Podcasts about professional accountants

Cindy Dibete is a seasoned Corporate Governance Strategist and accomplishedNon-Executive Director, with a distinguished career trajectory forged over 22 yearsas a Professional Accountant. Specializing in architecting strategies that fortifyorganizational resilience, Cindy seamlessly blends her financial acumen withentrepreneurial fervour.As a dynamic entrepreneur, she has masterfully intertwined personal passion withprofessional prowess, founding a Foundation dedicated to facilitating DivineConversations—an avenue for exploring unconventional discourse. Underpinningthis endeavour is a steadfast commitment to kindling the essence of life itself.Cindy's global odyssey as a world traveller has afforded her profound crossculturalinsights, enhancing her ability to curate culturally attuned perspectives.Leveraging this diverse experience, she meticulously assembles bespoke AdvisoryBoards for her boutique consultancy, fostering synergy between internationalexpertise and local context.

In this What's Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Elani van der Laan discusses Standard Bank's tailored solutions for accounting and professional services businesses. Van der Laan is the Head of Accounting & Legal Sectors, Business and Commercial Banking and has held the position since 2021. She boasts nearly 15 years of experience working in the legal sector and has held several notable positions at leading companies. In this What's Next interview, van der Laan shares how Standard Bank is supporting accounting businesses with financial products that meet the needs of this sector. She outlines the process that Standard Bank goes through to develop new and relevant solutions that meet the needs of small and medium-sized accounting businesses in South Africa. Van der Laan then unpacks the biggest challenges in the sector from Standard Bank's perspective and explains how ESG and sustainability goals factor into this. She concludes the interview by sharing her advice for accounting businesses that want to stay competitive and meet their goals.

Ethics are a cornerstone of the accounting profession. In this episode, an ethical intelligence specialist explores the challenges accountants and finance professionals face in relation to ethics. Gain practical advice on how you can avoid common ethics pitfalls and how to develop and apply ethical intelligence to ensure compliance with the APES 110 code. Dive into real-world examples of how accountants have violated key principles – integrity, objectivity, competence, confidentiality and professional behaviour – and learn how to avoid these scenarios. Listen now for an expert ethics guide. Host: Belinda Zohrab-McConnell, regulations and standards lead, CPA Australia Guest: Brendan O'Connell FCPA, an expert in corporate governance, ethics, and accounting with experience in academia and industry. He is a member of the Ethics and Governance Centre of Excellence at CPA Australia and has conducted extensive research and provided consulting services to both government agencies and corporations. For more guidance on APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards) head to the APESB website. Would you like to listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes? Head to CPA Australia's YouTube channel. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

In this episode, Brian Davis, owner of One Stop CPA, discusses how technology has transformed the way his CPA firm operates and interacts with clients. Brian highlights the importance of using technology to provide a top-notch, virtual client experience. He shares insights on tools that have enhanced client engagement and streamlined his firms' operations. What you'll learn from this episode: Examples of ways to use technology to enhance a client's experience How remote work and serving clients virtually has worked for his firm The benefits of offering subscription model billing The importance of investing in client education as you introduce new tools and processes AICPA resources Tech stack wars in 2024 | Reimagining Your Tax Practice — With the amount of technology products out in the market, how do they perform in reality? Hear from Jason Staats on the latest products available for practice management and more on this archived Reimagining Your Tax Practice session. Transitioning to a tax-focused CPA financial planner | Reimagining Your Tax Practice — Tax return compliance is continuing to become more of a commodity. Your clients see you as their trusted adviser and ask about a range of topics that affect their financial well-being. In this Reimagining Your Tax Practice archived session, learn more about practitioners who offer financial planning services and how that has impacted their practices. Transforming Your Business Model…Technology — The Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) is developing tools around technology designed to help firms not only identify elements of their current business model that may be holding them back but also offering solutions to help them adapt in this changing environment. Transcript April Walker: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the AICPA Tax Section Odyssey podcast, where we offer thought leadership on all things tax, facing the profession. I'm April Walker, Lead Manager for the Tax section, and I'm today with Brian Davis. Brian is the CEO of One Stop CPA, which is a firm that focuses on tax, tax planning, and advisory. We're going to hear more about that. Brian, let's start off with telling me a little bit about your firm and how you got started and what you think, are your distinguishing characteristics. Brian Davis: Definitely. Well, excited to be here. Thanks for having me. Definitely, so my firm is One Stop CPA. It's a traditional small firm. We do compliance. I'm a CPA. We do tax compliance, tax planning, we do accounting services. It's a team of five, including myself, some onshore, some offshore. And the thing that I think distinguishes our product in our service that we deliver to our clients is how we deliver it. We use technology and pair it with insights. We pair it with traditional advisory things that we're giving the clients, and we try to give them that feel as if they're getting in person, top-notch experience because all of the clients that we work with are all virtual. So that gives us the ability to work with a remote team. It gives us the ability to deliver the clients nationwide. I think it's a little, I think it's definitely helped me grow business, get me a little bit more work-life balance, all the above. April Walker: All positive things. So for those who are listening, I mean, I think COVID taught us a lot of things - that we don't always have to be in person, although it's lovely to be in person. I love being next to people. But we don't have to be in person with our staff, with our clients. Maybe talk a little bit about that, how you still get that really great relationship with your clients and your staff, even being remote. Brian Davis: Sure, yeah. Definitely. COVID changed a lot within my firm. I went out on my own in 2017. This was pre-COVID. I went out for a lot of the reasons that are popular now, but back then it was not as popular as it's becoming. The commute to work, having to meet in person just to get a tax return signed, mailing off things. All these different things, I saw them as, these are not the values that customers appreciate. They're looking for me to help them do so many other things, save them, strategize on how to lower their tax bill, how to help them grow their business, how to go for an exit one day. I want to sell this, we can have that on a phone call. I could actually deliver even better results to you. I just started to think, before COVID, it was a little bit tougher to sell clients on this service. It was a lot of teaching. You have to tell your client, hey, well, you have to e-sign your returns, so go to your email. And it's like, I'm not used to this. This is not how we do things with our last accountant. After COVID, of course, that exploded. A lot of clients would reach out to us and say, yeah, if you could get this done for us remotely, that'd be great. So from there, I also switched over to the subscription model around  March 2020. When we made that switch because it's hey, well, we want to serve you guys, and we want to give you all the things that you now need to do remotely. So technology is a big part of that. The way you educate your clients, the way they feel. Because you're losing a little bit of the touch when they're not in person. I can't offer you a drink when you come to the office, but there's even things now where you could send a client a gift card. Here's a five dollar Starbucks gift card, so we could out grab a coffee. There's all these cool little ways where you can just make that customer feel so good, even though we're doing it all the time. April Walker: We're going to talk a little bit about while we're here together, talk about technology. So maybe talk a little bit about where you see those biggest friction points with your clients and how you think technology or how you've explored technology helping some of those friction points. Brian Davis: Definitely. I made all the mistakes when I started my firm. I would do compliance-only work. I would do tax prep only, and I would have different segments of clients that I would deal with in different ways. Well, this person likes to sign in person. This person likes to drop off a package in the mail. When you look into this technology, when we look at things as a firm, it's always well, these clients wouldn't adopt it. These clients wouldn't like it. I wouldn't be able to attract these style of clients. But when you meet a client, and you say, hey, this is our portal. This is how we do business. Take a good look at it, give them a free trial, maybe if you're seriously considering them, and then try to do a test. Did you see this message that I just sent you there? Here's a template. Did you get it? Cool. So that's how we communicate. Believe it or not, nowadays, more and more people, no matter their level of skill and technology, if you could simplify it for them, they appreciate that. Whenever I'm looking at new technology, I'm looking for, I love the new features and how I could make all this money using it and save time. But it's also, will the client feel a disconnect or will they feel like I'm throwing them into the tech dark hole? You could lose a good client because they don't feel that personal touch. Even though we're investing in different technologies and moving to greater things that help us on the back end, we also want to at the same time, if not even more important, when you're making sales, when you're delivering, you want to make them feel comfortable with your tools. If your tool is so hard for them to navigate, it's going to create that for them. April Walker: That's right. What are some exciting things that you have implemented lately around technology? Brian Davis: Definitely. Well, I'll highlight two of my favorites. They know that they're my favorites. TaxDome is my client portal that I use. Before TaxDome, I was doing the spreadsheet and notepad method of workflow management, which is not the right way. April Walker: Maybe in Excel spreadsheets. Brian Davis: Excel spreadsheets. Before that and then implementing TaxDome, it helped me map out how I want to grow the team, how I see myself. Like, which task within this job that we're doing, do I want to, one day off load to somebody, so that I could free up more time for myself to do sales, do client services, help people do like advisory one on one because that's where the value is to the client. They don't care if you're in the back turning out bookkeeping and entering in numbers on your 10 key. They want to know the results, and it's the client experience. So TaxDome is great because when I started it, I was slow to implement. I would pick a few clients, test out on myself. I'm a client, too. I would test out my firm's tax return process and say, Hey, what went smoothly? What can we tweak and make better before we go live with this with everyone? But the feedback I would get from clients is this is so great. I love how easy that was. It's on the app. I can download an app. Everybody knows how to download an app. April Walker: Most everybody, yeah. Brian Davis: Most people. If you're going to work with us, you got to be able to e-sign your return. That's one of the things TaxDome makes. I was getting the feedback that clients really like the experience, and I like the back office side of it, which there are other options out there. I just know that doing TaxDome, clients loved it. Another one is spotlight reporting. A lot of clients are used to seeing their QuickBooks reports black and white, ledger. What's more fun than watching that with the client and just going through a list of fixed assets? Here's your security department. They don't want to see that. You got to make these numbers kind of come alive for the clients have a discussion. Spotlight Reporting connects directly to your QuickBooks file, your Zero files, and you can create your own advisory dashboards. A lot of clients I have will ask, well, how I'm I on pace compared to last year? I would say, well, let me run that report on QuickBooks. Let me do the prior year comparison. Now, I have a custom bar chart, and it shows month by month, how you're doing this year, how you're doing versus last year. Another one that I made was a EBITA monitor. It looks like an EKG machine. When I'm showing doctors, hey, this is your EBITA monitor, I say, this is like a heart rate monitor. When you're having these conversations, it's better to have a nice report that you can get them to collaborate with you because there's nothing more boring than reading a report and everybody's just staring at you, and that comes across. Spotlight's another one. When I show people the reports, it's like, this is great. It really answers my questions, and now we could move forward to the future planning conversation where I could make the big bucks with advisory. April Walker: Sure. I want to talk about advisory. Let's lean into advisory. Did you start doing advisory right away, or how did you implement that and what have you seen, the changes and maybe the client satisfaction? I don't want to lead the witness. Brian Davis: Like I said, I made all the mistakes when I started our firm. I was doing advisory, but I wasn't charging for it. I was doing tax compliance. I was charging by the form. This is your form. You need some bookkeeping write-up work. But clients would reach out. Hey, we have some questions surrounding the tax, not necessarily doing the tax return. We have some year-round support questions. We want to go buy a car. What's the best way to do it. I got to come up with a way where I could not just be quick with them in five seconds, get them off the phone. No, I want to actually help you walk through this process. Clients would rely on us for those things. It's not just for the compliance. That's part of why I branded my company one stop, because I want them to feel like it's not just that we're coming to do your tax return and bill you by the form. We're adding that other piece, the advisory, to take advantage of different things. That's under the umbrella of your subscription. Now taking on clients, that's part of the package. You have to sign up for some piece of the advisory and the taxes will come along with it, but you can't do this tax prep. The advisory journey, it's been a journey for me, for sure. It's still, always working on ways to make it better. But things like TaxDome puts them at ease with the compliance part. All your stuff's there. You get audited. You have your forms and your backup. We saved it in a portal. If you want to look at some reporting, we can, support an advisory conversation with these nice cool. People like pretty colors. It's the colors and the pictures. April Walker: Hundred percent that's what I like, too. On that, with this subscription advisory and learning how to charge for that, how has that evolved? Where are you now now with that? Because I feel like that a lot of firms that I talked to just cannot figure it out- cannot figure out value pricing, cannot get away from time and billing, you know, everyone has a different answer, and there's not one right thing. Brian Davis: I mean, the subscription model, of course, it has its little pieces where you, it has to make sense for what you're offering. Just because you subscribe doesn't mean I'm going to go back and do your five years of catch up filings and year to date books. There's also those one time services. Usually when we meet a new client, there's going to be some advisory diagnostic assessment fee. That's just we try to be as upfront about the pricing that we're going to charge them going forward, so we can see do even want to take this client on for this one time service. It's been a journey to get there. As you get more revenue, you can make these decisions. April Walker: A little more picky. Brian Davis: You could be a little bit more picky, but that's been the journey. The price I advertise and go for now is probably 10X what I was thinking in the beginning. Because I was going off of what I think the customers are ready to pay. But if I explain it to them, so you can't just go straight into the pricing conversation. I heard it from the conference before one of the speakers, it's malpractice to just price without a diagnosis. That's one of the medical rules, the medical oaths. We have to diagnose what you're looking for, to put you in the right package. But I do the three tiers of package thing, but the way I do it is I show the big package, the good one. First all the cool features. Sounds great, right? Well, these are the other options, but once I've showed you this one, you're sold. I showed you all the tech that comes with it, and now I start to piece away some of the reporting. Hey, you can't get those cool pretty colors, you want to have that. April Walker: You get the simple quickbooks report. Brian Davis: How can I give you support for those big questions? If you're going through, when I got my start, I got lucky. I got a couple of clients that were in the medical profession that were doing deals where they were getting ready to sell their practices. I got a first hand experience of what a private equity investor would come in and say, Here's our due diligence questions. I said, "Well, you know, half of these are financial statements." I could pull those out. But there's some other things they're asking you that the customer wasn't even tracking. It's these cool reports bring that alive. It shows them, okay? We can support you in more than just getting your taxes and having the financials for the bank and the IRS. We have it so that you can make better decisions and if you're going to add or remove shareholders, this supports that, as well. That's part of the part of the pricing well, as far as pricing, it's all based on what we're including so you got to have your packages premade and a lot goes into that. But one thing I would do is try to not my prices and packages have one name. The name explains  what [it is]. Advanced, starter and small. And there's limited seats on small. We're probably already booked. That's how you propose it to the clients. So you are either going to get one of the two. I'm not going to give them all the options. I'm going to recommend one and if they decide they want the smaller one, well, hey, we'll take them on maybe, and you could grow into the big package. But a lot of times, what I'm seeing, is sometimes I meet with good clients and go through this process, the intake proposal, the discovery assessment, and they realize, no, you don't get this advanced. You're not going to get the results you're asking me for. April Walker: What they really need. Brian Davis: Because it's not a solution that everybody explains and a lot of times when I meet clients, they don't have this. All virtual -  nobody's using the same tech stack as me. It's a little bit of training and education that you're doing. So what I do like about some of these software vendors now, they're working with us accountants to help us sell in. Here's how you can grow your advisory practice and just the idea of it. Well, being that we're talking to just smaller firms, smaller firm practitioners and owners, we undervalue how agile we are. We can implement something, and that could be the start of something great. It's just, you got to do it one software tool at a time, one employee at a time, one customer. April Walker: That brings up another thought I had is, is there a magic time to add a new software or do you not limit that? Brian Davis: I mean, you got to keep an open mind so you're definitely not going to you don't want to keep moving your clients from portal to portal software to software that's a big no no because then they'll look at you like, am I an on the job training client or you know what you're doing. You know, would you move me from this one to this one? Definitely demoing the like I said, if you're doing your own taxes, test your firm out. You could do your own and say, Hey, how do I feel as a customer, or pick a couple of friends or those friend clients and say, Hey, I'm going to send you down this pipeline. How did you feel about the experience? Then I mean, we're small firms. We can implement. Like that spotlight reporting is something I implemented. Immediately, I started to see that customers were reacting well to it, so I put it in my offer in a way. Hey, well, my new customers get this. My old customers, well, I'm trying to tell them hey, this is where we're going. Maybe we'll keep you for this year, but we'll have this conversation and revisit. Hopefully your business grows and you need this. You can't you're not a one even though I have the name one stop CPA, we're not one size fits all. That's the thing you have to educate. It's a lot of proposals and presentations. That's why I like to use YouTube and Loom. They help with I don't have to do a presentation to everyone and lose my voice. I could make a nice intro. Give you the presentation that applies to yours, what I'm trying to talk to you about. Then I jump in on the back end of I mean, big companies do it. April Walker: Absolutely. I'm sure we're going to talk about it a decent amount. We're just getting started at this conference today, but AI. What's your take on it? How are you using it? How has it made your life better or your firm's life better? Brian Davis: Oh, it's made my life better, everything. I mean, we learn how to do recipes on there, everything. You could almost use it for anything outside of that. April Walker: Absolutely. Brian Davis: But AI, I mean, it's great and you have to know it's just like another tool. You have to know how it applies to your firm and how you're using it. Of course, we have to be careful with security and making sure you're not uploading personal data. What I talked about in the session is think about who the customer is. If you're on a free version of ChatGPT, you're the customer. They're using your input to build the model. But if you pay for the workspace, the app it costs a little bit more money, you can control those settings, and now you can get even more advanced with, endless opportunities. I mean, I have when I'm doing video deliveries that, now sometimes I'll do a tax return and I'll send you a Loom video that will kind of answer the questions I know you're going to have so that that way, when you look at it, you're not hey, I got questions, and I'm busy because I'm at digital CPA. Let me show the video, send it to you. I have a script writer that will help me write the script. There's so much different ways you can play around. I mean, I feel like AI is just getting better and better, so I can't say that I'm an expert on it because it's who it is. It's it's such an early stage but it's great. I'm definitely impressed with it. I try to do as much improvement as I can because it's kind of an assistant. We used to go to Google, research different articles, different people's opinions on tax. Now, you could kind of use it as a research assistant. April Walker: To get you started, at least. Brian Davis: Hey, I'm researching these tax things and I have these questions. This is the idea that I want to present to the client. How would you approach that? Of course, I'm not going to just forward that, but it's definitely better to have that with you kind of just to help you out. I see it as another team member. It's like another team member. April Walker: Yeah, we use Copilot. Brian Davis: Well, one way that I'll be using it now, and I got to give a shout out to Automation Town, it's a community that I'm part of with Chad Davis. One thing I even expressed him, I said, well, the Zoom AI summary after I have my discovery call, Zoom gives a pretty decent, recap of the meeting. But I can't just forward that to the client because there's sometimes there's little, I want to put all that. It's kind of look at it before you send anything to a client. Before I start running off tasks to people, I want to put a little bit of, that would be me, something I would go and manually do. I said, well, he kind of laid out a way where you can combine Zoom's AI summary that comes to you by email with a zappier integration that can create a new Google document with action plan, potential action task for the team, a potential agenda recap that you can send to the client. Then pair that with you tell it stuff about your firm. Well, hey, we talked about this, we want offer this afterwards, and now it already knows what you mean. It can get very customized. You just got to play around with it. It's so cool. There's so many different ways people are using it, and you don't have to be any kind of super tech-forward. You can play around with it. April Walker: I think that's right. I mean, just keep in mind the security aspects, and don't put personal information in there, and then just have fun. Brian Davis: Yeah, get those settings right where you're not uploading your life to the cloud. You know, it's analyzing everything, but, once you're in there, I mean, it's helped me design chat messages that I send to clients just enhancing, hey, I want to come across this way because when we're accounting, you wouldn't even want to see some of the emails I used to send to people just to summarize our meeting. April Walker: Oh my gosh I know. Brian Davis: You got to be an accountant to read this but you know, you could say, hey, read this so it's easier to digest. It's great that you could do those. It's pairing it with our knowledge. As accountants, we got so much that we're good at. Now there's these tools that help us out. April Walker: Brian, we've had a great conversation today. I love it. I don't know if you have listened to our podcast before. It's called Tax Section Odyssey. On it, I like to think about taking an Odyssey together, journey together towards a better profession. We'll pip it a little bit to do you have any dreams outside of the world of tax that you have a bucket list or any travel you've got planned that's still there. Brian Davis: No, well, I definitely want to start traveling in the future. Again, before COVID, that was the one thing when I went out on my own, I got to start traveling. That's why I was hooked on, okay, I got to make this firm work because then I could keep doing these trips. My son, he's 11 months now, so when he's starting to walk, he's starting to stumble so when he starts walking, we want to  spend the summer in a different country and those things. I'd love to do that. April Walker: My daughter had a passport before she was two, so do it. Brian Davis: Right. Exactly. Definitely looking forward to some travel, and just building the firm that can run smooth. I don't plan on selling my firm anytime. I do enjoy being an accountant. I kind of lost that love when I was at the firms and having trouble breaking through to the partners - hey, we should do this, there's some tools that we could use to save me time. We have to document every 15 minutes that we're doing. Now that I got out on my own, I saw that there's a better way that you could actually run an amazing firm. I know that there's a shortage of accountants that are trying that are getting into it because it's  seen as this heavy, burdensome job and there's definitely ways you could break through. In the future, you know, just being a part of that, whether it means helping accountants that are kind of coming up in my shoes. I talked to a lot of my friends and fellow CPAs that just  may have met me on a Zoom or something or met me on a community chat or something, and they're just, you know, looking for these tips to help them get out on their own. What is the tech stack you use? What should I maybe start off with?. Maybe some kind of coaching thing where I'm just helping out profession a little bit. That's something like an Odyssey. April Walker: I love that. That's great. On an Odyssey. Brian, thank you so much for joining me today. I enjoyed it. Brian Davis: This is great. Thanks for having me. April Walker: Of course. Again, this is April Walker from the AICPA Tax section. This community is your go to source for technical guidance and resources design, especially for CPA tax practitioners like you in mind. This is a podcast from AICPA and CIMA together as the Association of International certified Professional Accountants. You can find us wherever you listen to your podcasts, and we encourage you to follow us so you don't miss an episode. If you already follow us, thank you so much, and please feel free to share with a like-minded friend. Thanks again for listening. Keep your finger on the pulse of the dynamic and evolving tax landscape with insights from tax thought leaders in the AICPA Tax Section. The Tax Section Odyssey podcast includes a digest of tax developments, trending issues and practice management tips that you need to be aware of to elevate your professional development and your firm practices. This resource is part of the robust tax resource library available from the AICPA Tax Section. The Tax Section is your go-to home base for staying up to date on the latest tax developments and providing the edge you need for upskilling your professional development. If you're not already a member, consider joining this prestigious community of your tax peers. You'll get free CPE, access to rich technical content such as our Annual Tax Compliance Kit, a weekly member newsletter and a digital subscription to The Tax Adviser.

This podcast discussion with Michael Reese, Risk Control Consulting Director (Accountants) — CNA Insurance, centers around the importance of engagement letters for tax practitioners. Michael emphasizes the role engagement letters play in setting expectations, providing clarity and mitigating risks during engagements. He also reviews the necessity of having clear, documented agreements to minimize disputes and liability issues. What you'll learn from this episode: The importance of engagement letters Common risks in tax engagements The role of client education and communication in managing risk How to handle quality control under deadline pressure AICPA resources Annual Tax Compliance Kit — Engagement letters, organizers, checklists and practice guides help you manage your tax season workflow. Say "I do" to engagement letters — Uncover the importance of establishing parameters of client relations and detail the scope of services to be provided. Other resources Frequently Asked Engagement Letter Questions — The Accountants Risk Control team at CNA, the endorsed underwriter of the AICPA Professional Liability Insurance Program, summarizes answers to frequently asked questions. Transcript April Walker: On today's podcast, listen to hear how you can manage your risk with engagement letters. Hello, everyone, and welcome to the AICPA's Tax Section Odyssey Podcast, where we offer thought leadership on all things tax facing the profession. I'm April Walker, a Lead Manager from the Tax Section. And I'm here today with Michael Reese. Michael is a risk control director with CNA. Michael Reese: Good morning, April. April Walker: Thanks for joining me today. Here at the AICPA, we work really closely with Michael and his team on lots of things and lots of projects. But I'm especially grateful for the partnership that we have with his team for Tax engagement letter templates. Speaking of engagement letters, they are now currently available to Tax Section members. Of course, I will put a link in the show notes so that you're able to access those. April Walker: Today, we're going to talk about some common questions that we get, and I'm sure that you also get Michael on Tax Engagement Letters and just generally how to manage your risk as a tax practitioner. Welcome, Michael, and thank you for joining me. Michael Reese: Thank you. Hopefully, what I can provide will be of use to your listeners. These are questions we often get as well. I do want to confirm that, but it's a very important topic. Glad we're talking about it here today. April Walker: I'm positive that they will be helpful. Sometimes people get answers to questions that they don't really want to hear, but they're important for them to hear. Michael Reese: Exactly. April Walker: Just to start off, I'm wondering why you think it's crucial for tax practitioners to have an engagement letter in place not only for every engagement but before they actually start the work. Michael Reese: April, I think there's two primary answers to this question. First, setting expectations and then setting guardrails in case something goes wrong. From a practice standpoint, it's very important for both the practitioner and the client to know what's going to happen and what work is being done. Your engagement letter hopefully is going to clearly state, "This is what you've asked us to do. This is what we're doing. This is what we collectively need to do to get this completed. This is the info we need and when we need it," etc. If a practitioner doesn't have this, then they run the risk of a client coming back later and either adding services, sometimes without the added fee, or complaining that a service has not been performed. There needs to be that clarity upfront. For professional liability reasons, having that clarity helps limit your duty of care to the agreed-upon scope. This way, in the event of a dispute, the practitioner has a strong argument for avoiding liability related to items for which they had no responsibility. That leads me to the second answer involving guardrails. Ideally, the engagement letter is going to set out the agreed-upon rules if something goes wrong. Dispute resolution is not really something CPAs focus on until they are in the middle of one, but we routinely talk to tax practitioners who are in the middle of an engagement with a problem and they don't have the signed letter to fall back on. If that letter is in place before the work starts, you now have options if something goes wrong, whereas without the letter, you don't. Now, I'm not ignoring the fact that getting a signed letter back can be a challenge, especially for 1040 clients. But I know there are practitioners out there that have a strict process. No letter, no work. Remember, the onus is on the client because they do need your help. Otherwise, they aren't showing up to your office. If they want the service, then they need to work with you. April, I would say put it this way. When I go to get work done on my car, even for an oil change, they don't even take my keys until I've signed a piece of paper that says I agree to the service and the terms of service. If I ignore that paper, disappear for some period of time, and then come back like some tax clients, when I come back, my car is still how I left it unrepaired, and I can't now complain that I'm going to be late for work because my car isn't fixed. I can, but I don't know how far it's going to get me. I really would like to think that tax professionals should have no trouble with a similar approach. April Walker: That's a great analogy. That's where we'll talk about this. Mike, you and I have both been in practice before. And sometimes we struggle with the way we've always done things, in a certain way, but it might not be the way the rest of the world operates. If we're thinking about this in a way of managing your risk, this is definitely a best practice. Michael Reese: Yeah, I would agree. April Walker: Great. Let's talk about some common risks that tax practitioners face during engagement. You've got your engagement letter, for sure. Check one. We are in the engagement. How might having that engagement letter help mitigate some of the risks that can happen as things are going on? Michael Reese: I'll give you four. We can talk about these. But the first one and we did touch on it before in the prior question, there's risk when there's no alignment on what the client needs. The client may not understand truly what they need to comply. They just know they need to file a return. Once you have the discussion with your client and identify the extent of the need, that engagement letter is going to provide the clarity that we spoke of, so both you and the client understand - this is what we're doing. Two, once you know what you're doing, there's still a risk that the client doesn't know what's included. Let me give you an example. When I practiced, I had a 1040 business owner client that felt they were paying too much in estimated taxes using the 110% safe harbor method. We ended up doing actual method. They didn't realize that meant doing quarterly drafts for the business and then calculating actual tax in multiple draft 1040s to figure out how much they owed each quarter. Added a lot of time, added a lot of fees. The client thought it was, "Part of the return." But at the time, the engagement letter didn't really break down for the client what was part of the return and what was not. That subsequent argument about fees could all have been avoided. Three, there is a small risk someone may use the work for a purpose other than what was originally intended and we don't see this too often in tax. It's more of an attest item, but sometimes we do see it in tax. Just think of how often clients ask for comfort letters and you'll see where I'm going with this. Once you give them the deliverable, you do lose a bit of control as to what they might do with it. Your engagement letter can anticipate this risk by saying, "We're doing this X." Tax return, consulting project, whatever. "We're doing this X for this specific reason. If you use it for some other reason, that risk and or loss is on you." I helped you with your tax return so that you can file your taxes and not have the IRS sending you nosy letters. If you gave that return to someone else for some other reasons, you've been warned, that's between you and that other person. But if your engagement letter doesn't close that door, you could have an issue. Fourth, strangely enough, not every client realizes that if you don't file and pay your taxes on time, there's some downside associated with that. A lot of professional liability claims fall into the bucket of, "You didn't tell me," regardless of merit. At minimum, your engagement letter can put the client on notice. "Hey, if you don't do this or you don't take your responsibilities seriously, bad things can happen." April Walker: I think those are all great examples. I'm specifically thinking about and we may touch on it a little bit later talking about some of the planning that might be around some of the upcoming TCJA sunset items and work you're going to be doing around that. I like your example and that absolutely has happened to me before about the estimated tax payments. The client didn't really understand, "Hey, cash out is also the fees you pay to me." I think that's a interesting one. But you want to make sure that you're not leaving on the table the assumption that any planning and projection work that you might be doing related to these consulting projects or whatever around TCJA or whatever it might be is specifically either included in the engagement letter or you have a separate engagement letter that talks about that. Michael Reese: I think you used a very important term when you say assumption. I think a lot of times CPAs are very in tune with the work and what needs to be done and there's an assumption that the client has the same knowledge or the same background. I think you talk to a lot of clients and what the CPA believes to be true isn't always necessarily what the client believes to be true. That's why you'll hear me talk a lot about that alignment between client and CPA. Documenting that and getting that understanding and having it in the engagement letter is very helpful. April Walker: Like you said, in assurance engagements, you hear more about scope creep. But definitely, it happens in tax engagement too. It's important to think about. I know this doesn't happen with people who listen to this podcast and are AICPA and tax section members. I know this doesn't happen. But maybe you have friends who do not have an engagement letter for an engagement. What are some examples of situations? Not specific - we're not calling names and calling people out here, but where might there be significant issues for a tax practitioner if they don't have an engagement letter? Michael Reese: Sure, and you're right. I can't name names, but we've seen enough that I can give you some generic examples inspired by true events. Hopefully one listening doesn't say that's my situation, but that's not where this is intended to go. If you don't have an engagement letter, you may have an oral contract even if you don't realize it. I'm not sure most people are aware. Simple fact pattern. Client calls you for work, you discuss fees, client says, there's an argument, that's a contract. The problem is other than the fee and the return, what are the terms? What's the result if something weird happens and you want to fire the client? Or if the client never pays you for your time, or and I've seen this one before, the person goes MIA, you don't realize they were serious and they show up on the due date with a stack of papers and your fee demanding a tax return. Oral contracts are a gray area and frankly, one where I think practitioners should seek legal help if one exists because of the ambiguity around performance, remedy and termination. When I say performance, I mean doing the work. Remedy is what one party can look forward to if the other party violates the agreement and termination I hope is self explanatory. I'll put a plug in here for the engagement letters offered to AICPA members in the tax compliance kit. Those letters include a provision that states the agreement supersedes all previous oral agreements. That's there on purpose. You can hopefully avoid the issues related to possibly having entered into an oral agreement, when you've provided a written proposal, or if the engagement letter scope differs from prior understandings. And that happens frequently enough where you talk about the work and then you put it in the letter and maybe the client doesn't realize the scope has changed a little bit. Another situation. If you don't have an engagement letter and a good percentage of tax claims actually fall into this category, the disputes and ensuing lawsuits are more difficult to defend and more expensive to defend. You're now trying to piece together all of those conversations, all of those emails, dealing with all of the finger pointing and the convenient lapse of memories, just to figure out what was supposed to happen. Just put it in writing so it's clear upfront what the agreement is. I think an area I would be concerned with here is with SALT (state and local tax) compliance. Here it's more often that there's an engagement letter, but the letter is ambiguous or silent on key scope matters. It's not absence of an engagement letter as in your question, but functionally, it's the same principle because whether you have no letter or the letter is silent, in both cases, you don't have contemporaneous documentation. A lot of clients forego SALT compliance because to them, the cost outweighs the act. But when the state comes knocking, you're going to have to navigate that lack of documentation. I don't know if too many clients audited by the state who raise their hand and say, no, I told my CPA not to prepare that return. My last example is the long standing client with recurring compliance that all of a sudden has new facts. Sometimes the practitioner isn't even aware of the new information when it's in their possession. If the planned scope anticipates 20 hours of work with commensurate fee, and now all of a sudden you realize the scope needs 50 hours of work. With a commensurate fee, the lack of an engagement letter is going to be a real problem when you send that bill for 2.5 times the fee that the client expected. Fee disputes are common claim drivers. April Walker: Those are great examples and the SALT one particularly. You just need to make sure I think in the engagement letters that are part of our toolkit, it specifically says that you need to list out the state returns you're going to do, but there needs to be, like you said, some documentation about you may have a nexus and exposure in these particular states and somehow document what the client is telling you to do. Then just a quick note on sometimes people will talk about unilateral engagement letters. Hey, we've had this client forever, and we're doing the same thing for them. Do we really need to get an engagement letter every single year? What's your thought on that? Michael Reese: I would say yes. You do need to get an engagement letter every single year. I'd say that for a couple of reasons. If your practice is still the practice 10 years later after you gave that original engagement letter, I'd be hard pressed to think that most people's practices and practices internally have changed. I think the engagement letter is a reflection of how your practice evolves and your quality control and what you're doing for a client. Two, depending on what's in your engagement letter, you want the engagement to actually end so that you're not indefinitely keeping open potential statute of limitations or potential liability. I'll give you a high level example. If you have an engagement letter and you say, I'm not going to do an engagement letter, I'll do the evergreen letter where it just continues on indefinitely. There's a question that engagement is still there. It's just an ongoing one really long engagement. Whereas if you have the engagement letter, you clarify the scope every year. By clarifying the scope every year, you limit your duty of care for that year and then it ends. When you look at the statute of limitations for liability, you can say okay this letter is done with, this statute is done with, anything related to the work done there, that's passed. You can't come back and argue with me about it, but if you have just this amorphous, non defined or ill defined client situation, you interject a lot of ambiguity and that can become a problem for liability purposes. It's really just best to make everything clean, do one letter a year, make sure the clients understand that when that letter ends or when that work delivers, that one's done. I'm not tied to you indefinitely. I may be tied to indefinitely as the client, but I'm not tied to indefinitely visa V that engagement. Next year, when the work comes up, issue another letter. It also helps you understand what the client needs. Or if the client's needs they changed and it's evolved, the letter is going to reflect that every year as opposed to just having one letter, it's old you push out the same one. If their needs have changed, that letter really needs to reflect it. April Walker: Good thoughts. Michael, I'm thinking about client education. I feel client education and communication is a big part of underlying a lot of what we talked about today. But I'm assuming you think it's an important role that we play in client education. But how can practitioners work on educating their clients about the importance of these engagement letters? Michael Reese: I don't know if it's so much educating them about the importance of the letters. They need to understand the letter aspect of it as well, but it really is educating clients on their role in the process and reinforcing the fact that whatever the client brings to your door, it's ultimately the client's responsibility, not the CPA's responsibility. It's the client's tax return. It's the client's tax planning. As your service provider, I can provide you with suggestions, guidance, or advice, but really it's up to you to make the decision. The engagement letter should confirm that and lay out with some specificity what that decision is and what the client needs to do to support that decision. One problem I saw from my own practice was that most clients concerns, especially around the engagement letter, started and stopped with a fee and the deliverable. It was very transactional. If the practitioner can impress upon clients that you're not a vending machine. They can't just drop off paper and money and expect magic. And that you client have to put some effort into the process too. That right there really helps everyone involved. I'll continue to harp on it, but things go a lot smoother when both practitioner and the client are on the same page. Client education can be a big help here because practitioners shouldn't take for granted that even their longstanding clients fully understand what's going on or what the process requires. On your question of how. It's never a bad idea to be open and upfront about both the service and the engagement letter and answering any questions the client may have. Some firms take this approach as part of onboarding new clients. I know you and I talked a little bit about onboarding before we got underway, but practitioners should be forewarned. The risks of misunderstandings between practitioner and client are not limited to new clients. Practitioners need to be able to talk about what's in their letter. That may require them to sit down with an attorney that helped draft the letter so that they know what certain provisions mean and where it's okay to be flexible. I might also challenge practitioners to not be afraid to openly discuss what might happen if things don't go as planned. Now, this doesn't have to be a doom and gloom or threatening conversation. But, hey, I need your help here to make this go smoothly and if I don't get your help, here's what the downside to you client might look like. I would hazard to guess that outside of a small population of clients that repeatedly get fired by their professional, most clients don't think about the prospect of what might happen if they don't hold up their end of the bargain. Talking about client responsibilities openly and soberly and what happens if the client doesn't support the work might help make this prospect not so remote. Because unless the client just doesn't care about their taxes, and those are out there. I have to believe most clients do not want the prospect of either paying some unexpected amount on the due date or trying to find assistance at the last minute. If you think about it, a lot of client angst really revolves around those two items, paying more than expected or necessary and having the government come back and stress them out later. Use that and have an honest conversation with the client about what they need to do to avoid either of those outcomes. Then make sure it's in your engagement letter. April Walker: Like I said, our conversation today boils down to communication and so I think those are good thoughts and good conversations to have. I mentioned it earlier but you and I are both in the public accounting world, and we're aware of the pressure that you can face with client demands and deadline demands and all of that. What do you think - do you have to balance that, with the need for thorough quality control? What are some of your thoughts around that question? Michael Reese: I'll challenge it a little bit just because. April Walker: That's fine. Michael Reese: I don't want your listeners thinking that they need to make a choice between quality control and something else. You and I both know when the clock hits the week before deadline, ten, 11, 12th, a lot of things start getting squishy, I guess, maybe is the best way. April Walker: Squishy is a good word. Michael Reese: You got hard rules all of a sudden those rules get a little squishy. The term balancing may give some the impression that if one end is weighted more heavily, the other one is up in the air. Practitioners shouldn't view the quality control as optional if their reputation is built on doing quality work.                                                              I think most if not all practitioners would say that's the case. I want to look at both parts of your question, thorough quality control and deadline pressure/client demands. Now, the most obvious answer to me for dealing with the pressure of a tight deadline and client demand is to not have deadline pressure or client demands. I know. Before I get laughed out of the room, I've had my share of deadline horror stories. We all have. The concept really isn't that outlandish. I'm starting to see a lot of evidence slowly, but surely practitioners are challenging that default notion that tax due dates have to be this pressure filled exercise that makes you wonder or question, why do I put up with this every year? If you can create optimal work conditions, that's a huge win rather than simply accepting that there's no alternative and suffering the consequences.  For those that aren't fully to a stress free deadline yet, and I know they're out there as well, your quality control, whether that's informal or it's a 50 page document that no one reads or refers to, it needs to be designed in a more intentional way. To me anytime you talk about quality control, I think you have to look at your process and your process design. Then you have to look at the people integral to the process, including the client. A lot of process is iterative, organic, reactive. When that happens, there's no design, there's no intentionality. You're just patching holes as they appear or responding to the latest impetus. On the other hand, when there is design, sometimes we fall into the trap of designing to a best case scenario instead of a worst case scenario or realistic scenario. Mistakes happen all the time, but I don't think it's far fetched or controversial thing to say that in periods of high stress and pressure, the likelihood of a mistake is higher. When I say process design requires intentionality, I'm really trying to highlight that the design needs to operate from the base assumption that the players involved aren't always going to do things in a rational, uniform or expected manner. The question is, can your process for quality control withstand the sheer hysteria of those last days before the due date? Because if it can, you're not really balancing quality control or sacrificing quality. Your system accounts for the insanity as a given and then responds appropriately. For those that have QC in place, I want you to ask yourself, are they rules or do they become suggestions in the face of competing interests? Do they become squishy, as we said before? Is it easy to rationalize an exception to the rule on April 13th compared to January 13th? Part of this depends on what habits you have as a professional. If you have strong habits, the answer or choice you make doesn't change regardless of day or situation. I think the last thing I want to say about QC design is often practitioners are challenged because they don't know what they don't know, and that is a real and legitimate hurdle. We completely understand that. We get a lot of calls on the risk management hot line where practitioners have never had to deal with this before and I get it. You can't design for what you don't know. But that's where I think you tap into your professional network, attend conferences, like National Tax Conference, where you and I will be and understand what resources are available to you, whether it's a tax section or your insurance carrier or your state society. There's tons of ideas out there, maybe too much, but there's nothing that says you have to keep doing it the same way and expecting a different outcome. I think that's called insanity. April Walker: I particularly love that we start off talking about engagement letters, but then we circle back to thinking about a new way to operate in tax, which I do think is possible and one of my passion projects. I love that. I just wanted to note another important aspect of quality control that in my mind, is a best practice for firms to minimize errors and omissions, and those are checklists that help you consider, have you addressed these key issues and making that not just a rote check. It's a real part of your procedures and really stepping away and making sure you have a process for all of the things. Making sure you have a process for getting your signed engagement letter before you start your work, making sure every return has some review procedure. Even if you're a very small practitioner you should have some kind of [review process]. Is it stepping away for a period of time before you look at the return again or something like that. Speaking of the checklist, they will be available soon in mid December as part of the annual tax compliance kit. Look forward to those. Thank you so much Michael for this discussion today. I think it was a good one and hopefully a educational one for our listeners. In closing on these podcasts, if you're a listener, I hope you are. You know that this next question is coming and so it's Tax Section Odyssey we're taking a journey together towards a better profession. In doing so I like to hear about my guest other journeys outside of tax. Talk to me about something that's on your bucket list or a recent trip you've had, something that you've got on the horizon. Michael Reese: I have not had any recent trips, but I do have an upcoming trip next month and then I will give you a bucket list one as well because I'm always happy to talk about bucket list travel. Next month and we started this maybe eight or nine years ago.  We took our daughter to Vienna for Christmas. We got away from the house for Christmas. I'm taking the family including the grandmothers. We are going to Germany to do Christmas markets. We're going to trips around Germany for about two weeks and visit a couple of Christmas markets and we'll make a pit stop in France to do some markets there. And my mother has never been overseas and so I'm really looking forward to that just reliving that child like joy that comes around the holiday season. That's what we'll be doing next month, lots of plans going into that. That will be a little bit of an odyssey as well because we'll see how well I can survive with my mother for 12 plus days. Shouldn't be an issue, but we'll see. Fingers crossed. April Walker: Inter-generational trips. Michael Reese: Exactly. I would say bucket list and I was talking to a couple of friends about this actually earlier this week, I would love to go to Easter Island and see the Moai and the Rapa Nui. That's a really long trip. But that's one that I think has been on my bucket list. If I can take that one off that would be really cool . I think maybe was it last month where Easter Island had the full solar eclipse? I would have loved to have been down there for that. But if I can get down there and check that out, I will definitely be in a good spot. April Walker: Wonderful. I look forward to hearing about your trip to Germany and the Christmas markets. That's definitely on my bucket list as well. Michael Reese: I will tell you all about it. April Walker: Again this is April Walker from the AICPA Tax Section. This community is your go to source for technical guidance and resources designed especially for CPA tax practitioners like you and mine. This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA together as the Association of International certified Professional Accountants. You can find us wherever you find your podcast, and we encourage you to follow us so you don't miss an episode. If you already do thank you so much, and please feel free to share with a like minded friend. You can also find us at aicpa-cima.com/tax check out our other episodes and get access to all the resources, including those wonderful engagement letters mentioned during the episode. Thank you so much for listening.   Keep your finger on the pulse of the dynamic and evolving tax landscape with insights from tax thought leaders in the AICPA Tax Section. The Tax Section Odyssey podcast includes a digest of tax developments, trending issues and practice management tips that you need to be aware of to elevate your professional development and your firm practices. This resource is part of the robust tax resource library available from the AICPA Tax Section. The Tax Section is your go-to home base for staying up to date on the latest tax developments and providing the edge you need for upskilling your professional development. If you're not already a member, consider joining this prestigious community of your tax peers. You'll get free CPE, access to rich technical content such as our Annual Tax Compliance Kit, a weekly member newsletter and a digital subscription to The Tax Adviser.

Ethics are a cornerstone of the accounting profession. In this episode, an ethical intelligence specialist explores the challenges accountants and finance professionals face in relation to ethics. Gain practical advice on how you can avoid common ethics pitfalls and how to develop and apply ethical intelligence to ensure compliance with the APES 110 code. Dive into real-world examples of how accountants have violated key principles – integrity, objectivity, competence, confidentiality and professional behaviour – and learn how to avoid these scenarios. Listen now for an expert ethics guide. Host: Belinda Zohrab-McConnell, regulations and standards lead, CPA Australia Guest: Brendan O'Connell FCPA, an expert in corporate governance, ethics, and accounting with experience in academia and industry. He is a member of the Ethics and Governance Centre of Excellence at CPA Australia and has conducted extensive research and provided consulting services to both government agencies and corporations. For more guidance on APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards) head to the APESB website. Would you like to listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes? Head to CPA Australia's YouTube channel. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) has hosted a delegation from the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) for important discussions regarding ethical issues associated with rapidly evolving sustainability standards, firm culture and governance, and ethical considerations in tax planning and related services. The IESBA is the global standard setter for ethics in the accounting profession and sets the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards) (the IESBA Code). Our local codes are based off the international code. Chair of the IESBA, Gabriela Figueiredo Dias sat down with Small Firm, Big Impact to explain why she's in Australia, IESBA's focus areas over the next four years and how it'll impact you. Gabriela outlines what firms and professional accountants should be focused on in the ethics space. Resources referred to in the episode: The IESBA Strategy and Work Plan Check out the consultation here, (submission 31 is from CA ANZ) See what newsletters you've subscribed to by logging into My CA Useful ethics resources on the CA ANZ website (This podcast episode was recorded on 8th May, 2024.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cindy Dibete is a seasoned Corporate Governance Strategist and accomplishedNon-Executive Director, with a distinguished career trajectory forged over 22 yearsas a Professional Accountant. Specializing in architecting strategies that fortifyorganizational resilience, Cindy seamlessly blends her financial acumen withentrepreneurial fervour.As a dynamic entrepreneur, she has masterfully intertwined personal passion withprofessional prowess, founding a Foundation dedicated to facilitating DivineConversations—an avenue for exploring unconventional discourse. Underpinningthis endeavour is a steadfast commitment to kindling the essence of life itself.Cindy's global odyssey as a world traveller has afforded her profound crossculturalinsights, enhancing her ability to curate culturally attuned perspectives.Leveraging this diverse experience, she meticulously assembles bespoke AdvisoryBoards for her boutique consultancy, fostering synergy between internationalexpertise and local context.Currently, Cindy is spearheading Divine Conversations' forthcoming flagshipevent—a landmark conference themed "South Africa as a destination," slated forAugust 2025. Cantered around the theme "Who am I to build a 100+ yearsbusiness," the event promises a unique convergence of entrepreneurial aspirationand self-discovery. With networking and collaborative ideation at its core, theconference seeks to forge transformative alliances and chart new frontiers inbusiness sustainability.

This week Dawn sits down with Meagan Hernandez, the visionary founder and CEO of Impactful Numbers. Meagan is a highly sought-after Professional Accountant known for her holistic approach. She bridges the gap between bookkeeping and tax expertise, providing comprehensive solutions and empowering her clients with tax strategies and education.  They navigate through tax intricacies pertinent to eComm owners. From unraveling the complexities of sales tax to uncovering crucial tax deductions, Meagan sheds light on tax tips crucial for small business owners in the eComm world.  Join Dawn and Meagan as they unravel the mysteries of taxation in the eComm landscape, providing invaluable insights and actionable advice for business owners striving for financial prowess in their ventures.   Guest website - impactfulnumbers.com Guest social media - https://www.facebook.com/meagan.w.hernandez https://www.facebook.com/groups/inentrepreneurslounge https://instagram.com/taxsavvybookkeeper Free Training - https://digitaldawn--taxsavvypros.thrivecart.com/tax-savvy-bookkeeper-order/    Digital Dawn Shopify checklist – Shopify Checklist Digital Dawn Website - Digital Dawn Connect with us - Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin  

Hot Topic Possible changes to tax in South Africa with Phillip Joubert from SAIPA Centre of Tax Excellence(South African Institute of Professional Accountants )

We talked to Natalie Elser, President of California Professional Accountants, back in 2020 on a fun episode of the Laguna Beach Living Podcast called Natalie Elser Talks Taxes, and wanted to catch up with the tax accountant and CPA. Not only does she own her own firm, she is expanding and adding high net clients to her roster all throughout Southern California. At the top of her game, we chatted about what she's doing as a high level entrepreneur to keep her mind sharp for both herself and her clients. Learn more about what Natalie offers at CalProAccountants.com... because taxes don't have to be boring. In this episode Natalie references the following leaders in their industries: Leadership & Public Speaking: Rene Rodriguez  @learnwithrene Growth Mastermind: Kristi Munoz @Kristi Munoz Sound Bath & Meditation: Mars Whealthness @marswhealthness

“Businesses need proper information to make informed business decisions. And key to that is the accounting information that the accounting professional should be offering to their clients.”—Roger KnechtIn the ever-evolving business world, we are met with strict competition, different challenges and obstacles, and exciting opportunities to help us maximize our profits and scale our businesses. However, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. It requires different approaches as what worked for you yesterday may not work for you today and in the future.It can be difficult to survive in business without professional help - and this is especially crucial for your finances. You need someone who is multi-skilled and has vast knowledge about the industry. That's where an accounting professional comes in. With the guidance of a skilled accounting professional, your business can smoothly sail the storm and rough sea of finance and maximize your profits to ensure your business is sustainable in the long run. By having an accountant, you can set up your business for success and concentrate on what you do best: creating and providing high-value products and quality service to your customer.Listen to this episode to learn:‌The essence of accounting information to your businessesHow accounting correlates to your business operationsThe impact of poor cash flow managementTypes of financial information provided by accounting professionalsStrategies and plans backed by accounting information for business success and profitabilityGuest Bio: For more than 20 years Roger has personally helped thousands of accounting professionals start & build their businesses. In that time they've created programs to address each aspect of running an accounting business & he has helped author "Red to BLACK", the how-to-guide for accountants to help clients with the most common challenges faced in business - cash flow, AND "in the BLACK - 9 principles to make your business profitable".Highlights:‌00:29  Intro02:45  Appreciate the numbers03:57  Why most businesses fail in the first to fifth year04:18  What can be done to address the cash flow situation to help you stay in business05:20  How accountants can help business owners08:31  Tax Preparation15:38  Importance to have a good working relationship with your finance professional21:25  Color AccountingLinks:‌ ‌Roger Knechthttps://www.uacourses.com/courses/joy-caLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerknecht/Melissa HoustonCash Confident: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Creating a Profitable BusinessMain websiteMini-course: The Debt Repayment CalculatorMini-course: Pay YourselfMini-course: Personal Net Worth CalculatorMini-course: The Ultimate Budget BinderIG: @melissahoustoncpa LinkedIn: @melissahoustoncpa

“The biggest thing that I noticed in me after starting to work with you is just a boost in confidence. I certainly went into it having major imposter syndrome.”—  Sarah Beth DavisAs entrepreneurs, we know how valuable our financial resources are and want to make sure we put every cent of it to good use. Unfortunately, the most common mistake young businesses make is not hiring a professional to do their financial and business accounting. And this error could cost your young business thousands of dollars because of unforeseen expenses, wrong inventory projections, high attrition due to not having a standardized salary scale, or even inadequate capitalization because of inequitable business partnerships.My guest this week speaks most about the latter and how she was able to traverse that difficult time in her business due to a dissolved business partnership. Sarah Beth Davis runs a brick-and-mortar store selling curated children's clothing. She witnessed firsthand how a small business can suffer from curve balls such as restructuring the organizational design early on in the business. Since working with me, she has seen financial stability, increased confidence, and overall peace of mind knowing that things are finally in place. Sarah Beth emphasizes essential lessons from her experience: Being a business owner can be extremely overwhelmingGetting thrown a curveball in your small business can be distracting and ultimately damagingChoosing a business partner is like choosing someone to marrySimulating and visualizing your business by thinking through all of the hypothetical situations and how you would handle themInvesting in hiring professional help to straighten out the financials of your businessHighlights:‌01:13  The joy of dressing up a baby led her to starting a business02:46  Finding helpful financial data and information when you're starting out is difficult06:30  Started Wynnie's with two partners08:08  Things started to shift and the partnership was no longer equitable09:55  Important parallels of business and marriage 11:04  Honeymoon and divorce stage of a business partnership12:37  Protecting your personal assets early on14:22  The curse of the Impostor Syndrome15:27  Changing your financial habits17:20  Simplifying things makes a world of difference17:49  Working with a CPA for your business is a practical and valuable investmentLinks:‌ ‌  Sarah Beth Davishttps://wynniesboutique.com/Facebook: @wynniesboutiqueInstagram: @wynniesboutiqueMain website

Glyn Nyakairu is an accountant who has served in the position of senior accounting at Lake Heights Hotel and Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel. He went to Kyambogo University for a Certificate in Accountancy/ Accounting, Diploma in Accounting He is now persuing CPA Certified Public Accountant. The CPA designation distinguishes

October is Small Business Week! The perfect time to show your support and celebrate all of those small businesses across Canada. To honour the week, the Society of Professional Accountants of Canada will celebrate women's entrepreneurial spirit during this year's Small Business Week Celebration in October 2022. In October, at a prestigious event organized by RPA Canada, accomplished women entrepreneurs will be chosen to receive the RPA Women Entrepreneurship Award.To learn more about the event, we had the President of RPA Canada, Zubair Choudhry, join us. RPA Canada (Registered Professional Accountants) members work closely with small and medium businesses in supporting their needs to create and implement professional and effective standards in their accounting and related activities.In this podcast, Mr. Choudhry explains the purpose, nomination process, and important steps towards becoming an award-winning entrepreneur of the awards.

The world of finance is one that's often considered to be largely anonymous, but it shouldn't have been like this. The financial industry has had more than its fair share in terms of scandals and problems thanks largely due to RPA who were able to provide assistance during times when few others could or would go.We got the opportunity to speak to Mr. Zubair Choudhry, CMA (Australia), RPA, APACertified Accounting Practitioner. Zubair is a visionary, a thinker, an entrepreneur and a motivator. He has been involved in many national, international and professional organizations in Canada. In 2019, he was elected as President of The Society of Professional Accountants of Canada when he pledged that he is going to reform and improve the RPA designation, one of the oldest accounting designations in Canada that will give the choice and hope to future accountants in Canada and around the world to succeed and shine as a most respectable profession in the world.In this podcast, he highlights the RPA designation to future accountants who are ready to assist the business leaders in making an important business decision with a cognitive approach and who are trained in applying new technologies using data analytics that will accelerate the business growth and profitability in post-covid-19 economic recovery. To learn more about The Society of Professional Accountants of Canada, please visit www.rpacanada.org

Texas Car Flipper and Professional Accountant, "Vic-45" shares his lunchtime with host Randy Lee. They discuss strategies that have allowed Vic to consistently profit from his flips. You will find Vic's strategies both familiar and original - as he approaches the business with the wisdom of an accountant. This effects how Vic analyzes deals and how he manages his business. Check back to find links to resources that Vic and Randy mention during this week's conversation on Flipping Genius. Also look at the show notes and Resources page at www.FlippinGenius.com and feel free to send questions to FlippingQuestions@gmail.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/flippinggenius/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/flippinggenius/support

CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/katerubyaroha I'm also on Facebook over at www.facebook.com/katerubyaroha Or you can check out my website: www.katerubyaroha.com WANT TO CHECK OUT SHE LEADS LIVE??? Our SHE LEADS LIVE Instagram page is www.instagram.com/sheleadslive Flick us a DM there if you want to get on the waitlist for our next event To find out more about Clare, head to https://clarewood.com/ or find her on Instagram @clare_wood_coach

In this conversation, money mentor and business coach Clare Wood shares what's holding you back from the next level of your financial success... and what to do about it. She discusses:How to unpick the stories shaping where you're currently at financiallyThe power of financial risk takingHow to begin conquering new levels of financesWhat can open up for you when you have the courage to invest in yourselfCONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/katerubyaroha I'm also on Facebook over at www.facebook.com/katerubyaroha Or you can check out my website: www.katerubyaroha.com WANT TO CHECK OUT SHE LEADS LIVE??? Our SHE LEADS LIVE Instagram page is www.instagram.com/sheleadslive Flick us a DM there if you want to get on the waitlist for our next eventTo find out more about Clare, head to https://clarewood.com/ or find her on Instagram @clare_wood_coach

Michelle Snyman is the founder of Finite Solutions in After finishing her degree, she worked for various corporate firms but was not satisfied. In 2003 she started her own accounting practise, and in 2006 she became a member of SAIPA as Professional Accountant and joined Pastel (now Sage), as Registered Reseller. Email Michelle using code SAGE20 can get 20% off any of the courses she offers, within 30 days of the podcast.

The mighty Bosasa (African Global Operations) who wielded endless influence over government officials in the procurement of tenders as presented at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry has fallen on its sword and filed for voluntary liquidation. We speak to Faith Ngwenya of SAIPA (the South African Institute of Professional Accountants) on what this means as well as the implications. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-south-african-institute-of-professional-accountants/support

The growth of SAIPA's members is moving in the planned direction. This is indicated by the recently released results for applicants who wrote the Professional Evaluation Examinations on the 25th May 2018. The group consisted of external candidates with no previous affiliation, members of the SAIPA Trainee Membership programme, and graduates of SAIPA’s Project Achiever programme. We speak to Professor Rashied Small on his views of the results. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-south-african-institute-of-professional-accountants/support

On our SAIPA (South African Institute of Professional Accountants) segment, I touch base with Professor Rashied Small who is the Executive of Membership and Training l at the institution. We talk about the FASSET Project Achiever Programme and well as SAIPA’s drive into the public sector. They want to help professionalize the Public Sector. So you’re encouraged to listen. Find us on Africa Business Radio (www.africabusinessradio.com) between 19h00 and 20h00 CAT. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-south-african-institute-of-professional-accountants/support

Earlier in May 2018, The South African Revenue Services made a proposition to cut tax season, this got different reactions from the different stakeholder groups. Tax practitioners and industry bodies expressed concerns that this might bring about pressures on taxpayers and tax practitioners on meeting the new deadlines. Later in the month, SARS made an official announcement on its website that it has decided to cut the 2018 tax season for non-provisional taxpayers (individual taxpayers who earn a salary and who do not have additional income sources such as interest or rental income) by one month to allow more time for finalising verifications and audits before year end. With this announcement, the indication is that SARS must have consulted with relevant stakeholder groups and got their buy-in. Ms. Faith Mgwenya joins Nqobani Mzizi on business today in Africa to discuss this and how the South African Institute of Professional Accountants view this new development. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-south-african-institute-of-professional-accountants/support

Christine Furtado is a Professional Accountant and Finance Coach. She is also the CEO & Founder of Christine Furtado Enterprises Inc, where we offer "in-the-cloud" and "Boutique type" Bookkeeping, Accounting and CFO Services to modern-thinking Six-Figure & 7-Figure Business Owners & Entrepreneurs. Unlike other bookkeeping and accounting companies who just give you your information what's happening, we help business owners to actually understand and know their numbers, by offering a plan of action for increased cash flow and profitability. She is also the host of the “Financials Made Easy Podcast” which is available on iTunes. She is passionate about helping Business Owners and Entrepreneurs to understand and know their Financials so they can have peace-of-mind, and focus on their “zone-of-genius”. Christine does this through her financial services, financial education, and her podcast. She is well-known for helping entrepreneurs to “Double Your Profits In 30 days or Less”. To find out how you can do this, feel free to reach out.   4:23 You can have $1 Million Net Worth!  Net worth = Assets – Liabilities           4:38 Step 1: Be 100% Committed. What does that look like? “Be prepared to get rid of credit cards, live on cash as much as possible, get a coach and surround yourself with supportive people.”   7:20 Step 2: List your debts out on paper or spreadsheet. “It’s really necessary because you want to know when are they due, how much, what are the terms?  You need to know where you are today.”   8:23 Step 3: “Go to your bank and see what you can consolidate. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”    10:13 Step 4: “Take the smallest debts and pay off as quick as possible to boost confidence and create a positive habit.”    11:13 How to create a snowball effect with paying off of your debt. Put the same amount each month towards all of your debts, once one debt is paid off, put that same total amount towards the next the debt. (ex. $1000/month)    12:53 “This is about creating habits and feeling good about the progress. It’s not a feel bad thing, it’s a feel-good thing because you are actually visually crossing off the debts as they are paid.”    14:38 Christine talks about Educational Debt.   15:43 What are some of the other money habits that we can work towards?              Habit 1: Have no more than 1 credit card and pay it off every month.             Habit 2: Live on Cash as much as possible.             Habit 3: Consider ways to generate more income.             Habit 4: Minimize going out to eat.             Habit 5: Prioritize what is and what is not important and budget for it.             Habit 6: Find ways to save money on necessary costs.   19:13 Brand new vehicles are costly when you go to sell it, it won’t be worth much and we buy another vehicle.  They can be large payments. 19:43 “These are some of the hard-core habits that if you actually do it, you can be super successful and actually pay off that debt.” 20:45  “I say print it out because visually your mind needs to see the progress. It will be a journey, you just have to be 100% committed to getting there.” 21:18  Christine shares her money journey and how she saved $30,000 in 3 years to save towards a house!   21:51  These are the principles that Christine used and it worked! She paid for a house in 12 years versus 25 years.   22:03 These are the same principles that Christine uses with her business owners. “To be profitable, to be successful to have that cash flow, making sure you are paying for yourself and cutting the expenses.”   22:23 “And eventually, you have financial freedom, and that’s what’s important, right? Spending time with your family, having that freedom and creating that legacy.”   23:23 Business owners can book a free strategy call with Christine at www.christinefurtadoenterprises.com Enter your information into the “Let’s Chat” pop up.   25:08 Complimentary gift!  7 Secrets to Mastering Your Financials like a successful 7-Figure Business Click Here    25:23 Find Christine on Facebook, Linked In and her Financial$ Made Easy Podcast.   Website:  http://christinefurtadoenterprises.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-furtado-51298420/  Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/christinefurtadoenterprisesinc/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/christinefurtadoenterprises/

Ms. Faith Ngwenya of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) engages us on the Debt Write-Off Bill that is presently before parliament. She unpacks its contents and what is under discussion. SA Plans To Offer Debt Pardon To Individual With The New Debt Write-Off Bill In The Parliament. The South African Institute of Professional Accountants was one of many entities that made submissions on the draft National Credit Amendment Bill. The debt-intervention powers that are being proposed set out a process that credit providers and credit bureaus must follow when they are lending money and the institute’s submission highlighted certain aspects of the proposal that require further consideration and discussion. Some in the profession are wondering if the intervention is needed at all. Treasury is supporting the proposal that the unsecured debt of particular over-indebted individuals is extinguished completely as a once-off intervention. The group of people who would --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Ms. Faith Ngwenya of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) engages us on the Debt Write-Off Bill that is presently before parliament. She unpacks its contents and what is under discussion. SA Plans To Offer Debt Pardon To Individual With The New Debt Write-Off Bill In The Parliament. The South African Institute of Professional Accountants was one of many entities that made submissions on the draft National Credit Amendment Bill. The debt-intervention powers that are being proposed set out a process that credit providers and credit bureaus must follow when they are lending money and the institute's submission highlighted certain aspects of the proposal that require further consideration and discussion. Some in the profession are wondering if the intervention is needed at all. Treasury is supporting the proposal that the unsecured debt of particular over-indebted individuals is extinguished completely as a once-off intervention. The group of people who would Become a supporter of this podcast: https://anchor.fm/africa-podcast-network/support

In our SAIPA feature, we speak to Mr Septi Bukula about The International Conference on Business Advising (ICBA) which is just over 2 months away. SAIPA is partnering with the ICBA. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The aim of the SAIPA NAO is to make Accounting as a subject a preferred choice to all students, and to promote the option of professional accountancy as a sound choice for further study, and the pathway towards a financially and personally rewarding entry into employment. An added benefit is that the NAO also provides learners with a foot in the door with future employers, which is why SAIPA invests substantially in it. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

SAIPA is pleased to announce the launch of the Project Achiever Extended Programme which will run from 10 June until 28 October 2017 in preparing you to write the SAIPA Professional Evaluation exam, to become a Professional Accountant (SA). The programme will run every Saturday from 08.30 to 16.30. In order to qualify for the programme, you need to meet the following requirements: Have a completed three year SAIPA learnership, or an approved learnership from another accounting professional body; or have a minimum of six year’s work experience in the accounting field. Hold a minimum of a relevant three year qualification (including diploma’s in the accounting stream); or a degree in the Accounting stream, which does not meet the standard minimum requirements of SAIPA. To qualify for FASSET’s funding, you must be of black African descent nationally or coloured African descent from the Western and Northern Cape region only. All other candidates can attend at the cost of R4000. If you meet --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

SAIPA is the South African Institute of Professional Accountants. SAIPA boasts a membership of over 10 000 members and celebrates 35 years in the industry this year. SAIPA represents qualified Professional Accountants (SA) in practice, commerce and industry, academia and the public sector. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

SAIPA (the South African Institute of Professional Accountants) recently held their Annual General Meeting and elected a new chairperson. His name is Mr Shafiek Dollie.  We talk to him on his vision for the institution over his chairpersonship period of 2 years which he will serve at the helm. And find out what it means to head this institution. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

SAIPA is Raising The Bar For Professional Accountants in SA - High Pass Rate in The Recently Released Results --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

6 days into the tax year 2017/18 in South Africa. There are critical amendments and introductions of taxes that you need to know of. - What incentives are there? - Where can you save? In our SAIPA (South Africa Institute of Professional Accountants) feature, we catch up again with Ettiene Retief as promised to help us understand this. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

SAIPA (the South African Institute of Professional Accountants) has achieved a two-year renewal of its accreditation from the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). Professor Rashied Small, the Executive of Education, Membership and Training speaks of this and what it means to SAIPA. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Highlights from the IESBA's December 12-15, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director:38 - Highlights & Key Developments: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman3:15 - Long Association: Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman5:09 - Non-Compliance with Laws & Regulations (NOCLAR): Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman5:40 - Professional Skepticism: Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman6:14 - Fees: Chishala Kateka, IESBA Member 7:38 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, IESBA Member11:09 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, IESBA Member14:04 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Task Force Chair and former IESBA Member16:56 - Strategy & Work Plan Survey 2019-2023: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman18:43 - Next Meeting & Closing: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's December 12-15, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director:38 - Highlights & Key Developments: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman3:15 - Long Association: Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman5:09 - Non-Compliance with Laws & Regulations (NOCLAR): Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman5:40 - Professional Skepticism: Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman6:14 - Fees: Chishala Kateka, IESBA Member 7:38 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, IESBA Member11:09 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, IESBA Member14:04 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Task Force Chair and former IESBA Member16:56 - Strategy & Work Plan Survey 2019-2023: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman18:43 - Next Meeting & Closing: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's December 12-15, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director:38 - Highlights & Key Developments: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman3:15 - Long Association: Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman5:09 - Non-Compliance with Laws & Regulations (NOCLAR): Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman5:40 - Professional Skepticism: Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman6:14 - Fees: Chishala Kateka, IESBA Member 7:38 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, IESBA Member11:09 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, IESBA Member14:04 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Task Force Chair and former IESBA Member16:56 - Strategy & Work Plan Survey 2019-2023: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman18:43 - Next Meeting & Closing: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director

Business Rescue was introduced by the new Companies Act (71 of 2008) in order to reduce the number of companies filing for bankruptcy. SAIPA (South African Institute of Professional Accountants) has been accredited by the CIPC as one of the first 2 professional organisations to regulate its members to be Business Rescue Practitioners. Prof Rashied Small, Executive of Education, Membership and Training at SAIPA joins me to discuss what exactly is Business Rescue and how SAIPA its members will be involved in this process. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The first Monday of every month on Business Today in Africa is themed CEO Monday on Africa Business Radio. Value Added Tax (VAT), which is an indirect tax, is levied on goods purchased or services utilized, making it a cost (expense) to one person and an income to the other (income), but this is collected for the state. Mr Sibusiso Thungo of SAIPA (South African Institute of Professional Accountants) talks to us in greater detail about this tax. Dipolelo Moime of Legato Risk Consultancy gives us the latest African Business Report and what to look out for on the African continent from a business perspective. The MIC (Mineworkers Investment Company) is an investment firm with a diversified investment portfolio in around 40 investee companies.The CEO, Ms. Mary Bomela joins us to talk about the organisation, boardroom dynamics as well as the upcoming event they are hosting with SAPNA (South African Professional Network Association). Music is a business before it should be considered anythi --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Highlights from the IESBA's September 26-30, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director:46 - Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman4:36 - Safeguards: Sylvie Soulier, IESBA Member8:50 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Task Force Chair and former IESBA Member  10:30 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, IESBA Member13:54 - Long Association: Brian Caswell, IESBA Member16:43 - Next meeting: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's September 26-30, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director:46 - Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman4:36 - Safeguards: Sylvie Soulier, IESBA Member8:50 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Task Force Chair and former IESBA Member 10:30 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, IESBA Member13:54 - Long Association: Brian Caswell, IESBA Member16:43 - Next meeting: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's September 26-30, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director:46 - Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman4:36 - Safeguards: Sylvie Soulier, IESBA Member8:50 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Task Force Chair and former IESBA Member 10:30 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, IESBA Member13:54 - Long Association: Brian Caswell, IESBA Member16:43 - Next meeting: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director

CEO Monday on Business Today in Africa takes us to the SAIPA (SA Inst. of Professional Accountants) CEO, Mr Bongani Coka where we talk the Accounting Profession. We also chat with Dzithe Phiri, the host of The Business of Entertainment on ABR (Fri 7pm to 8pm CAT). Finally, we talk to brother Gaven Malope of NYT Properties on wealth creation through property. ABR - Towards a Profitable Africa. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Highlights from the IESBA's June 27-29, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Diane Jules, Deputy Director:42 - Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chairman6:02 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member9:35 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, Member13:10 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Member 15:08 - Long Association: Brian Caswell, Member 18:07 - Next meeting: Diane Jules, Deputy Director

Highlights from the IESBA's June 27-29, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Diane Jules, Deputy Director:42 - Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chairman6:02 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member9:35 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, Member13:10 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Member 15:08 - Long Association: Brian Caswell, Member 18:07 - Next meeting: Diane Jules, Deputy Director

Highlights from the IESBA's June 27-29, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Diane Jules, Deputy Director:42 - Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chairman6:02 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member9:35 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, Member13:10 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Member 15:08 - Long Association: Brian Caswell, Member 18:07 - Next meeting: Diane Jules, Deputy Director

Highlights from the IESBA's March 14-16, 2016, meeting in Madrid, Spain.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:36 - Opening remarks/Non-Compliance with Laws and Regulations: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair3:40 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member7:13 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, Member10:40 - Next meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's March 14-16, 2016, meeting in Madrid, Spain.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:36 - Opening remarks/Non-Compliance with Laws and Regulations: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair3:40 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member7:13 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, Member10:40 - Next meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's March 14-16, 2016, meeting in Madrid, Spain.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:36 - Opening remarks/Non-Compliance with Laws and Regulations: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair3:40 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member7:13 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, Member10:40 - Next meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's November 30-December 4, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:30 Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair2:46 Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member4:50 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code): Don Thomson, Member6:26 Part C of the Code, Professional Accountants in Business: Jim Gaa, Member9:53 Long Association: Marisa Orbea, Member11:15 Non-Compliance with Laws & Regulations (NOCLAR): Richard Fleck13:10 Next meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's November 30-December 4, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:30 Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair2:46 Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member4:50 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code): Don Thomson, Member6:26 Part C of the Code, Professional Accountants in Business: Jim Gaa, Member9:53 Long Association: Marisa Orbea, Member11:15 Non-Compliance with Laws & Regulations (NOCLAR): Richard Fleck13:10 Next meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's November 30-December 4, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:30 Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair2:46 Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member4:50 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code): Don Thomson, Member6:26 Part C of the Code, Professional Accountants in Business: Jim Gaa, Member9:53 Long Association: Marisa Orbea, Member11:15 Non-Compliance with Laws & Regulations (NOCLAR): Richard Fleck13:10 Next meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's September 15-16, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:42 Opening Remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair2:04 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code): Don Thomson, Member4:26 Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member7:30 Part C of the Code: Jim Gaa, Member9:43 Closing & Next Meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's September 15-16, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:42 Opening Remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair2:04 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code): Don Thomson, Member4:26 Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member7:30 Part C of the Code: Jim Gaa, Member9:43 Closing & Next Meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's September 15-16, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:42 Opening Remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair2:04 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code): Don Thomson, Member4:26 Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member7:30 Part C of the Code: Jim Gaa, Member9:43 Closing & Next Meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's June 29-July 1, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction:34 Opening Remarks from IESBA Chair Stavros Thomadakis2:08 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code)3:56 Long Association6:37 Part C of the Code9:17 Safeguards13:08 Next Meeting

Highlights from the IESBA's June 29-July 1, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction:34 Opening Remarks from IESBA Chair Stavros Thomadakis2:08 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code)3:56 Long Association6:37 Part C of the Code9:17 Safeguards13:08 Next Meeting

Highlights from the IESBA's June 29-July 1, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction:34 Opening Remarks from IESBA Chair Stavros Thomadakis2:08 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code)3:56 Long Association6:37 Part C of the Code9:17 Safeguards13:08 Next Meeting

Podcast: IAESB Chair Chris Austin, Deputy Chair Anne-Marie Vitale, and Education Board Member David Simko provide an overview of activities conducted during the IAESB’s April 20-22, 2015, meeting in New York.Introduction – :05Chair’s opening remarks – :50Framework for International Education Standards for Professional Accountants – 1:45Learning Outcomes Guidance Project update – 4:06Chair’s closing remarks –5:35Next meeting -6:35

Podcast: IAESB Chair Chris Austin, Deputy Chair Anne-Marie Vitale, and Education Board Member David Simko provide an overview of activities conducted during the IAESB’s April 20-22, 2015, meeting in New York.Introduction – :05Chair’s opening remarks – :50Framework for International Education Standards for Professional Accountants – 1:45Learning Outcomes Guidance Project update – 4:06Chair’s closing remarks –5:35Next meeting -6:35

Podcast: IAESB Chair Chris Austin, Deputy Chair Anne-Marie Vitale, and Education Board Member David Simko provide an overview of activities conducted during the IAESB’s April 20-22, 2015, meeting in New York.Introduction – :05Chair’s opening remarks – :50Framework for International Education Standards for Professional Accountants – 1:45Learning Outcomes Guidance Project update – 4:06Chair’s closing remarks –5:35Next meeting -6:35

IAESB Chair Peter Wolnizer and Deputy Chair Saleem Kharwa review key developments from the October 30 – November 1, 2013, meeting in Toronto, Canada. Update on IESs 2 and 3 – 1:04Definition of the Professional Accountant – 3:40Update on IES 8 – 6:20Chair Wrap-up – 8:41

IAESB Chair Peter Wolnizer and Deputy Chair Saleem Kharwa review key developments from the October 30 – November 1, 2013, meeting in Toronto, Canada. Update on IESs 2 and 3 – 1:04Definition of the Professional Accountant – 3:40Update on IES 8 – 6:20Chair Wrap-up – 8:41

IAESB Chair Peter Wolnizer and Deputy Chair Saleem Kharwa review key developments from the October 30 – November 1, 2013, meeting in Toronto, Canada. Update on IESs 2 and 3 – 1:04Definition of the Professional Accountant – 3:40Update on IES 8 – 6:20Chair Wrap-up – 8:41

Highlights from the IESBA's June 29-July 1, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction:34 Opening Remarks from IESBA Chair Stavros Thomadakis2:08 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code)3:56 Long Association6:37 Part C of the Code9:17 Safeguards13:08 Next Meeting

Highlights from the IESBA's September 15-16, 2015, meeting in New York, NY.:05 Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:42 Opening Remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair2:04 Structure of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code): Don Thomson, Member4:26 Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member7:30 Part C of the Code: Jim Gaa, Member9:43 Closing & Next Meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's June 27-29, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Diane Jules, Deputy Director:42 - Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, Chairman6:02 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member9:35 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, Member13:10 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Member 15:08 - Long Association: Brian Caswell, Member 18:07 - Next meeting: Diane Jules, Deputy Director

Highlights from the IESBA's September 26-30, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director:46 - Opening remarks: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman4:36 - Safeguards: Sylvie Soulier, IESBA Member8:50 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Task Force Chair and former IESBA Member  10:30 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, IESBA Member13:54 - Long Association: Brian Caswell, IESBA Member16:43 - Next meeting: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's December 12-15, 2016, meeting in New York, New York.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director:38 - Highlights & Key Developments: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman3:15 - Long Association: Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman5:09 - Non-Compliance with Laws & Regulations (NOCLAR): Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman5:40 - Professional Skepticism: Richard Fleck, IESBA Deputy Chairman6:14 - Fees: Chishala Kateka, IESBA Member 7:38 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, IESBA Member11:09 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, IESBA Member14:04 - Structure of the IESBA Code: Don Thomson, Task Force Chair and former IESBA Member16:56 - Strategy & Work Plan Survey 2019-2023: Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman18:43 - Next Meeting & Closing: Ken Siong, IESBA Technical Director

Highlights from the IESBA's March 14-16, 2016, meeting in Madrid, Spain.:10 - Introduction: Ken Siong, Technical Director:36 - Opening remarks/Non-Compliance with Laws and Regulations: Stavros Thomadakis, Chair3:40 - Safeguards: Gary Hannaford, Member7:13 - Part C, Professional Accountants in Business: Helene Agélii, Member10:40 - Next meeting: Ken Siong, Technical Director