The Accounting Podcast
The Accounting Podcast, formerly the Cloud Accounting Podcast, is a weekly show covering accounting, bookkeeping, and tax news. It features analysis and interviews with industry experts. Listeners can earn free NASBA-approved CPE credits through the Earmark app.
Episodes
NVIDIA AI Funding Deal Has "Shades of Enron" & EY Speeds Audits 125%+
Is AI creating an audit boom—or hiding the next Enron-style risk? Blake and David unpack NVIDIA’s $500 billion data-center financing plan, why Michael Burry sees warning signs, and how AI is speeding up audits while challenging existing standards. They also cover improved PCAOB inspection results, the end of BOI reporting, Tether’s long-awaited audit, QuickBooks Live’s overhaul, and pract
PwC Cuts Disney & The Uncertain Career Path for CPAs
What does episode 500 reveal about where accounting is headed? Blake Oliver and David Leary celebrate the milestone with CFO.com’s Adam Zaki and Going Concern’s Adrienne Gonzalez. They unpack AI’s pressure on billable hours, shrinking entry-level pathways, the changing route to CFO, and PwC’s canceled Disney intern event. Plus, Blake shares what happened after NASBA challenged his CPE com
Grant Thornton to Acquire CBIZ & Trump Puts Immunity Over Blanche
Could Grant Thornton’s $5 billion CBIZ deal create a Big Five? Blake and David unpack the private-equity-backed combination, what it means for accounting firm ownership, and why controller talent is still hard to find. They also examine AI’s effect on finance judgment—and why nearly half of Gen Z workers say it makes them less intelligent—plus tariff refunds, audit scrutiny, and rising so
IRS Chief Spied on Colleagues & Out of Control AI
Could an AI agent decide to hack a system, or cancel your software subscription just to complete its task? Blake and David examine reports of AI agents escaping guardrails, flooding IRS rulemaking with generated comments, and taking autonomous business actions. They also trace accounting from ancient clay tokens to today’s AI economy, exploring why calculating profit and trustworthy recor
How Sam Leon Uses Claude Cowork to Prep Tax Returns 5x Faster
Can one accountant really do tax prep five times faster with AI? Blake and David talk with Sam Leon, founder of The Millennial CPA, about how he uses Claude projects to turn client documents into tax workpapers, speed up review, and run a solo firm built around software. They also dig into where AI still falls short, why review remains the bottleneck, and what firms can realistically auto
How Much Will World Cup Players Pay in Taxes & Xero's New AI Agent Builder
What do World Cup taxes, AI-built accounting tools, and remote work have in common? In this episode, Blake and David unpack how tax rules hit global athletes and sports bettors, why Xero’s new AI products signal a shift toward accountants building their own software, and where firms still face risk with audit standards, cybersecurity, and homegrown apps. You’ll also hear what’s really hap
Aussies Want to Break up Big Four & Trump Accounts Go Live on the 4th
What if one tax break could give your child a head start or hand them a pile of money at 18? Blake and David unpack the new Trump accounts, who should use them, and why advisors are split. They also dig into Australia’s latest Big Four scandal, worsening IRS service, AI’s growing role in tax and training, and what these shifts mean for accountants, firms, and clients.SponsorsOnPay - http:
Fake AI Receipt Fraud Soars & Big Firms Losing Power
Are fake AI receipts becoming the next big headache for finance teams? Blake Oliver and David Leary unpack the surge in AI-generated expense fraud, why tax pros are rapidly adopting AI research tools, and how firms are using AI to automate month-end close and revenue recognition. They also cover NASBA’s response to criticism, Intuit’s renewed focus on accountants, and the implications of
KPMG Withdraws AI Report Full of "Vibe Citations"
Can AI really clean up messy bookkeeping—and what happens when firms trust it too much? Blake and David break down KPMG’s error-filled AI report, the Pentagon’s new “Agentic Auditor,” and State Farm’s move to tie agent pay to AI. Blake also shares how he used Claude to complete two years of write-up work in hours, with practical lessons on where AI helps, where it fails, and why human rev
AICPA Says By 2040 Compliance Will Be Automated
Will AI really automate most accounting work by 2040? Blake and David unpack what they heard at AICPA Engage, from deterministic AI agents and rising accounting enrollment to private equity’s growing influence on firms. Plus, Blake shares an exclusive interview with FICPA CEO Shelly Weir on Florida’s fight to protect CPA licensure. Listen to understand where the profession is heading—and
AI Beats Humans at Bookkeeping & Powers Finance Team of One
Can AI now do bookkeeping better than humans? Blake and David dig into new data showing major AI models outperforming outsourced accountants on basic transaction coding, then explore what that means for firms, finance teams, and the future of audit. They also cover a one-person finance team powered by AI agents, KPMG’s scramble to keep up, and why the accounting talent shortage still isn’
What CBIZ Means for PE, Starbucks Kills Off AI Inventory Counting
Is private equity betting on the wrong accounting firms? Blake and David break down CBIZ’s stock slide, why investors may be losing faith in the traditional firm model, and how AI could help smaller firms compete far above their size. They also cover Starbucks ditching AI inventory counts, Microsoft reining in AI tool costs, and what all of it means for accountants navigating automation,
Intuit Stock Gets Hammered & Trump's Wild IRS Settlement
Is AI about to break the billable hour? Blake and David unpack what they heard at a major AI tax summit, where new tools promise to prepare complex returns in minutes instead of hours. They also debate Intuit’s stock slide, Trump’s extraordinary IRS settlement, and what shrinking oversight at the PCAOB could mean. You’ll hear where AI is already changing accounting—and where humans still
Is GAAP Inflating the AI Bubble?
Is AI really the next Google—or are investors repeating the last tech bubble? Blake and David dig into OpenAI’s legal win, the accounting mechanics behind soaring AI valuations, and why cloud credits and paper gains may be inflating the market. They also explore what could make AI tools actually sticky for businesses, from workflow automation to personal finance and small-business use cas
SEC Prepares for Semi-Annual Reporting & the True Cost of the Iran War
Could public companies stop reporting every quarter? Blake and David break down the SEC’s push toward optional semiannual reporting, OpenAI’s new consulting arm, and what both moves could mean for accountants. They also cover tariff refund accounting, audit lawsuits, AI outperforming doctors in diagnosis tests, and why accountants may be better positioned than ever to build software and s
An AI-Powered Firm of One, KPMG Shuts Down Fed Audits
SponsorsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayR.E. Cost Seg - http://accountingpodcast.promo/recostsegC&R Consulting - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cnrFishbowl - http://accountingpodcast.promo/fishbowlChapters(00:00) - TAP 486
(02:25) - Firm of One AI Tax
(04:39) - Automating Firm Ops
(09:35) - Claude Connectors Tested
(17:45) - Sage Buys Doyen AI
(19:48) - AI Efficiency Parad
KPMG Lays Off 10% Audit Partners, Best AI Still Fails 1/5 Accounting Tasks
What does it mean when Big Four partners can be demoted—and AI still gets 1 in 5 accounting tasks wrong? Blake and David unpack KPMG’s audit partner cuts, EY and KPMG’s quiet partner demotions in the UK, PwC’s return-to-office push, and why firms like Decimal are rethinking tech-driven bookkeeping. They also debate AI’s limits in accounting, explore the future of CPE after a surprising Na
Firms Need New Metrics, Accountants Worried About Iran
Can the accounting profession grow with fewer people? Blake Oliver and David Leary unpack how AI is reshaping firms, from PwC Australia’s staffing cuts and rising partner pay to new questions about performance metrics, CPA pathways, and the future of CAS. They also cover the IRS’s tax season recap, tariff refunds, Deloitte’s fake AI citations, and why firms need better ways to measure val
When Tax Day Was Party Night at the Post Office
What happens when AI starts doing the audit work itself? Blake and David dig into KPMG’s prediction that routine audit testing could soon happen with almost no human auditors directly involved. They also cover the IRS’s unfinished AI projects, the end of Direct File, new tax-on-tips rules, and why firms investing more in marketing are growing faster. Press play to hear what these shifts c
Perplexity Goes After Tax Prep, IRS Testing Palantir for Audits
What happens when AI starts doing more than answering questions? Blake and David dig into Perplexity’s move into tax prep and bookkeeping, the IRS testing Palantir to help select audit targets, and why many firms still aren’t seeing real ROI from AI. They also unpack the surprising success of Trump accounts and what all of this could mean for accountants, firm workflows, and the future of
Treasury Declares US Insolvent, AI Does Taxes (with Kenji Kuramoto)
Can AI really prepare a tax return without a human touching the keyboard? Blake and David dig into a wave of new accounting tools that promise exactly that, from AI tax prep and bookkeeping agents to month-end automation. They’re joined by Kenji Kuramoto of Basis to discuss what this means for firms, pricing, and jobs. Plus: the U.S. government’s worsening balance sheet, Tether’s long-awa
Fake SOC 2 Reports as a Service & Games for Busy Season
Can AI really handle accounting and tax work—or is it just creating new ways to fake compliance? Blake and David dig into allegations of fraudulent SOC 2 reports, how taxpayers are actually using AI for tax prep, and why tools like Claude are creeping into finance workflows. They also cover FAA staffing risks, threats to state accountancy boards, and what listeners should watch as AI resh
Baby, Where The Hell Is My Audit?
Will AI actually take accountants’ jobs—or just change what their work looks like? Blake and David unpack the gap between AI hype and reality, from a LinkedIn challenge that found zero accountants replaced by AI to how firms like PwC and EY are shifting strategy. They also explore probabilistic audit opinions, AI agents in accounting workflows, and what professionals can do now to stay ah
Accounting for the U.S. Iran War
What do tariffs, war, AI agents, and a collapsed accounting startup have in common? This week, Blake and David connect the dots between rising economic pressure and rapid tech change. They break down the lopsided cost of drone warfare, small businesses getting crushed by tariffs, AI tools handling tax and bookkeeping tasks, and new details on Botkeeper’s collapse. You’ll hear what these s
The AI Agent That Can Do A Partnership Tax Return
Can an AI prep a partnership return on its own? Blake and David dig into Basis’s $100M unicorn claim, Intuit’s OpenAI/Anthropic tie-ups and Claude Cowork, and what it means for firms. They also cover how to capitalize on tariff refund lawsuits, the Senate’s push to regulate tax preparers, and the SEC weighing twice-a-year reporting—plus a quick warning about the fake “IRS locker” scam. Yo
Tariff Refund Opportunity for Accountants & Taxpayers Don't Trust AI
SCOTUS just struck down Trump’s global tariffs—so who gets the $133B back, and how can firms capture advisory fees helping clients claim refunds? Blake and David unpack importer-of-record refunds, contingency-fee questions, and why “that’s pure profit.” Plus: taxpayers’ trust in AI tax prep is falling, creators’ $205B economy is a prime niche, TurboTax’s Uber-to-the-office play, Big Law’s
The Best & Worst Firms in Accounting with Dom Piscopo
Which accounting firms really deliver sane hours and happy teams? Dom Piscopo (Big Four Transparency) reveals this year’s best—and worst—by job satisfaction and hours, including surprising outliers. Blake and David also unpack how AI startups are carving up PwC-style services, why Hazel AI rattled wealth managers and Intuit/Xero stocks, and where GLs still hold a moat. Plus, a practical w
The Most Famous Accountant In The World Is A DJ
What happens when AI starts cutting audit bills? Blake and David unpack KPMG’s push for a 14% fee cut from Grant Thornton, Botkeeper’s shutdown versus Pilot’s “AI accountant,” and how agents like Claude are already doing real client work. You’ll hear why entry-level roles are vanishing, what tax pros need to know about the IRS’s new e-payment push and Tax Pro Account upgrades, plus a fun
AI Could Displace 50% of Entry-Level White-Collar Jobs
Could AI wipe out half of entry-level accounting roles? Blake and David recount a brazen “courier scam” on David’s porch to unpack how deepfakes and spoofed calls fuel today’s fraud (“less than 10% can tell AI video from real”). You’ll learn practical controls—family code words, approval workflows—plus hands-on AI updates: Claude’s Excel plugin and desktop agent, Gusto payroll in ChatGPT,
Fiscal State of Nation Act & Solving for CPA Mobility with Lindsay Patterson
Are you accidentally breaking CPA rules across state lines? Guest Lindsay Patterson, CPA CIA breaks down the new mobility landscape after alternative licensure paths—and the surprising data firms must track to avoid fines, failed peer reviews, and redoing audits. Plus: Congress’s Fiscal State of the Nation bill, Deloitte’s PR storm, QuickBooks’ AI reconciliation, and what’s driving a rebo
The CPA Workload Dilemma: Can We Do Better?
Carla McCall shares insights on the challenges faced by the accounting profession, including workload, work-life balance, and the AICPA's role. She addresses misconceptions about the responsibilities of the AICPA, discusses her firm's approach to managing work hours and culture transformation, and highlights the need for creative solutions to attract new talent. The discussion also explor
Trust In Accountants At Historic Low, the Fraudster Inside the SBA & IRS
Are we causing our own busy-season chaos? Blake and David break down a simple scheduling system that spreads tax work, trains clients, and slashes extensions. They debate Congress’s barcode bill vs. e-filing, unpack a poll showing GOP support for a millionaire’s tax, and ask what AI really changes when managers still have to review the bots. Plus: IRS CI’s latest wins, whistleblower e-fil
Instead of Armed IRS Agents We Got Armed ICE Agents
Raids replaced audits, and guns replaced spreadsheets. Blake and David connect the dots from Minnesota's sprawling public-assistance fraud to a decade of IRS budget cuts and ICE crackdowns. You'll learn why enforcement shifted from prevention to raids, what California's one-time billionaire tax really proposes, how new AICPA rules could hit PE-backed firms, and why a botched audit didn't
Can AI Replace “Thought Leaders”? A 2026 Reality Check
Think AI will free you from ‘mundane bookkeeping’ so you can do advisory? Blake and David say it’s the opposite. Hear how owners already use AI as a de facto CFO, why drafting narratives—not matching bank feeds—is the real win, what the ‘AI premium’ means in a billable-hour world, and the two numbers firm owners should track in 2026: monthly recurring revenue and bottom-line profit.Sponso
$95 Million Missing—and Still a Clean Audit?
How does $95 million go missing at a bank—and still get a clean audit? Blake and David unpack the Evolve Bank/Synapse meltdown, what auditors missed, and how SOC reports fall short. Plus: the penny shortage pushing cash rounding at the register, the shocking stat that even 29% of partners don’t know partner pay, and the case for semiannual reporting. Walk away with practical takeaways for
What Tax Pros Charge & the PE "Dumpster Fire"
Is private equity turning firms into a 'dumpster fire'? Blake and David unpack Accounting Today's survey showing partners are upbeat while staff are sour on PE. They hit Andersen's $176M IPO, why Big Four ties to Big Tech raise independence questions, and how AI could finally kill the billable hour. Plus, what tax pros really charge in 2025 - and the wild 'Middle Finger Ranch' fraud.Spons
The CPA Who Controls Epstein's Fortune
Sponsors Cloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casRelay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/relayOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayChapters(00:47) - Jeffrey Epstein's CPA and Lawyer
(03:10) - Wall Street Journal Article on Epstein's Associates
(05:58) - Discussion on Epstein's Financial Operations
(14:25) - Trump's Executive Order on Cannabis Businesses
(18
The IRS Agents Who Will Watch OnlyFans At Work
Will IRS agents have to watch OnlyFans to police the new “no tax on tips” deduction? Blake and David unpack the wild twist: a study showing that women-led audit teams deliver higher-quality work at lower fees, and why AI could finally kill the billable hour. They hit PCAOB’s AI/PE crackdown, KPMG’s AI exam cheating, AI‑written financial reports, Meta’s off‑balance‑sheet data center, the I
Trump's Department of Education Says Accountants Aren't Professionals
Are accountants no longer “professionals”? We unpack the DOE proposal that could slash grad loan limits—and what AICPA/NASBA plans to do about it. Plus: Deloitte’s AI-made citations, EY’s audit turnaround, PwC’s end‑to‑end AI audit ambitions, and OpenAI’s circular investment into accounting rollups. We also cover Xero’s new auto‑reconcile, Intuit’s small‑biz data ad play, and two practica
What Americans Are Most Afraid of Discussing at Thanksgiving
Do money talks make your family squirm more than politics? In this Thanksgiving mailbag, Blake and David dig into a Bankrate survey on taboo money chats, the grim 2026 grad job market, and the maze of CPA experience sign-offs after NASBA’s program vanished. You’ll hear practical career advice (big firm vs. small, starting bookkeeping), what AI can and can’t do for accountants today, plus
Intuit's $100m/yr OpenAI Deal & How Tech Companies Juice Profits
Blake breaks down how AI can help with cost segregation and explains why AI currently works best on tasks that take humans 2-5 minutes. Michael Burry is betting against AI companies, claiming they're manipulating earnings by stretching server depreciation from 3-4 years to 5-6 years, adding billions to their bottom lines. Also covered: Intuit's $100 million annual OpenAI deal to integrate
The Future of Advisory: Unlocking Your Firm’s CFO Potential (from The Earmark Podcast)
Earmark Media Presents a bonus episode of Earmark Podcast:Live from Boston on the final stop of the Advisory Amplified tour, Blake sits down with James Erving from Fathom and Chris Macksey from Prix Fixe Accounting to explore what advisory services really mean beyond bookkeeping and compliance. Chris shares how his firm requires advisory for all restaurant clients, using industry expertis
Leading with Empathy: Building Teams That Thrive (from The Earmark Podcast)
Earmark Media Presents a bonus episode of Earmark Podcast:On the fifth stop of the Advisory Amplified tour in Atlanta, Blake sits down with Lisa Gilreath of Acuity and Valerie Heckman of OnPay to discuss what empathetic leadership actually looks like in an industry notorious for long hours and tight deadlines. The conversation covers everything from recognizing when team members are strug
Banking on Change: How Renegade Firms Redefine Success (from The Earmark Podcast)
Earmark Media Presents a bonus episode of Earmark Podcast:Live from Austin on the Advisory Amplified tour, Blake sits down with Madeline Reeves of Fearless Foundry and Wesley McDonald of Relay to explore what it truly means to be a renegade in accounting: firms that lead clients to somewhere new rather than settle for "the way things have always been done." The conversation explores why t
Unlocking Capacity: The Workflow Revolution (from The Earmark Podcast)
Earmark Media Presents a bonus episode of Earmark Podcast:Blake sits down with Mary Delaney, CEO of Karbon, and Kenji Kuramoto, co-founder of Acuity, to explore how standardizing workflows can unlock growth without sacrificing the artistry of advisory work. They discuss Karbon's acquisition of Aider, the power of time studies to identify automation opportunities, and why getting senior ad
NASBA Enters the Chat on PE in Accounting & Intuit to Open Retail Stores
Is private equity eroding the soul of the accounting profession? Blake and David unpack NASBA’s PE task force, the BDO–First Brands meltdown, and why ‘appearance of independence’ matters. They also break down the end of IRS Direct File, Intuit’s TurboTax stores, the Supreme Court’s skepticism of Trump tariffs, and a new IRS notices law. Plus: AI agents that fall for scams. Learn what thes
Pricing For Profit: Unlocking Your Firm’s True Value (from The Earmark Podcast)
Earmark Media Presents a bonus episode of Earmark Podcast:Most accounting firms are dramatically underpricing their services, but the fear of losing clients keeps them stuck. Marie Greene and Ryan Embry join Blake for a live conversation in LA about spotting underpricing, having the repricing conversation, and why your worst clients are often the most price-insensitive. Plus, a live role-
Intuit Connect 2025: What's New With QuickBooks
Alicia Katz Pollock joins the show fresh from Intuit Connect with detailed notes on everything announced for QuickBooks Online and the accounting profession. The discussion covers Intuit's consolidation strategy to reduce reliance on third-party apps, the new tiered pricing structure for the Intuit Accountant Suite launching in 2026, and how AI agents are currently performing in bank feed
Burning It Down To Build Better: How Community Is Key To Battling Burnout (from The Earmark Podcast)
Earmark Media Presents a bonus episode of Earmark Podcast: Recorded live in Seattle at the first stop of the Advisory Amplified tour, Blake sits down with Madeline Reeves (Fearless Foundry) and Lynette O'Connell (Burnout Bestie) to discuss the hard truths about burnout in accounting. Madeline shares how losing half her agency's revenue in 30 days forced her to stop trying to be likable an
BDO vs Going Concern, Trump's $3 Trillion Tariff Tax & Film Accountant's $2M Fraud
Blake and David cover BDO's legal threat against Going Concern over independence questions, Crowe hiring an investment bank to explore private equity options, and Trump pardoning Binance founder after the crypto venture made his family richer than their entire property portfolio. Plus, tariffs create a paperwork nightmare for small businesses, accounting ranked 90th out of 100 best jobs,
Trump to Target IRS at Left-Leaning Groups & NASBA Needs An Audit
What if a “stable” coin wasn’t? Blake and David unpack Paxos’s accidental minting of $300 trillion in PayPal USD—and what it reveals about stablecoin “pegs.” They also dig into proposals to weaponize IRS Criminal Investigations, NASBA’s flawed CPA exam data, and small-business headaches from forced AI rollouts in QuickBooks. Plus: Ripple’s treasury move, whether AI can run a $1M solo firm
Deloitte Caught Making AI Workslop, IRS Shutdown Continues
Could an AI catch what auditors and a CFO missed? This week, Blake and David unpack how a founder used Claude to scan QuickBooks and uncover a $2.1M embezzlement in 18 minutes. They also tackle Deloitte’s AI ‘workslop’ refund, shutdown-driven IRS and air travel woes, the IRS’s new “CEO” and crypto ties, OpenAI’s personal finance play, EY’s audit rebound, BDO’s ESOP squeeze, and crypto fun
WNBA Commissioner Has Worst Week of Any CPA
SponsorsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casBill.com - http://accountingpodcast.promo/billAssembly - http://accountingpodcast.promo/assemblyChapters(00:00) - AI-Driven CEO Impersonator Scams
(00:38) - WNBA Commissioner Controversy
(07:04) - Standardizing Tech Stacks in Accounting Firms
(13:06) - AI's Role in Accounting
Entry Level Auditor Jobs Fall 43% & the AI Workslop Heading Downstream
Blake and David examine the growing threat of AI-generated fake receipts, with 32% of accountants unable to recognize fraudulent documents and 30% reporting an increase in fraud since last year. They also discuss the concerning decline in entry-level auditor positions (down 43% since January) as firms adopt AI automation, while nearly half of accounts payable professionals now fear layoff
Accounting Firm Revenues, Profits, Compensation Rise
Are accounting firms quietly having their best year ever? Blake and David break down why revenues and partner comp are rising—despite AI anxiety—and what it means for pricing and staffing. They unpack Gusto Money’s Melio-powered bill pay, Relay’s $1B milestone, Drake’s new workflow, and AI tools that actually help (note-takers, agents, research). Plus: Trump’s biannual reporting idea, pee
The HIRE Act Would Tax Firms 25% for Offshore Labor
Blake and David examine several major developments affecting the accounting profession, including the proposed HIRE Act that would impose a 25% excise tax on offshore labor payments to accounting firms. They also look at how AI is transforming hiring practices at major firms like PwC, which is cutting graduate recruitment due to advancing technology and explore practical AI implementation
Who Gets No Tax on Tips, Why Firms Struggle With Tech, Xero Updates
Are AI “super agents” like Xero’s Jax actually useful—or just shiny chatbots? Blake and David unpack Xerocon announcements, why embedded agents lack context, smarter way to automate bank feeds with rules, the leaked “no tax on tips” job list and planning opportunities, IRS staffing whiplash, plus what billion‑dollar AI pledges from big firms really mean. Walk away with practical steps to
Excel Gets AI, FP&A Pros Under Threat, QBO AI Feeds Blowback
Are AI bank feeds helping—or just creating more work? Blake and David unpack Intuit’s missteps, why “use AI to make the rules” matters, and how a no‑code agent now posts multi‑line bills to Xero. They demo Excel’s new "copilot()" function, share how FP&A roles are shifting, and hit headlines from Barstool’s lawsuit to tariffs and Gusto’s Guideline deal. You’ll leave with practical way
AI Shakes Up Big Four Accounting Job Market
Can AI agents actually reduce your workload—or just add hype? Blake demos how he rebuilt bill-entry “Hubdoc-style” in about an hour with Zapier Agents, then maps out why most AI pilots fail without documented workflows and human approvals. Plus: PwC’s plan to hire one-third fewer grads, juniors supervising AI, HMRC scanning social posts for tax gaps, and fresh salary and pricing benchmark
Can ChatGPT Agent Mode Reconcile My Checking Account?
Can an AI reconcile your books while you sleep? Blake and David run a live experiment with ChatGPT-5’s Agent Mode in Xero—watching it match transactions, stumble on prepayments, and reveal what’s realistically automatable today. They also break down a flood of app news: Dext's bill pay, Ramp’s mega raise, Thomson Reuters and Deloitte’s agentic AI, plus Ignition–Financial Cents and Canopy
GPT-5 Launch & Charting Fail, Crazy $$$ Going Into AI Accounting Tech
Blake and David discuss how both AICPA and NASBA have officially endorsed a 120-hour CPA licensure pathway in the ninth edition of the Uniform Accountancy Act, validating Blake's long-standing advocacy against the 150-hour requirement. They also examine Baker Tilly's policy, which requires CPAs to remove their designations from email signatures and LinkedIn profiles due to alternative pra
Who's Most Likely to Quit Your Firm? & Higher Wages, Fewer Jobs
What happens when the traditional path from college to accounting career gets disrupted by AI and automation? This week, Blake and David explore who's most likely to quit accounting firms (hint: it's the middle managers), why wages are rising while jobs disappear, and how one college is revolutionizing accounting education. You'll discover which employees are happiest and most miserable i
Colbert's Losing P&L, Impending AI Fraud Crisis, House Holds FASB Hostage
What happens when politicians threaten to cut funding from accounting standard-setters unless they eliminate specific rules? Blake and David explore unprecedented political interference in FASB and PCAOB operations, plus the IRS facing a 23% budget cut despite Trump's push for more customer service staff. They unpack Sam Altman's warning about AI breaking voice authentication at major ban
The $2T Stablecoin Opportunity for CPAs & Agentic AI in the Browser
What happens when a $2 trillion cryptocurrency market suddenly requires monthly audits? Blake and David break down the Genius Act, the new federal stablecoin legislation that just created a massive opportunity for auditors—but also potentially recreated the chaotic "wildcat banking" era of the 1800s. You'll learn why every stablecoin issuer now needs monthly attestation reports and annual
The Losers of AI & What CPAs Need to Know About OBBBA
Why is AI failing at basic accounting tasks while claiming to outsmart PhD students? Blake and David dive into the stark reality of AI implementation in accounting, from Ramp's promising new expense management agents to QuickBooks' baffling suggestion to credit and debit the same account. You'll discover the critical security vulnerabilities in AI systems and learn why clients are increas
When AI Decides Who Gets Promoted & Who's Going to Tax Prom?
What happens when AI decides who gets promoted and who gets fired? Blake and David dive into the shocking reality that 60% of managers now use AI for HR decisions, with over 20% letting algorithms make final calls without human oversight. They explore a Stanford study revealing that tax preparers are the #1 profession seeking automation, but only for basic calendar scheduling. Plus, disco
Xero Buys Melio, QuickBooks AI Agents Are Here, More Big Four Cheating
What happens when AI agents promise to transform accounting but create more cognitive burden than productivity gains? Blake and David explore the reality behind the AI agent hype as QuickBooks, Digits, and Big Four firms launch their "digital teammates." They also dig into Xero's massive $2.5 billion acquisition of Melio and what it means for the payments landscape. You'll learn why manag
Tariffs, Iran, PE, CPA Pipeline, PCAOB, SEC
What happens when 19 states simultaneously abandon the 150-hour CPA requirement while tariffs create unprecedented uncertainty for CFOs? Blake and CFO.com reporter Adam Zaki explore the rapid transformation of CPA licensure—from New York's recent changes to the coordinated state-by-state rollout that followed Barry Melancon's AICPA retirement. You'll discover how political and economic vo
AICPA Doesn't Care If PCAOB Goes Away
What happens when venture capitalists spend billions on AI but need customers to buy it? In this episode, Blake and David explore how investment firms are now purchasing accounting firms to force-feed AI adoption, comparing it to Pepsi buying restaurants to sell more soda. They also dig into the massive gap between AI promises and reality, questioning bold claims that 80% of tax prep is n
The Death of the Financial Close: Aaron Harris on AI's Accounting Revolution
Live from the Sage Future conference in Atlanta, Aaron Harris, CTO of Sage, joins Blake and David to explain why he wants to completely eliminate the financial close rather than just make it faster. Harris breaks down the three waves of AI transformation in accounting—from task-based automation to generative AI to fully autonomous agents—and reveals how Sage is building custom language mo
Real Life Ways Accountants Use AI, How Sage Will Eliminate the Close
Blake and David return from Sage Future 2025 with insights into how AI is reshaping accounting—from eliminating the financial close to real-world use cases. They also cover Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s public breakup, the latest in Deel’s corporate spying allegations, Deloitte’s unapologetically intense work-life balance ad, and a billion-dollar “AI” startup that turned out to be powered
The $400 Million Question: Should Congress Eliminate the PCAOB?(From the Earmark Podcast)
Earmark Media Presents a bonus episode of Earmark Podcast: What happens when Congress votes to eliminate the watchdog that's overseen public company audits for two decades? In this episode, Blake Oliver sits down with three leading accounting academics—Maureen McNichols from Stanford, Nemit Shroff from MIT, and Daniel Aobdia from Penn State—to examine the research behind the PCAOB's effe
Excel Still Trumps AI, Tariffs Under Threat, QBO Price Increases Justified?
What happens when a major newspaper publishes a summer reading list where only five of the 15 books actually exist? Blake and David explore this real example of AI-generated content gone wrong and what it means for accounting professionals who increasingly rely on automated tools. They break down QuickBooks' latest price increases, demonstrate how AI can now build complex consolidation sp
Beyond the Hype: Real-World AI in Accounting and Finance
How close are we to expense reports that create themselves? In this crossover episode recorded live at Emburse in Motion, Blake Oliver explores real-world AI implementation with Adriana Carpenter, CFO of Emburse, and Olga Pavlova from PizzaExpress. Discover how PizzaExpress manages 350+ restaurant locations using AI to automatically flag policy violations and detect hidden SaaS subscripti
One Big Beautiful Podcast Episode: Taxes, QuickBooks, & Tesla
What happens when Congress passes a $3.8 trillion deficit-increasing bill by just one vote while promising fiscal responsibility? Blake and David break down the "Big Beautiful Bill" and reveal who really benefits—spoiler alert: it's not the middle class or the national debt. They explore QuickBooks' aggressive new AI agents rollout with price hikes up to 17%, examine why Tesla's CPA CFO e
Intuit's Tariff on Developers, Arizona Tariff Shelters, $1T Stolen Annually from US
Could the Pope be on the hook for US taxes? As the first American elected Pope, Leo XIV faces an unusual conundrum under US citizenship rules. Meanwhile, Intuit's controversial new API pricing has developers reeling, and Hector Garcia joins the conversation to explain why this "tariff" threatens the entire QuickBooks ecosystem. Blake and David also examine how companies use foreign trade
Cut Your Tech Stack 50%, Threat to CPA in Florida, IRS Cuts Recap
What if your firm could cut its tech stack in half while delivering faster results to clients? In this episode, Blake and David explore the consolidation revolution in accounting software as practice management tools secure massive funding rounds. They also break down how private equity is reshaping the profession's business model, with some firms now prohibiting CPAs from using their cre
Firms Using AI Make More $, PCAOB Shutdown Fight, The Impossible Tariff Test
Could AI create a $20 trillion professional services earthquake? In this episode, Blake and David dive into the data showing that AI firms generate $45,000 more revenue per employee than non-adopters. You'll discover how AI is reshaping traditional accounting and what Claude's new ability to connect with your Gmail and calendar means for productivity. They also demonstrate how indistingui
Ramp Wants to Be the Federal Spend Card, Interview with Mark Koziel
Could you spend years earning your CPA license only to be told you can't use it? In this episode, Mark Koziel, president of the AICPA, joins Blake and David to discuss the shocking trend of firms prohibiting CPAs from identifying themselves as such in emails, on business cards, and even on LinkedIn. Blake and David also explore the economic uncertainty created by Trump's tariff policies,
Debits, Credits and Sniper Rifles: Reviewing the Accounting in The Accountant
In this bonus episode, David teams up with Caleb and Zach from Oh My Fraud to unpack the 2016 film The Accountant. Together, they explore how Hollywood portrays forensic accounting, internal controls, and what happens when your auditor brings a thermos full of sniper parts.Connect with David and Caleb https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlearyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/calebnewquistOh My Fra
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