AI Tax Research

Pro Rata Share of Subpart F Income, Tested Income, or Tested Loss: What CPA Firms Must Do Now

The IRS published proposed regulations on August 26, 2026 that reshape how U.S. shareholders must calculate their pro rata share of Subpart F income, tested income, or tested loss from controlled foreign corporations. The rules affect any CPA firm with clients who hold CFC interests — including S-corporation shareholders, individual investors, and partnerships with offshore structures. Here is a focused action brief for firm owners.

Installment Sale Reporting: How CPAs Handle Principal and Interest Splits for Clients

Installment sale reporting is one of the most workflow-intensive annual tasks a CPA can inherit — gross profit percentages that travel across years, depreciation recapture that hits in Year 1 regardless of cash received, and related-party resale traps that can accelerate a client's entire gain. This practitioner guide walks through Form 6252 mechanics, interest allocation rules, dealer vs. non-dealer distinctions, and how AI-native tools eliminate the copy-forward errors that cost firms malpractice exposure.

Foreign Currency Gain or Loss of Controlled Foreign Corporations: What CPA Firms Must Do Now

Treasury and the IRS published proposed regulations on August 14, 2026 that reshape how controlled foreign corporations compute and recognize foreign currency gain or loss on QBU remittances. CPA firms with international clients need to assess exposure now and document their review before comments close.

Bonus Depreciation 2026: How CPAs Maximize Section 168 for Business Clients

Bonus depreciation is phasing out under the TCJA schedule, but 2026 still offers a meaningful deduction window for business clients who act before year-end. This guide walks CPAs through the mechanics of Section 168(k), the Section 179 interaction decision tree, and how AI-native practice management tools can automate the intake screening and schedule documentation that most firms still handle manually.

Qualified Opportunity Zone Investing: How CPAs Guide Clients Through Tax Deferral

Qualified opportunity zone investing offers clients a powerful capital gains deferral strategy — but the compliance burden on CPAs is substantial. This workflow-first guide covers eligibility screening, deferral calculations, IRC 1400Z-2 documentation requirements, and how AI-native practice management can automate multi-year holding-period monitoring before inclusion events catch you off guard.

Nexus Study for CPAs: When to Order One and How to Charge for It

A formal nexus study is one of the highest-value advisory services a CPA can offer a fast-growing client — yet most firms undercharge for it or skip the conversation entirely. This guide walks through the triggers that should prompt a recommendation, how to scope and price the engagement as a standalone fixed-fee product, what a professional deliverable looks like, and how AI tools dramatically cut the time required to analyze exposure across 30-plus states.

Section 199A Deduction: How CPAs Maximize the QBI Benefit for Pass-Through Clients

The Section 199A deduction remains one of the most valuable — and most frequently miscalculated — benefits available to pass-through entity clients. This guide walks CPAs through the full calculation workflow, SSTB boundary analysis, W-2 wage and UBIA property limitations, and how AI-assisted practice management tools can systematize documentation before the potential 2025 TCJA sunset.

Inherited IRA Distribution Rules: What CPAs Must Tell Clients Now

The SECURE 2.0 Act and the IRS's 2024 final regulations reshaped inherited IRA distribution rules in ways that still catch clients — and some CPAs — off guard. This guide breaks down the 10-year rule, beneficiary categories, annual RMD requirements, and, critically, how to systematize inherited IRA conversations into a profitable, repeatable advisory service your firm offers every year.

Information Reporting and Transfer for Valuable Consideration Rules: What CPA Firms Must Do Now

The IRS published final regulations on July 9, 2026 that extend information reporting and transfer for valuable consideration rules to Section 1035 exchanges of life insurance contracts. Small and mid-size CPA firms with individual and business clients holding life insurance policies need to act now to identify affected transactions and update their intake workflows.

TaxGPT vs Bloomberg Tax vs Checkpoint: How CPAs Choose an AI Tax Research Tool

CPAs evaluating AI tax research tools in 2026 face a real choice: purpose-built AI tools like TaxGPT versus legacy platforms like Bloomberg Tax and Checkpoint. This guide cuts through the marketing noise with a side-by-side comparison of accuracy, pricing, and workflow integration so your firm can invest with confidence.

Automatic Exemption from Penalty: What CPAs Must Know After IRS Replaces First Time Abate

The IRS has replaced the familiar First Time Abate process with a new automatic exemption from penalty system — and many CPAs are still relying on outdated FTA playbooks. This guide breaks down exactly what changed, how the new automatic relief process works, and what penalty abatement strategies still hold up for clients with complex histories.

Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust Listed Transaction: What CPA Firms Must Do Now

The IRS published final regulations on July 9, 2026, officially designating certain charitable remainder annuity trust (CRAT) transactions as listed transactions. CPA firms with high-net-worth clients, nonprofit advisees, or estate planning engagements face immediate disclosure obligations and stiff penalties for non-compliance. Here is the operational breakdown every firm owner needs this week.

IRS Standard Mileage Rate Mid-Year Change: What CPAs Must Do Now

A mid-year IRS standard mileage rate adjustment is rare — and it forces CPAs to apply two separate rates to a single tax year's business miles. This guide walks through the split-year calculation methodology, client communication steps, and how AI-native practice tools can reduce the manual burden across your entire mileage-tracking client base.

Qualified Domestic Trust Regulations Under Section 2056A Revised by IRS

The IRS published final regulations on July 10, 2026, revising the Qualified Domestic Trust rules under Section 2056A to eliminate outdated references and modernize filing procedures. CPA firms with clients who have noncitizen spouses in estate plans need to review open files now. Here is what changed, who it affects, and a short action checklist for this week.

Increase in Threshold for Requiring Information Reporting

On July 2, 2026, the IRS published a hearing notice for proposed regulations (REG-113229-25) that would raise the dollar thresholds triggering 1099 information reporting and backup withholding for trade or business payments. CPA firms serving self-employed clients, S-corps, partnerships, and nonprofits need to understand the operational implications now — before the public comment window closes.

Nonprofit Audit Preparation: How CPAs Streamline Form 990 and Compliance Reviews

Nonprofit audit preparation is one of the most document-intensive engagements a CPA firm handles — combining Form 990 accuracy, Uniform Guidance compliance, and board governance reviews into a single high-stakes workflow. This guide walks through the full nonprofit audit lifecycle and shows how AI-native practice management platforms auto-flag compliance gaps before the auditor even opens the file.

CAF Number for CPAs: What It Is, How to Get One, and Why It Matters

Your CAF number is more than a one-time IRS registration — it is the foundation of every client authorization your firm will ever file. This guide explains what the centralized authorization file number is, how to obtain it through Form 2848 and IRS e-services, and how growing CPA firms use AI-native practice management to track dozens of active POAs at scale without dropping a single IRS notice.

Offer in Compromise: How CPAs Negotiate IRS Debt Settlement for Clients

An Offer in Compromise is one of the most complex — and lucrative — engagements a CPA firm can take on. This guide breaks down the full OIC workflow from reasonable collection potential analysis to IRS correspondence tracking, and shows how AI-native tools eliminate the manual burden at every stage.

Returns Relating to Sales or Exchanges of Certain Partnership Interests: What CPAs Must Do Now

The IRS published final regulations on May 20, 2026 modifying information reporting obligations for sales or exchanges of certain partnership interests — specifically those holding inventory or unrealized receivables. CPA firms with partnership clients need to review engagement scope, update intake workflows, and flag affected returns before the next filing deadline.

Passive Activity Rules: What CPAs Must Know to Protect Client Deductions

IRC Section 469 passive activity rules are among the most commonly misapplied provisions in individual and business tax returns — especially for real estate investors, limited partners, and multi-entity business owners. This guide walks CPAs through the seven material participation tests, real estate professional status requirements, passive loss carryforward mechanics, and the AI-assisted validation workflows that catch costly errors before they reach the IRS.

Agentic AI for Accounting Firms: What It Means When AI Acts, Not Just Assists

Most accounting software automates what you tell it to do. Agentic AI is different — it observes context, makes decisions, and acts without a human triggering each step. This guide explains what agentic AI accounting means in plain CPA language and shows seven real-firm scenarios where autonomous AI agents replace the invisible admin work that consumes your practice.