On The Books

Consolidation and Change: Becky Munson and Michael Hitchcock on the Year in Accounting

In this final episode of 2025, hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken are joined by two exceptional guests to reflect on the year in accounting and look ahead to 2026: Becky Munson, a Partner in the Advisory Group at EisnerAmper, and Michael Hitchcock, Vice President of Product for Accounting and Accountants at Intuit. The four talk about the notable AI perception shift within the accounting community, the accelerating pace of change and the necessity for accounting firms to lean into innovation, a growing sense of app fatigue, the need for strong change management, and how accountants have become solution “builders” this year. The discussion also covers accelerated career trajectories for younger staff who can leverage technology to quickly ingest information, bypassing the need for decades of manual experience. And the group talks about why consolidation became the thing all accountants had to consider in 2025. Becky drops a brilliant perspective for the new year: the tech we have today is the worst it will ever be, meaning things are only going to get better and faster from here!Becky and Micahel also share what they are most excited about in 2026 and the group shares their thoughts on Metallica, My Morning Jacket, Eminem, and Peanut M&Ms. For full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com

Policy changes that impact accountants - Tanner Arnold, Staff Program Manager, Intuit

The Working Families Tax Cut, signed into law earlier this year, introduces several compliance changes that will impact payroll and tax filing for the 2025 tax year. This episode features Tanner Arnold, Staff Program Manager on the Intuit Payroll team, who dives into the specifics. Learn about the provisions for "no tax on tips" and "no tax on overtime," understanding the critical distinction between qualified and non-qualified tips and overtime. Tanner explains what accountants need to know about these changes and discusses what resources Intuit is providing to accountants and their clients. The episode also touches on future changes for 2026, including the introduction of new retirement accounts, and what you can do today to prepare for these new compliance requirements. For full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com

Introducing the Intuit Accountant Suite and Transformed ProAdvisor Program

This episode of the "On the Books" podcast celebrates its one-year anniversary and dives into the exciting launch of the Intuit Accountant Suite. Directors Karla Uribe and Jaclyn Anku join us to discuss the new firm-level product, which aims to be a single destination for all of your firm's work. Karla details how the suite was co-built with accountant feedback and introduces powerful features like Client Insights and enhanced user permissions. Additionally, Jaclyn deep-dives into the transformed ProAdvisor Program, which is now integrated directly into the Accountant Suite, offering new firm-based tiers, the CAS Foundations learning pathway, and a Training Manager experience to help leaders upskill their teams. The hosts also address the eventual sunset of QuickBooks Online Accountant (QBOA) and encourage firms to opt-in to the new suite today to take advantage of its free core features and future premium innovations.And stick around to the end of the episode for a special Happy Thanksgiving wish for you all. For full show notes, visist firmofthefuture.com

The kids are alright: A check-in with university accounting students

At Intiut Connect, Jaclyn Anku, Principal Program Manager of ProAdvisor, was able to catch up with Professor David Waite of Utah Valley University who brought a group of accounting students to this year’s event. In Episode 14, we profiled Professor Waite and accountants Brittany Brown and Dan Luthi and their first-of-its-kind Client Advisor Services course at the university. Check out episode 14 for their initial story, then listen to the current episode for an update on the students' progress, the significance of attending Intuit Connect, and the program's second-semester developments.Plus Jaclyn details a new ProAdvisor student mentorship program and an exciting virtual opportunity for students in January 2026. For full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com

Intuit Connect - Know Before You Go

Tune in to this episode of On The Books as host Jessica McCracken gives a sneak peek at the upcoming Intuit Connect conference in Las Vegas. Learn about what to expect at the tentpole event, including the main stage lineup featuring Intuit leaders, Queen Latifah, Brene Brown, John Foley, Vanessa Van Edwards, and Carla Hall.Jessica also details new event features like the Intuit Theater and Intuit-led breakout programming, as well as the unveiling of Intuit Accountant Suite. Hear from past On the Books guests and Connect speakers like Michael Hitchcock, Joe Preston, Chris Williams, Kane Polakoff, Erin Hutton, and Jacob Schroeder as they share details about their sessions and why you should connect with them at the event. Plus, Intuit Connect veteran and Founder and CEO of 1st Step Accounting, Nayo Carter-Gray joins the show to discuss why she keeps returning, her excitement for the main stage guests, and the Black Accountant Meetup she's hosting. Download the Intuit Connect app to start building your agenda now! For full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com

Navigating the New Era for Accounting Firms with Dan Hood

On this episode of On the Books, hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken welcome Dan Hood, Editor-in-Chief at Accounting Today, to discuss the biggest trends and disruptions facing the accounting profession, particularly as firms look ahead to 2026. Dan shares his take on the multiple crossroads the industry faces, focusing on the significant impact of technology (especially AI), ongoing staffing and capacity issues, and the influence of private equity. He emphasizes that for firms to thrive, they must view change as permanent and develop the core competency of continuous adaptation. The conversation also looks at how companies are hiring and making changes. It highlights the change to human intelligence and advisory services like Client Accounting Services (CAS).For full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com

Get the Keys: A discussion on technology change management

In episode 21, Chris Willams, CEO of System Six summarized the key focus areas of any merger or acquisition as “get the keys to the technology and focus on the people.” Practically, what is entailed in‌ getting the keys to the technology?Erin Hutton and Janelle Fox have lived this experience. Both were accounting firm leaders at a large top 40-firm and now work at Intuit helping firms navigate technology changes necessitated by a merger or acquisition. Erin and Janelle discuss who owns which software and data, how to ensure contracts are transferred to the new firm and the best lens to use when prioritizing technology decisions. The group also talks about the role of AI, data cleanup, and truly how to simplify a firm’s tech stack. For more full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com

Let's talk about private equity....and other growth options

Private equity and accounting. Let’s talk about it. Hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken talk with Jacob Schoeder, founder and CEO of Asecend Consulting about what private equity investment means for accounting, if this is a phase or a durable reality in the industry, and other growth strategies available for firms. The trio talks about what role innovation plays in determining growth strategies and what firm leaders must consider when thinking about private equity investments. Don’t miss Jacob’s session at Intuit Connect, where he will deep dive growth strategies outside of private equity with a panel of firm leaders who have chosen other paths. For full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com

Chris Williams on the human side of M&A

In this episode of On the Books, Ted and Jessica sit down with Chris Williams, the founder of System Six, a fully remote outsourced accounting business with 50 team members across three countries, to talk about the human side of mergers and acquisitions. The group talks about best practices in identifying firm goals before stepping into an M&A conversation, the right mindset for those conversations, and how to truly put staff and clients first in the middle of a change. And Chris was kind enough to humor Ted and Jessica’s lightning round questions. Don't miss Chris’s session at Intuit Connect, where he will discuss post-acquisition integration alongside leaders from Acuity and EisnerAmper. Chris highlights that the panel will provide a tactical look at how different-sized firms approach integrating clients, technology, and people. For full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com

Growth, Change, and the Future of CAS: A Conversation with Kane Polakoff

Here is a much-needed dose of accountant wisdom.Get ready for a deep dive into the evolving world of Client Advisory Services (CAS). In this episode, Ted and Jessica are joined by special guest Kane Polakoff, Partner and Practice Leader at CohnReznick and a pioneer in the CAS space. The trio talk about the increasing demand for CAS and its rapid growth, with CohnReznick experiencing over 60% practice growth last year. The group also discusses how the talent profile for CAS is changing, with a need for analytical, dynamic, and communicative individuals who are open to change and skilled in problem-solving. The conversation also covers the critical role of technology in CAS, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on client expectations and technology adoption, and the importance of change management for both clients and firms. With his characteristic humor, Kane shares his passion for making CAS a more appealing career path for recent college graduates and discusses the challenges and opportunities in building awareness for the profession. Be sure to catch the rapid-fire section at the end where Kane tries to sell Ted on the superiority of Detrot’s sports teams and mic-drop pitch for anyone interested in working with his team at CohnReznick. Tune in and be encouraged by the direction of CAS accounting. For full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com.