This week, Blake and David are puzzled by the results of a survey that shows 40% of tax professionals believe generative AI will allow them to charge clients higher rates. They also cover the sham audit firm BF Borgers and question why the firm's CPA is still licensed despite SEC charges. Blake demonstrates how he uses Zapier Central to build an AI agent that can automatically respond to client emails about the status of their tax returns. Wrapping up, they examine Digits' $35 million raise and pivot to bill pay, and Xero's new filtering functionality for bank reconciliations.

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Chapters

(00:53) - Generative AI's Impact on Pricing
(05:39) - The Curious Case of BF Borgers and Sham Audits
(08:19) - The Slow Response of Regulatory Bodies to Fraud
(18:07) - NASBA Hires New President
(19:24) - NASBA and the CPA Exam: A Call for Modernization
(28:16) - The Trump Stormy Daniels NY Trial
(35:19) - Rudy Giuliani's Financial Woes: A Deep Dive
(38:18) - Building AI Agents with Zapier Central: A How-To Guide
(39:38) - AI Tools for Productivity: Insights from ClickUp
(40:41) - The Power of AI in Automating Client Communication
(48:04) - The Big Money in AI-Powered Practice Management
(53:54) - Bill Pay Innovations and Market Dynamics
(55:12) - Xero's New Features and Bank Feed Improvements
(58:58) - The Real Value of Dashboards in Business Management
(01:04:10) - Closing Remarks and Future Events

Show Notes

Rudy Giuliani Forced to Learn Accounting After Bankruptcy Beancounter Bails

https://www.thedailybeast.com/rudy-giuliani-forced-to-learn-accounting-after-bankruptcy-beancounter-bails

Stormy Daniels payment puts focus on Trump and check-writing as trial testimony resumes

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/former-white-house-executive-assistant-stand-trump-trial-dramatic-stor-rcna151578

Trump Accountant on His Stormy Daniels Coverup Notes: ‘I Made a Boo-Boo’

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-accountant-stormy-daniels-coverup-152934446.html

Trump Accountant Exposes Checks to Michael Cohen in Damning Testimony

https://newrepublic.com/post/181344/trump-accountant-checks-signed-michael-cohen-hush-money-trial

What’s new in Xero — May 2024 - Xero Blog

https://blog.xero.com/product-updates/whats-new-in-xero-may-2024/

End of Trump Media’s Auditor Jolts Hundreds of Other Companies

https://news.bloombergtax.com/financial-accounting/end-of-trump-medias-auditor-jolts-hundreds-of-other-companies

Trump Media hires new auditor after previous accounting firm charged with 'massive fraud'

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/06/trump-media-hires-new-auditor-after-accounting-firm-charged-with-fraud.html

Digits Launches AI Bill Pay for Small Businesses

https://www.pymnts.com/news/b2b-payments/2024/digits-launches-ai-bill-pay-for-small-businesses/

Countsy Debuts Platform to Streamline Back-Office Management

https://www.pymnts.com/back-office/2024/countsy-debuts-platform-to-streamline-back-office-management/

Why we’re calling 2024 ‘the year of the US bank feed’

https://blog.xero.com/product-updates/year-of-the-us-bank-feed/

Let's Meet NASBA's Next President and CEO

https://www.goingconcern.com/lets-meet-nasbas-next-president-and-ceo/

Digits Launches AI Bill Pay for Small Businesses

https://www.pymnts.com/news/b2b-payments/2024/digits-launches-ai-bill-pay-for-small-businesses/

Digits AI Bill Pay -- The World's First AI Bill Pay, Built Specifically For Startups

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digits-ai-bill-pay--the-worlds-first-ai-bill-pay-built-specifically-for-startups-302131944.html

Imagine the Chaos If the PCAOB Starts Naming and Shaming Audit Deficiency Clients

https://www.goingconcern.com/imagine-the-chaos-if-the-pcaob-starts-naming-and-shaming-audit-deficiency-clients/

'Nobody seems interested' in helping Giuliani with accounting in bankruptcy case, lawyers claim

https://thehill.com/video/%e2%80%98nobody-seems-interested%e2%80%99-in-helping-giuliani-with-accounting-in-bankruptcy-case-lawyers-claim/9675968/

Canopy Secures $35 Million in Funding to Enhance AI-Powered Practice Management for Accounting Firms

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/709723429/canopy-secures-35-million-in-funding-to-enhance-ai-powered-practice-management-for-accounting-firms

Trump Media Replaces Its Accounting Firm BF Borgers With Semple, Marchal & Cooper

https://www.fxleaders.com/news/2024/05/06/trump-media-replaces-its-accounting-firm-bf-borgers-with-semple-marchal-cooper/

Trump Org. accounting system was de...

Trump Accountants Take the Stand Before the Stormy Daniels

The Accounting Podcast