About this episode
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 volatility is driving demand for accounting services, why the PCAOB may disappear in the Senate's tax bill, and how AI is reshaping audit teams while raising questions about the future value of CPAs. Plus, insights on navigating everything from reciprocal tariffs to the SEC's new chief accountant. Sponsors Cloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cas Human at Scale - http://accountingpodcast.promo/human Chapters (01:38) - Tariffs and Their Impact on CFOs (03:19) - Supreme Court and Tariff Legalities (05:47) - Economic Impact of Tariffs and Inflation (08:09) - Geopolitical Conflicts and Economic Uncertainty (11:17) - Federal Reserve and Economic Policies (18:51) - CPA Pipeline and 150 Hour Rule Changes (33:08) - Chief Accountant at the SEC (40:11) - Smart Moves by Congress: Nonprofit Pay Scales (40:44) - The Impact of Budget Cuts on PCAOB (41:34) - Challenges in Government Oversight (42:02) - Senate's Big Bill: Key Changes and Controversies (46:25) - Tax Implications and Political Dynamics (52:42) - Business Deductions and Higher Education (55:40) - AI in Accounting: Transforming the Big Four (57:37) - The Future of Accounting Education (01:02:10) - AI's Role in Auditing and the Future Workforce (01:05:19) - The Impact of Automation on Jobs and Society (01:15:48) - Concluding Thoughts and Future Outlook Show Notes Supreme Court Challenge to Trump Tariffs by Toy Companies https://www.reuters.com/legal/supreme-court-trump-tariffs-toy-companies-challenge Consumer Price Index Impact of Current Tariffs https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm New York State CPA Licensure Reform Legislation https://www.nysscpa.org/news/publications/the-trusted-professional/article/new-york-cpa-licensure-reform-passes-legislature Pennsylvania CPA Pathway Bill Senate Approval https://www.picpa.org/articles/advocacy/cpa-pathway-legislation-senate-approval Maine CPA Exam Requirements Change https://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/accountants/cpa-exam-requirements CFO.com State-by-State CPA Licensure Tracker https://www.cfo.com/news/cpa-licensure-changes-state-tracker-2025 Kurt Hoel Appointed SEC Chief Accountant https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2025-89 AICPA Barry Melancon Retirement Impact Analysis https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2025/01/melancon-retirement-cpa-pipeline-changes Senate Modifications to Big Beautiful Bill https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/actions Avalara 2025 Accountants Confidence Report https://www.avalara.com/us/en/resources/reports/2025-accountants-confidence-report PCAOB Elimination Implications Analysis https://www.pcaobus.org/oversight/inspections/implications-elimination-analysis KPMG Clara AI Audit Platform Interview https://www.cfo.com/news/kpmg-thomas-mackenzie-clara-ai-audit-interview PwC USA Tax Leader Agentic AI Implementation https://www.cfo.com/news/pwc-tax-agentic-ai-implementation-2025 Bill.com Small Business Paperless Survey 2030 https://www.bill.com/resources/small-business-paperless-2030-survey Universal Technical Institute CFO Interview https://www.cfo.com/news/uti-cfo-future-higher-education-interview Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.com Subscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Learn more about Adam Zaki: Website: https://www.cfo.com/editors/azaki/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamzakinyc Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary . Find us on Facebook and Instagram . If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser . Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040. Sponsorships Are you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus . Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.com Limited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessities TeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merch Subscribe Apple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcasts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcast Spotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/Spotify Podchaser: http://clo...