Boring No More: Accountants, Auditors See Themselves as Creative, Curious and Adventurous, Study Shows [PR Newswire] Creative, curious and adventurous may not be traits normally associated with accountants and auditors, but a recent study shows that’s just how a growing number of industry professionals see themselves. The research – conducted by leading software provider Caseware […]

Junior KPMG auditor ‘should not lose his home’ for misleading regulator, says tribunal [Financial Times] A former junior KPMG auditor should not receive a fine so large it could force him to sell his matrimonial home, a tribunal has said. The UK accounting regulator asked the industry tribunal to fine Pratik Paw £50,000 and ban […]

Mesa grandma, 25-year-old accountant share love of Phoenix Suns [Arizona’s Family] JoAnne Ralph and Ben Barchilon have a special bond, and it all started with their love of the Phoenix Suns. “It’s just wonderful to have another grandson,” said Ralph. “It upsets my granddaughter because she says ‘I’m not sharing you!’ And I said, yes […]

Ed. note: Happy belated 420 Earth Day, everyone! In honor of the one day a year we recognize the detrimental impact humans have on our home rock, we’re including a couple relevant links on performative environmentalism as it relates to the accounting industry and financial reporting below. Firms and audit committees focus on ESG for […]

Ed. note: Happy almost Easter to those who celebrate, happy 11th birthday today to my cat Cash Money (no, I did not purposely track down a cat born on tax day when I adopted him from Humane Rescue Alliance in DC 11 years ago), and a very happy April 18th to those of you who […]

CPA firms show progress in diversity amid pipeline challenges [Journal of Accountancy] The AICPA finally got around to releasing their 2021 Trends report, which we’ll dissect shortly. In the meantime, here’s a tidbit: The profession’s efforts to encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion delivered progress with a rise of almost 5 percentage points (a change from […]

Deloitte considers Russia pull out as pressure grows on western firms to exit [Financial News] Deloitte is considering pulling out of Russia, becoming the first Big Four audit firm to do so as pressure grows on Western companies to cut ties with the country following its invasion of Ukraine. The firm is reviewing its “business […]

Why KPMG’s Culture Crisis is Symptomatic of a Broken Audit Industry [International Policy Digest] A disciplinary tribunal filed against auditing giant KPMG has unearthed an internal survey conducted between 2016-17, revealing a veritable crisis of culture among the firm’s ranks. Although KPMG may purport to prioritize the ideals of integrity and quality in all their […]

Deloitte’s $5M Data Security Deal OK Is Sought by Plaintiffs [Bloomberg Law] A $4.95 million settlement with Deloitte Consulting LLP to resolve claims it created websites with poor security should receive final approval, the plaintiffs are arguing in New York federal court. German financial regulator probes Adler over its accounting [Financial Times] Shares in Adler […]

6 red flags your body is breaking down from overwork [Fast Company] “There are two major ways that overwork can reduce health and longevity,” writes BBC contributor, Christina Ro. “One is the biological toll of chronic stress, with an uptick in stress hormones leading to elevated blood pressure and cholesterol.” She continues: “Then there are […]

Elizabeth Holmes and her Big 4 audit firm buddies at Theranos [The Dig] When audit firms don’t live up to their public duty, everyone gets hurt. The harm at Theranos was more than financial. PwC ‘Failed Dismally’ as Auditor of South African Airways [Bloomberg Tax] A South African judicial report has sharply criticized PwC for […]

Ed. note: Happy New Year, everyone! Thank you for spending 2021 with us, believe it or not we’re grateful to each and every one of you for stopping by. See you next year! Deloitte sued by female former employee over harassment claims [Financial Times] Deloitte has been sued by a former female employee who alleged […]

Ed. note: Have a safe and happy holiday out there, everyone. We hope a good chunk of you are rocking the out of office message this weekend and can get some much-deserved rest and relaxation, and that the rest of you can at least fit in a nap and a text message to your grandma. […]

Deloitte U.S. CEO on the past year’s business challenges and what’s ahead in 2022 [Fortune] “Many came into the year thinking that 2020 was the unprecedented year and things would calm down,” Ucuzoglu said. “Yet you could argue there have actually been more twists and turns [in 2021]. The pandemic is by no means behind […]

KPMG executive Greg Eldridge is seeking $130,000 in damages against the accounting giant [The Courier Mail] A senior KPMG executive now on stress leave has sued the accounting giant, alleging he was subjected to months of unlawful harassment from a colleague and then told he would have to simply adapt to the abuse. Audit tips […]

Partners at mid-tier accountant BDO paid more than at EY [Financial Times] BDO, the UK’s fifth-largest accounting firm by revenue, paid partners a record average of £760,000 before tax in the year to the end of June, surpassing the £749,000 paid out by EY. PwC Germany Offices Raided by Police in Tax Fraud Investigation [Bloomberg […]

Carillion Liquidator Seeks $336 Million From KPMG [Bloomberg] The U.K. government agency charged with liquidating Carillion Plc has lodged a claim at the high court against auditor KPMG, the Sunday Times reported. The official receiver has accused KPMG of negligence in its audit of the U.K. contractor and quantified claims of about 250 million pounds […]

EY faces staff backlash over handling of sexual harassment case [Financial Times] EY is facing a backlash by staff over the accounting giant’s handling of an incident in which a partner sexually harassed a female trainee on a work trip. On an all-staff webcast on Tuesday, EY promised staff it would do more to combat […]

KPMG Sued for $600 Million Over Alleged Sloppy Auditing in Dubai’s Abraaj Scandal [Bloomberg] KPMG LLP was sued for at least $600 million over its role in the insolvency of Dubai private-equity firm Abraaj Group, the latest in a string of complaints of sloppy auditing made against the Big Four firm. The claimants, two units […]

.CPA Web Domain Launches in Canada [Business Wire] The restricted web domain, administered by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and its business and technology arm, CPA.com, officially launches in Canada this morning at 11 Eastern time. To be eligible, Canadian CPAs and CPA firms must be licensed. Preferred names will be awarded on a […]

Wealthy retired accountant is found guilty of murder [Daily Mail] The pregnant daughter of a wealthy retired accountant who was today jailed for life after stabbing her husband to death has told the court of her heartbreak, saying: ‘I lost my dad but I’ve also lost my mum.’ Isabelle Potterton said on Friday that her […]

How CPAs can rise above a polarized political climate [Journal of Accountancy] Aside from being prepared for these possible changes, [Publisher and editor-in-chief of The Cook Political Report Amy] Walter recommends that CPAs break away from the polarization that has made each side feel like an election is an existential fight for the real America. […]

‘What do you actually do?’: Redditors scratch heads at consulting firms [Yahoo News] We’ve often wondered about this too. Deloitte Workers Sue Over ‘Astronomical’ 401(k) Fees [Law360] Deloitte workers slapped the accounting giant with a proposed class action in New York federal court, claiming the company allowed two multibillion-dollar retirement plans to get saddled with […]

FRC’s changes to fraud auditing standard explained [ICAEW Insights] The Financial Reporting Council (FRC)’s UK Auditing Standard on Fraud (ISA (UK) 240) has been significantly updated for the first time in 16 years. The changes are a response to recent public discussions on the role of audit in identifying fraud, including high profile cases in […]

Deloitte UK profits boosted by public sector pandemic work [Financial Times] Deloitte has confirmed a surge in UK profits helped by public sector contracts during the pandemic, saying that its work on the response to Covid-19 was “essential”. Revenues at the firm’s UK and Swiss businesses, which operate as a single partnership, rose 4.2 per […]

China Evergrande Auditor Gave Clean Bill of Health Despite Debt [Wall Street Journal] Last year as China Evergrande Group’s stock and bond prices seesawed, it offered deep discounts to keep sales growing during the pandemic and the government effectively said it had borrowed too much. Yet the property developer’s auditor [PwC] gave it a clean […]

Malaysia says auditor KPMG to pay $80 million in 1MDB settlement [Reuters] Malaysia said on Thursday audit firm KPMG has agreed to pay a 333 million ringgit ($80.11 million) settlement to resolve all claims related to their fiduciary duties on auditing of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) accounts from 2010 to 2012. PwC reports disability and […]

KPMG’s UK arm among first to set targets for working class staff [Reuters] “We’re setting a socio-economic background representation target for the first time, alongside our other diversity targets,” KPMG said in a statement. AICPA Foundation Grants 25 Minority Doctoral Fellowships [CPA Practice Advisor] The funding comes from the AICPA Fellowship for Minority Doctoral Students […]

KPMG faces complaint of providing ‘false’ information on Carillion audit [Reuters] KPMG allegedly provided “false and misleading” information about its audits of collapsed builder Carillion and data erasure company Regenersis for regulatory checks, Britain’s accounting watchdog said on Wednesday. EY teams up with NYC to offer pro bono advice to Black businesses [Consulting.us] Through the […]

Staffing and COVID-19 relief programs are firms’ top concerns in 2021 [Journal of Accountancy] Finding qualified staff is an enduring concern that continues to challenge CPA firms this year, according to the 2021 AICPA Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) CPA Firm Top Issues Survey. Hiring staff emerged as the No. 1 issue affecting firms that […]

Revenue, lease accounting still challenge private companies [Journal of Accountancy] Revenue recognition and lease accounting remain a challenge for private companies after a one-year, pandemic-related delay in effective dates provided financial statement preparers some relief. For tax & accounting firms, the time to learn blockchain is now [Reuters] One question these professions should be asking […]

Accountant who stole $1.7M from corporate client, Little League group, should get his CPA license back, Pa. court says [Penn Live] A Commonwealth Court panel on Wednesday overturned a state licensing board’s refusal to allow an accountant who stole more than $1.7 million to resume his profession. Instead, the panel ordered the state Board of […]

Your Auditor Is Not Your Friend [Bloomberg Opinion] Accounting is an unusual professional-services business because a lot of what accounting firms do — tax and structuring advice, consulting, etc. — is very much in this vein of wise trusted advice, but one core function of accounting firms — public-company auditing — is … only partly […]

The future of auditing: why plans to sharpen up the industry could actually make it worse [The Conversation] To rebuild trust, the UK government is proposing 150 reforms in a weighty consultation that closed recently. Building on three recent independent reviews into the profession, the FRC is to be replaced by a new body called […]

EY Accused of Actively Concealing NMC Health Audit Fraud From Investors [Bloomberg] Ernst & Young faces accusations it “actively concealed” a six-year fraud from investors in a fresh lawsuit over its auditing work for the troubled NMC Health. The hospital operator’s founder, Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty, said the accounting giant enjoyed a “deep and cozy” relationship […]

Civilisation will collapse completely by 2040 – MIT model, confirmed by KPMG [Cape Talk] The most dystopian headline you’ll read all week (hopefully). SEC Whistleblower Issued Award of More Than $1 Million for Assistance in Investigation [National Law Review] According to the SEC award order, the anonymous SEC whistleblower alerted Commission staff to securities law […]

Content for redesigned CPA Exam takes shape [Journal of Accountancy] The AICPA released Wednesday a survey seeking feedback on the preliminary content proposed for the redesigned CPA Exam, which would be assessed in three sections that will comprise the Core of the Exam, plus material that would assess candidates’ knowledge in one of three Disciplines […]

Business implications of AI within tax & accounting [Reuters] According to the 2020 World Economic Forum Outlook Report, the time spent on current work tasks by humans and machines will be roughly equal by 2025. Given that, what will workflow, operations, and our tax teams look like in four years? KPMG takes bold step towards […]

Signs you or a colleague could use mental health support [Journal of Accountancy] Some of you may need to give this podcast a listen. KPMG Study: Majority Of Female Executives Taking On Expanded Leadership Roles At Work While Responsibilities At Home Increase During The Pandemic [PR Newswire] “Advancing the Future of Women in Business: A […]

AICPA, CAQ support SEC’s exploration of climate change disclosures [Journal of Accountancy] The AICPA and the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) voiced support for the SEC’s exploration of disclosures related to climate change and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues in comment letters sent to the commission on Friday. KPMG delays hybrid working plans after […]

Deloitte Sued for Allegedly Failing to Find ‘Irregularities’ in Audits of Singapore Oil Trader [Insurance Journal] A failed oil trader in Singapore that owes creditors more than $3.5 billion is suing Deloitte & Touche LLP, alleging the auditing firm failed to detect “serious irregularities” in its financial statements for more than a decade. KPMG shouts […]

Wealthy KPMG clients continued to dodge taxes for years after CRA detected offshore ‘sham’ [CBC] The KPMG scheme involved setting up shell companies for Canadian multimillionaires and billionaires in the Isle of Man, a British crown dependency in the Irish Sea. A client would purport to give away their wealth to one of the shell […]

KPMG launches relaxed work policies to combat remote work fatigue [Accounting Today] “Since the start of the pandemic, the firm has employed a continuous listening approach, using regular experience surveys and other feedback channels to stay connected with people and better understand the challenges they’re facing and support they need,” Darren Burton, vice chair of […]

How to ask for a raise when the pandemic nears its end [Journal of Accountancy] With a growing portion of the population in the United States and some other countries vaccinated and at least some aspects of life set to return to normal, you may feel it’s time to raise the question of compensation with […]

Deloitte, KPMG, PwC Units Fined in Spain Consulting ‘Cartels’ [Bloomberg Tax] Deloitte, KPMG, and PwC are among 22 consulting firms to be fined a total of almost 6 million euros ($7.3 million) for forming cartels that manipulated Spanish public contracts for at least 10 years, the country’s market watchdog has said. The firms worked in […]

These are the snacks powering CPAs during tax season [Journal of Accountancy] Wait, it’s not black tar? Huh. KPMG UK staff to work in offices up to four days a fortnight from June [Reuters] “As part of the firm’s new hybrid way of working, from June onwards, the expectation will be that KPMG’s people spend […]

AICPA, NASBA and AAA to Announce New Model Accounting Curriculum at Free Online Event [AICPA] The free online event, to be held June 15-16, will provide attendees with a thorough overview of the Model Curriculum. The event is open to all who are interested, including members of the media. To attend, register online. Local CPA’s […]

Deloitte reveals number of staff complaints [Financial Review] Consultancy giant Deloitte has become the first major professional services firm in the country to voluntarily disclose the number of workplace investigations conducted each year – roughly 15 a year over the past three years – with the pressure now on rival firms to disclose similar data. […]