📰 Accounting Press

Direct File Gets Directed to the Exit, PCAOB Hits the Brakes, and AI Anxiety Looms

No Free Lunch for Taxpayers
Federal tax news: IRS Commissioner Billy Long confirmed this week that the free Direct File tax‑filing service is officially done. Though the program served over 300K filers in 2025 across 25 states, it was axed under the incoming "Big Beautiful Bill" and replaced with a $15M program to explore public‑private alternatives. Activists and ex‑IRS engineers are already suing to resurrect the open‑source code—but as of now, taxpayers will need to rely on third‑party tools next season. 

One Big Beautiful Bill for Small Business

Signed July 4, 2025, the OBBB Act locks in the 2017 tax cuts permanently and turbocharges benefits for small‑business clients: a permanent 20% QBI deduction, expanded SALT caps (up to $40,000 through 2029), and bonus depreciation fully reinstated for assets placed in service after January 19, 2025. It also allows eligible small businesses to retroactively claim the Section 174 R&E deduction back to 2022—potentially triggering amended returns and refunds.

AI on the Radar

AI usage among small and mid-size firms doubled to about 19–21% in 2025. Most common use cases: tax research, return prep, bookkeeping workflows, and document summarization. Survey says: 81% of accountants find AI boosts productivity, and 79% expect advisory services to balloon as automation handles the grunt work.

Workforce Crunch to Certification Cures?
The accounting talent pool remains tight. A few state boards passed tweaks to the 150‑hour CPA requirement to soften entry barriers. Firms are also competing with flex schedules and student‑debt repayment perks to lure Gen Z number‑crunchers.

Bottom line: Free filing is fading, regulators are recalibrating, and AI is pressing—meanwhile CPAs brace for more scrutiny, more tech, and fewer freebie options. 

🛠️ Accounting & Bookkeeping AI Tool of the Month

Bluebook: AI Agents for Accountants

Bluebook builds AI agents for accounting firms—think tireless software assistants that reconcile accounts, chase down data, research tax rules, and close books while you sleep. They plug right into your existing systems, cutting hours of manual work and freeing teams to focus on the billable, high‑impact stuff. Faster closes, smoother workflows, and more time for clients—not coffee refills.

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👉️Growing your practice Tip

Stop Selling, Start Showing

Most accountants tell prospects what they do. The standout firms? They show them.

If you’ve helped a business owner save money, scale up, or sleep better at night—don’t keep it a secret. Case studies don’t need to be long or fancy. A short breakdown of a real win can do more to build trust than a 30-minute pitch.

Structure it like this:

• The client: 2–3 words on who they are (e.g., “e-commerce seller” or “multi-location clinic”)
  

• The problem: What challenge they came in with
  

• The solution: What you did and how
  

• The result: Real-world impact (think: dollars saved, time freed up, risk reduced)
  

🎯 Pro Tip:
Turn each case study into a content asset.

• Post it on LinkedIn with a simple “here’s how we helped” hook
  

• Add a Testimonials or Case Studies section to your website
  

• Drop one into your next email to a prospect with a similar business

  You’re already doing the work—now make it work for you.