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News & Updates

AI Vulnerabilities Emerge as Fast-Growing Security Risk

February 02, 2026

Artificial intelligence (AI), geopolitics, and cyber-enabled fraud make up the three main trends executives expect to reshape the cybersecurity landscape in 2026, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026.

  • ai
  • cybersecurity

A Q&A with VSCPA Chair Krystal McCants, CPA

February 02, 2026

As 2025-2026 chair of the VSCPA Board of Directors, Krystal McCants, CPA, brings more than 20 years of public accounting experience and a passion for relationship-driven leadership. We sat down with Krystal to learn more about her journey, her insights on the profession, and what inspires her both inside and outside the office.

  • disclosures
  • vscpa

Ditch the Ladder. Climb the Jungle Gym.

February 02, 2026

Accounting is no longer just about numbers. It’s about navigating possibilities — and career paths should reflect that.

  • young pros
  • disclosures
  • career
  • career change
  • map

From Chaos to Clarity: Strategies for Successful Technology Implementation

February 02, 2026

Successful implementation of new technology tends to be a rare phenomenon. As a result, most people groan at the first signs that a new technology implementation is looming. Consider these strategies to ensure successful technology implementations are the norm for your firm or department.

  • leadership
  • technology
  • disclosures

Give Back to Grow Forward: Board Service 101

February 02, 2026

One of the biggest career accelerators for CPAs may be beyond the office. Serving in a volunteer position on a board, whether for a local nonprofit, professional group or other organization, can help you expand your leadership skills, make connections and serve the greater good.

  • leadership
  • students
  • young pros
  • disclosures

How to Give Core Teams at CPA Firms Ample Support This Tax Season

February 02, 2026

These tips and practices can give your core team the best chance to deliver outstanding client service without burning out in the process.

  • wellness
  • map

Insurance Claim Chronicles: Preparing Out-of-State Returns

February 02, 2026

Here's an actual claim submitted to CAMICO related to preparing out-of-state returns.

  • taxation
  • sole proprietor

Meet VSCPA Scholar Marisa Cooke

February 02, 2026

Every VSCPA scholar carries with them a story of ambition, discovery and the drive to succeed. Meet Marisa Cooke, an undergraduate senior at Virginia Tech and proud VSCPA Foundation scholarship recipient. Her journey into accounting is one of unexpected inspiration, bold decisions, and a growing passion for making a difference through the profession.

  • educator
  • students
  • vscpa
  • pipeline

Not for Sale: Independence is Still a Viable Choice for CPA Firms

February 02, 2026

Thriving without private equity isn’t about rejecting progress — it’s about pursuing a different, more self-directed vision of growth and success.

  • disclosures
  • sole proprietor
  • map

Picture Perfect: 5 Signs Perfectionism is Burning You Out and What You Can Do About It

February 02, 2026

We can’t easily control external factors, such as the profession’s pipeline deficit, intense tax demands and busy seasons. However, perfectionism is something we do have control over, and it’s not to be dismissed or overlooked.

  • wellness
  • disclosures

Small but Mighty: The Strategic Power of the $5-10 Million CPA Firm

February 02, 2026

As consolidation continues to reshape the accounting profession, the $5–10 million revenue tier has emerged as a critical inflection point. But the advantages of reaching this size extend far beyond M&A appeal. For firms focused on long-term growth, talent development, and market relevance, the $5–10 million tier offers a compelling combination of scale, agility and strategic optionality.

  • disclosures
  • sole proprietor
  • map

Turning Cases into Code: Practical ChatGPT Prompts for Auditors

February 02, 2026

After more than 10 years auditing everything from small nonprofits to government-funded entities to Fortune 500 companies, I’ve learned one thing for certain: auditors are translators. We take confusing situations, incomplete documents, complicated processes, and sometimes chaotic financial stories and turn them into clarity. And now, with the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, auditors also have the opportunity to bring efficiency like never before.

  • ai
  • technology
  • auditing
  • disclosures

4 Big Tech Bets in 2026

January 30, 2026

The next 12 months and beyond will see enterprises direct their attention to crucial areas, including AI and robotics.

  • ai
  • technology

AICPA Warns Shutdown-Forced IRS Furloughs Would Disrupt Filing Season

January 30, 2026

A government shutdown that forces the IRS to furlough employees would seriously disrupt the 2026 filing season and harm taxpayers, the AICPA cautioned Thursday in a letter urging the agency to maintain full operations.

  • taxation
  • shutdown

HB 870 Advances CPA Licensure Updates in House Subcommittee

January 30, 2026

Legislation to modernize Virginia’s CPA licensure statutes passed a House General Laws subcommittee unanimously Jan. 29, 2026.

  • virginia
  • advocacy
  • vscpa
  • pipeline

IRS Will Stay Fully Staffed for First 5 Days of Shutdown

January 30, 2026

The IRS will stay fully staffed for the first five working days of the partial government shutdown, a lapsed appropriations contingency plan posted late last week shows — temporarily easing concerns that the IRS would furlough employees during tax filing season.

  • taxation
  • shutdown

Virginia Isn't in a Recession, But on the Cusp, ODU Economists Say

January 30, 2026

Old Dominion University economists Bob McNab and Vinod Agarwal's new economic forecast for the state and region is bleak. Agarwal told an audience at ODU Wednesday the regional economy in 2026 will be worse than last year.

  • virginia
  • economy

Virginia Tax Conformity Legislation Begins to Move

January 30, 2026

After a slow start to the 2026 Virginia General Assembly session, tax conformity legislation is finally gaining momentum.

  • taxation
  • virginia
  • advocacy
  • vscpa

AICPA Comments on IRS Contingency Plan for Possible Government Shutdown

January 29, 2026

The AICPA sent a comment letter to Treasury and the IRS requesting the IRS release a contingency plan retaining 100% of IRS employees in the event of a government shutdown on Jan. 31, 2026, which would severely impact the 2026 filing season.

  • shutdown

5 Top-Rated Accounting Software for Midsize Businesses

January 28, 2026

This complementary guide highlights five top-rated accounting software platforms designed for midsize businesses, based on verified user reviews and product performance data.

  • technology