News

Chad Acord is a 41-year-old father of four who's been in the accounting profession for more than a decade. Now, after years of waiting, he's about to close the 13-college-credit-hour gap that's been keeping him from earning his CPA license.

H.R. 736, Protect Small Businesses from Excessive Paperwork Act of 2025 (Rep. Zach Nunn, IA-3), which would delay FinCEN BOI reporting for one year (until January 1, 2026), passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 408-0. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

As part of its ongoing efforts to support smaller audit firms, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) today launched a new online resource page: Information for Smaller Firms. The page features PCAOB content tailored for smaller firms, including publications, videos, and more.

A nationwide federal court order barring enforcement of beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements remains in effect, according to the legal team that filed the case, despite a Supreme Court ruling Thursday in a separate BOI case. But it was not immediately clear how the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), which enforces BOI reporting requirements, would react to the stay, which is in effect until action by the Fifth Circuit and, potentially, further review by the Supreme Court.

For the time being, unless the Supreme Court intervenes, the nationwide injunction is likely to remain in place through at least March 25, 2025, the scheduled date for oral arguments before the Fifth Circuit.

The move puts the Buckeye state at the forefront of the recent drive to address the talent shortage by widening on-ramps into the accounting profession.

The Jan. 1, 2025, deadline for reporting companies to file beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports could be extended by one year, based on a draft continuing resolution proposed in the House of Representatives. The 1,500-page short-term funding bill, which would keep the government funded until March 14, 2025, could be voted on today by the House and shortly thereafter by the Senate.

In Texas Top Cop Shop v Garland et al. ( case 4:24-cv-00478 December 3, 2024) , the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), questioning its constitutionality and its impact on small businesses. The CTA, enacted as part of broader anti-money laundering efforts, mandates companies to disclose their beneficial ownership information to a federal database maintained by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas has suspended the implementation of the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirements.

The transformative leader, who is retiring on Dec. 31, guided the organization and the profession for nearly three decades.

The Board of Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF) today announced the appointment of Robert W. Scott to a five-year term on the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). Mr. Scott currently serves as the director of finance and administration for the city of Brookfield, Wisconsin. His term begins July 1, 2025, and extends through June 30, 2030.

At the recent AICPA Fall Council meeting, Mark Koziel was officially introduced as the incoming CEO, and was recognized for his impactful leadership and commitment to the profession. Mark's journey from his early days in public accounting to his current role as CEO of Allinial Global was highlighted.

At the recent NASBA annual meeting and AICPA Fall Council meeting, Barry Melancon, President and CEO of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, provided an overview of the future of the accounting profession. His insights highlighted the changes driven by technological advancements and the vital role of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) in navigating this evolving landscape.

The staff of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) today posted updated standard-setting and rulemaking agendas, reflecting the significant progress that the Board has made in 2024 to further advance its strategic goal of modernizing standards and rules to better protect investors.

At the recent AICPA Fall Council meeting, Mark Peterson, Executive Vice President - Advocacy, energized attendees with a comprehensive update on the current legislative, regulatory, and political landscape.

Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA, has been named as the incoming CEO of AICPA & CIMA, which operate together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

Fewer US students are taking up accountancy, and 75% of CPAs are near retirement.

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) have issued two important exposure drafts related to the CPA pipeline and licensure: Exposure Draft: Competency-Based Experience Pathway Comments due by December 6 Exposure Draft: Proposed Amendments to the UAA Model Act and Rules Comments due by December 30

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) will soon benefit from additional stakeholder perspectives in light of a recent decision by the Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF) to expand the size of the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC).

There is no more hiding from the eventuality of the effective date for new Federal regulations affecting the institutions serving students in programs leading to a license or certification. Institutions and the U.S. Department of Education (Department) have a common goal to support a student participating in an educational program leading to a state license to complete the state educational requirements to pursue their goal of becoming employed in the occupation for which they were trained and educated.