Blog

Every year, the WSCPA recognizes individuals and businesses for making a difference in their communities, providing outstanding service, dedication, or leadership to advance the accounting profession and the Society. See who received these awards for the 2017-2018 year and find out how to submit a nomination for the 2018-2019 year.

Through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Congress created a new program called the Opportunity Zone Program. Learn about the program and offer feedback at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s Opportunity Zone Listening Sessions this week in Tacoma (Thurs., Aug. 2) and Seattle (Fri., Aug.3).

Identifying, assessing and responding to risks of material misstatement are at the core of every audit. However, an AICPA Peer Review Program study found that more than one in 10 firms are not properly assessing risk or linking their assessments to their audit procedures. The most common areas of non-compliance with the related standards are highlighted in this infographic.

U.S. Representative Mike Conaway (R-Texas) has introduced the Occupational Licensing Board Antitrust Damages Relief and Reform Act (H.R. 6515) to protect state boards – including accountancy boards – board members and staffs from damage awards.

Do you like crossword puzzles? The WSCPA is continuing a new fun section! Read on and find the solution to the newest puzzle in The WashingtonCPA.

Business valuation advisory services are in high demand, serving an important role in tax, litigation and financial reporting. Read the entire article and register to join a free 1 hour webcast on July 16 at 8 a.m. PT to learn about the changing landscape of business valuation and its role in the global economy and about growth opportunities for accounting and finance professionals.

At the 2018 WSCPA Annual Meeting, June 19 at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, Washington, Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA, CGMA, and Immediate Past Chair of the AICPA, talked about Thriving in Disruptive Times and gave the audience a glimpse of the future of the profession. What's it like to be a CPA with a STEM background? Find out this and more by watching Kimberly's interview with me.

Tom Neill, CPA provides background information and insight into how NOCLAR standards will affect CPAs as well as where the Board is in the implementation process.

On June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in the case South Dakota v. Wayfair Inc. The court overturned its own prior precedents that required an in-state physical presence before a seller was compelled to register and collect and remit the sales tax on all transactions with in-state residents. What does this mean for sellers with a multi-state presence?

If your natural instinct is to never quit and never give up, you might be missing out on a key component to being productive. In this installment of Member Insights find out how Kate Casbon saw her productivity increase when she learned how to quit.

One thing is for sure, life is constantly changing. We must stay flexible and make the most out of the situation. The same is true for taxes. With the recent passing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, many taxpayers will see changes to their tax situation. Now is the time to plan for those changes and embrace the opportunities.

Industry data has long indicated that small and mid-sized CPA firms are just as vulnerable to cyberattacks and data security breaches as larger organizations. Fine out the three main reasons why small businesses are particularly vulnerable to cyber attack.

Changes to Internal Revenue Code section 199A have left CPAs with many unanswered questions. The American Institute of CPAs has identified six issues surrounding qualified business income and has requested that the IRS provide guidance on this topic as quickly as possible.

When you’re a leader you’re expected to have the answers. Whatever the question, regardless of the challenge, people look to leaders for answers Find out where Dave Trujillo draws his leadership style from in this latest installment of Member Insights.

The AICPA’s Enhancing Audit Quality (EAQ) initiative aligns all AICPA audit- and assurance-related activities with the goal of supporting firms’ quality improvement. Since the AICPA released the 2017 EAQ Highlights and Progress report in October 2017, the profession has made further progress toward improved audit quality. Learn more about the state of audit quality by viewing the 2018 mid-year progress report.

The recent tax law changes are a hot topic in media coverage. You’re probably paying attention to the news and scratching your head as you ask: “what does this mean for me?” For some, the tax changes may be relatively small. For others, the changes could be substantial. Here’s the scoop on what you need to know.

When you consider how many different tasks you help clients accomplish, the title of “professional multi-tasker” might be a more accurate description of your job than “accountant.” Find out what Jillian Robison, CPA, does to build relationships and demonstrate leadership qualities, in this installment of Member Insights.

A jolt of caffeine in the morning can help you start your day, but your level of productivity could depend on slowing things down when you get to work. Find out what Brandon Gebhardt, CPA, does to accomplish more during the day, after he finishes his cup of coffee, in this latest installment of Member Insights.

The IRS issues a warning to tax practitioners to beware of phishing emails posing as state accounting and professional associations. Though only a handful of states have been targeted, tax practitioners nationwide should be on guard because cybercriminals can easily change their tactics. Read the full alert here.

There’s always a lot on your plate, but during the busy season the workload can be exponentially greater. Between deadlines, meetings, commitments it’s easy to get locked in on work responsibilities and forget about agreements you made with yourself. In this installment of Member Insights find out how Naomi Gerbatsch makes it through the busiest of times by scheduling personal time for what’s important to her.