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 In modern tax practices, review — not preparation — has become the primary constraint. Software and AI made preparation faster, so more returns hit the review stage sooner,
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By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: July 2026 | 14-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer A staff accountant onboarding checklist should not just help a CPA firm welcome a new hire. It should move that person toward useful, review-ready work in the
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: July 2026 | 14-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer CPA firm onboarding software should do more than welcome new hires, assign courses, and track checklists. It should help new staff become productive without constant manager rescue.
By Vincent Howard, CPA | Managing Partner, Howard, Howard and Hodges | SkillAbility for Accounting Firms Last updated: July 2026 | 14-minute read TL;DR — The Short Answer Professional skepticism training for junior accountants teaches staff to question the work, not just complete the task. Junior accountants do not magically develop judgment after enough busy
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 develop accounting staff without relying on shadowing: (1) define role-specific capability — a bookkeeper, tax preparer, senior, and manager need different pathways, not generic training; (2) stop
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 The 70-20-10 rule says people learn roughly 70% from experience, 20% from coaching and relationships, and 10% from formal training. It’s directionally right — courses alone never built
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 A new accountant’s first 90 days decide whether they become an independent contributor or a dependent one who needs constant manager rescue — and most firms waste the
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 | 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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