In the News: October 30, 2026

This week’s In the News includes IRS updates, new accounting technology, AI tools, and more. We’re also sharing a new The Woodard Report Podcast episode on transition planning, along with new articles on AI guidelines for bookkeepers.

What’s happening at Woodard

Plan Your Exit, Build Your Legacy: Transition Strategies for Accounting Firms (The Woodard Report Podcast)

In episode 194 of The Woodard Report Podcast, Heather Day is joined by Patricia Hendrix, Vice President of Communities at Woodard, to discuss transition strategies, contingency planning, and building transferable value. The conversation looks at why practice owners should start planning long before they are ready to step away and how preparation can create more options for the future. Read more...

Think Your Client Missed the Kwong Deadline? Maybe Not. (The Woodard Report)

Kristin Dodd explains why the July 10, 2026, protective filing date tied to Kwong v. United States may not be the end of the story for every taxpayer. For clients affected by later federally declared disasters, additional relief may provide a reason to take another look at refund claim deadlines, although the legal arguments remain unsettled. Read more...

Dear Deb: The IRS Has AI Guidelines. What About Bookkeepers? (The Woodard Report)

In this installment of Dear Deb, Debra Kilsheimer looks at how bookkeeping practices can create AI guidelines even without a single set of professional rules specifically for bookkeepers. She covers client confidentiality, reviewing AI-assisted work, setting internal policies, and regularly revisiting those policies as technology changes. Read more...

IRS updates

IRS Has Begun Issuing Automatic Refunds to Individuals Who Claimed Adoption Tax Credit Carryforward From Prior Years (IRS)

The IRS has begun issuing refunds to more than 50,000 taxpayers affected by a change in how prior-year Adoption Tax Credit carryforwards are treated for tax year 2025. Most eligible taxpayers will not need to file an amended return, and the IRS expects most refunds to be completed by the end of the year. Read more...

Technology updates

TaxDome Releases Public API and MCP Server for AI Agents and Developers (CPA Practice Advisor)

TaxDome released a public API and Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allow practices to connect tools such as Claude and ChatGPT to TaxDome data or build custom workflows. Practice owners can control who has access and whether each connection can only read information or also make changes. Read more...

PNC Bank and ADP Announce Embedded Payroll Solution for Small Businesses (CPA Practice Advisor)

PNC Bank and ADP announced PNC Payroll by ADP, which will bring payroll, HR, time tracking, benefits, and other services into PNC’s digital banking platform. The offering is designed to give small businesses a more connected way to manage banking, payments, and employee-related operations. Read more...

New Digits Offering Aimed at Multi-Entity Businesses (CPA Practice Advisor)

Digits launched Multi-Entity, allowing businesses and accounting practices to manage multiple legal entities within one organization, login, subscription, and bill. Each entity maintains its own ledger, close, and tax identity while users can manage them from one place. Read more...

Wolters Kluwer Expands Agentic Tax and Audit Capabilities in CCH Axcess (CPA Practice Advisor)

Wolters Kluwer announced new agentic capabilities in CCH Axcess for tax preparation, tax planning, fixed assets, and audit. AI agents can help prepare and advance work while accounting professionals remain responsible for reviewing results, making decisions, and applying professional judgment. Read more...

Ignition Launches Parkes Practice Management AI (Accounting Today)

Ignition launched Parkes, an AI coworker designed for accounting and bookkeeping practices. Parkes can review engagements and proposals to identify underpriced work, scope changes, and potential opportunities, then draft updates for the practice to review. Read more...