Analysis, clarity, and a quiz: A preview of the National Tax Conference

10/17/24 • 16 min

In less than four weeks, IRS officials and tax practitioners will gather in Washington for the AICPA & CIMA National Tax Conference. The event begins six days after Election Day, when it’s possible there will be clarity about election results and about the future of tax legislation.

On this episode of the podcast, two speakers closely tied to the conference explain what it will offer attendees, detailing agenda specifics. April Walker, CPA, CGMA, is lead manager–Tax Practice & Ethics at AICPA & CIMA, and Brandon Lagarde, CPA, J.D., LL.M., is chair of the event’s planning committee. Walker hosts the Tax Section Odyssey podcast.

Also, a new AICPA & CIMA CEO was named Wednesday. That news is mentioned at the start of the episode.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

· What Lagarde and Walker look forward to about this year’s conference.

· The potential for learning more during the conference about the future of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

· The reasons Lagarde called the event “the most important conference” for tax practitioners.

· A look ahead to a session on transforming tax practices to include year-round advisory services.

· The topics in a quiz-focused session on tax ethics.

· Why Lagarde says attendees shouldn’t worry about attending one concurrent session over another.

Also, a new AICPA & CIMA CEO was named Wednesday. That news is mentioned at the start of the episode.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

· What Lagarde and Walker look forward to about this year’s conference.

· The potential for learning more during the conference about the future of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

· The reasons Lagarde called the event “the most important conference” for tax practitioners.

· A look ahead to a session on transforming tax practices to include year-round advisory services.

· The topics in a quiz-focused session on tax ethics.

· Why Lagarde says attendees shouldn’t worry about attending one concurrent session over another.

Previous Episode

The value of connection: Reflections of an advocate for women

Alicia Antonetti-Tricker, a principal at Crowe LLP, remembers a time when she saw very few women in leadership roles in the accounting profession. Whether barriers were real or perceived, she said, “there were barriers for women advancing in the profession.”

Today, that’s changing, and events such as the AICPA & CIMA Women’s Global Leadership Summit, which is in November in Bellevue, Wash., have helped to continue the momentum for women ascending to accounting leadership roles.

In this podcast episode, Antonetti-Tricker discussed highlights of a session she took part in last year, one she says typifies the summit’s agenda. She also touched on some of the initiatives Crowe has put in place and why finding advocates and allies is important for women to continue to advance to leadership roles.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

· What stuck out to Crowe’s Alicia Antonetti-Tricker about meetings nearly 30 years ago.

· The value of powerful connections in helping to grow the number of women in leadership roles in the profession.

· A look back at a session that is typical of the AICPA & CIMA Women’s Global Leadership Summit.

· A by-the-numbers look at progress made related to women in leadership positions.

· Why Antonetti-Tricker keeps coming back to the summit.

Next Episode

Advice for future CFOs: One communication skill that sets you apart

Scott Simmons is co-managing partner at the firm Crist Kolder Associates. In more than two decades handling executive searches for clients, he’s seen the qualifications for the CFO role change dramatically. The pressure on CFOs to deliver value has also grown. While some skills remain constant, of course, so do the paths to landing a CFO role.

In this JofA podcast episode, Simmons takes listeners through some of the recent statistics in the firm’s annual Volatility Report, discussing the importance of escaping one’s comfort zone and developing new skills to be in line for a job as finance chief.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

The number of CFOs at larger companies who have Big Four accounting backgrounds.
The companies and C-suite positions Crist Kolder tracks in its annual Volatility Report
How candidates can develop CFO skills without first becoming a CFO.
Why an investor relations rotation should be something aspiring CFOs “jump” to accept.
The major college athletics conference that has produced the most CFOs in companies tracked in by Volatility Report.