Is private equity turning firms into a 'dumpster fire'? Blake and David unpack Accounting Today's survey showing partners are upbeat while staff are sour on PE. They hit Andersen's $176M IPO, why Big Four ties to Big Tech raise independence questions, and how AI could finally kill the billable hour. Plus, what tax pros really charge in 2025 - and the wild 'Middle Finger Ranch' fraud.SponsorsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpay Cloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casChapters(00:56) - Private Equity in Accounting Firms (01:51) - Sponsor Message: OnPay Payroll Solutions (04:15) - Arthur Andersen's Legacy and IPO (07:45) - Private Equity Survey Results (21:04) - Big Four and Tech Giants (28:25) - Pricing Models for CAS Engagements (30:22) - Tax Preparers' Fees Breakdown (36:12) - Cloud Accountant Staffing (37:34) - Economic Growth and Consumer Spending (40:26) - Fraud Stories: Middle Finger Ranch and More (43:24) - PCAOB Budget Cuts and Enforcement Actions (52:29) - IRS Readiness for Tax Season (53:43) - Conclusion and Upcoming Topics  Show NotesPE in accounting firms: From 'dumpster fire' to excitementhttps://www.accountingtoday.com/news/pe-in-accounting-firms-from-dumpster-fire-to-excitement Andersen Group Shares Gain 47% After $176 Million US IPOhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-17/andersen-group-shares-jump-34-after-176-million-us-ipo Andersen goes public, hits $2.6B valuationhttps://thefinancestory.com/andersen-group-ipo-2-6b-valuation The Big Four consulting firms are embedded in Big Tech. Here's who audits each of the Magnificent 7 companieshttps://www.businessinsider.com/big-four-accounting-audits-magnificent-seven-financial-records-2025-12 What do tax preparers charge? https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/what-do-tax-preparers-charge How much do tax professionals charge in 2025? Insights from NATP's Fee Studyhttps://www.natptax.com/news-insights/blog/how-much-do-tax-professionals-charge-in-2025-insights-from-natp-s-fee-study/ U.S. economic growth surges in third quarter to 4.3%https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/12/23/gdp-economy-consumer-spending/ The US economy expanded at the fastest pace in two years as wealthier Americans kept spending https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/23/economy/us-gdp-q3 Kansas accountant diverted family funds to fictitious 'Middle Finger Ranch'https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-accountant-diverted-family-funds-to-fictitious-middle-finger-ranch/ Kansas Accountant, Who Created Fictitious 'Middle Finger Ranch' for Fraud Scheme, Sentenced to 4 Years in Jailhttps://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/12/04/kansas-accountant-who-created-fictitious-middle-finger-ranch-for-fraud-scheme-sentenced-to-4-years/174381/ PCAOB to tighten budget in 2026 https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/pcaob-to-tighten-budget-in-2026 PCAOB Approves 2026 Budget https://pcaobus.org/news-events/news-releases/news-release-detail/pcaob-approves-2026-budget Accounting Firms Must Stop Charging for Timehttps://cpatrendlines.com/2025/12/02/accounting-firms-must-stop-charging-for-time/ Dirty money gangster jailed over plot worth almost £12mhttps://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/dirty-money-gangster-jailed-over-36410033 PCAOB Sanctions CPA for Violations Related to Audit Evidence and Her Former Audit Firm for Quality Control Issueshttps://pcaobus.org/news-events/news-releases/news-release-detail/pcaob-sanctions-cpa-for-violations-related-to-audit-evidence-and-her-former-audit-firm-for-quality-control-issues Ahead of Tax Filing Season, Warren, King, 15 Senators Warn of Tax Filing Chaos After Trump Admin Attacks on IRShttps://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ahead-of-tax-filing-season-warren-king-15-senators-warn-of-tax-filing-chaos-after-trump-admin-attacks-on-irsNeed CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info?&n...