Journal of Accountancy Podcast

Today is National Accounting Day. To mark the occasion, Sue Coffey, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA's CEO–Public Accounting, joined the podcast for a special edition to discuss celebrating the day and maximizing the profession's broader impact.
She explains how the CPA Trust campaign aims to highlight the value CPAs bring to businesses, individuals, and communities. Coffey shares examples of trust in action, from financial reporting to tax planning and advisory support. Coffey also details what practitioners can expect from ENGAGE in June.
What you'll learn from this episode:
The significance of National Accounting Day to Coffey.
A preview of the AICPA's CPA Trust campaign.
Real-world examples of how trust in action is demonstrated by CPAs with clients and communities.
Why CPAs are encouraged to share their impact publicly through social media.
What makes ENGAGE a key event for learning, networking, and industry insights.

A conversation with leadership and workplace mental health expert Morra Aarons-Mele explores why focusing on the present can improve performance, reduce stress, and strengthen decision-making. Aarons-Mele is the keynote speaker June 15 at the AICPA Not-for-Profit Industry Conference in National Harbor, Md.
Aarons-Mele, also an author and podcaster, explains how leaders in high-pressure roles can balance necessary forward planning with short, purposeful pauses, which can improve clarity and team dynamics. 
The discussion examines how organizations can apply mindfulness practices to build resilience and maintain focus in fast-moving environments.
What you'll learn from this episode:
Why Aarons-Mele emphasizes a focus on the present.
The practice that she says has been "the single most healing, restorative, renewing thing I've done."
Why the strategy of "take a minute and pause" can be effective during periods of disruption.
What research says about the benefits of such pauses.
Why Aarons-Mele warned against letting anxiety about the future drive decision-making.
The effect that having "too many tabs open" can have on focus and performance at work.

Halie Creps, CPA, chair of the AICPA Auditing Standards Board, joined the JofA podcast to  discuss the ASB's refreshed 2026–2030 strategic plan and its focus on responsiveness, collaboration, and technology.
She also explained why taking part in AICPA committees and boards is important to her and mentioned the link that members can visit to explore volunteer opportunities. 
Creps highlighted current projects, including proposed updates to attestation standards, sustainability assurance, confirmations, and fraud. She also explained how practitioner feedback and international standard‑setting influence the board's work.
What you'll learn from this episode:
Why Creps said that serving on the Auditing Standards Board helps make her a better auditor.
A mention of the numerous types of volunteer opportunities for members.
How the ASB's 2026–2030 strategic plan reflects stakeholder feedback.
What proposed changes to attestation standards could mean for practitioners.
How sustainability assurance fits into the ASB's broader standards framework.
The status of and comment deadlines for exposure drafts on confirmations and fraud.
How technology and global collaboration are shaping future audit standards.

System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports are examinations performed by CPAs in accordance with the AICPA's Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements to evaluate the controls over customer data that service organizations such as cloud providers or payroll processors have in place. SOC reports provide independent assurance to the service organization's customers, aka user entities, that those controls are suitably designed and operating effectively.
The entrance of technology vendors into the realm of SOC reporting has created some efficiencies, but it also has led to promises of "fast and easy" SOC reports that have raised credibility concerns in the marketplace. 
In this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast, Amy Pawlicki, the AICPA's vice president–Assurance & Advisory Innovation, discusses recent developments affecting SOC engagements. The conversation also highlights what CPAs, service organizations, and report users should watch for to protect trust in SOC reporting.
Other resources mentioned in the episode include:
A JofA article on ethics risks related to SOC tool providers.
The AICPA's SOC landing page.
Ethics Staff Insights: Business Arrangements With SOC Tool Providers.
What you'll learn from this episode:
What SOC reporting is — and why a SOC 2 report is not a certification.
How a technology trend is threatening SOC credibility.
The ethical risks related to SOC reporting tool vendors.
The peer review and the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct requirements for CPAs performing SOC work.
Where to find AICPA resources for firms, service organizations, and users.

Starting a CPA firm can be both exciting and daunting, with financial, operational, and personal risks along the way. In this Journal of Accountancy podcast episode, Michael Meihaus, CPA, founder of Meihaus CPA, shares what he learned after launching his practice. Alvin Fennell, vice president and senior risk adviser at Aon, adds a risk-management perspective on what new firm owners must plan for from day one. 
Together, they discuss practical steps, common blind spots, and how CPAs can balance growth with protection.
They reference an e-book created jointly by Aon and the AICPA. The e-book's first chapter is unlocked, and readers can access subsequent chapters by supplying their email address.
What you'll learn from this episode:
The market opportunity that was one factor in a CPA deciding to launch a firm.
What Meihaus meant when he said "your strengths and weaknesses are enhanced" as a firm owner.
Some of the many business questions new firm owners should answer early.
Why starting a firm can, according to Fennell, put CPAs in "a vulnerable spot."
Risk-management considerations, including billing practices, engagement letters, and insurance coverage.