survey, it’s time for accountants to move from providing services to guiding transformations.   

Baker’s latest endeavor with co-founder Ed Kless, Threshold, aims to support accountants and other professionals in moving into the transformation economy. Threshold is a membership community where professionals can receive guidance, attend meetings and webinars, and learn from each other.