This week’s In the News includes an IRS cybersecurity report, new accounting technology, workplace trends, and more. We’re also sharing a newWoodard Report Podcast episode on AI and the future of accounting, along with new articles on pricing, sales tax compliance, and tax document management.
In episode 189 of The Woodard Report Podcast, Joe Woodard and Heather Day discuss the Accrual-Puzzle acquisition, the accounting skills gap, AI governance, and the importance of maintaining human judgment as technology takes on more accounting work. The conversation also looks at empathy, professional development, and how accounting professionals can work alongside AI without becoming overly dependent on it. Read more...
In this installment of Dear Deb, Debra Kilsheimer responds to an accounting professional who lost a longtime client to a lower-priced competitor. She looks at why matching a competitor’s price may not be the answer and why practices need to make the value behind the work more visible to clients. Read more...
Ryan Le looks at several trends shaping sales tax compliance, including more data-driven enforcement, changing marketplace rules, and growing complexity around digital products and international sales. This article also explains why practices offering sales tax services need an ongoing process for monitoring changes rather than treating compliance as a one-time project. Read more...
Luke Frye explains why tax document management involves more than simply deciding where files should be stored. This article covers role-based access, audit trails, retention policies, and other controls that can help practices manage sensitive documents throughout the entire lifecycle. Read more...
The IRS is warning taxpayers, tribal communities, businesses, and tax professionals about promoters selling fraudulent tax credits under names such as “Tribal Tax Credits” or “Native American Tax Credits.” The IRS says these federal credits do not exist and warns that taxpayers who claim them could face penalties. Read more...
A Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration assessment found that the IRS cybersecurity program did not meet the required effectiveness level for fiscal year 2026. Three areas (identify, protect, and detect) were rated ineffective, while govern, respond, and recover were rated effective. Read more...
Ramp launched Ramp Accounts Receivable, expanding its platform from managing outgoing payments to helping businesses manage incoming payments. The product uses AI to help create invoices, prepare collections follow-ups, and match incoming payments with open invoices, with integrations currently available for QuickBooks Online and NetSuite. Read more...
Accrual introduced Arc, an AI agent designed to complete accounting work assigned by accounting professionals and return the results for review. The product is built around a model where AI prepares the work while the accounting professional maintains responsibility for reviewing and approving the results. Read more...
Avalara introduced Avalara Aviator, an agent hub designed to coordinate specialized AI agents across tax and compliance workflows. The agents can support work such as mapping products to tax codes, validating exemption certificates, reporting tax liabilities, and configuring rules, while leaving decisions requiring judgment with tax professionals. Read more...
Experian has become the first personal finance app integrated with Google Gemini’s Connected Apps. Consumers who choose to connect an Experian account can use Gemini to access personalized credit information, including a FICO credit rating and factors influencing the rating. Read more...
Intuit announced 10 new members of the Intuit QuickBooks Accountant Council. Council members provide feedback and insight based on experience working with QuickBooks and with small and mid-size businesses, helping Intuit better understand the needs of accounting professionals and clients. Read more...
A survey of 1,000 U.S. workers who had been laid off within the past two years found that 46% would consider returning to the employer that let them go. At the same time, 59% said the layoff was not handled fairly, and 63% reported receiving no severance package. Read more...
Congress has passed legislation that would require the Social Security Administration to provide victims of Social Security number misuse or loss with a direct point of contact for assistance. The measure passed the Senate on September 17 and was awaiting transmission to President Donald Trump as of the article’s publication. Read more...
This article was written with the assistance of AI and edited by a human.