The Accounting Podcast

Blake Oliver & David Leary
  • 4.4 (348)
  • Business News
  • Updated Weekly

The most authoritative voice in accounting news. Every week, Blake Oliver and David Leary break down the stories reshaping the profession — AI, the Big Four, firm M&A, audit failures, and the talent crisis — with analysis you won't get from the trade press. Earn free NASBA-approved CPE just for listening, with the Earmark app.

  1. 2d ago

    When Financial Reports Used to Be Cool & AI's Microwave Moment

    Will AI replace accountants—or finally ease the profession’s talent shortage? Blake and David unpack why AI-exposed accounting roles are seeing pay rise, not fall; how EY cut audit deficiencies from 28% to under 5%; and why firms must give AI agents limited access and auditable logins. They also explore the coming firm structure: fewer staff, more AI agents, and partners focused on judgment, review, and client relationships. SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casNumeral - http://accountingpodcast.promo/numeralOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayVeltrix - http://accountingpodcast.promo/veltrix Chapters(00:00) - Staff Are Gone (01:52) - Doctor Note AI Warning (03:33) - AI Access Controls Lesson (06:05) - Annual Reports Design (07:59) - Taxing AI Debate (13:08) - Audit Judgment Future (19:11) - EY Audit Quality Surge (23:05) - Meta Muse Microwave Moment (29:52) - Apps Handing Off To Claude (31:58) - AI As The Interface (32:58) - LLMs Become The New OS (34:15) - Where AI Captures Value (35:29) - Platform Cloning Threats (36:26) - Regulation Protects Fintech (37:02) - Orchestrating Accounting Agents (39:10) - One Universal Business Brain (41:53) - Big Four Future In AI (46:32) - KPMG Incubator Career Play (49:52) - America Solopreneur Boom (52:53) - Are Business Filings Real (53:53) - Spotify Lessons For Firms (58:18) - Accountant Turned Top DJ (01:01:13) - Shakira Tax Residency Fight (01:02:35) - Wrap Up And CPE Plug   Show Notes The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make now are critical. https://www.gatesnotes.com/a-turbulent-ai-era-and-critical-choices-to-make US jobs paradox: AI-exposed roles see 46% pay surge even as AI-linked layoffs rise https://businesstoday.in/technology/story/us-jobs-paradox-ai-exposed-roles-see-46-pay-surge-even-as-ai-linked-layoffs-rise-556730-2026-09-21 PCAOB's Logothetis: AI can only do part of an auditor's job https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/pcaobs-logothetis-ai-can-only-do-part-of-an-auditors-job EY reports improved audit quality https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/ey-reports-improved-audit-quality Introducing Muse: The World's First Personal AI Agent Built for Everyone https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/ Expensify Becomes One of the First Expense Management Tools Available in Claude for Small Business https://finviz.com/news/392305/expensify-becomes-one-of-the-first-expense-management-tools-available-in-claude-for-small-business Xero Wherever You Work: Real-Time Financial Intelligence in Claude for Small Business and ChatGPT https://blog.xero.com/product-updates/claude-for-small-business-chatgpt-ai-integrations-launch/ Avalara launches Aviator AI hub for tax compliance https://itbrief.co.uk/story/avalara-launches-aviator-ai-hub-for-tax-compliance Clients now expect some projects to happen twice as fast, PwC partner says https://www.indiaipo.in/news/detail/clients-now-expect-some-projects-to-happen-twice-as-fast-pwc-partner KPMG Announces Client Technology & Innovation Group to Build AI-Native Businesses https://kpmg.com/us/en/media/news/kpmg-announces-client-technology-innovation-group.html America has become an entrepreneur's paradise https://thenightly.com.au/business/the-economist-america-has-become-an-entrepreneurs-paradise-c-22636515 What accounting firms can learn from the music industry https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/what-accounting-firms-can-learn-from-the-music-industry John Summit Saved $20,000 and Quit His Accounting Job to Become a DJ. Now He's Building an Entertainment Empire https://www.entrepreneur.com/building-a-business/john-summit-saved-20000-and-quit-his-accounting-job-to-become-a-dj-now-hes-building-an-entertainment-empire Shakira takes Spain stage as court reviews $63M tax claim https://www.accountingtoday.com/articles/shakira-takes-spain-stage-as-court-reviews-63m-tax-claim Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040. Sponsorships Are you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus. Need Accounting Conference Info?  Check out our new website - accountingconferences.com Limited edition shirts, stickers, and other neces...

    When Financial Reports Used to Be Cool & AI's Microwave Moment

  2. Sep 25

    Tips to Roll Out AI In Your Firm, AI Squeezing Audit Fees

    Could AI make a one-person audit firm possible—and what happens if the data-center boom slows down first? Blake and David examine the AI economy’s circular debt, the construction ripple effects of a pullback, and practical ways firms can document workflows before automating them. They also cover AI-powered continuous audits, Mercury’s new general ledger, and tax evasion headlines. SponsorsDigits - http://accountingpodcast.promo/digitsThomson Reuters - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxautomationOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cas Chapters(00:00) - OnlyFans Tax Evasion (00:27) - Podcast Welcome Halloween (04:02) - News Lineup (06:34) - AI Bubble Warning (14:14) - AI Adjusted EBITDA (18:07) - SOP Marathon For AI (21:19) - AI SOP Workflow Tip (26:41) - Christina Ho AI Audits (29:22) - Audit Fees Under AI (29:55) - Audit Fees Surge (30:57) - AI Disrupts Audits (33:56) - Solo CPA Audit Firm (35:26) - Who Wins and Loses (35:52) - Audit Demand Explained (36:40) - Tech Enables New Entrants (38:26) - Audit Like Cloud Accounting (42:00) - ‌ (43:03) - IRS Refund Nightmare (44:33) - OnlyFans Tax Evasion (46:51) - Punishing Financial Crime (49:59) - Mercury Launches Books (52:22) - Can Banks Compete (54:33) - Is Mercury Enough (56:44) - Wrap Up and CPE   Show Notes NRF: Halloween spending to remain strong, reach $13.5B https://chainstoreage.com/nrf-halloween-spending-remain-strong-reach-135b Too interconnected to fail? New paper connects the AI dots https://www.axios.com/2026/09/21/ai-finance-credit-circular The AI gold rush has a dress code: steel-toe boots https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/articles/ai-gold-rush-dress-code-233725771.html 40% of Small Businesses Lack Cash Reserves to Survive a Month of Late Client Payments https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/09/21/40-of-small-businesses-lack-cash-reserves-to-survive-a-month-of-late-client-payments/190371/ AI Future Savings Is Latest Ebitda Tweak to Jolt Debt Investors https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-17/ai-future-savings-is-latest-ebitda-tweak-to-jolt-debt-investors How to run a SOPathon: The missing first step in every AI strategy https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/community/industry-insights/how-to-run-a-sopathon-the-missing-first-step-in-every-ai-strategy The 3-phase roadmap every accounting firm needs before AI delivers https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/the-3-phase-roadmap-every-accounting-firm-needs-before-ai-delivers Process Street MCP Server https://www.process.st/help/docs/mcp-server/ Christina Ho's next act https://www.cfobrew.com/stories/christina-hos-next-act AI sounds the death knell for audit fee inflation https://www.ft.com/content/80d02797-9a54-47e0-8bc3-a7144354da93 Tennessee Farmer Tried to Return $20,000 to IRS. Years Later, He's Still Fighting https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/07/23/tennessee-farmer-tried-to-return-20000-to-irs-years-later-hes-still-fighting/187281/ OnlyFans content creator pleads guilty to tax evasion https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/onlyfans-content-creator-pleads-guilty-to-tax-evasion Mercury Launches Intelligent Accounting with Mercury Books https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20260916850195/mercury-launches-intelligent-accounting-with-mercury-books Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040. Sponsorships Are you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus. Need Accounting Conference Info?  Check out our new website - accountingconferences.com Limited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessities TeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merch Subscribe Apple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpo...

    Tips to Roll Out AI In Your Firm, AI Squeezing Audit Fees

  3. Sep 18

    Feds Target KPMG Polymarket Insider Trading, ComplYant Founder Charged with Wire Fraud

    Is AI the real threat to accounting firms, or is it the client experience? Blake and David unpack a KPMG-linked Polymarket insider-trading investigation, AI-powered fraud, Xero’s influencer backlash, and a tax startup founder charged with defrauding investors. They also share their own experiments using Claude and ChatGPT to prepare tax returns, making the case that firms must eliminate frustrating back-and-forth if they want to keep clients. SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayThomson Reuters - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxautomationSavant Labs - http://accountingpodcast.promo/savant Chapters(00:00) - Client Experience Threat (00:30) - Podcast Welcome Banter (02:05) - Week's News Rundown (04:17) - KPMG Polymarket Probe (11:46) - KPMG TaxSim Training (13:40) - KPMG OpenAI Headless UI (17:13) - Deepfake Defense Stakes (18:31) - Revolut Social Engineering (20:33) - Compliant CEO Fraud Case (25:31) - Xero Influencer Backlash (25:41) - Xero Claude Ad Backlash (28:57) - Apology and AI Framing (29:59) - DIY Taxes With AI (34:05) - Client Experience Problem (40:15) - IRS AI Fee Guidance (43:00) - PwC Leaves Downtown LA (44:48) - Wrap Up and CPE   Show Notes Polymarket Trader Won 41 of 42 Earnings Bets on Companies KPMG Audits https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/polymarket-trader-won-41-of-42-earnings-bets-on-companies-kpmg-audits/ SEC Charges Startup Founder with Fraud (Shiloh Luckey / ComplYant) https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/litigation-releases/lr-26424 KPMG Is Testing a New AI-Powered Tax Simulation Tool https://goodfest.westfield.com/2026/05/kpmg-is-testing-a-new-ai-powered-tax-simulation-tool/ KPMG working with OpenAI to advance new "headless" enterprise tech model https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/kpmg-working-with-openai-to-advance-new-headless-enterprise-tech-model KPMG LLP Takes Minority Stake in Deepfake Detection Leader Reality Defender https://kpmg.com/us/en/media/news/kpmg-llp-takes-minority-stake-in-deepfake-detection-leader-reality-defender.html Cybercriminals using AI for fraud are making far more profit, Interpol claims https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/cybercriminals-using-ai-for-fraud-are-making-4-5x-more-profit-interpol-says Revolut confirms customer data breach after fake government requests https://fstech.co.uk/fst/Revolut_Confirms_Customer_Data_Breach_After_Fake_Government_Requests.php Xero issues new apology to accountants, days after controversial social media post https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=344586 To our accountant and bookkeeper community https://blog.xero.com/uk/accountants-bookkeepers/to-our-accountant-and-bookkeeper-community/ AICPA seeks IRS clarity on AI guidelines, CPA fees https://www.thetaxadviser.com/news/2026/sep/aicpa-seeks-irs-clarity-on-ai-guidelines-cpa-fees/ Downtown L.A. Fixture PwC Will Move to Century City https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/07/08/downtown-l-a-fixture-pwc-will-move-to-century-city/186368/ Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040. Sponsorships Are you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus. Need Accounting Conference Info?  Check out our new website - accountingconferences.com Limited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessities TeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merch Subscribe Apple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/Overcast Classifieds Fearless Foundry - www.advisoryamplified.comExpense Bot - https://www.expensebot.ai/accountantProfitRoot - https://tryprofitroot.com/ Want to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job post...

    Feds Target KPMG Polymarket Insider Trading, ComplYant Founder Charged with Wire Fraud

  4. Sep 10

    EY to Bonus Staff $100M, Deloitte Pays $21M to Settle DEI Case

    Can AI prepare a tax return—and catch errors the software misses? Blake shares how Claude Cowork reconciled books, built workpapers, and completed two business returns, while David examines EY’s bonuses for human judgment, Deloitte’s $21 million DEI settlement, and PwC’s Evergrande exposure. Plus, Cloud Accountant Staffing’s Jordan Sublette explains why onshoring is joining offshore hiring strategies for accounting firms. SponsorsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayThomson Reuters - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxautomationSavant Labs - http://accountingpodcast.promo/savantCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cas Chapters(00:00) - Ethics And Job Security (00:18) - Show Intro And Headlines (02:34) - Livestream Shoutouts (03:03) - Claude CoWork Tax Prep (06:54) - AI Catches TaxAct Errors (11:26) - Accrual Buys Puzzle (18:19) - EY Human Skills Bonuses (20:33) - Deloitte DEI Settlement (27:43) - Salaries And Big Four Fallout (31:22) - PwC Evergrande Liability (35:03) - Grant Thornton Buys CBIZ (36:25) - CBIZ Returns Reality Check (37:23) - Marcum Deal And Partner Payouts (38:34) - IRS Revenue Hits Record (40:50) - Chat Reactions And AI Ledgers (44:03) - AI Cost Seg Pitfalls (53:00) - Jordan Joins And Origin Story (55:06) - Jason Staats Partnership Explained (59:37) - Onshoring Portal And Pricing (01:04:58) - Candidate Vetting And Training (01:09:37) - Meetups And CPE Wrap Up   Show Notes Accrual to Acquire Puzzle to Expand Into Client Accounting Services https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/09/02/accrual-takes-the-leap-into-cas-by-acquiring-puzzle/189565/ EY Rewards Employees' Human Skills With $100M https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/ey-rewards-employees-human-skills-with-100m Deloitte to Pay $21.5M to Settle Claims Its DEI Programs Violated Federal Civil Rights Law https://www.cfo.com/news/deloitte-to-pay-215m-to-settle-claims-its-dei-programs-violated-federal-c/828948/ Accounting Firm Salaries Rose Slightly This Year https://www.cfobrew.com/stories/accounting-firm-salaries-rose-slightly-this-year KPMG Australia to Axe 5% of Workforce https://www.cfo.com/news/kpmg-australia-to-axe-5-of-workforce-John-Sams/828636/ PwC International Can't Exit Evergrande Case, HK Court Rules https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-26/pwc-international-can-t-exit-evergrande-case-hk-court-rules CBIZ Told Grant Thornton No, No, No, Before Saying Yes https://cpatrendlines.com/2026/09/01/cbiz-told-grant-thornton-no-no-no-before-saying-yes/ IRS Enforcement Activity Fell Despite Record Tax Collections, TIGTA Says https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2026/aug/irs-enforcement-activity-fell-despite-record-tax-collections-tigta-says/ Cost Segregation in the Age of AI: What the IRS Audit Technique Guidelines Reveal https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/cost-segregation-in-the-age-of-ai-what-the-irs-audit-technique-guidelines-reveal Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040. Sponsorships Are you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus. Need Accounting Conference Info?  Check out our new website - accountingconferences.com Limited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessities TeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merch Subscribe Apple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/Overcast Classifieds Fearless Foundry - www.advisoryamplified.comExpense Bot - https://www.expensebot.ai/accountantProfitRoot - https://tryprofitroot.com/ Want to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad. Go here to create your classified ad: https://cloudacctpod.link/RunClassifiedAd Transcripts Th...

    EY to Bonus Staff $100M, Deloitte Pays $21M to Settle DEI Case

  5. Sep 2

    TurboTax Losing Customers Over Price, Thomson Reuters Builds Own AI

    Can AI make tax prep cheaper without replacing the experts behind it? Hector Garcia joins Blake and David to unpack Intuit’s TurboTax pricing pressure, QuickBooks’ push into the mid-market, and whether AI-powered services are a bridge to automation. They also examine Thomson Reuters’ proprietary tax-and-legal AI model, Relate’s $100 million raise, and a student’s unusual path onto the New Mexico Board of Accountancy. SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casThomson Reuters - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxautomationOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpaySavant Labs - http://accountingpodcast.promo/savant Chapters(00:00) - TAP 503 (02:47) - Intuit earnings overview (03:52) - Meet Hector Garcia (04:40) - Intuit stock and AI fears (07:57) - TurboTax pricing pressure (11:34) - TurboTax Live strategy shift (16:12) - TurboTax Live vs firms (19:47) - AI plus human bridge (22:13) - QuickBooks Free and Light (25:54) - Thomson Reuters builds LLM (30:29) - Trust security and ownership (34:16) - Vertical models disrupt giants (35:18) - Copilot partnership pitch (36:51) - Bulk AI Adoption (38:59) - Rillet Unicorn News (39:21) - Workday Buyout Math (40:50) - Switching Costs Reality (43:12) - Intuit Versus Rillet (45:26) - How Rillet Wins (48:18) - AI Spend Line Item (51:15) - Stripe Buys OpenRouter (53:22) - Reframe Conference Pitch (56:01) - Pablo Pledgebar Cautionary (57:08) - Britton Joins Board (01:01:37) - Student View On PE (01:04:57) - Education And AI Concerns (01:09:33) - Board Dynamics Explained (01:12:12) - Regulation Priorities (01:15:13) - Wrap Up And CPE   Show Notes Intuit Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2026 Results; Sets Fiscal 2027 Guidance https://investors.intuit.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1320/intuit-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-fiscal-2026-results-sets-fiscal-2027-guidance Thomson Reuters Leverages its World-Class Data Assets to Launch Its Own Frontier Model https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en/press-releases/2026/august/thomson-reuters-leverages-its-world-class-data-assets-to-launch-its-own-frontier-model Rillet Raises $100 Million Series C at $1 Billion Valuation, Becomes Unicorn https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/19/rillet-raises-100m-series-c-at-1b-valuation-2-years-after-emerging-from-stealth/ Silver Lake Eyes $51 Billion Workday Take-Private in Mega Software Deal https://www.axios.com/2026/08/14/silver-lake-workday-take-private Stripe Agrees to Acquire OpenRouter to Help Businesses Optimize Token Routing and Usage https://stripe.com/newsroom/news/stripe-agrees-to-acquire-openrouter From Accounting Major and Frat Brother to Suspected of Being Penn State's Largest Drug Dealer https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/penn-state-agostino-abbatiello-drug-scheme-rcna593041 Accounting Student Appointed to the New Mexico Public Accountancy Board https://news.unm.edu/news/accounting-student-appointed-to-the-new-mexico-public-accountancy-board Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040. Sponsorships Are you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus. Need Accounting Conference Info?  Check out our new website - accountingconferences.com Limited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessities TeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merch Subscribe Apple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/Overcast Classifieds Fearless Foundry - www.advisoryamplified.comExpense Bot - https://www.expensebot.ai/accountantProfitRoot - https://tryprofitroot.com/ Want to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad. Go here to create your classified ad: https://cloudacctpod.link/RunClassifiedAd Transcripts The full transcript for this episode is available by clicking on the Transcript tab at the to...

    TurboTax Losing Customers Over Price, Thomson Reuters Builds Own AI

  6. Aug 27

    Rogue AI Agents, Off-Balance-Sheet AI Financing & Xerocon 2026

    AI agents are going rogue — deleting bookings, sending unauthorized emails, and lying about it — and Blake and David trace the trend into the $3 trillion of off-balance-sheet AI commitments hiding in Big Tech's footnotes (and why accountants will get blamed when the bubble pops). They also recap what stood out at XeroCon 2026. Then Hoover Institution fellow Ben Jaros runs the real numbers on California's Prop 40 billionaire wealth tax — why the $100 billion estimate is closer to $40 billion, and whether taxing 200 people is even constitutional. SponsorsCanopy - http://accountingpodcast.promo/canopyThomson Reuters - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxautomationOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cas Chapters(00:00) - Welcome to The Accounting Podcast (03:00) - Rogue AI Agents Gone Wild (07:53) - Controlling Agent Permissions (12:08) - Microsoft AI Receivables Surge (14:49) - Three Trillion Off Book Commitments (17:09) - Meta Hyperion Lease Loopholes (21:33) - Bubble Risk and Circular Financing (28:24) - XeroCon Highlights and AI Agents (32:21) - Bank Reconciliation and Roadmap Gripes (34:10) - Conference Vaporware Rant (34:37) - Billionaire Tax Preview (36:33) - Prop 40 Basics (38:40) - Revenue Reality Check (42:44) - Residency Cutoff Drama (45:01) - Wealth Tax vs Income Tax (45:52) - One Time Or Not (46:34) - Healthcare Backfill Claims (51:42) - Better Ways To Tax (55:23) - Constitutional Challenges (58:01) - Why Voters Oppose It (01:02:09) - Trial Balloon And Wrap Up   Show Notes Coming soon! Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040. Sponsorships Are you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus. Need Accounting Conference Info?  Check out our new website - accountingconferences.com Limited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessities TeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merch Subscribe Apple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/Overcast Classifieds Flowglad - https://cal.com/team/flowglad/flowgladFearless Foundry - www.advisoryamplified.comExpense Bot - https://www.expensebot.ai/accountantProfitRoot - https://tryprofitroot.com/ Want to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad. Go here to create your classified ad: https://cloudacctpod.link/RunClassifiedAd Transcripts The full transcript for this episode is available by clicking on the Transcript tab at the top of this page

    Rogue AI Agents, Off-Balance-Sheet AI Financing & Xerocon 2026

  7. Aug 19

    NVIDIA AI Funding Deal Has "Shades of Enron" & EY Speeds Audits 125%+

    Is AI creating an audit boom—or hiding the next Enron-style risk? Blake and David unpack NVIDIA’s $500 billion data-center financing plan, why Michael Burry sees warning signs, and how AI is speeding up audits while challenging existing standards. They also cover improved PCAOB inspection results, the end of BOI reporting, Tether’s long-awaited audit, QuickBooks Live’s overhaul, and practical AI workflows small firms can use today. SponsorsDigits - http://accountingpodcast.promo/digitsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayThomson Reuters - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxautomationCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cas Chapters(00:00) - AI Biggest Audit Shift (01:35) - Headlines And Sponsors (02:20) - Digits AI Ledger (04:02) - Nvidia Deal Explained (06:31) - Enron Echoes And SPVs (09:46) - Bubble Risks And GAAP (12:31) - EY Audit Efficiency Claims (15:25) - PCAOB Reports Debate (17:40) - OnPay Payroll Sponsor (18:53) - FinCEN Ends BOI (19:52) - Audit AI Adoption Stats (21:08) - PCAOB Must Set AI Rules (25:52) - Quarterly Reporting Comments (29:17) - Tether Finally Audited (33:17) - Thomson Reuters Tax Automation (35:07) - Ancient Rome Tax Scam (38:45) - Why Tax Fraud Meant Death (39:18) - Clients Want AI Dashboards (39:45) - Small Firm AI Workflows (44:35) - Sponsor Cloud Staffing (45:49) - AI Raises Client Demands (46:27) - Audit Disruption Debate (48:35) - QuickBooks Live Rebrand (51:10) - Taiwan Receipt Lottery (54:40) - OnPay Benefits Upgrade (01:05:17) - Switch Payroll Midyear (01:09:19) - Wrap Up And CPE   Show Notes 'Shades of Enron': Michael Burry shorts Nvidia as its $500 billion chip-financing deal fuels a bubble https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/nvidia-ai-push-echoes-enron-123355872.html EY leverages AI for audit https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/ey-leverages-ai-for-audit In ancient Rome, tax fraud was punishable by death https://www.popsci.com/science/tax-fraud-death-penalty-ancient-rome/ PCAOB inspection reports of largest audit firms show improvements https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/pcaob-inspection-reports-of-largest-audit-firms-show-improvements FinCEN ends beneficial ownership reporting https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/fincen-ends-beneficial-ownership-reporting Gartner Survey Finds Audit Teams' AI Use is Common, But Most Teams are Lacking Strategic Adoption and Application https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-08-10-gartner-survey-finds-audit-teams-ai-use-is-common-but-most It's Time for the US Audit Board to Set Corporate AI Standards https://news.bloombergtax.com/tax-insights-and-commentary/its-time-for-the-us-audit-board-to-set-corporate-ai-standards SEC quarterly earnings proposal draws flood of public complaints https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/sec-quarterly-earnings-proposal-draws-112015106.html Firms (and Some Guy Obsessed With China) Have Weighed in on the PCAOB Turning an Eye to AI https://www.goingconcern.com/firms-and-some-guy-obsessed-with-china-have-weighed-in-on-the-pcaob-turning-an-eye-to-ai/ Tether says KPMG issued 'clean' opinion in first full audit of USDT issuer's financials https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/08/13/tether-says-it-completed-long-promised-big-four-audit-of-finances-behind-usd180-billion-usdt-stablecoin Real-life ways small firms use AI https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2026/aug/real-life-ways-small-firms-use-ai/ QuickBooks Live is Dead, Long Live Intuit Experts https://uqb.show/154 Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040. Sponsorships Are you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus. Need Accounting Conference Info?  Check out our new website - accountingconferences.com Limited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessities TeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merch Subscribe Apple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast:

    NVIDIA AI Funding Deal Has "Shades of Enron" & EY Speeds Audits 125%+

  8. Aug 13

    PwC Cuts Disney & The Uncertain Career Path for CPAs

    What does episode 500 reveal about where accounting is headed? Blake Oliver and David Leary celebrate the milestone with CFO.com’s Adam Zaki and Going Concern’s Adrienne Gonzalez. They unpack AI’s pressure on billable hours, shrinking entry-level pathways, the changing route to CFO, and PwC’s canceled Disney intern event. Plus, Blake shares what happened after NASBA challenged his CPE comments. SponsorsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayCanopy - http://accountingpodcast.promo/canopyThomson Reuters - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxautomationCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cas Chapters(00:00) - ‌ (00:20) - Episode 500 Kickoff (02:59) - Origin Story Live Chat (07:22) - Billable Hour Fading (13:36) - AI Knowledge vs Data Risk (16:21) - PwC Intern Disney Cut (24:31) - Pyramid to Diamond Firms (34:29) - CFO Pathway Disrupted (37:25) - AI Without Apprenticeship (38:55) - Would You Work for AI (39:47) - CFO Pipeline Shrinking (41:11) - Skipping Entry Level (43:15) - Simulations vs Real Work (45:05) - Metaverse Training Fail (47:35) - Crypto Fraud Irony (49:10) - Listener Milestones (51:58) - Billable Hour Debate (01:01:21) - AI Auditing Future (01:02:33) - NASBA Speech Clash (01:11:48) - Wrap Up and Thanks   Show Notes CrossCountry Consulting's new co-CEOs say billable hour is 'waning' https://www.cfo.com/news/crosscountry-consulting-new-co-ceo-amy-bjarnason-neil-smith-discuss-their-industrys-future/826266/ Diamonds May Be a Firm's Best Strategy: How AI Is Rewriting the Structure of Modern Practice https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/08/05/diamonds-may-be-a-firms-best-strategy-how-ai-is-rewriting-the-structure-of-modern-practice/188060/ Teikametrics CFO Brian Beaupre says the career path he took is disappearing https://www.cfo.com/news/teikametrics-cfo-brian-beaupre-says-the-career-path-he-took-is-disappearing-cfo-leadership-council-/824716/ The Age of Artificial Intelligence: Quinnipiac University Poll on AI https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3955 We Went to the Boot Camp Where KPMG Teaches Auditors to Think Critically https://www.wsj.com/business/kpmg-summer-interns-auditing-ai-training-941ad5cc In Case You Didn't Hear, PwC Interns Won't Be Swarming Disney World This Year https://www.goingconcern.com/in-case-you-didnt-hear-pwc-interns-wont-be-swarming-disney-world-this-year/ Bitquery CEO Faces $5M Theft Claim, 194 Records Deleted https://www.analyticsinsight.net/news/bitquery-ceo-faces-5m-theft-claim-194-records-deleted Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040. Sponsorships Are you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus. Need Accounting Conference Info?  Check out our new website - accountingconferences.com Limited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessities TeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merch Subscribe Apple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/Overcast Classifieds REFRAME 2026 - http://accountingpodcast.promo/reframe2026Flowglad - https://cal.com/team/flowglad/flowglad Want to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad. Go here to create your classified ad: https://cloudacctpod.link/RunClassifiedAd Transcripts The full transcript for this episode is available by clicking on the Transcript tab at the top of this page

    PwC Cuts Disney & The Uncertain Career Path for CPAs
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About

The most authoritative voice in accounting news. Every week, Blake Oliver and David Leary break down the stories reshaping the profession — AI, the Big Four, firm M&A, audit failures, and the talent crisis — with analysis you won't get from the trade press. Earn free NASBA-approved CPE just for listening, with the Earmark app.

Information

  • Creator
    Blake Oliver & David Leary
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    618
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Earmark Media LLC
  • Show Website
    The Accounting Podcast

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