The Washington CPA 2020 Winter

THE

WASHINGTON CPA

Winter 2020

Volume 63, Number 3

Putting Together the Tax Puzzle Getting Started With Subscription Pricing From Public Accounting to Pinball

THE WASHINGTON CPA WINTER 2020

www.wscpa.org • memberservices@wscpa.org Tel 425.644.4800 • Toll free in WA 800.272.8273 Fax 425.562.8853 902 140th Ave NE Bellevue, WA 98005-3480

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Amanda V. O’Rourke Chair Jared M. Theis Vice Chair Kris L. Lambright Treasurer Moses Man Secretary Kirsten S. Duke Immediate Past Chair Kimberly D. Scott President & CEO

Sara E. Bailey Diane Pietrowski Andrew Brajcich Bill Reed Aaron R. Dawson Leslie A. Sesser Christina J. Gehrke Thomas J. Sulewski Lowel J. Krueger Susan L. Thomson

CHAPTER BOARD CHAIRS Laurel Cohen Bellingham Area Charles Meyerson Everett Area Darin Johnson Olympia Area Allison McClure Seattle/Bellevue Area Kathryn Casbon Spokane Area Fabian Benabente Tacoma Area Anthony Adams Tri-Cities Area Connie Olson Tri-Cities Area Veronica Raquel Martinez Yakima Area

Jeanette Kebede Kaitlin Brake

Editor Art Direction

The Washington CPA is published by the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants for its members. Views and opinions appearing in this publication are not necessarily endorsed by the Washington Society of CPAs. The products and services advertised in The Washington CPA have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants, its board of directors, or staff.

The Washington CPA (USPS 009754) is published four times annually by the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants, 902 140th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98005-3480. $12 of members’ annual dues goes toward a subscription to The Washington CPA. Periodicals postage paid at Bellevue, Washington and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Washington CPA, c/o WSCPA, 902 140th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98005-3480.

www.wscpa.org

CONTENTS

On the Cover Getting Started with Subscription Pricing

22

Putting Together the Tax Puzzle

40

From Public Accounting to Pinball

42

Spotlights Five Ways to Get CAS Clients

12

Products to Boost Your Productivity in 2020

14

CPA Exam Topics Undergoing Change for Digital Age

18

Departments Membership News

5

Upcoming Events

6

Advocacy

8

Leadership Lens

10

CPE Puzzler

26

CPE Digest

28

Classified Ads

38

Photo Gallery

45

@WashingtonCPAs

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

3

Thank You to Our 2019 Sponsors

Becker

Commerce Bank of Washington

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Berntson Porter & Company LLC

Gravity

The Resource Group

Bloomberg BNA

Hauser Jones & Sas

Robert Half

Bloomberg Law & Tax

Hutchinson & Walter

Roger Phillip CPA Review

Camico

iMatch

Sweeney Conrad

Care Med Choice

Largesse Company

TriNet

CITY POS

Larson Gross

Wolters Kluwer

CMG Financial

Merriman Wealth Management

Xero

CoAxis Solutions

Now CFO

Columbia Bank

Parker Smith & Feek

4

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

We're proud to introduce our newest benefits partner: CPACharge! With CPACharge, you can easily accept credit, debit, and eCheck payments online or in your office. The WSCPA and CPACharge are working together to ensure your firm has the necessary tools for success.

As a WSCPA member, enjoy your first three months of this online payment solution free, plus a bunch of other benefits!

Visit wscpa.org/benefits to learn more.

Join a WSCPA Resource Group!

• • • • • • •

Accounting & Auditing Review Standards Committee Firm Administrator Resource Group Government Accounting & Auditing Committee International Tax Resource Group Not-For-Profit Resource Group Sole Practitioners Resource Group Taxation Resource Group

Interested in a WSCPA Resource Group?

Contact: memberservices@wscpa.org

As we head into busy season, utilize your Passport Corporate discounts to make your day a little easier.

• • • • • • •

East Side Town Car - 20% off all transportation services Bella Spa - 15% off 1-hour massage Honor Coffee - 20% off coffee and drinks Rain City Maids - 10% off first service Avis - Up to 25% off car rental base rates Michael's Fine Dry Cleaning - 40% all dry cleaning Glade Spring Spa - 20% off spa services and glass of prosecco for one you and one guest.

Visit wscpa.org/passport for more discounts.

The WSCPA Annual Meeting is June 4, 2020.

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

5

Upcoming Events January 1st

February 1st

March 6th

New Year's Day

Washington CPA Foundation Scholarship Reviewer Sign Up Due

Employee Appreciation Day

January 13th from 8am-4pm

February 2nd

March 8th

Federal Tax Update

Groundhog Day

International Women's Day

Bellevue & Webcast

January 15th

February 14th

March 17th

2020 Hill Day & Resolution Rendezvous

Valentine's Day

St. Patrick's Day

The Hub at Lacey

January 20th

February 17th

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Washington CPA Foundation Scholarship Application Deadline

January 22 & 23rd from 8am-4pm

February 17th

Tax Advisors Update

President's Day

Spokane, Bellevue & Webcast

January S

6

M

T

February

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

S

M

T

W

T

March F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

26

27

28

29 30

31

23

24

25

26

37

28

29

29 30

31

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

EVENT CALENDAR

Register for WSCPA events at wscpa.org/calendar

April 15th

May 7th from 5-7pm

Tax Day

Yakima Chapter Hop Town Spring Social Hop Town Pizza ( Wapato)

April 22nd

May 10th

Earth Day

Mother's Day

April 29-30th

May 12th

Governmental Accounting & Auditing Conference

International Tax Conference

HELP US AWARD OVER $400,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO DESERVING STUDENTS ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE. Are you interested in helping students achieve their dream of becoming a CPA? If so, please consider volunteering your time and talent to be part of the review team for the 2020 Accounting Scholarships offered by the Washington CPA Foundation and the Washington Society of CPAs.

Washington State Convention Center (Seattle)

Time Commitment: 20–25 hours

Convention Center at Sea-Tac

May 14th from 5:30-8pm Seattle/Bellevue Chapter Spring for Hard Rock Seattle

Main Responsibilities: •

Attend an online training in February

•

Review applications in your home or

Hard Rock Cafe (Seattle)

May 25th Memorial Day

office using a secure, online portal •

Score applications using a scoring matrix, following provided guidelines

•

Each reviewer will consider 25-30 applications over three rounds and

May 27th Washington State Tax Conference

submit reviews online during a fourweek period

Washington State Convention Center (Seattle)

Members who serve on the Scholarship Review Team often tell us that the experience is one of the most rewarding volunteer roles they’ve had the pleasure to fill.

April S

M

If you would like to join the team, or if you have any questions, please contact Monette Anderson.

Phone: 425.586.1118 Email: manderson@wscpa.org

May

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

26

27

28

29 30

24

25

26

27

28

29 30

31 www.wscpa.org

Please sign up by February 1st, 2020

WSCPA Networking Events WSCPA CPE Events Notable Deadlines Holidays The Washington CPA Winter 2020

7

ADVOCACY

Advocacy Year In Review Ashley Kittrell

Grassroots

Legislature

8

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

Resources

O

W

SC

U

Regulatory

PA A

DVO C

& AC Y

Y

www.wscpa.org

ADVOCACY

The 2020 elections are almost here.

Have you contributed to the CPA Political Action Committee?

Met with legislators throughout the year to discuss implications of legislation and provide resources.

Traveled to Olympia for Hill Day to share what’s going on in the profession and the impact of certain proposals with legislators.

It’s one of the most important investments in the profession that you will make. wscpa.org/cpapac

More than 2,000 bills introduced during the 2019-20 session.

Provided feedback, monitored, and supported relevant legislation.

The Washington State Board of Accountancy successfully sponsored legislation (House Bill 1208) reducing licensing requirements for firms that do not provide attest services.

Approved CPE rule changes (effective January 1, 2020).

Stay up to date on the latest news by following All Things Advocacy blog, social media, and The Advocate quarterly newsletter.

Interested in learning more about advocacy or hosting a legislator at your chapter event? Contact Ashley Kittrell at akittrell@wscpa.org.

Ashley Kittrell is the WSCPA Manager of Government Affairs.

You can contact her at akittrell@wscpa.org or 425.586.1150

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

9

LEADERSHIP LENS

The Undeniable Value of Soft Skills Amanda O’Rourke

One of my favorite customer service stories comes from a large global coffee shop: A customer waits patiently for their beverage at the pick-up side of the counter.

Their name is called out and they grab their drink. They take the much anticipated first sip but are quickly disappointed and explain to the barista, “I don’t taste any vanilla in my vanilla latte.” The barista looks at the order slip and confirms it does not say vanilla and quickly responds, “Well did you order vanilla?”

The point of the story isn’t whether the customer ordered vanilla but rather did the barista have the soft skills training to handle the situation that would inspire the customer to keep coming back? In this case? Probably not.

The 2017 Forbes article, “Thanks A Latte: How To Fix A Customer Service Failure, Per Starbucks, Marriott and Me,” outlines Starbuck’s customer service recovery sequence – LATTE. Listen to the customer Acknowledge the problem Take action and solve the problem Thank the customer Explain what you did As CPAs we are known more for our technical skills, instead of our soft skills. I regularly remind myself to apply the LATTE sequence in serving clients and working with our team. Good customer service and the development of soft skills doesn’t happen overnight. It requires a commitment to lifelong learning and going outside of the accountant’s stereotypical comfort zone—regularly. Our firm does not have a prescribed customer service recovery sequence, but we do have access to training that helps hone our skills.

In November, WSCPA past and present board members had the opportunity to hear AICPA President & CEO, Barry Melancon, share his thoughts on the future of the CPA profession. According to Melancon, one of the ways that the CPA profession needs to evolve is to provide higher-level customer interaction, such as working with tax clients on robust “life planning” that goes beyond tax return preparation. Mastery of this will likely require a greater focus on building stronger relationships—the kind of relationships that are built and maintained by those who have mastered soft skills.

10

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

LEADERSHIP LENS

The Washington State Board of Accountancy (WBOA) recently acknowledged the value of soft skills in our profession by revising the continuing professional education (CPE) rules to allow for 60 non-technical credits per CPE reporting period, effective January 1, 2020. Examples of non-technical subjects provided by the board include leadership, personal development skills, and practice development. (If you haven’t heard about these CPE rule changes, visit www.acb.wa.gov for details.)

So how can we take advantage of the new CPE regulations and polish our soft skills?

Engaging Topics

Learning Beyond Formal Training

The WSCPA continues to produce a variety of non-technical CPE. A few highlights include:

Learning goes beyond test results or training hours completed. As with all learning, the best way to retain what you learn is hands-on application. The WSCPA offers a variety of opportunities for applying and strengthening soft skills.

Consider joining a chapter board, resource group, or committee. WSCPA networking and special events, which are held around the state in each chapter area, also offer comfortable and fun environments for connecting with other professionals.

Breaking Free of the CPA Box www.wscpa.org/box Emotional Intelligence: The Critical Factor in Success www.wscpa.org/emotion Don’t Let Conflict Derail Your Relationships www.wscpa.org/conflict Women’s Leadership Summit June 2, Lynnwood Convention Center www.wscpa.org/summit

Image © Unsplash/Devin Avery

Take advantage of the plethora of resources available and reimagine what and how you and your teams will learn. Our profession will continue to deliver technically sound advice to keep businesses growing and thriving. Our regulators are creating the model for us to deliver these services better. As you determine where you can invest in your soft skills and how we take care of our clients and teams, remember soft skills cross all industries.

We are all good at solving problems. Learning to gracefully resolve issues builds lasting relationships. Now let me remake that drink.

Cheers.

Amanda O’Rourke, CPA, is Parner with Greenwood Ohlund LLP CPAs in Seattle and chair of the WSCPA Board of Directors. You can contact her at amanda@greenwoodcpa.com.

Graphics: © iStock/Olga Strelnikova

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

11

CLIENT ACCOUNTING SERVICES

Five Ways to Get CAS Clients Hitendra Patil

CPA Trendlines conducted a survey in June 2019 entitled “Client Accounting Services: Trends, Issues, and Opportunities.” More than 8,000 accountants responded to the initial survey, of which 90 percent were decision-makers at their firms. Among firms currently offering client accounting services, 88 percent said CAS is “important to the firm’s future,” including 64 percent who “agree strongly.”

This survey is the latest illustration that client accounting services are a must-offer, profitable new revenue segment for your firm. And if you’re already offering CAS, you might want to enhance it.

But one of the most common questions accountants ask is, “How do I actually get CAS clients?”

CAS-fit clients: To find success in CAS quickly, you need to do some things right. One of those is to get CAS-fit clients. Here are five proven ways to get clients for your Client Accounting Services offering.

1.

You may not need new clients

If you already have 20 to 30 accounting clients to whom you deliver at least monthly services, you don’t need new clients for your CAS offering. The best place to start is to select a few existing clients. You gain experience by offering CAS to them, optimizing your processes every step of the way.

How do you select CAS-fit clients from your existing clients? Here are some hints.

If you are repeatedly fixing clients’ messy books, that is a client fit for CAS at some level. If your client’s accounting staff has left or is leaving, you can pitch CAS. Does a client have part-time / freelancer accounting staff? You may be able to pitch CAS if the client is not satisfied with their accounting.

Also, proactively seek referrals. Google reviews / testimonials can get you new clients faster.

2.

In-house to your firm

12

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

Whenever a business owner wants to move accounting work from in-house (done by company staff) to your firm, it is one of the golden opportunities to pitch CAS. The very fact that the business owner felt the need to hire a professional accountant tells you some key things if you find that upfront.

Reasons why the business owner is even thinking about moving that work to your firm may include specific pain points (e.g., regularly delayed financial statements), staffing challenges (bookkeepers don’t stay long), business growth (the owner does not have enough time, and the accounting work volume increased), or accounting complexity (only professional accountants can fathom). If you can identify the key triggers why the business owner wants to outsource accounting work, you can create an opportunity for your firm.

www.wscpa.org

CLIENT ACCOUNTING SERVICES

3.

Clients Switching Accountants

4.

Start-Ups

5.

Sunrise Industries/ Professions

It happens. Invariably, it happens for one or two key reasons. Again, find those reasons so that you know what the expectations will be. “Lack of proactive service” is a common reason. “My growing business needs more services” is another top reason why clients switch accountants. In most such cases, you will be able to offer CAS. And if the only reason why the prospect wants to switch is “pricing,” you want to be ultra-cautious to sign up such a client.

Start-ups funded by investors / venture capital are under pressure to deliver a return on investment. Almost all of their focus has to be on their business. To do so, they need insights from accounting.

Pitch “basic monthly accounting” services to them. Then upgrade them to CAS over a period of time. Accounting firms are increasingly using this strategy now.

al Sebastien Bonnev Image: © Unsplash/

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes 10-year projections of the labor market. From the BLS website, you can download such reports for free. Identify the industries / professions that are projected to grow over the next decade those are the “sunrise” ones. Pick a few niches from those and create some niche-specific competencies, and then niche CAS packages. Growing companies need professional accounting services.

What is CAS? Traditionally, Client Accounting Services (CAS) means you, the accountant, do most (if not all) of the accounting work for your clients. This definition of CAS is limited in scope. True practitioners of CAS customize their accounting practice for each client to best serve their needs, while maximizing your firm’s profits.

Accounting clients can be classified into three main categories: 1.

2.

3.

Hitendra Patil is a director with AccountantsWorld. He was recently named to Accounting Today's list of 2019 Top 100 Most Influential People in the Accounting Profession. You can contact him at hitendra@

Clients who write manual checks. This is the traditional after the fact write-up work.

Clients who want to offload all their accounting work to their accountant. This is outsourced accounting services. (Not offshore accounting services).

Clients who want to perform some of the accounting work (e.g. transaction processing) in their office. In a professional accounting software system, accountants work collaboratively with their clients while accountants remain in full control.

A true CAS practice focuses on the needs of the clients in each of these categories and optimizes their processes for each.

hitendrapatil.com.

This article initially appeared in the Fall 2019 edition of The Statement, the member magazine of the Maryland Association of CPAs. Reprinted with permission. Graphics: © iStock/PixelEmbargo/Rzarek

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

13

PRODUCTIVITY

Products to Boost Your Productivity in 2020

Make the most of your working hours. Check out these gadgets to boost your productivity and make all your co-workers jealous.

14

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

PRODUCTIVITY

Saent; $65 The Saent button promises to boost your productivity as a fancy Pomodoro timer. This launches timed sessions to help you focus on the tasks at hand. The light acts as a physical notification to others that you shouldn’t be disturbed, and the software blocks distracting websites and applications during the timed sessions. Saent also rewards you with recharge breaks after your focus sessions.

Find it here: saent.com

Chrome Extension: Pomodoro Timer Pro; $0 Though it has fewer bells and whistles than the Saent, this free Chrome extension still blocks unproductive websites and lets you set long or short working breaks. As a bonus, you can configure a message to be played after each break to remind you what you are ready to tackle next. CPA level up accomplished!

Find it here: Chrome Web Store, Google Play Store

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

15

PRODUCTIVITY

Rocketbook Everlast Reusable Notebook; starts at $25 The Rocketbook Everlast may be the last notebook you’ll ever buy. It comes with an app that keeps your notes for easy keyword searches, and shoots it out to multiple locations for filing (OneNote, EverNote, email, etc). It uses Frixion pens, which you can find at any office supply aisle. No more carrying around multiple planners/notepads for your to-do list, weekly agenda, shopping list and meal plan, meeting notes, journaling and brainstorming. The RocketBook allows you to do it all, scan and start again. This notebook comes in three sizes and 3 colors.

Find it here: getrocketbook.com

DeskView Lightweight Standing Desk; starting at $235 The Pacific Northwest touts some amazing views. Take advantage of the benefits that come with your high-rise location (and get some Vitamin D) by spending a few hours pretending you have a corner office with a view. The unique design of the DeskView Lightweight Standing Desk allows you to set up your workstation along any window in your office. While this is one of the higher priced items on our list, you’re always going to pay more for a water view.

Find it here: deskview.co

SideTrak Portable USB Monitor 12.5" Screen with Carrying Case; Starts at $299 It’s hard to take advantage of your organization's flexibility and telecommuting policies when you don’t have access to the tools that make you the most productive. One screen does not cut it for accountants who are used to using multiple. This product is the portable solution you need to take your multi-screen convenience anywhere.

Find it here: sidetrak.com

16

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

PRODUCTIVITY

Giveaway Time!

All images used with permission.

Graphics © iStock/Rudzhan Nagiev/ lankogal

We're here to help you become your most productive self in 2020. The WSCPA will be giving away one Rocketbook and Frixion Pen to a randomly-drawn WSCPA member at the end of January! Be sure to keep an eye on your email; we'll be in touch!

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

17

CPA EXAM

CPA EXAM TOPICS UNDERGOING CHANGE FOR

A technology- and datafocused practice analysis will determine the topics that are most relevant to today’s newly-licensed CPAs.

Ken Tysiac Changes in the work performed by newly-licensed CPAs have the AICPA embarking on a focused practice analysis to determine what material should be tested on the CPA Exam — and what material no longer needs to be assessed.

Advances in technology, data analytics, and process automation have led to changes in the skills required of newly-licensed CPAs, according to research by the AICPA Examinations team.

The AICPA practice analysis responding to these changes began in March 2019 and continued with the publication in December of: • An exposure draft recommending planned CPA Exam updates and content to be added, changed, or deleted; and • An invitation to comment that will seek feedback on potential future changes to the CPA Exam that require more research or more extensive structure changes.

Comments will be collected through April 30, 2020.

The practice analysis is separate from the CPA Evolution project (see the sidebar, "CPA Evolution Project Reevaluates Licensure Model," below) that's being undertaken by the AICPA and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy to explore possible changes to CPA licensure requirements that also would incorporate skills and competencies in technology and data analytics.

The timing of the practice analysis represents an acceleration in the time frame that has been used in the past to make comprehensive updates to the exam. Traditionally, the Examinations team has undertaken a practice analysis every seven years. The most recent practice analysis was completed in 2016 and led to significant changes implemented in 2017 that resulted in a greater emphasis on analysis, critical-thinking,

18

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

and problem-solving skills on the exam.

The rapid pace of change in the business environment has led to a need for a quicker reconsideration of the exam.

"What a newly-licensed CPA does is just changing so much," said Mike Decker, the AICPA's vice president—Examinations.

"There's so much disruption in the profession, and we're seeing that in a lot of businesses that to say you're going to update a licensing exam through a practice analysis every seven years just really isn't appropriate anymore."

The exam has changed even since the 2017 rollout, which decreased the number of multiple-choice questions, added more task-based simulations, and raised the total exam hours from 14 to 16. Mechanisms are in place to make changes quarterly to accommodate updates in standards, regulations, and other areas.

Since 2017, there has been more focus on how the exam assesses professional skepticism and judgment, and questions have already been added to test audit data analytics. But employers of newly-licensed CPAs have told the Examinations team that a more comprehensive look needs to be taken at technology, data analytics, and automation.

www.wscpa.org

CPA EXAM

ADDING AND SUBTRACTING To make room for the new material, the Examinations team believes that some topics are currently less important and could potentially be removed from the CPA Exam Blueprints, which describe the material that will be tested on the exam.

The Examinations team is facing the same challenges that have confronted accounting educators for years, as employers want new skills to be taught. Material needs to be removed from the new curriculum to make room for important emerging topics. But the removal of topics often leads to objections from somebody within the profession.

"People need to understand the basics," Gallagher said. "On the audit side, for example, the concept of risk assessment, internal controls, and professional skepticism, all those things continue to be critically important. Software as a service and cloud computing now add in a new layer with that. Where do the information systems fit in with the manual business process?"

Topics that may be under consideration for removal from the exam Blueprints include: • IFRS. The idea of international standards adoption in the United States for SEC-registered companies has lost momentum. As a result, this may be a topic whose relevance is waning for newly licensed CPAs despite the increased globalization of business.

• Estates and trusts. The law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, P.L. 115-97, increased the amount an individual could shield from the estate tax from $5.49 million in 2017 to $11.4 million in 2019. As a result, many newly licensed CPAs may not need to understand strategies for planning around the estate tax.

• Derivative financial instruments. This is a complex area that's relevant for more experienced CPAs, but not necessarily those who are newly licensed.

whose compensation packages include significant stock options and that newly licensed CPAs are involved in auditing those equity awards. Employee benefit plan audits may require the work of more experienced CPAs, but past quality issues may make it undesirable to remove this topic from the Blueprints.

It may be worth questioning whether the CPA Exam should be testing written communication skills, as it does in the Business Environment and Concepts section. Writing is a skill that's not specific to CPAs and may seem out of place on a licensing exam. But employers of newly-licensed CPAs do want to know that their people possess writing skills.

At any rate, as new topics receive greater emphasis on the exam, it has become clear that other topics will need to be de-emphasized or removed from the Blueprints. Making these decisions will be an important part of the practice analysis.

"How do we determine, 'This is what's really critical to newly licensed practice in protection of the public interest, and this other stuff is less important and doesn't necessarily need to be assessed as part of the exam'?" Gallagher said. "We are working with a consulting firm which has developed a methodology to rank the most important and least important topics on the exam. Subject-matter experts in each of the exam's sections will consider those rankings and ultimately make recommendations on what material should be removed from the exam."

Image: © iStock/SvetaZi

Rich Gallagher, CPA, senior director of content for the Examinations team, said the basics of accounting and auditing will not be removed from the Blueprints to make room for the new material. He said it's still important for CPAs to understand, for example, the flow of transactions from beginning to end: from a sales order to shipping and sales invoicing, and collection of cash, including how those transactions go through information systems and the cloud rather than manual systems.

Other areas may be subject to debate. Gallagher said he thought that few newly-licensed CPAs worked on stock compensation — but one firm told him that half its business is with startups

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

19

CPA EXAM

RIGOROUS PROCESS The Examinations team is following its typical rigorous process for the current practice analysis. Meetings were held with about 20 firms of varying sizes to discuss the knowledge and skills essential for newly licensed CPAs and the impact of technology on their work. CPAs who supervise newly licensed CPAs in public accounting as well as in business and industry have been participating.

They learned that: • Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, which were emphasized in the 2017 exam refresh, remain essential.

• CPA candidates often need a more comprehensive understanding of business processes, information systems related to financial reporting, and how business works.

• Data analytics and a digital mindset is a high-demand area.

• Excel skills are essential.

• Companies and firms are relying more on System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports, and understanding how to use these reports is increasingly important for newly licensed CPAs. Many of the skills newly-licensed CPAs are using reflect CPAs' ability to integrate emerging technologies into the business environment and use technology for greater business insights.

"It raises the bar on the CPA in that they've got to manage the data, manage what's coming out of automation, and interpret what the systems are generating," Decker said. "So in some cases, there could be a demand for an increased number of CPAs, but a different CPA. But it's not an elimination of them. ... The students of today, if they're more data-focused and analytically focused, the CPA would be a great profession for them."

CPAs who supervise newly-licensed CPAs in public accounting as well as business and industry have been participating in focus groups with the Examinations team to help determine the most important topics to be included in the Blueprints. This exercise includes "content ranking sessions," which also help the Examinations team understand which material does not necessarily need to be tested on the exam.

The Blueprints will remain unchanged for the remainder of 2019 as this information is gathered. The Examinations team's actions following the practice analysis will depend on the results of the analysis. The Blueprints will likely be updated toward the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021 for matters covered in the ED, but the team may decide to conduct further research or even publish further information and request additional comments

20

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

on areas where there is not clear consensus or that might require structural change to the exam.

Changes not directly related to the practice analysis, including some audit data analytics tasks that were researched over the past year, may appear in the Blueprints as early as April 1, 2020, and on the exam as early as Oct. 1, 2020.

In general, the Examinations team is moving away from changes to the exam process that require years of research and complicated launches. The focus for the future is on regular updates to the exam and avoiding large-scale structural changes that might create concern among CPA candidates.

"We are being nimble," Gallagher said. "But we also have to have stability in this exam for fairness to the candidates. That is the balance we're trying to maintain.

CPA Evolution project reevaluates licensure model.

Changes are being considered separately from the CPA Exam practice analysis.

In the CPA Evolution project, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and the AICPA are considering whether the model for initial CPA licensure needs to change in response to a growing need for new skills as a result of advancements in technology.

Comments were due Aug. 9, 2019 on a request for input seeking feedback on five guiding principles that could serve as the foundation of a new licensure model. The principles assert the profession’s need for CPAs to have technological and analytical expertise while maintaining the importance of competencies necessary to perform professional services as a CPA and protecting the public.

In December, NASBA and the AICPA proposed a new CPA liscensure model. More information is available at evolutionofcpa.org.

Ken Tysiac is the Journal of Accountancy's editorial director. Contact him at Kenneth.Tysiac@aicpa-cima.com.

This article originally appeared in The Journal of Accountancy. ©2019 AICPA. Reprinted with permission.

Graphics: © iStock/Panuwat Sikham

www.wscpa.org

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

Getting Started with Subscription Pricing L. Gary Boomer, CPA, CITP, CGMA

Since Amazon launched in 1994, it has grown from an online bookstore to one of the first places shoppers turn to buy everything from cleaning products to the latest tech gadgets. Their business model is “shop and then ship,” but as customers shop, Amazon is continuously acquiring data, enabling them to make recommendations based on their search habits.

With the amount of data Amazon has gathered about its customers, they could almost transform their business model into “ship and then shop.”

The business model of CPA firms is being transformed by technology as well. However, unlike Amazon, some firms aren't leveraging it. For decades, the CPA firm business model has been “effort determines value.” Now, we need to look for a more subjective value model that allows for different levels of service.

22

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

The case for subscription billing Technology is the driving force behind the need for subscription billing. Technology has made several steps in the delivery of bookkeeping services redundant or of no value. Consider bank reconciliations and coding. That service used to take significant time and effort. But today most companies capture and code bank transactions digitally. There is little time or effort involved in reconciling bank accounts, and the service isn’t valuable.

Tax preparation and audit sampling are going the same route, so technology is destroying the old business model for many CPA firms.

Meanwhile, consulting and advisory work doesn’t lend itself to pricing by the hour.

If you try, you’ll wind up undercharging for the most valuable service you provide.

Rather than giving away your knowledge, think of transactional and compliance work as a necessary add-on to advisory and consulting.

A few years ago, many firms offloaded bookkeeping by pushing it back on the client. In too many cases, when they received the books back for a tax or attest engagement, the books were inaccurate. The firm needed to make several adjustments to get the client’s records in order and perform the service they were engaged to do.

As firms shift to providing more consultative services, providing that service with inaccurate information is impossible.

You need real-time, accurate numbers to consult. That’s why so many firms bring transactional work back in house and bundle it with compliance and highervalue consulting and advisory work.

same as assisting with strategic planning or an acquisition.

Collecting fees is a challenge because, in many cases, invoices don’t reach the client until long after the firm completes the work and the invoice may be higher than the client expected. Most professionals have had the experience of working on a project that requires more hours or effort than initially quoted and figuring out how to add those additional hours to the bill.

Rather than charging clients after the work is done, why not charge a fixed monthly fee that covers the work you’ll perform for the whole year? In other words, give your clients a subscription.

Even in the best of times, pricing by the hour is difficult. Some services are more complex than others, so hours worked must be written up or down. The value of reconciling a bank statement is not the

Getting started with subscription pricing Firms that charge by the hour for their services often wind up reacting to client issues rather than proactively addressing their needs. This is because when a client wants to reach out to you for advice, they have no idea whether their problem is a 15-minute issue or a 15-hour issue. No matter how often you remind clients to call you before they make any major moves, they inevitably inform you of significant transactions after the fact.

As Ed Kless, Senior Director of Partner Development and Strategy at Sage, mentioned in his session on creating access-level agreements at the 2019 Boomer Technology Circles Summit, subscription pricing removes that perceived barrier to contacting you. Instead of putting out fires, you offer fire prevention.

Among firms that have been hesitant to transition to fixed-fee pricing, one of their main fears is agreeing to a fee, then winding up doing more work than initially agreed upon. With subscription pricing, instead of setting a flat fee and then dealing with scope creep, you establish levels of service and let the client decide what they want.

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

23

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

Step 1 Create service levels

Behavioral research1 around pricing indicates that having three options is simple for clients to understand, and it also anchors the conversation around the middle level rather than encouraging the cheapest option. Start by coming up with different levels of service you can offer your clients. For example, in a tax practice, you could offer the following three tiers.

Continue down the line, creating a list of all of the services you currently provide and others you don’t currently offer but would like to and are capable of delivering now.

Avoid throwing in “fluff” that doesn’t provide value to your client.

Good Level

Better Level

Best Level

Monthly Bookkeeping Preparation of Tax Return Respond to Tax Notices Annual Meeting Monthly Meetings -----

24

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

Step 2 Set the price

Not every client wants or needs best-level service. Some are happy with good service.

The key is, you’re not providing best-level service at a good-level price.

Some firms hesitate to price transparently because they’re afraid they’ll miss out on new business if they set their price too high. But you have to get comfortable with the knowledge that you can’t take all comers.

KPMG Spark is an example of a firm that is doing this very well. Currently, a cash-basis client with one to five bank accounts and a tax return can work with KPMG Spark for $320 per month. If the client wants to add payroll and consulting services, the price goes up from there. Some visitors to the website will decide that $320 per month is too expensive, and that’s fine. KPMG doesn’t want to do business with people who want to spend less than $320 per month for their services.

When setting your price, consider the following factors

•

Always retain your leverage. Price before the work is done.

•

It takes no talent to lower the price, but it does take talent to increase the value.

•

Pricing quickly will generally result in a lower price. Develop a deliberate pricing process. Plan the scope.

•

Low prices demand low respect.

•

The higher on the organizational chart you deal with, the less price-sensitive the person tends to be. People at the top do not have time to check out all options.

They tend to have more resources and less time.

•

Pricing for value requires confidence and courage.

•

The presence of an undesirable option affects the behavior of the buyer by allowing them to choose among two desirable options. “Anchor pricing” has a halo effect on other offerings. Offer the highest option first and you will typically sell more of the middle option.

•

A good price is one that is established for the client, not the service.

•

Mutual gain (win/win) is not the same as equal gain.

•

Price competition is only good for weak competitors.

•

There is no way to value price the wrong client.

•

Project, knowledge, and change management are more important than the number of hours spent on the job. Time is not a measure of value.

•

Not all partners are created equal when it comes to pricing. Appoint a Chief Pricing Officer or pricing task force to ensure pricing is consistent across the firm.

Packaging and pricing services may seem like a complicated endeavor, but it can be broken down into simple, straightforward tasks. Take your time and focus on building out your subscription tiers and prices. Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. With each failure, you get closer to that perfect combination of service and price that’s a good fit for both your firm and your client.

Gary Boomer is the Visionary and Strategist at Boomer Consulting, Inc. He is recognized in the accounting profession as the leading authority on technology and firm management and speaks around the globe on topics including strategic and technology planning; mindset, skillsets, and toolsets for the future; change management and developing a training and learning culture. You can contact him at lgboomer@boomer.com.

Ilan Mochari, Pricing and the Anchoring Effect, Inc., 2014, https://www.inc.com/the-build-network/theanchoring-effect.html (November 2019)

1

Graphics: © iStock/ilyaliren

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

25

CPA LICENSURE

With new Washington CPE rules in effect as of January 1, 2020, every CPA, including those in the middle of their three-year reporting cycle, needs to plan ahead to meet both annual and three year CPE minimums. Do you understand the new rules?

Play the 2020 CPE puzzler!

Mark Hugh

A CPA has a three-year reporting cycle that started January 1, 2019, and ends December 31, 2021. Therefore, one year of the reporting cycle is under the old rules and two years are under the new rules. After one year in the reporting cycle, the CPA's CPE credits through December 31, 2019, are: 4 40 20 30 30

Board-approved ethics credit hours Technical CPE credit hours Non-technical CPE credit hours Published articles and books credit hours Preparation for teaching/presenting CPE credit hours

Can you help the CPA determine what are the minimum annual CPE requirements for the rest of the reporting cycle under the new rules?

26

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

CPA LICENSURE

New Rules 120 minimum credit hours over three years.

Annual minimum of at least 20 hours.

Includes four credit hours of Board-approved ethics.

Non-technical CPE limited to 60 credit hours.

Credit for published articles and books, preparation for teaching and teaching CPE, and Board service in total limited to 60 hours.

Image: © iStock/ljubaphoto

How many more credits over the next two years does the CPA need under the new rules?

Technical CPE

Total 3 Year Credit Requirement (minimum 120 credit hours)

Non-technical CPE (maximum 60 credit hours)

Published articles/books, CPE teaching/preparation, and board service (maximum 60 credit hours)

Board Approved Ethics (minimum 4 credit hours)

2020 Annual Credit Requirement (minimum 20 credit hours)

2021 Annual Credit Requirement (minimum 20 credit hours)

ANSWER: A minimum of 20 credit hours a year of either technical or nontechnical credit, both from third parties. The three-year reporting cycle maximum credit of 60 hours for publishing and instruction was reached after the first year. Under the old rules the CPA would not need any more CPE for the rest of the reporting cycle.

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

27

CPE Digest

WSCPA education and events scheduled for January through May are listed below, chronologically by subject.

To view complete course details, please visit the CPE & Event Catalog at www.wscpa.org/store.

NEED HELP finding an event or registering?

Contact us! 425.644.4800 | cpe@wscpa.org

Date

CPE Credits

#

Course

Code

WSCPA Member Fee

NonMember Fee

Type

AICPA Member Discount

Location

Accounting 1/15

4

Financial and Tax Accounting for Partnerships and LLCs WEBINAR, 10am - 2pm

20WNCJA15A

139

159

Your Desk

1/17

8

2019 Accounting & Auditing Update WEBCAST, 7am - 3pm

20WBAJA17A

225

275

Your Desk

1/17

8

SSARS Codification: Preparation, Compilation and Review of Financial Information WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA17B

245

375

Your Desk

1/28

4

Interpreting the New Revenue Recognition Standard: What All CPAs Need to Know WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBJA28A

179

229

1/31

8

Top 10 Tools for CFOs to be More Effective Business Partners WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA31A

245

375

2/3

4

Statement of Cash Flows: Preparation, Presentation, and Use WEBCAST, 11:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBFE03A

179

229

2/4

8

Financial Statement Risks: Fraud, Misstatements and Earnings Management WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE04A

245

375

Your Desk

2/5

8

Internal Control Development That Balances Risk with Strategy WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE05A

245

375

Your Desk

2/10

8

Leases: Mastering the New FASB Requirements WEBCAST, 7:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBFE10B

279

349

2/12

8

U.S. GAAP Disclosures For Non-Public Entities WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE12A

245

375

Your Desk

2/14

8

Private Company Accounting: New Challenges, New Directions WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE14A

245

375

Your Desk

2/18

1

Fixing Your Chart of Accounts WEBINAR, 8:30am - 9:30am

20WNCFE18A

49

69

Your Desk

2/20

8

Implementing and Maintaining an Internal Control System WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE20A

245

375

Your Desk

2/21

8

Revenue: Topic 606 In Depth WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE21A

245

375

Your Desk

2/27

8

Not-For-Profit Organizations: Treasury Utilizing QuickBooks WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE27A

245

375

Your Desk

3/3

4

Statement of Cash Flows: Preparation, Presentation, and Use WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBMR03A

179

229

3/4

4

Financial and Tax Accounting for S Corporations WEBINAR, 7am - 11am

20WNCMR04A

139

159

Your Desk

3/5

16

Financial Accounting Standards: A Comprehensive Review WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCMR05A

490

650

Your Desk

3/10

4

Interpreting the New Revenue Recognition Standard: What All CPAs Need to Know WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBMR10A

179

229

L Live event | Non-tech credits | Conference | Y Yellow Book |

Chapter event | S Season Ticket/Coupons N/A |

-20

Your Desk Your Desk

-20

-30

-20

-20

Your Desk

Your Desk

Your Desk

Your Desk

Networking event

The Washington Society of CPAs is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

For information on WSCPA CPE policies, visit www.wscpa.org/cpe/cpe-policies or call 425.644.4800.

28

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

Register at www.wscpa.org/store Date

CPE Credits

#

EDUCATION AND EVENTS

Course

Code

WSCPA Member Fee

NonMember Fee

Type

AICPA Member Discount

Location

3/13

1

Advanced Budgeting - Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Projections WEBINAR, 7:30am - 8:30am

20WNCMR13A

49

69

Your Desk

3/18

8

Compilations and Reviews: Risks, Procedures and Fraud WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCMR18A

245

375

Your Desk

3/20

8

Accounting and Auditing Update WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCMR20A

245

375

Your Desk

3/30

8

Annual Update for Accountants and Auditors WEBCAST, 7:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBMR30A

279

349

4/2

8

Understanding and Creating an Internal Control Structure WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCAP02A

245

375

4/13

8

Credit Impairment – Mastering FASB Requirements for Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) WEBCAST, 7:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBAP13A

279

349

4/17

8

Accounting Industry Update WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCAP17A

245

375

Your Desk

4/21

2

Financial Accounting for Related Party Transactions WEBINAR, 10am - 12pm

20WNCAP21A

79

99

Your Desk

4/21

8

SSARS Codification: Preparation, Compilation and Review of Financial Information WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCAP21A

245

375

Your Desk

4/22

8

Accounting Analysis Basics WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCAP22A

245

375

Your Desk

4/23

8

OCBOA Case Studies WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCAP23A

245

375

Your Desk

4/27

8

Accounting and Auditing Update WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCAP27A

245

375

Your Desk

4/27

8

Revenue Recognition: Mastering the New FASB Requirements WEBCAST, 7:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBAP27A

279

349

4/28

8

Cash and Credit Management WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCAP28A

245

375

Your Desk

4/30

8

Changes to GAAP Affecting Non-Public Entities - An Overview of Recent Pronouncements & Criteria for Determining When (and If) They Should Be Adopted WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCAP30A

245

375

Your Desk

-30

Your Desk Your Desk

-30

-30

Your Desk

Your Desk

Accounting (Governmental) 1/16

8

Y

2019 Governmental Accounting & Auditing Update WEBCAST, 7am - 3pm

20WBAJA16A

225

275

Your Desk

4/3

1

S

Prix Fixe: GASB Glimpse WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFAP03

29.99

49.99

Your Desk

Making Internal Audit an Asset for the CFO WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCJA10A

79

99

Your Desk

Prix Fixe: New Year, New Auditing Rules WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFJA10

29.99

49.99

Your Desk Your Desk

Auditing 1/10

2

1/10

1

2/10

16

Auditing Standards: A Comprehensive Review WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE10A

490

650

2/10

8

Documenting Your EBP Audit: What You Need to Know WEBCAST, 7:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBFE10A

279

349

2/14

2

Making Internal Audit an Asset for the CFO WEBINAR, 8:30am - 10:30am

20WNCFE14A

79

99

2/21

4

Fraud: Recent Findings, Red Flags and Corruption Schemes WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBFE21A

179

229

2/25

8

Common Frauds and the Internal Controls Designed to Prevent and Detect Them WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE25A

245

375

3/2

8

Integrating Audit Data Analytics into the Audit Process WEBCAST, 7:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBMR02A

279

349

-30

Your Desk

3/9

4

Purchasing, Inventory, and Cash Disbursements: Common Frauds and Internal Controls WEBCAST, 11:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBMR09A

179

229

-20

Your Desk

3/9

4

The Most Common Financial Statement and Asset Fraud Schemes: How to Detect and Prevent Them WEBCAST, 7:30am - 11:30am

20WBBMR09B

179

229

-20

Your Desk

3/19

8

Small-Business Internal Control, Security and Fraud Prevention and Detection WEBCAST, 9am - 5pm

20WBCMR19A

245

375

3/24

4

Sustainability Assurance Engagements WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBMR24A

179

229

S

L Live event | Non-tech credits | Conference | Y Yellow Book |

www.wscpa.org

Chapter event | S Season Ticket/Coupons N/A |

-30

Your Desk Your Desk

-20

Your Desk Your Desk

Your Desk -20

Your Desk

Networking event

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

29

EDUCATION AND EVENTS Date

CPE Credits

#

Register at www.wscpa.org/store

Course

Code

WSCPA Member Fee

NonMember Fee

Type

AICPA Member Discount

Location

3/26

8

Revenue Recognition: Mastering the New FASB Requirements WEBCAST, 8am - 4pm

20WWINRRMR

295

395

Your Desk

3/26

8

Revenue Recognition: Mastering the New FASB Requirements, 8am - 4pm

20INRRMR26

305

405

Bellevue

3/27

8

Documentation Requirements, Design and Reviewing Techniques of Workpapers WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCMR27A

245

375

Your Desk

3/27

8

Leases: Mastering the New FASB Requirements WEBCAST, 8am - 4pm

20WWLEASMR

295

395

Your Desk

3/27

8

Leases: Mastering the New FASB Requirements, 8am - 4pm

20LEASMR27

305

405

Bellevue

3/27

2

Making Internal Audit an Asset for the CFO WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCMR27A

79

99

Your Desk

4/3

4

Applying Professional Skepticism in an Audit WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBAP03A

179

229

-20

Your Desk

4/8

4

Fraud and Cash Receipts: Common Frauds and Internal Controls WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBAP08A

179

229

-20

Your Desk

4/23

4

Annual FASB Update and Review WEBCAST, 8am - 11:30am

20WWFUR4AP

159

200

Your Desk

4/23

4

Annual FASB Update and Review, 8am - 11:30am

20FUR4AP24

159

200

Bellevue

4/23

4

Fraud Basics: Protecting the Company Till WEBCAST, 12:30pm - 4pm

20WWDRF4AP

159

200

Your Desk

4/23

4

Fraud Basics: Protecting the Company Till, 12:30pm - 4pm

20DRF4AP24

159

200

Bellevue

4/23

4

Innovative Forecasting and Budgeting: Moving Beyond the Traditional Techniques WEBCAST, 12:30pm - 4pm

20WWIFB4AP

159

200

Your Desk

4/23

4

Innovative Forecasting and Budgeting: Moving Beyond the Traditional Techniques, 12:30pm - 4pm

20IFB4AP23

159

200

Bellevue

4/23

4

Planning and Strategy Formulation for Your Organization's Financial Success WEBCAST, 8am - 11:30am

20WWTDE4AP

159

200

Your Desk

4/23

4

Planning and Strategy Formulation for Your Organization's Financial Success, 8am - 11:30am

20TDE4AP23

159

200

Bellevue

4/24

4

Controller/CFO Update: Hot Topics Facing Today's Financial Professional WEBCAST, 8am - 11:30am

20WWTCF4AP

159

200

Your Desk

4/24

4

Controller/CFO Update: Hot Topics Facing Today's Financial Professional, 8am - 11:30am

20TCF4AP23

159

200

Bellevue

4/24

4

Gaining a Competitive Advantage: Critical Skills For CFO's and Controllers WEBCAST, 12:30pm - 4pm

20WWGCA4AP

159

200

Your Desk

4/24

4

Gaining a Competitive Advantage: Critical Skills For CFO's and Controllers, 12:30pm - 4pm

20GCA4AP23

159

200

Bellevue

4/24

4

Proven Controls to Steer You Clear of Fraud WEBCAST, 12:30pm - 4pm

20WWFFC4AP

159

200

Your Desk

4/24

4

Proven Controls to Steer You Clear of Fraud, 12:30pm - 4pm

20FFC4AP24

159

200

Bellevue

4/24

4

Statement of Cash Flows: Preparation Guidance and Presentation Illustrations WEBCAST, 8am - 11:30am

20WWFLO4AP

159

200

Your Desk

4/24

4

Statement of Cash Flows: Preparation Guidance and Presentation Illustrations, 8am - 11:30am

20FLO4AP24

159

200

Bellevue

Single Audit Primer and Update WEBINAR, 9am - 11am

20WNCFE05A

79

99

Your Desk

Employment Law Update: Examining Critical Issues with FMLA, HIPPA, COBRA, ADA and More WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBAP10A

179

229

Prix Fixe: Legal Exposure in Your Workplace WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFMY15

29.99

49.99

The Changing Role of the Controller: Advancing from Tactical to Strategic WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBJA14A

179

229

Don’t Let Conflict Derail your Relationships WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCFE04A

79

99

L

L

L

L

L

L

L

L

L

Auditing (Governmental) 2/5

2

Y

Business Law 4/10

4

5/15

1

P

-20

Your Desk Your Desk

Business Management & Organization 1/14

4

2/4

2

X

L Live event | Non-tech credits | Conference | Y Yellow Book |

30

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

Chapter event | S Season Ticket/Coupons N/A |

-20

Your Desk Your Desk

Networking event

www.wscpa.org

Register at www.wscpa.org/store Date

CPE Credits

EDUCATION AND EVENTS

Course

Code

WSCPA Member Fee

NonMember Fee

AICPA Member Discount

Location

#

Type

2/7

2

X

Emotional Intelligence: The Critical Factor in Success WEBINAR, 8:30am - 10:30am

20WNCFE07A

79

99

Your Desk

2/12

2

X

Don’t Let Your Schedule Get Away From You WEBINAR, 10:30am - 12:30pm

20WNCFE12A

79

99

Your Desk

2/13

2

X

Avoid Failures: Succeed Through Experimentation WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCFE13A

79

99

Your Desk

2/19

8

K2's Business Continuity - Best Practices For Managing The Risks WEBCAST, 9am - 5pm

20WBCFE19A

245

375

Your Desk

2/20

2

4 Critical Factors to Create Sustainable Growth WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCFE20A

79

99

Your Desk

2/25

2

Leadership Skills for Peak Performance in 21st Century WEBINAR, 11am - 1pm

20WNCFE25A

79

99

Your Desk

2/26

1

Succession Planning and Knowledge Capture/Transfer WEBINAR, 10:30am - 11:30am

20WNCFE26A

39

59

Your Desk

3/6

2

X

Avoid Failures: Succeed Through Experimentation WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCMR06A

79

99

Your Desk

3/18

2

X

Don’t Let Conflict Derail your Relationships WEBINAR, 7am - 9am

20WNCMR18A

79

99

Your Desk

3/23

2

X

Don’t Let Your Schedule Get Away From You WEBINAR, 11am - 1pm

20WNCMR23A

79

99

Your Desk

3/27

1

Succession Planning and Knowledge Capture/Transfer WEBINAR, 10am - 11am

20WNCMR27B

39

59

Your Desk

3/30

2

Emotional Intelligence: The Critical Factor in Success WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCMR30A

79

99

Your Desk

3/31

2

4 Critical Factors to Create Sustainable Growth WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCMR31A

79

99

Your Desk

4/9

2

Emotional Intelligence: The Critical Factor in Success WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCAP09A

79

99

Your Desk

4/16

8

Pricing on Purpose: The Eight Steps To Implementing Value Pricing WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCAP16A

245

375

Your Desk

4/24

4

The Changing Role of the Controller: Advancing from Tactical to Strategic WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBAP24A

179

229

4/28

2

Leadership Skills for Peak Performance in 21st Century WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCAP28A

79

99

5/21

8

Advanced Controller and CFO Skills WEBCAST, 8am - 4pm

20WWACCSMY

295

395

-30

Your Desk

5/21

8

Advanced Controller and CFO Skills, 8am - 4pm

20ACCSMY21

305

405

-30

Bellevue

20WPFAP17

29.99

49.99

X

X

X

X

L

-20

Your Desk Your Desk

Communications & Marketing 4/17

1

XS

Prix Fixe: Social Media: How To Market Yourself in a Digital Age WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

Your Desk

Computer Software & Applications 1/17

4

Microsoft PowerBI-Power Pivot for Advanced Data Analysis WEBCAST, 9am - 1pm

20WBBJA17A

179

229

1/28

8

K2's Advanced Excel WEBCAST, 9am - 5pm

20WBCJA28A

245

375

Your Desk

2/3

2

Power BI - Prepare Your Data Efficiently for Excel Analysis WEBINAR, 9am - 11am

20WNCFE03A

79

99

Your Desk

2/6

2

Analyze Your Business Operations Data With PowerBI WEBINAR, 9am - 11am

20WNCFE06B

79

99

Your Desk

2/11

4

Microsoft PowerBI - Fundamentals of the PowerBI Desktop App WEBCAST, 9am - 1pm

20WBBFE11A

179

229

-20

Your Desk

2/11

4

Microsoft PowerBI-Fundamentals of the PowerBI Dashboards WEBCAST, 9am - 1pm

20WBBFE11B

179

229

-20

Your Desk

2/13

2

Analyze Your Sales & Marketing Activities With PowerBI WEBINAR, 12:30pm - 2:30pm

20WNCFE13B

79

99

Your Desk

2/18

8

Budgeting And Forecasting Tools And Techniques WEBCAST, 9am - 5pm

20WBCFE18A

245

375

Your Desk

L Live event | Non-tech credits | Conference | Y Yellow Book |

www.wscpa.org

Chapter event | S Season Ticket/Coupons N/A |

-20

Your Desk

Networking event

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

31

EDUCATION AND EVENTS CPE Credits

Date

#

Register at www.wscpa.org/store

Course

Code

WSCPA Member Fee

NonMember Fee

Type

AICPA Member Discount

Location

2/19

4

Power BI - Go Beyond PivotTables with Power Pivot WEBINAR, 9am - 1pm

20WNCFE19A

139

159

Your Desk

2/21

2

Excel - Designing Your Spreadsheets for Maximum Efficiency WEBINAR, 11am - 1pm

20WNCFE21A

79

99

Your Desk

2/26

8

Excel Financial Reporting And Analysis WEBCAST, 9am - 5pm

20WBCFE26A

245

375

Your Desk

2/28

2

Excel - Format Your Spreadsheets for Maximum Impact WEBINAR, 11am - 1pm

20WNCFE28A

79

99

Your Desk

3/2

2

Excel - Create KPI Dashboards for Maximum Impact WEBINAR, 9:30am - 11:30am

20WNCMR02A

79

99

Your Desk

3/3

2

Excel - Advanced Financial and Statistical Calculations WEBINAR, 10am - 12pm

20WNCMR03A

79

99

Your Desk

3/4

2

Spreadsheet Risk - Can You Eliminate It? WEBCAST, 10am - 12pm

20WBBMR04A

99

129

Your Desk

3/9

2

Analyze Your Business Operations Data With PowerBI WEBINAR, 11am - 1pm

20WNCMR09B

79

99

Your Desk

3/10

2

Analyze Your Sales & Marketing Activities With PowerBI WEBINAR, 10am - 12pm

20WNCMR10A

79

99

Your Desk

3/11

2

Power BI - Create Excel Dashboards for Maximum Impact WEBINAR, 7am - 9am

20WNCMR11A

79

99

Your Desk

3/16

2

Excel - Functions and Formula Shootout WEBINAR, 7am - 9am

20WNCMR16A

79

99

Your Desk

3/18

2

Excel - Two Must Know Features: Defined Names & Tables WEBINAR, 9am - 11am

20WNCMR18B

79

99

Your Desk

3/19

1

Simplifying Security of Online Passwords WEBCAST, 10am - 11am

20WBBMR19A

59

69

Your Desk

3/20

2

Excel - Advanced Spreadsheet Troubleshooting Techniques WEBINAR, 11am - 1pm

20WNCMR20A

79

99

Your Desk

3/24

2

Excel - Best Practices Before Final Save WEBINAR, 12pm - 2pm

20WNCMR24A

79

99

Your Desk

3/25

8

K2's Excel Tables And Data Models: Efficiently Managing, Analyzing & Reporting Your Data WEBCAST, 9am - 5pm

20WBCMR25A

245

375

Your Desk

4/1

2

Power BI - Introduction to MS Power BI Tools WEBINAR, 11am - 1pm

20WNCAP01A

79

99

Your Desk

4/3

2

Excel - Using Charts for a Non-Financial Audience WEBINAR, 11am - 1pm

20WNCAP03A

79

99

Your Desk

4/6

2

Power BI - Prepare Your Data Efficiently for Excel Analysis WEBINAR, 7am - 9am

20WNCAP06A

79

99

Your Desk

4/7

2

Excel - Building Powerful Lookup & Reference Formulas WEBINAR, 12pm - 2pm

20WNCAP07A

79

99

Your Desk

4/8

2

Power BI - Use Power Query to Transform Your Data WEBINAR, 9:30am - 11:30am

20WNCAP08A

79

99

Your Desk

4/10

2

Excel - Create KPI Dashboards for Maximum Impact WEBINAR, 7am - 9am

20WNCAP10A

79

99

Your Desk

4/14

2

Analyze Your Sales & Marketing Activities With PowerBI WEBINAR, 12pm - 2pm

20WNCAP14A

79

99

Your Desk

4/15

4

Power BI - Go Beyond PivotTables with Power Pivot WEBINAR, 7am - 11am

20WNCAP15A

139

159

Your Desk

4/16

4

Power BI - Use Advanced Calculations with DAX Formulas WEBINAR, 7am - 11am

20WNCAP16A

139

159

Your Desk

4/17

2

Excel - Two Must Know Features: Defined Names & Tables WEBINAR, 11am - 1pm

20WNCAP17A

79

99

Your Desk

4/20

8

K2's Excel Data Magic: Advanced PivotTables & Power Pivot, 9am - 5pm 20WBCAP20A

245

375

Your Desk

4/24

2

Excel - Advanced Spreadsheet Troubleshooting Techniques WEBINAR, 10am - 12pm

20WNCAP24A

79

99

Your Desk

Prix Fixe: Economic Update WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFMY29

29.99

49.99

Your Desk

Economics 5/29

1

S

L Live event | Non-tech credits | Conference | Y Yellow Book |

32

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

Chapter event | S Season Ticket/Coupons N/A |

Networking event

www.wscpa.org

Register at www.wscpa.org/store Date

CPE Credits

#

EDUCATION AND EVENTS

Course

Code

WSCPA Member Fee

NonMember Fee

AICPA Member Discount

Location

-20

Your Desk

Type

Finance 1/10

4

Controller's Update: Today's Latest Trends WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBJA10A

179

229

1/27

1

Target Date Funds: America’s #1 Retirement Investment (Free to Members) WEBCAST, 9am - 10am

20WBAJA27A

0

59

Your Desk

1/31

2

Cash Conversion Cycle: Tools and Techniques WEBINAR, 9am - 11am

20WNCJA31A

79

99

Your Desk

2/7

8

Multi-Task Role of the CFO/Controller WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE07A

245

375

Your Desk

2/28

8

Financial Statement Analysis for Managers WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCFE28A

245

375

Your Desk

3/11

4

Financial Forecasting: Planning for Success WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBMR11A

179

229

3/12

2

Debt or Equity: Which Will Your Organization Need Next? WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCMR12A

79

99

Your Desk

3/19

2

Cash Conversion Cycle: Tools and Techniques WEBINAR, 8:30am - 10:30am

20WNCMR19A

79

99

Your Desk

3/23

1

Target Date Funds: America’s #1 Retirement Investment (Free to Members) WEBCAST, 9am - 10am

20WBAMR23A

0

59

Your Desk

Prix Fixe: Business Intelligence WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFOC04

29.99

49.99

Your Desk

-20

Your Desk

Information Technology 1/31

1

2/10

2

Guide to Cyber Security Planning WEBINAR, 9:30am - 11:30am

20WNCFE10A

79

99

Your Desk

2/27

2

Cybersecurity Disruption - What CPAs Need to Know WEBINAR, 1:30pm - 3:30pm

20WNCFE27A

79

99

Your Desk

3/3

2

The Digital Office The CPA Technology Toolkit WEBCAST, 10am - 12pm

20WBBMR03B

99

129

Your Desk

3/26

2

Next Step Blockchain: Regulations & Trends CPAs Need to Know WEBINAR, 9am - 11am

20WNCMR26A

79

99

Your Desk

4/13

2

Next Step Blockchain: Regulations & Trends CPAs Need to Know WEBINAR, 7:30am - 9:30am

20WNCAP13A

79

99

Your Desk

20WBBAP01A

179

229

2020 Hill Day (Members Only), 11am - 4pm

20HILLDAY

0

n/a

Lacey

Resolution Rendezvous at The Hub, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

20CHOLJA15

20

n/a

Lacey

S

Management Services 4/1

4

Risk, Cost, and Cash Management for Controllers and Financial Managers WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

-20

Your Desk

Personal Development 1/15

0

1/15

0

2/19

2

X

Breaking Free of the CPA Box WEBINAR, 1:30pm - 3:30pm

20WNCFE19B

79

99

Your Desk

2/21

1

XS

Prix Fixe: Organization For You and Your Organization WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFFE21

29.99

49.99

Your Desk

3/24

8

X

Leadership Skills Training WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCMR24A

245

375

Your Desk

4/2

2

X

Breaking Free of the CPA Box WEBINAR, 11am - 1pm

20WNCAP02A

79

99

Your Desk

4/29

2

X

Breaking Free of the CPA Box WEBINAR, 1pm - 3pm

20WNCAP29A

79

99

Your Desk

5/1

1

XS

Prix Fixe: Leading the Way WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFMY01

29.99

49.99

Your Desk

5/7

0

Hop Town Spring Social, 5pm - 7pm

20CHYKMY07

15

n/a

Wapato

5/14

0

Spring for Hard Rock Seattle, 5:30pm - 8pm

20CHSBMY14

25

30

Seattle

Professional Conduct & Ethics – AICPA and Washington Board CPA Regulatory Update – 2019, 8am - 11:30am

20ETJRMR17

189

239

Bellevue

L L

L L

Regulatory Ethics 3/17

4

L

L Live event | Non-tech credits | Conference | Y Yellow Book |

www.wscpa.org

Chapter event | S Season Ticket/Coupons N/A |

Networking event

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

33

EDUCATION AND EVENTS CPE Credits

Date

#

Register at www.wscpa.org/store

Course

Code

WSCPA Member Fee

NonMember Fee

AICPA Member Discount

Location

-20

Your Desk

Type

Specialized Knowledge 1/13

4

Data Breaches & Other Cyber Frauds: A 21st Century Risk to Your Organization WEBCAST, 11:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBJA13A

179

229

1/14

8

2019 Not-for-Profit Accounting, Auditing & Tax Update WEBCAST, 7am - 3pm

20WBAJA14A

225

275

Your Desk

1/14

8

Social Security: Advanced Education And Training WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA14A

245

375

Your Desk

2/6

2

The Cannabis Industry: Business & Intellectual Appraisal WEBINAR, 7am - 9am

20WNCFE06A

79

99

Your Desk

2/11

2

Blockchain Technology - What Every CPA Should Know WEBINAR, 1pm - 3pm

20WNCFE11A

79

99

Your Desk

2/24

2

The Cannabis Industry: Lessons Learned from Colorado WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCFE24A

79

99

Your Desk

3/5

2

KPI Dashboards - The New Financial Reporting Model WEBCAST, 10am - 12pm

20WBBMR05A

99

129

Your Desk

3/9

2

The Cannabis Industry: Business & Intellectual Appraisal WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCMR09A

79

99

Your Desk

3/30

2

The Cannabis Industry: Lessons Learned from Colorado WEBINAR, 10am - 12pm

20WNCMR30B

79

99

Your Desk

5/13

1

Member Exclusive: Target Date Funds: America’s #1 Retirement Investment WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WMEMY13

0

n/a

Your Desk

1/11

8

2019 S Corporation Update after Tax Reform WEBCAST, 7am - 3pm

20WBAJA11A

225

275

Your Desk

1/13

8

Entity Choice - Tax Considerations WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA13A

245

375

Your Desk

1/13

8

Federal Tax Update WEBCAST, 8am - 4pm

20WWGGFTUJ

300

400

Your Desk

1/13

8

Federal Tax Update, 8am - 4pm

20GGFTUJA

310

410

Bellevue

1/13

2

Individual Taxation: Recent Developments WEBINAR, 10am - 12pm

20WNCJA13A

79

99

Your Desk

1/13

8

Intermediate Individual Taxation WEBCAST, 7:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBJA13B

279

349

1/13

8

Preparing Form 706: The Federal Estate Tax Return WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA13B

245

375

Your Desk

1/14

2

Business Taxation: Recent Developments WEBINAR, 9:30am - 11:30am

20WNCJA14A

79

99

Your Desk

1/15

8

Best Practices For Tax Income And Expense Recognition WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA15A

245

375

Your Desk

1/15

8

Form 1041: Down to the Basics WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA15B

245

375

Your Desk

1/16

8

Corporate Tax Planning: Strategies and Ideas WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA16A

245

375

Your Desk

1/16

2

Entertainment & Parking Expenses: Coping with the New Rules WEBINAR, 8am - 10am

20WNCJA16A

79

99

Your Desk

1/16

8

Passive Activity Losses: A Comprehensive Review, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA16B

245

375

Your Desk

1/17

8

Advanced Issues: The Art of the Estate Tax Return WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA17C

245

375

Your Desk

1/17

8

Deal Structure for Mergers and Acquisitions WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA17A

245

375

Your Desk

1/17

1

Prix Fixe: Form 990 - A (Very) Brief Overview WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFJA17

29.99

49.99

Your Desk

1/17

2

The New Choice of Entity Decision: Review and Update WEBINAR, 9am - 11am

20WNCJA17A

79

99

Your Desk

1/21

8

Effective Tax Return and Cash Flow Analysis WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA21A

245

375

Your Desk

1/21

8

Fundamentals Of 1031 Exchanges WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA21B

245

375

Your Desk

Taxes

L

S

L Live event | Non-tech credits | Conference | Y Yellow Book |

34

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

Chapter event | S Season Ticket/Coupons N/A |

-30

Your Desk

Networking event

www.wscpa.org

Register at www.wscpa.org/store Date

CPE Credits

#

EDUCATION AND EVENTS

Course

Code

WSCPA Member Fee

NonMember Fee

Type

AICPA Member Discount

Location

1/21

2

Real Estate Professionals, Passive Activity and Section 199A WEBINAR, 9:30am - 11:30am

20WNCJA21A

79

99

Your Desk

1/22

8

Federal Tax Update: Comprehensive Business Tax (Forms 1065, 1120S and 1120) WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA22B

245

375

Your Desk

1/22

8

S Corporations: Tax Planning Ideas And Strategies WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA22A

245

375

Your Desk

1/22

8

Tax Advisor's Update, 8am - 4pm

20BTAUJA24

355

455

Spokane

1/23

8

Federal Tax Update: A Comprehensive Review of Form 1040 WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA23C

245

375

Your Desk

1/23

8

Partnership and LLC Taxation: Advanced Issues, Including Transfers of Interests and Liquidations WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA23B

245

375

Your Desk

1/23

8

Special Topics In Partnership And LLC Taxation WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA23A

245

375

Your Desk

1/23

8

Tax Advisor's Update WEBCAST, 8am - 4pm

20WWBTAUJA

345

445

Your Desk

1/23

8

Tax Advisor's Update, 8am - 4pm

20BTAUJA23

355

455

Bellevue

1/23

2

The Flow Through Entities Deduction: Review and Update WEBINAR, 10am - 12pm

20WNCJA23A

79

99

Your Desk

1/24

8

IRAs: Tax Efficient Tools for Retirement WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA24A

245

375

Your Desk

1/24

2

Nonprofit Taxation: Understanding the New Rules WEBINAR, 7:30am - 9:30am

20WNCJA24A

79

99

Your Desk

1/24

1

Prix Fixe: Meow! Preparing your Washington Business for the Oregon CAT (gross receipts tax) WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFJA24

29.99

49.99

Your Desk

1/24

8

Sophisticated Planning for High Networth Clients WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA24C

245

375

Your Desk

1/24

8

Terminating and Funding Subtrusts WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA24B

245

375

Your Desk

1/27

2

Business Taxation: Recent Developments WEBINAR, 7am - 9am

20WNCJA27A

79

99

Your Desk

1/27

8

Dealing with IRS Appeals WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA27C

245

375

Your Desk

1/27

8

Form 1041 Workshop WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA27A

245

375

Your Desk

1/27

8

S Corporations: The Fundamentals And More WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA27B

245

375

Your Desk

1/28

2

Individual Taxation: Recent Developments WEBINAR, 7am - 9am

20WNCJA28A

79

99

Your Desk

1/29

8

2019 Annual Tax Update WEBCAST, 7am - 3pm

20WBAJA29A

225

275

Your Desk

1/29

2

Entertainment & Parking Expenses: Coping with the New Rules WEBINAR, 10am - 12pm

20WNCJA29A

79

99

Your Desk

1/29

8

Partnership Preparation, Basis Calculations and Distributions: Form 1065 Schedule K & K1 Analysis WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA29B

245

375

Your Desk

1/29

8

Real Estate Taxation WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA29A

245

375

Your Desk

1/29

4

Tax Planning for Small Businesses WEBCAST, 10am - 2pm

20WBBJA29A

179

229

1/30

8

Preparing Complex 1040s WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA30A

245

375

Your Desk

1/30

2

The Flow Through Entities Deduction: Review and Update WEBINAR, 9am - 11am

20WNCJA30A

79

99

Your Desk

1/31

8

Top 10 Things Financial Planners Need To Know About Estate Planning WEBCAST, 8:30am - 4:30pm

20WBCJA31B

245

375

Your Desk

2/7

1

Prix Fixe: Last Minute Busy Season Tips WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFFE07

29.99

49.99

Your Desk

2/12

1

Member Exclusive: What Do You Need to Know About International Tax? WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WMEFE12

0

n/a

Your Desk

2/24

4

Social Security and Medicare: Maximizing Retirement Benefits WEBCAST, 7:30am - 11:30am

20WBBFE24A

179

229

3/6

1

Prix Fixe: Nexus Update WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFMR06

29.99

49.99

L

L

S

S

S

L Live event | Non-tech credits | Conference | Y Yellow Book |

www.wscpa.org

Chapter event | S Season Ticket/Coupons N/A |

-20

-20

Your Desk

Your Desk Your Desk

Networking event

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

35

EDUCATION AND EVENTS Date

CPE Credits

#

Register at www.wscpa.org/store

Course

Code

WSCPA Member Fee

NonMember Fee

Member Exclusive: History of WA Taxes WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WMEMR11

0

n/a

Your Desk

Prix Fixe: International Tax Review WEBINAR, 12pm - 12:50pm

20WPFMR20

29.99

49.99

Your Desk

Type

AICPA Member Discount

Location

3/11

1

3/20

1

4/6

4

Social Security and Medicare: Maximizing Retirement Benefits WEBCAST, 11:30am - 3:30pm

20WBBAP06A

179

229

5/18

8

Navigating the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act with Art Werner WEBCAST, 8am - 4pm

20WWPSNAMY

295

395

Your Desk

5/18

8

Navigating the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act with Art Werner, 8am - 4pm

20PSNAMY18

305

405

Bellevue

5/19

8

Fringe Benefit Planning for 2018 and Beyond WEBCAST, 8am - 4pm

20WWFRINMY

295

395

Your Desk

5/19

8

Fringe Benefit Planning for 2018 and Beyond, 8am - 4pm

20FRINMY19

305

405

Bellevue

5/20

8

Creative Strategies for Buying, Selling, and Gifting a Business WEBCAST, 8am - 4pm

20WWCSBSMY

295

395

Your Desk

5/20

8

Creative Strategies for Buying, Selling, and Gifting a Business, 8am - 4pm

20CSBSMY20

305

405

Bellevue

S

L

L

L

L Live event | Non-tech credits | Conference | Y Yellow Book |

Chapter event | S Season Ticket/Coupons N/A |

-20

Your Desk

Networking event

with tax season

36

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

Federal Tax Update with Greg White & George Koutelieris Monday, January 13, 2020 (live & webcast)

Tax Advisor’s Update with Chris Hesse Wednesday, January 22, 2020 (live)

MOVE TO THE TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD WITH THE WSCPA! REGISTER NOW! www.wscpa.org/games 425.644.4800

Thursday, January 23, 2020 (live & webcast)

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

37

CLASSIFIED ADS Detailed advertising information is available online at www.wscpa.org under "More". Ads are $1 per word, with a $50 minimum fee. Active e-mail and web site addresses are included. Ads are placed on the website for 90 days from when received and in the next magazine when received by the deadline, March 1 for the Spring 2020 issue. Post a job listing at www.wscpa.org (click Job Board.) Use the Miscellaneous category for rental or vacation property. Contact Sharon Olene-Marander at smarander@wscpa.org for more information. All ads must be pre-paid.

Mergers & Sales CPA Partner Wanted. CPA firm providing tax and bookkeeping services looking for minimum 4 year CPA to partner with. Must want to create practice that doesn't have 20 hour work days or deadline rushes, but wants to do mostly tax work.Owner enjoys reviewing and bookkeeping, doesn't do C-corp returns, or audits/reviews, interested in Estates and Trusts.Arlington, Lynnwood, or home office possible.

stantial GAAP/SEC experience a must to serve our public and private company clients, with an emphasis in manufacturing and natural resource industries. Opportunity for ownership and a great career in rapidly growing Spokane, WA. Majority shareholder is retiring, providing the right candidate a rare, short path to becoming an owner. Qualified inquires only, please reply to Spokanecpa@hotmail.com

Pierce County Client List. Puyallup CPA firm seeks buyer to take over part of established practice.

Owner looking to scale back existing practice.

Great opportunity for a professional seeking to venture out on their own or for an existing firm to expand their practice. Contact cpataxes1120S@ gmail.com with inquiries.

IBA Sells Privately Held Companies. Do you represent a client who is ready to retire or has

Seeking Senior Manager in Spokane. Spokane audit and tax firm seeking Big 10 trained senior manager to lead the firm into the future. SubSituations Wanted CPA/Accountant To Share Office Space (Redmond) Older CPA looking for person with their own clients to share office space in exchange for assisting me in my tax practice. Experience with Pro/Fx CCh tax software needed. Convenient downtown location with ample parking. Opportunity for practice succession in the future.

Office Space Office space for Rent. 1,500 sf in a park like setting. Lots of parking, speedy transportation routes.

2317 SW 320th St Federal Way, WA. Volunteer Positions The following organizations need a CPA to serve on the board of directors and/or provide other guidance on financial matters. Learn more about these and other organizations that need your help at wscpa.org/volunteer.

Northwest Family Life & Learning Center Animals As Natural Therapy Footloose Sailing Association Jet City Improv

Profitable Seattle Tax & Bookkeeping Practice. Private Practice Transitions is assisting a client, located in Seattle, with the sale of a busy tax and bookkeeping practice. While Tax preparation accounts for about 42% of the firm’s business, 58% comes from Bookkeeping and other services. The firm is centrally located in a well-established, thriving market, and is poised for explosive growth under new ownership. The firm employs four staff, including the owner, in a fully furnished office and has just under 400 active clients. With average gross revenues over $520,000 the last two years (2017-2018), you don’t want to miss out on this amazing opportunity. Email info@privatepracticetransitions.com or call 253.509.9224.

38

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

taken a company as far as they want to or can? IBA is the Pacific Northwest’s oldest business brokerage (M&A) firm. We are professional negotiators with over 4000 completed transactions. Please contact us if we can be of assistance at (800) 218-4422 or www.ibainc.com Considering Selling Your Practice? Consider all your options. We do the work. Confidential.

We have buyers actively seeking practices. Call Mark Hause at (877) 345-7722 or visit our website at www.accountingpracticesales.com Accounting Practice Sales. We make dreams happen!

Miscellaneous Not-for-Profit RFP. This Request for Proposal (RFP) is to contract for the following services:1. A financial and 2 CFR Part 200 compliance single audit for the years ending June 30, 2020, June 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022 to include preparation of 990 tax form.2. A retirement plan audit for the years ending December 2019, 2020, and 2021 to include 5500 tax form – prepared by 3rd party administrator.3.

Affordable Care Act (ACA) report for 2020, 2021, and 2022.The retirement, financial and compliance audit will be performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the financial statements as a whole in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. Only licensed Certified Public Accountants with experience in 2 CFR Part 200 single audits may respond to this RFP.Incorporated in 1965, People For People is a private, nonprofit corporation and has been determined to be exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. People For People is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors whose mission is strengthening communities with resources and opportunities that empower people and enrich lives. People For People serves individuals in twenty Eastern Washington counties through resources that include employment and training, special needs transportation, non-emergency medical transportation, senior nutrition, basic food assistance, and information and referrals. Administrative offices and all records are located at 302 West Lincoln Avenue, Yakima, WA 98902. Other offices are located throughout the Eastern Washington area including Moses Lake, Ellensburg, Sunnyside, Toppenish, White Salmon, Goldendale, and Stevenson. People For People receives the majority of funding from approximately 40 federal, state, and local grants.A letter of intent to submit a proposal may be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on December 11, 2019. A letter of intent to submit is not a requirement. Proposals must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. on February 6, 2020. Late proposals will not be considered. Please contact Executiveassistant@pfp.org, for RFP materials. Any questions must be submitted prior to 4:00 p.m. on December 11, 2019 and submitted in writing to Executiveassistant@pfp.org

Profitable West Seattle Tax Practice. Private Practice Transitions is assisting a client, located in West Seattle, with the sale of a busy tax and bookkeeping firm. The firm’s service by revenue breakdown is 95% Tax Preparation, 4% Bookkeeping and Ancillary Services, and 1% Other. The firm has over 1,400 active clients and is completely turn-key and ready for new ownership. The firm is centrally located in a well-established, thriving market, and is poised for explosive growth.

With average gross revenues over $350,000 in 2018, you don’t want to miss out on this great opportunity. Email info@privatepracticetransitions. com or call 253.509.9224.

Profitable Thurston County Tax & Accounting Firm. Private Practice Transitions is assisting a client, located in Thurston County, with the sale of a busy tax and accounting firm. While Tax preparation accounts for about 65% of the firm’s business, 15% comes from Bookkeeping, with the remaining revenue spread across Quarterly Taxes, Payroll Preparation, Consulting, Compilation & Review, Audit Protection, and Other Services. The firm is centrally located in a well-established, thriving market, and poised for explosive growth. The firm employs eight staff in a fully furnished office. With average gross revenues over $660,000 the last three years (2016-2018), you don’t want to miss out on this amazing opportunity. Email info@privatepracticetransitions.com or call 253.509.9224.

Successful Grant County Bookkeeping, Accounting & Tax Practice. Private Practice

Transitions is assisting a client, located in Grant County, with the sale of a busy bookkeeping and accounting practice. Grant County is experiencing growth at an incredible rate as technology companies are building more and more data centers in the area, thus increasing population and improving business. The historical service by revenue breakdown is 94% write-up and 6% tax preparation. The practice has over 150 active clients and employs three full-time employees and one part-time employee. The Practice has very little competition in the area by way of one large national firm.

The Practice is completely turn-key and poised for growth under new ownership. Email “Listing #1086 Successful Grant County Bookkeeping, Accounting & Tax Practice” to info@privatepracticetransitions.com or call 253.509.9224.

Established Pierce County Tax & Accounting Practice. Private Practice Transitions is assisting a client in Pierce County, WA with the sale of a profitable, turn-key, private tax and accounting practice. The service breakdown by revenue is approximately 57% Personal Tax Services, 32% Business Tax Services, 7% U.S. Tax Services, 3% Trusts & Estates, and 1% Other. The Practice is located in a ~1,900 square foot office building that is also available for sale, if desired. With average gross revenues of around $600,000 each year, you don't want to miss out on this fantastic opportunity. Email "Listing #1036 – Established Pierce County Tax & Accounting Practice" to info@privatepracticetransitions. com or call 253.509.9224.

www.wscpa.org

CLASSIFIED ADS

(WA 1141) Seattle. This CPA practice is unique in that it provides a wide variety of governmental accounting and attestation services. These services include performance audits, attestation services, and internal control assignments. The firm is filled with many loyal clients with long term relationship who consistently utilize the professional services of the firm. Reflecting the commitment and desire to provide the best transition possible, the Seller’s are insistent on providing a hands-on transition for the Buyer of this excellent practice. This firm offers a unique opportunity for any practitioner or firm to immediately be a force in the arena of governmental accounting services. Any firm with experience working in this field of professional services will have an advantage in acquiring this practice.

(WA 1140) Everett. This EA practice specializing in the preparation of income tax returns is for sale. The firm’s revenues are overwhelmingly from the preparation of income tax returns with 92% coming from this professional service.

The balance of the revenues or 8% come from write up services. The firm has grown through the tried and true method of client referrals. In fact, no clients other than referrals have been accepted for a number of years. The staff is a strength, as well, with all professional preparers being EA’s with experience and training in preparing income tax returns in today’s complex tax world. This firm has a significant upside for any business minded professional seeking a challenge and opportunity while moving either into ownership or growing an existing firm with an acquisition. To facilitate the sale of the practice, the seller is willing to finance the acquisition provided the Buyer makes a substantial down payment and provides collateral for the obligation

SOLD

(WA 1139) Bellingham/Ferndale Area. This EA firm located in a convenient location is for sale. The practice is composed of a broad range of clients whose returns contain a number of small businesses and rental activities. These clients require accounting services, tax planning, consulting, write up services, and tax preparation. The number of small business and rental activities also present any number of entity consulting opportunities which are vitally important in today’s tax environment. All these clients provide a continuous workload for all the year.

This practice presents multiple opportunities for any business minded accountant or firm looking to grow their firm or an opportunity to move into ownership.

(WA 1138) Seattle-Financial District. This EA practice is 100% tax services with per return averages of approx. $1,500 per return for all professional services rendered. With the growth of the Seattle metro area, a high percentage of clients have opted to mail in their returns. As a result, the practice uses a home office and an office time share for its facilities. The result is a very reasonable charge for office facility expense.

If desired, the office arrangements could be a more traditional in nature with an accompanying increase in monthly obligation for the increased office square footage. All of these qualities in this practice make for an excellent addition to any firm’s client base with excellent average fees that make this an easy decision.

www.wscpa.org

(WA 1137) SE Washington/Tri-Cities Area. This CPA firm renders all types of professional services except auditing in a practice that provides multiple areas of professional services. The revenue stream is income tax 53%, write up and related services 43% and reviews 4%. The firm has significant depth with the combined experience of the professionals being multiple decades which covers all the professional services rendered. Reflecting the vision of the partners, the practice has been paperless for approx. 20 years and offers multiple opportunities for the clients and staff to utilize these technologies for the best in client service and productivity for the professional staff. A final strength of the practice is the clients whom are considered a very valuable resource for their ongoing quality referrals to the firm. In a sense, the clients ae a silent partner who has assisted in the long term success of the practice. This practice provides an excellent opportunity for any expansion minded firm both in and outside of the Tri-Cities area in search of an excellent group of quality professionals and their equal in top notch clients.

SOLD

(WA 1136) Whatcom/Skagit County Area. This CPA practice is a full service practice including attestation services in the professional services rendered. The firm revenue percentages are income tax 43%, auditing 38%, reviews 8% with the balance being consulting services. In recent years, the firm has grown at an average pace of 24% per year due to client and professional referrals in the Orcas Islands. With the growth mentioned, the firm is filled with many long term clients with over 50% of all clients having multiple engagements that involve personal, business and fiduciary returns. All of these factors make this a firm that provides diversity and challenge coupled with a very good net cash flow to the owner.

(WA 1134) Port Orchard/Bremerton Area.

This CPA practice has a nice balance of tax and write up services on an annual basis. The revenue breaks out 75% income tax and the balance being write up services. The firm has very good fee averages and a solid cash flow to the owner on a yearly basis. The practice, reflecting the desires of the owner, has a work life balance that many seek in the practice of accounting. Tax season is busy, but after the extensions are filed, the office can be handled with a 4 day work week that allows for family time or weekend excursions. The work life balance is reflective of the excellent staff that allows for worry free time out of the office. This practice with solid clients and an ever increasing book of business is a one of a kind opportunity for any professional or firm looking to add a quality branch to a thriving firm.

(WA 1133) North East Washington/ Stevens County. This CPA firm located in North East Washington is a tax and accounting practice with a small amount of write up during the year. The practice revenues consist of income tax preparation and consulting 97% and write up 3%. The firm’s fee structure is excellent with realization rates that are the equal of any firm regardless of size. The strength of the firm is found in the cash flow to the owner that is well above the norm reflecting the excellent management practices of the Seller. This firm is the perfect fit for a professional looking for an excellent opportunity coupled with a pace and style of life that is not big city. When combined with a Seller who seeks to provide a good transition, this firm provides opportunity that many seek but few find in moving to ownership.

(WA 1132) Edmonds. This EA/Accounting practice is a tax based firm with a good write up practice. The firm revenue stream is 74% income tax and 26% write up services. The strength of this firm is a strong referral network that consistently serves as a silent partner in the success of the practice. As with many tax based practices, the write up provides an off season revenue stream to even out income for the balance of the year after a busy tax season.

The firm is well balanced in the types of clients served but does have somewhat of a concentration in the areas of health care professionals, auto dealers, and construction. With owner(s) who will provide a solid transition, this firm is seeking successor(s) who share the same values and commitment to service.

SOLD

(WA 1127) Vancouver. This CPA practice that focuses on the preparation of income tax returns is for sale. The firm’s revenue stream is almost all from the preparation of income tax returns with the exact percentage equaling 90%. The balance of the annual fees are earned from write up and payroll services which are approx. 10% of revenues. Reflecting a service commitment, the Seller is a very hands on in assisting clients in conducting their business affairs to minimize their tax burdens. The bulk of these clients are small business clients who require these services and consist of professionals of all types.

With the elements of trust and accountability of the owner, this firm is a very solid practice with clients that return year after year. All this in a firm with an excellent cash flow and a great opportunity for a variety of buyers.

(WA 1126) Island County. This well-established enrolled agent practice is for sale. The firm is well balanced with a tax practice that produces 75% of revenue and a write-up practice that generates the balance. The practice is well positioned for future growth due to having a solid staff serving long-term clients. The Seller is retiring but will be available to assist in transition. For any firm looking for a satellite office, an existing practice wishing to branch out, or an individual who has aspirations of getting out on their own, this practice is an excellent choice.

The Seller, to assist in the sale, will consider financing the purchase of the practice provided the Buyer makes a substantial down payment and has excellent credit and collateral.

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

39

PUTTING TOGETHER THE TAX PUZZLE

A note from the Chair of the AICPA Tax Executive Committee, and Tax Advisors Update Instructor

Chris Hesse, CPA I’m a farm kid from a rural community west of Portland, Oregon. I had one tax class in college and I hated it. No matter; despite my college experience, I have since discovered a passion for all kinds of tax issues.

I started my first job in public accounting with a local firm in the Eugene-Springfield (Oregon) area.

There I learned about the maxi-tax.

Heard of it? It prevented some earned income from being taxed as high as 70%. It wasn't long before the maxi-tax went away. I worked through the Economic Recovery Tax Act (ERTA) (the first major tax legislation of the Reagan administration). ERTA brought us Accelerated Cost Recovery System (ACRS). We moved away from useful life depreciation to having just three cost recovery periods: 3-, 5- and 15-year. ACRS soon changed with the Tax Reform Act of 1986, bringing us Modified ACRS (MACRS) and passive losses

40

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

limitations. Passive losses have been with us for 33 years.

Some people believe that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) was the biggest tax reform since 1986. Big is a subjective term, but I can confidently assert that the TCJA is a more difficult tax reform to implement than the 1986 Tax Reform Act (TRA).

TRA was passed in October 1986 and wasn’t generally effective until the first transition year in 1987. Many of its provisions had been discussed and debated in 1984 and 1985. It was a bipartisan effort and was subjected to committee hearings and debates. We didn’t have the benefit of hearings and debates for the TCJA. Enacted on December 22, 2017, it was effective nine days later. And for the first time since the 1940s, we needed to quickly figure out what qualifies as a trade or a business.

Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed substantial changes in tax policy, and I’m fascinated by it all. My current responsibilities with the CLA’s National Tax Office include assisting our staff regarding domestic federal income tax issues. Although I don’t generally deal with estate, gift and trust issues, or with international or state tax questions, I still have a broad and interesting portfolio

www.wscpa.org

TAX

to address. This includes the new deduction for qualified business interest (QBI) and business interest limitations.

I’m also the National Tax Office person who handles agricultural tax questions. Although only 2% of the U.S. population is directly involved in agriculture, our most recent tax reform effort and tariff issues have demanded that the industry receive a disproportionate amount of attention.

Due to my background and experience, I can speak the language. I know the difference between a swather and a combine, and between a bull and a steer. And to be clear, all cows are female, and we don’t need to ask why a dairy only milks the female cows.

My years of experience with the AICPA’s S Corporation Technical Resource Panel have been invaluable, and my career will culminate with my duties as the Chair of the AICPA’s Tax Executive Committee, which speaks on behalf of the AICPA on tax matters.

As members, we discuss policy, advocacy, and technical issues at the highest level, which filter down to taxpayers with issues that are not quite as complex. Of course, what may seem simple to a professional may feel complex to a client — that’s why they value us.

last tax season; read articles from our daily, weekly, and monthly information sources; attend CPE sessions; and build on prior experiences.

Ultimately, we gain an idea of the scene in the picture. We understand how the various income tax pieces fit together to achieve the government’s objectives of raising revenue.

The Tax Advisors Update is one of those learning pieces.

We each learn in different ways and hear different messages from different instructors. Our instructor team learns from our members.

The result of learning together is that we come to a better idea of the big picture.

Join Chris for the Tax Advisors Update, January 22 in Spokane and January 23 in Bellevue or via webcast.

My passion for taxes extends to sharing tax knowledge with other CPAs. The Tax Advisors Update is coming to Washington in January 2020, and whether you attend in person or virtually, you will come away with a better understanding of the TCJA and the additional guidance we have received since last year.

Learning about tax is like putting together pieces of a jigsaw puzzle without the benefit of knowing the final picture.

I build 1,000 to 2,500 piece jigsaw puzzles in the evening while winding down after dinner. Yes, I have the picture of the complete puzzle, but I usually don’t look at it while building the puzzle. Blue pieces are either sky or water.

Green is usually a lawn. But is this a mountain scene, a European castle, or a balloon rally? I learn more about the picture as I assemble the puzzle.

Chris Hesse, CPA, is a principal in the National Tax Office of CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP).

He is the Chair of the AICPA Tax Executive Committee and

Understanding taxes is the same: we take pieces from what we learned during our

www.wscpa.org

resides in TriCities, Washington.

Graphics: © iStock/DragonTiger

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

41

believe u o d yhat pinball t unting co a lot in com

Wo & ac ul

hav e

After the tournament she was invited to become a substitute player for the next Monday’s match. “I said yes once I found out there would be ice cream, and two seasons of subbing

Allison discovered the pinball scene while she was out with friends and stumbled across some machines. She played casually a few times after that, and one day decided to enter a pinball tournament when she was in the neighborhood visiting with a client.

“My favorite piece of the pinball community would have to be the Monday Night Pinball (MNP) league. There are over 24 teams in our league, including my team, the Soda Jerks.

We are based out of Full Tilt in Ballard, and just recently won first place in the league for the third season in a row!”

“Pinball is a fairly recent hobby that I’ve undertaken in the past three years. It's a larger-than-you-would-think subculture here in the Pacific Northwest. Right here in Seattle, there are over 200 locations with multiple pinball machines on site, as well as tournaments at various bars every night of the week.

Sometimes even several on the same night,” said Allison, an audit manager in the Seattle office of BDO USA LLP.

pirin a g pinball wiz

, Ju PA st a C , an s ure as k Allison McCl rd.

n? o m Though she sees her entrance into the pinball community as a coincidence—“one of the best coincidences that has happened to me in quite some time” —Allison sees herself as still learning about pinball.

“Pinball machines just fit in this perfect conjunction of art, physics, technology, and constantly evolving strategy,” said Allison.

“On top of that, you need to practice timing your shots so the ball goes in the right direction to actually execute those shots … all while the ball ricochets off of strategically-placed obstacles such as bumpers and slings, where each individual machine is set up slightly differently (angle of flippers, steepness of playfield, with bouncier or less bouncy rubbers, etc.).

“Every game you play on a pinball machine is unique, even if you play the same game a hundred different times.

Because each machine—particularly the newer ones—has its own ruleset, success is determined by both your understanding of the specific game and its goals as well as your physical ability. Every game begins with its own unique mission, which requires you to hit certain ramps or targets with the ball and frequently with imposed time limits, you then have to shift to focus on both developing a strategy around what missions to accomplish first based on the risk versus reward of those shots.

You have to be able to watch the ball, listen to the machine callouts that provide guidance, and watch for light cues on the playfield to know what shots are currently worth the most.

“I am almost as passionate about pinball as I am about my work, because I similarly enjoy the combination of knowledge and technical skill set that gets employed.”

later, they finally convinced me to become a full roster player.”

“A huge portion of my job is continuing to learn and teach others. Some of the most fulfilling parts of my career have been taking a technical concept, ‘translating’ it into a real-world application, and watching a client’s face or a staff’s face

Day to day in the auditing department she works with a diverse clientele in the areas of financial services, asset management, technology companies, and nonprofit organizations. She also manages and advises staff.

“If you asked a handful of my friends and coworkers to describe my approach to life … They would likely say ‘pragmatic.’ They are right,” said Allison. “I figured that a few business classes would be useful background knowledge for whatever future career I undertook, so I registered for the introductory level accounting class. The rest is history.”

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Allison moved to Tacoma to attend Pacific Lutheran University, where she ended up majoring in accounting. But her accounting career choice was not at all by design.

"In the world of public accounting, I may be a manager … but in the world of pinball, I am maybe an experienced associate.”

“My biggest personal contribution to the Soda Jerks is both being good at machines that are a gap in the rest of the team’s skill set, but also the fact that I love researching rulesets and developing strategies for new machines that come out. And that I am good at communicating those strategies on the fly before a match where we are at an away location and are unfamiliar with games there.

“I initially got involved simply by showing up and attending the events. I really enjoy getting to meet other professionals who work in similar or parallel realms to myself, and have found chapter events to be a great source for collaborations and referrals,” said Allison. “We make a good team, and are always looking for more professionals to provide insight as we work to bring the local WSCPA community together!”

Allison admits that “most of her free time these days gets sucked up into pinball,” but she also can be found at WSCPA local chapter meetings. She currently is serving as chair of the chapter.

“I joke with my advisees at work that I would probably have become a life coach if I wasn’t their mentor.

I thoroughly enjoy digging into the foundation of what makes a person tick, and how we can capitalize upon and compound passions and strengths that are already present.”

She enjoys the “fact that every day looks different … a happy mix of technical challenge and interpersonal relationships. I love that accounting is as multi-faceted and constantly changing, just as much as the goals and ambitions of the people behind the numbers.”

light up when it all clicks into place.”

43

MEMBER PROFILE

I’m most proud of: Helping coordinate with four other WSCPA chapters across the state to host five different Day of Service events for WSCPA members in 2019. Over 50 people got a little more engaged within their communities! Some chapters have also begun to incorporate additional service-focused events throughout the rest of the year, and it is awesome getting to cheer those efforts on.

I’m currently reading: The Food Lab, by J. Kenji López-Alt. It’s 960 pages of science experiments that answer the important questions, like “does resting my steak really make it juicier?”

I never leave home without: Snacks. I can’t be trusted to drive past a grocery store when hungry.

Best advice I’ve received: It’s impossible to never fail—the important part is how you recover. Nothing is a complete failure if you grew from the experience.

eND-O F BONU-SBALL

My team would say this about me: She expects you to take charge of your own career, but will always go to bat for you when asked.

I’m passionate about: Microdosing on learning. I’m currently addicted to the Stuff You Should Know podcast because it fulfills my love of fun facts in a digestible, short-form format.

Let’s chat if you want to talk about the Neanderthals or how Cabbage Patch Kids became the first “must-have” Christmas toy.

My Favorite Pinball Machine: Some of my favorite machines revolve around some familiar names—The Addams Family, Iron Man, and Ghostbusters—while other themes are originals designed by the pinball manufacturers that no one has ever heard of. All of my favorite machines are typically the ones with quality artwork, good music, and/or memorable callouts that occur when you make certain shots or achieve objectives.

Answer to the question everyone is probably thinking right now: We do indeed have a pinball machine at home currently, and our household is pretty much constantly in game planning mode for acquiring another, newer machine.

For some background … There are two main “tranches” of pinball machines that have changed as technology has improved. Electrical Mechanical (EM) machines are older, built until the late ’70s, and is the kind that we have at home currently. They tend to be slower and more simple in terms of rule sets. Newer machines from the late seventies onwards are typically Solid State (SS) aka computer controlled, with screens instead of score reels, and those are typically our preferred machines to play when we are out and about because moving to coding allowed pinball machines to become significantly more complex in terms of rulesets and strategies that the player can take. New machines also typically will cost you about $5,000–9,000 depending on the manufacturer and desirability of the game theme. For example, Jurassic Park just came out, which is a popular theme, and will cost you $$$.😊

44

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

PHOTO GALLERY

Tacoma Chapter Glassblowing & Networking Photo: WSCPA Staff

2019 Not-For-Profit & Health Care Conference Photo: Katrina Shelby

Flavors of Fall at Tavern Hall Photo: WSCPA Staff

2019 Not-For-Profit & Health Care Conference Photo: Katrina Shelby

Flavors of Fall at Tavern Hall Photo: WSCPA Staff

Murder Mystery & Meet the Firms Photo: WSCPA Staff

2019 Not-For-Profit & Health Care Conference Photo: Katrina Shelby

Tacoma Chapter Glassblowing & Networking Photo: WSCPA Staff

Murder Mystery & Meet the Firms Photo: WSCPA Staff

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

45

SAVE THE DATE! 2020 WSCPA SPRING CONFERENCES

Governmental Accounting & Auditing Conference April 29-30, 2020 The Conference Center at Sea-Tac Airport

International Tax Conference May 12, 2020 Washington State Convention Center

Washington State Tax Conference May 27, 2020

Women’s Leadership Summit June 2, 2020

Washington State Convention Center

Lynnwood Convention Center

Visit wscpa.org/conferences for more information.

46

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

www.wscpa.org

SECTION TITLE

www.wscpa.org

The Washington CPA Winter 2020

47

Periodicals postage paid at Bellevue WA and additional mailing offices 902 140th Ave NE Bellevue WA 98005-3480

CLEAR

AREA

with tax season Federal Tax Update with Greg White & George Koutelieris Monday, January 13, 2020 (live & webcast)

Tax Advisor’s Update with Chris Hesse Wednesday, January 22, 2020 (live) Thursday, January 23, 2020 (live & webcast)

MOVE TO THE TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD WITH THE WSCPA! REGISTER NOW! www.wscpa.org/games 425.644.4800