News
How accountants can make a smooth career transition
June 12, 2023
Very often life transitions trigger in people a desire to seek more fulfillment in their lives. Such transitions can be the beginning of a new year or entering the second half of life. Starting a new career can represent an overwhelming task, one that is filled with uncertainty and requires a lot of time and effort. A constructive way to embrace that uncertainty is by planning ahead. By doing so, it puts you in the driver's seat, enabling you to make the right decisions. This article provides a framework that will enable you to increase your chances of success when switching careers.
The Sustainability & ESG Imperative for the Accounting and Finance Profession
May 30, 2023
The significant shift from shareholder returns to stakeholder capitalism has brought sustainability and ESG management into every public or large private company boardroom. The strong linkages between an entity's sustainability management and financial performance elevate sustainability and ESG as core practice areas for accountants.
Mitigating the Negative Impacts of Job-Related Stress
May 26, 2023
Although stress in public accounting is unavoidable, especially during the busy season, excessive amounts can be dysfunctional for both individual CPAs and their firms. Prolonged exposure to high levels of stress can lead to psychological symptoms of depression and anxiety. Stress-related illnesses can decrease performance, generate health problems for individuals, increase group health premiums for organizations, increase absenteeism, and increase turnover. CPA firms can proactively address these stress-related costs by recognizing the drivers of the stress and tailoring responses accordingly.
Accountants Shy Away From Talking to Their Bosses About Mental Health
May 24, 2023
Accounting ranked eighth out of nine industries with 23% of employees willing to discuss their mental health, a survey revealed.
UM Accounting Professor Earns Outstanding Educator Award
May 18, 2023
Terri Herron, an accounting professor at the University of Montana College of Business, has been awarded the Jack Kempner Outstanding Educator Award by the Montana Society for CPAs (MTCPA).
What can you do with a master’s degree in accounting?
April 28, 2023
Accountants speak the language of numbers, they’re especially skilled in evaluating financial statements, and experts in determining how to drive profits for a company. Aside from becoming a certified public accountant (CPA), people who hold a master’s degree in accounting can enter other unique roles, or increase their earnings by going into leadership positions—which can lead to the C-suite roles of chief financial officer (CFO) or even chief executive officer (CEO).
Smashing The Glass Ceiling: 7 Strategies For Women In Accounting
April 27, 2023
While women have been making strides in accounting, they still tend to be underrepresented in top leadership roles and face issues related to pay equity and work-life balance. Women leaders have been negatively impacted by a recent decline in public trust, too.
10 Career Paths To Consider
April 25, 2023
If you’re wondering what you can do with an accounting degree, rest assured it’s a valuable asset. In fact, renowned billionaire investor Warren Buffet once called accounting the language of business. An accounting degree prepares you to speak and understand that language, whether you pursue accountancy, auditing, sales management, advising or one of the many other accounting career paths. In this article, we overview what an accounting degree is, various accounting concentration areas available and ten jobs you can get with an accounting degree.
How To Become An Auditor: Everything You Need To Know
April 25, 2023
If you’re a detail-oriented person with a knack for numbers and a strong sense of ethics, you may enjoy a career in auditing. Auditors examine companies’ records, processes and systems to ensure accuracy and compliance, as well as to identify and manage risk. The auditor career path is straightforward, beginning with a bachelor’s degree and progressing through on-the-job training, further education and optional certifications. We’ll explore how to become an auditor in detail below, along with information about this diverse profession and its job outlook.
Why is MTCPA opposing the tax credit?
March 20, 2023
You may have seen a news story about one of the many tax credits that have been proposed during session this year. Maybe it was related to a topic you support and as you read you were surprised to see that the Montana Society of CPAs was the lone opponent to the bill. So why is the Society opposed to tax credit?
Most accounting professionals want more mental health help: study
February 08, 2023
Nearly three-quarters (71%) of accounting professionals globally want more from their employers when it comes to addressing their mental health needs as burnout remains a top concern, according to a report released Wednesday by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Enhancing Employee Resilience: How to Bounce Back from Job Stress and Burnout
February 01, 2023
It is widely understood that job stress can lower job satisfaction and performance while increasing feelings of stress and burnout. This is especially true in public accounting—a profession notorious for its high levels of job stress. For decades, employers have considered stress management an individual responsibility that employees should handle on personal time. Recent research suggests that there may be a more effective strategy. Active workplace interventions that help employees build resilience may help firms to effectively lower employees’ susceptibility to job stressors, retain valuable staff, and improve productivity. In fact, enhancing employee resilience levels can have a powerful protective effect against three common causes of job stress: role overload, role conflict, and role ambiguity.
Managers Have Major Impact On Mental Health: How To Lead For Wellbeing
January 29, 2023
New data suggests that for almost 70% of people, their manager has more impact on their mental health than their therapist or their doctor—and it’s equal to the impact of their partner.
3 tips to manage tax season
January 25, 2023
CPA firms are extremely busy during tax season, as you know, and many tax accountants become swamped during this stressful time of year. You want to give the best service possible for each person, and it’s important to be open and honest with your clients throughout tax season.
How to Affordably Support Employee Mental Health
January 25, 2023
Improve the health of your employees and your business with these methods.
A Storm is Brewing: The Accountant Shortage Is Already Affecting Nonprofits
January 18, 2023
It is no secret that nonprofit organizations have historically struggled to recruit and retain quality accountants, controllers, and CFOs. That struggle is about to get worse.
An Update on the Future of Accounting Education
January 04, 2023
The future of accounting education has been a topic of concern for the profession’s leaders for years in the light of demographic shifts, competition for talent, and declining enrollments. The authors, following up a previous article on the subject, take another look at trends in enrollment, hiring, and sitting for the CPA exam. The authors fear that without major changes—more flexibility in education and licensing, higher salaries, and greater work/life balance—these trends will continue in a negative direction and imperil the future of the profession.
The CPA Examination in Evolution
January 04, 2023
The recent CPA Evolution Project represents the accounting profession’s attempt to transform the CPA licensure model to fit the skills and competencies that new CPAs will require today and in the future. It marks the most significant change to the Uniform CPA Examination in many years. This article describes the changes to the structure and content of the exam, assesses the likely impact of the changes, and discusses how universities will need to adapt their curricula to new exam.
AICPA Unveils Blueprints for Redesigned CPA Exam
January 03, 2023
The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) released the updated Uniform CPA Examination® Blueprints, the official document of content eligible for assessment on the Exam. The Blueprints are based on the knowledge and skills required of a newly licensed CPA to meet the demands of firms, employers and clients.
CPA Exam Transition FAQs
January 01, 2023
The current Uniform CPA Examination® is changing significantly in January 2024 under the CPA Evolution Initiative. It is important that you learn about this initiative and the upcoming changes to the 2024 CPA Exam to fully understand how it may impact your journey to become a CPA.