Practical guides on CPA exam strategy, cost, AI tools for accountants, and where the profession is heading.
Becker isn't the only option, and you don't have to spend $3,700 to pass. A breakdown of the actual price tiers — free, budget, mid, premium — with what each one buys you.
Most candidates assume Becker is required to pass. It isn't. Here's the resource stack and weekly cadence that actually correlates with passing — at a fraction of the cost.
The 75 passing score is not 75 percent correct. Here's how AICPA's scaling actually works — and what raw score you need to be safely over the line.
Most accounting students are using AI for the wrong things — copy-pasted homework — and missing the high-leverage uses. Here's the actual playbook.
ChatGPT is a force multiplier for accounting students who use it to think more clearly. It's a career risk for students who use it to think less. The line matters.
The right prompt turns ChatGPT or Claude into a tutor that adapts to what you don't know. The wrong prompt gets you a confident wrong answer. Here are the patterns that work.
Every new grad uses ChatGPT. The ones who get promoted faster are the ones using these five other tools — most of which their manager hasn't tried yet either.
AI-powered Excel is the productivity story of 2026 for accountants. It's also a compliance time bomb if you don't know which AI-generated outputs need an audit trail and which don't.
Drafting client communication is where AI saves accountants the most time per week. It's also where firm reputation is most easily damaged. The line between time-saver and disaster is in the editing pass.
An AI agent isn't just ChatGPT with extra steps. It's a system that takes goals and executes multi-step work — including pulling data, calling APIs, and writing files. Here's what that means for accountants.
Monthly close is the most-touted use case for AI agents in accounting. It's also where the gap between marketing demos and production reality is largest. Here's what's real.
You don't need a CS degree to build a working AI agent that saves you four hours a week. Here's the actual sequence — pick the right workflow, set up the tools, and ship in an afternoon.
Claude Code is positioned as a coding tool — but the bigger story is what it does for accountants who can't (and don't want to) code. A practical first-day account.
Bank reconciliation is the most-automated workflow in 2026 accounting, and the easiest one to build yourself. Here's a complete worked example using Claude Code, with the prompts and the gotchas.
A working demonstration: in under an hour, a non-developer can build a 1040 reference tool that beats most paid tax-help services for personal use. Caveats included.
Most predictions about AI and accounting are either utopian (everything automates) or apocalyptic (CPAs become redundant). The reality is messier, more interesting, and more navigable than either narrative.
Both 'AI will replace accountants' and 'AI changes nothing' are wrong. The honest answer requires looking at specific job tasks, not jobs. Here's the actual breakdown.
Half of what's in your accounting textbook is about to be automated. The other half is more valuable than ever. Here's how to allocate your first three years' worth of learning.
Becoming a CPA in 2026 is more flexible than it was even two years ago. Multiple states are loosening the 150-hour rule. Here's the complete path, with sources cited and a state quick-reference.
California has the most candidates in the US, and some of the most specific coursework requirements. Here's what the California Board of Accountancy expects in 2026.
New York's CPA process runs through the NYSED Office of the Professions, not a traditional accountancy board. Here's what the path looks like in 2026.
Texas runs CPA licensure through the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy. Here's the 2026 process, including the Texas-specific ethics exam.
Florida's CPA path runs through the DBPR Division of Certified Public Accounting. Here's the 2026 step-by-step.
Illinois has been a leader in CPA exam administration; ILBOE and IDFPR run a modern, well-documented licensure process. Here's the 2026 view.
The CPA exam structure changed in 2024. Two years in, the patterns of who passes, who struggles, and how the new disciplines play out are clearer. Here's what 2026 candidates need to know.
The 150-hour rule was effectively universal for two decades. Now multiple states are creating 120-hour-plus-experience alternatives. Here's where things stand in 2026 — and what's likely next.
It used to take 3-4 years from college graduation to CPA license. With continuous testing, the 2024 Evolution structure, and alternative state paths, the fastest legitimate timeline is now closer to 18 months.