How CPAs can thrive in the AI era

If your to-do list is long and your patience is short, take a breather, you've come to the right place.

This week's newsletter brings the goods, from AI you can trust to accounting firms catching the eye of private equity (cue dramatic rose ceremony music). We're also attracting Gen Z to the profession by speaking their language, getting leadership advice that doesn't make you cringe and rethinking our role in closing the wealth gap.

But first: did you hear about the NYPD cop charged with stealing from clients' Wells Fargo accounts?

Grab a cup of (increasingly expensive) coffee and dig in.

This profession is bussin': Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand's high-key hilarious attempt to give accounting some rizz.

Reclassify, don't retry: Alicia Katz Pollock, MAT, explains why journal entries are so last season in QBO.

Unbalanced books: School bookkeeper busted after parents spot fishy finances.

AI on tap: Accountants talk bots, balance sheets and beers at the AI in Accounting Summit in DTLA.

Why equity belongs in every engagement

What does social justice have to do with spreadsheets? According to Meg K. Wheeler, accountant, activist and founder of The Equitable Money Project, a whole lot.

In this candid conversation with The Net Gains, Wheeler breaks down how accounting professionals can be powerful agents for economic equality. From rethinking client education to pushing for policy change, she challenges the profession to look beyond compliance and toward impact. If you've ever wondered how your daily work could help close wealth gaps, this one's for you. —Janet Berry-Johnson

You launched The Equitable Money Project to close financial gaps for marginalized small business owners. How can accountants play a more active role in reducing economic inequity through their day-to-day work?

As accountants, we are often the only source of financial education for many of the people we work with. This means it’s even more important that we educate our clients on the current economic system, how it may or may not impact their economic status and steps they should take to build generational wealth. We want our clients to feel empowered to make informed short-term and long-term decisions about their money and that empowerment always begins with education.

Many clients, especially those historically excluded from traditional financial systems, may feel intimidated or distrustful of financial professionals. What can accountants do to build trust and create more inclusive client experiences?

This all starts with understanding where our clients are coming from. We cannot serve them well if we do not educate ourselves on their individual and collective challenges, barriers and experiences regarding money. We also must approach our work through an inclusive and intersectional lens, recognizing the substantial barriers faced by certain marginalized groups and how our traditional advice may need to be adapted to address the privilege and inequity that inherently exist in our society. Make your values explicit in your words and actions. Trust will come as your clients see you living your values. 

You’ve seen firsthand how financial education intersects with policy and social support systems. How can accounting professionals use their platform to advocate for clients who are navigating challenges like student debt, caregiving, or access to capital?

As accountants, we bring a degree of expertise and authority to these conversations. We are also “on the front lines,” directly observing the challenges and barriers that many of our clients face. If we care at all about inclusivity and equity, we must use our platforms to advocate for critical policy issues like manageable student debt repayment, access to affordable childcare, housing and healthcare and access to capital to grow their businesses. One way we do this is through our Call Your Representatives Substack, a weekly script you can use to call your Congressional representatives about a pressing policy issue. 

What advice would you give to accounting pros who want to align their practice with social justice values but don’t know where to start?

Start by outlining your values so you can use them as a guiding light when you approach this work. Then, evaluate different areas of your business and observe how those values you identified are met (or not). This can feel overwhelming and you shouldn’t try to tackle it all at once. Start with one area, such as how accessible your client portal is or if your call availability offers flexibility for working people and caregivers who may need to meet outside of business hours.

Lead with heart, not hierarchy

In a profession where deadlines loom and client demands never seem to take a vacation, Sandra Wiley, president of Boomer Consulting, Inc., reminds us that true leadership isn't about control. It's about character. High-road leaders don't just manage, they elevate. They build trust, own their mistakes and create space for others to shine. It's not about titles or ego. It's about showing up with generosity, accountability and a whole lot of humanity (even on the hard days).

Leadership is less about being in charge and more about making a positive difference wherever you are.

Why this matters: Strong teams don't just happen. They're built by leaders who listen, lift others up and keep their cool when the spreadsheets go sideways. (CPA Practice Advisor)

PE is calling—should your firm pick up?

In this episode of the Accountant's Flight Plan podcast, Brannon Poe, CPA, sits down with Morry Brown, regional market leader at Poe Group Advisors, to talk firm sales, private equity and what happens when Wall Street takes an interest in Main Street accounting. Brown shares insights from his time at Goldman Sachs and his current role advising CPA firm owners on navigating today's increasingly competitive (and complex) market for firm acquisitions. From deal structure and buyer fit to why younger firm owners are suddenly in PE's crosshairs, it's a crash course in knowing your options before you sign on the dotted line.

Why this matters: Whether you're dreaming of retirement or just curious why private equity keeps sliding into your DMs, this episode helps you think strategically about your firm's future. (Accountant's Flight Plan)

$8.13

The average price of a pound of ground roast coffee as of June 2025, up from $6.25 one year prior and $4.52 in 2020. (USA Today)

• Paid ads might just be your firm's missing multiplier
• "Situationships" are now a workplace status, apparently
• Help clients avoid these 10 retirement plan control traps
• IRS advisory board wants smarter, faster e-filing systems
• Accounting inclusion project gets a 2025 glow-up

CPAs can help clients warm up to AI

AI is coming for your spreadsheets and your clients' trust. A new report covered by The Accountant Online explores how CPAs are uniquely positioned to close the growing "AI trust gap." As artificial intelligence becomes more common in financial decision-making, many clients (and even some pros) are understandably skeptical. The report, led by CPA Canada and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), suggests CPAs can play a key role in making AI feel less like a mysterious black box and more like a well-audited tool. Think of it as translating robo-speak into real talk.

Why this matters: Like it or not, AI is already shaping the future of advisory work. Clients will soon expect answers not just about their books, but about the bots touching them. Accountants who can bridge that trust gap will become indispensable. (The Accountant Online)

The Net Gains is your one-stop shop for fresh, FREE accounting insights. You can reach the newsletter team at thenetgains@mynewsletter.co. We enjoy hearing from you.

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The Net Gains is curated and written by Janet Berry-Johnson and edited by Bianca Prieto.