Earmark Podcast | Earn Free Accounting CPE

Blake sits down with Lawrence Zlatkin, VP of Tax at Coinbase, to unpack the state of crypto taxation. From how the IRS treats digital assets as property to the new 1099-DA, stablecoin reporting burdens, and the policy changes Coinbase is pushing for in Washington, this episode covers what tax pros need to know now and where the rules may be headed next.Chapters(00:00) - EAP 111 (02:11) - What is Form 1099-DA (03:08) - Reconciling 1099 data (03:53) - Why cost basis matters (08:29) - IRS use of gross proceeds (12:44) - Crypto tax basics (14:07) - Staking and 1099-MISC (15:36) - Stablecoins as property (17:43) - Reporting thresholds and privacy (22:42) - Policy priorities in DC (23:47) - De minimis and admin burden (28:34) - Charity and appraisal rules (30:15) - Foreign investment safe harbors (32:20) - Why Congress moves slowly (34:56) - Wrap-up and thanks Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest Lawrence Zlatin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-zlatkin-880417bLearn more about Coinbasehttps://www.coinbase.comConnect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

What really happens after private equity buys your CPA firm? ParkerGale partner Devin Mathews joins Blake to unpack why partners cheer while staff chafe, how PE drives returns (bill rates, utilization, acquisitions), and what managers should demand: a clear value‑creation plan and a path to upside. They also dig into AI’s true impact—raising the ceiling, squeezing entry‑level work—and why this might be your cue to start an AI‑first firm.Chapters(00:00) - Private Equity Meets AI (02:04) - Survey Shock Partners vs Staff (04:18) - How PE Boosts Profits (06:17) - Culture Clash and KPIs (09:29) - The New Owner Speech (23:15) - Lessons From Vets and Dentists (25:50) - Pricing Power and Workload (26:39) - How Firms Decide to Sell (27:12) - Deal Tensions Surface (27:25) - LOI And Data Deep Dive (28:20) - Pricing Pressure And Client Cuts (29:48) - Spreadsheet Management Shock (33:20) - Career Paths And Trust (35:02) - Demand The Value Plan (37:13) - Three Problems To Fix (40:00) - AI Threat Or Tailwind (41:35) - AI Reality Check (45:17) - Entry Level Gets Harder (48:47) - Start An AI First Firm (50:56) - Podcast And Farewell Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest, Devin MathewsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinmathewsLearn more about ParkerGalehttps://www.parkergale.com/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

AI won’t replace accountants—but AI-enabled firms will outcompete them. Blake Oliver sits down with Thomson Reuters’ Elizabeth Beastrom and Kirat Sekhon to map the end-to-end tax workflow, from document intake and auto-population (SurePrep) to delivery and e-sign (SafeSend), and into year-round advisory with CoCounsel and Ready to Advise. Learn how to “kill the questionnaire,” free staff from data entry, build an open tech stack, and turn tax prep into subscription advisory.Chapters(02:49) - Technology Expectations of New Accountants (03:38) - The Shift from Desktop to Cloud-Based Tax Software (05:14) - Thomson Reuters' Approach to Customer-Centric Tax Technology (05:55) - Automation and AI in Tax Workflow (10:58) - The Role of SurePrep in Data Entry Automation (18:34) - Advisory Services and Ready to Advise (24:53) - AI in Onboarding and Knowledge Transfer (25:35) - Empowering Junior Associates with AI (26:41) - AI in Education and Talent Attraction (30:40) - AI's Role in Tax and Accounting (33:58) - The Future of AI in Tax Preparation (41:59) - AI-Driven Advisory Services (47:41) - Practical Steps for Tax Firms to Embrace AI Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our GuestsElizabeth Beastromhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-beastrom/Kirat Sekhonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kirat-sekhon-2172022/Learn more about Thomson Reutershttp://thomsonreuters.com/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

You open Excel daily, but are you using AI to make it work for you? While 58% of professionals have tried AI, only 17% use it regularly—a missed opportunity. Join CPA Kyle Ashcraft in this hands-on webinar to learn vibe coding—a no-programming approach using Cursor AI to automate repetitive Excel tasks. Watch Kyle transform messy spreadsheets, organize GL data, and reconcile transactions with simple AI prompts while keeping data secure. You'll get three ready-to-use scripts plus a framework to automate countless tasks and reclaim hours weekly.(Originally recorded on October 20, 2025, on Earmark Webinars+)Chapters(02:18) - Meet Kyle Ashcraft and His AI Journey (02:31) - The Importance of AI in Accounting (03:30) - Kyle's Background and CPA Review (04:38) - Live Webinar and Audience Interaction (05:12) - Kyle's AI Projects and Cursor Introduction (07:39) - Data Privacy Concerns with AI (17:18) - Practical AI in Excel: Examples and Demonstration (20:03) - Getting Started with Cursor (23:55) - First Cursor Project: Cleaning Up Excel Data (31:38) - Jumping into Financial Document Verification (32:50) - Exploring Cursor's Privacy Settings (33:48) - Understanding Data Retention Policies (36:23) - Comparing Excel Files with Cursor (36:48) - Analyzing Complex GL Details (42:22) - Using Cursor for Recurring Accounting Tasks (49:20) - Leveraging AI for Audit and Analysis (50:53) - Practical Tips for Implementing Cursor (53:56) - Q&A: Advanced Cursor Features (59:04) - Conclusion and Next Steps Earn CPE for this episode: https://www.earmark.app/c/2854Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appResourcesIntro to Cursor PDF Guide - https://mcusercontent.com/02dbcae4a3e3f15021db25a0c/files/deff5647-e0a3-51d7-4225-cf8b3a48532d/Cursor_AI_Quick_Guide.pdfWebinar presentation - https://ai.maxwellstudy.com/Connect with Our Guest, Kyle Ashcraft, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-ashcraft-cpa-7638a42aLearn more about Maxwell CPA Reviewhttps://maxwellcpareview.com/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Are you auditing at the speed of risk? Richard Chambers—50-year internal audit veteran and AuditBoard advisor—joins Blake to map the path forward. Hear why AI now ranks as risk #1, how to build continuous risk monitoring, and what “independence, not isolation” means for the three-lines model. Learn where CAEs should start with AI (risk assessment, analysis, reporting), how to audit culture and AI governance, and how to earn audit committee trust with no surprises.Chapters(01:37) - Richard Chambers' Career Journey (03:15) - Evolution of Internal Audit (05:34) - Emerging Risks in Internal Audit (08:13) - AI and Cybersecurity Challenges (10:51) - Continuous Risk Monitoring (25:30) - Connected Risk and AI Integration (27:42) - Introduction to the Three Lines of Defense (30:01) - Evolution to the Three Lines Model (31:18) - Connected Risk and Collaboration (32:08) - AI's Impact on Risk Management (35:20) - AI in Internal Audit: Opportunities and Challenges (40:32) - The Human Element in Internal Audit (44:40) - The Future of Internal Audit and AI (54:00) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest, Richard ChambersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-chambers-a5108914/Twitter: https://x.com/rfchambersWebsite: https://auditboard.com/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/