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American Institute of CPAs - Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
What does the future of the CPA profession look like as advisory, financial planning, and AI reshape client expectations? In this episode of the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Podcast, Cary Sinnett sits down with Sue Coffey, CEO of Public Accounting at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, to discuss the profession's transformation from compliance-focused work to holistic trusted advisory. Sue shares why trust has become one of the profession's greatest competitive advantages, how technology and complexity are accelerating change, and why CPA financial planners are uniquely positioned to lead multigenerational client relationships. The conversation also explores how education, credentialing, AI, and evolving firm models are shaping the next generation of CPA advisors. Whether you are building an advisory practice, expanding into financial planning, or thinking about the future direction of the profession, this episode provides an inside look at where the CPA profession is headed and why the opportunity for planners has never been greater. Questions Answered Why is the CPA profession shifting from compliance toward advisory services? What makes CPA financial planners uniquely valuable to clients and families? How are AI and technology changing the future of CPA advisory work? What separates firms that successfully transition into advisory services? Why did financial planning become part of the CPA exam evolution? How can firms prepare for the future of trusted advisory relationships? Key Takeaways Trust remains one of the CPA profession's greatest differentiators in an increasingly complex world. Financial planning is becoming more integrated into the CPA identity and educational pipeline. AI is expected to enhance CPA capabilities rather than replace advisors. Successful advisory firms combine technical expertise, relationships, governance, and talent development. CPA financial planners are well-positioned to serve as the "quarterback" coordinating broader client advice teams. AICPA Resources: Pathways to Practicing Personal Financial Planning Rise2040: Co-creating our profession's future National Accounting Day: What Trust Looks Like in Action Celebrating CPAs This episode is brought to you by the AICPA's Personal Financial Planning Section, the premier provider of information, tools, advocacy, and guidance for professionals who specialize in providing tax, estate, retirement, risk management and investment planning advice. Also, by the CPA/PFS credential program, which allows CPAs to demonstrate competence and confidence in providing these services to their clients. Visit us online to join our community, gain access to valuable member-only benefits or learn about our PFP certificate program. Subscribe to the PFP Podcast channel at Libsyn to find all the latest episodes or search "AICPA Personal Financial Planning" on your favorite podcast app.
Today is National Accounting Day. To mark the occasion, Sue Coffey, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA's CEO–Public Accounting, joined the podcast for a special edition to discuss celebrating the day and maximizing the profession's broader impact. She explains how the CPA Trust campaign aims to highlight the value CPAs bring to businesses, individuals, and communities. Coffey shares examples of trust in action, from financial reporting to tax planning and advisory support. Coffey also details what practitioners can expect from ENGAGE in June. What you'll learn from this episode: The significance of National Accounting Day to Coffey. A preview of the AICPA's CPA Trust campaign. Real-world examples of how trust in action is demonstrated by CPAs with clients and communities. Why CPAs are encouraged to share their impact publicly through social media. What makes ENGAGE a key event for learning, networking, and industry insights.
Support for this episode comes from BILL. Get clear insight into payment status and cashflow with BILL's Accountant Console. BILL uses AI to simplify your tech stack so you can increase productivity and spend more time delivering truly personalized client service. Take a demo at BILL.com/UniqueCPA and you'll get a $250 gift card. Terms apply. Six and a half years in, Randy Crabtree and new co-host Terrell Turner take a rare look backward, revisiting the very first episodes of The Unique CPA to see how well the show's early conversations about technology, advisory work, and burnout have aged. Turns out, surprisingly well! David Bergstein's cruise-ship-vs-jet-boat analogy for firm agility still rings true, and Tim Jipping's casual mention of AI from 2019 lands differently in 2026. The conversation moves naturally from the compliance-to-advisory tension that still defines the industry to something more personal: the importance of knowing the whole person behind the accountant. It's part retrospective, part honest reckoning with how much, and yet how little, accounting has changed, and a preview of where Randy and Terrell plan to take the show from here. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com
Here's that Delphi app we discussed in Nerd corner https://www.delphi.ai/And a link to my own Delphi assistant https://www.delphi.ai/jasonstaats/chat