By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 12-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer AI now does the entry-level accounting work — document collection, data extraction, reconciliations, draft returns — that once trained new accountants. 70% of U.S. firms already use AI
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By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 13-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer AI isn’t eliminating the need to train accountants — it’s eliminating the accidental training ground that produced them. For generations, junior CPAs learned by doing repetitive work: data
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 13-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer A tax preparer training program for CPA firms develops new staff to execution-ready — able to organize source documents, complete a clean 1040 workflow in the firm’s software,
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 13-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer An accounting skills assessment for new hires is a structured, execution-based test that verifies whether a candidate can actually produce correct accounting work — before you extend an
24 Jun
Developing Advisory Skills in Accountants: The 4-Competency Stack (and Why It’s Built, Not Born)
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | Skillability for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 13-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer Developing advisory skills in accountants means building four distinct, learnable competencies on top of technical mastery: (1) financial interpretation — reading statements for story, not just accuracy; (2)
24 Jun
How to Retain Knowledge When Staff Leave: Why Documentation Isn’t Enough (and What Actually Works)
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | Skillability for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 12-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer To retain knowledge when staff leave, you have to accept an uncomfortable truth first: you can’t keep most of it by writing it down. Critical firm knowledge is
23 Jun
Succession Planning for Accounting Firm Partners: Why Your Exit Plan Is Really a Development Problem
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | Skillability for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 13-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer Succession planning for accounting firm partners is the process of preparing to transfer ownership, client relationships, and leadership so the firm continues — and retains its value —
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | Skillability for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 12-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer You can scale an accounting firm’s capacity without hiring by attacking four levers: (1) automate the routine work — AI frees 15–20 hours per accountant per week, worth
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | Skillability for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 14-minute read The Short Answer (TL;DR) Most “skill development” spending at accounting firms doesn’t develop skills — it accumulates certificates. The platform market sorts into three tiers that firm owners routinely confuse: credential platforms (CPE
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | Skillability for Accounting Firms Last updated: 2026 | 11-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer The best onboarding practices for accounting firms are: (1) start before day one with pre-boarding and pre-employment skills testing; (2) replace shadowing with structured, software-specific training inside your
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