'Cautious optimism' is the watchword for this tax season — but there's still plenty tax practitioners can do to make it run smoothly.

BDO USA partners with the LPGA while Weaver signs up a brand ambassador from the PGA; and other accounting firm and personnel news.

Plus, Schneider Downs Digital launches AI finance companion; Ramp introduces live budget tracking; and other accounting tech updates.

The OBBBA reshaped several baseline assumptions for 2026 planning around state and local tax, above-the-line deductions and updated inflation adjustments.

FASB adds six to Not-for-Profit Advisory Committee; Brown Plus promotes 15; and more news from across the profession.

Plus, Emburse announces Invoice Tax Validation; TaxStatus releases tax prep checklist, tax return history; and other accounting tech news and updates.

PCAOB appoints new acting general counsel and acting director of the PCAOB's Division of Enforcement and Investigations; RSM admits 48 to partner; and more news from across the profession.

Plus, Data Ramp solution lets people process data without moving it; Rillet adds quarterly and annual financial reports, other features; and additional accounting tech news.

Experts shared the tools, trends and technologies they think will shape the next 12 months in accounting.

AI is nowhere near even approaching anything resembling sentience. But if it were, would it be ethical to make it do accounting tasks? We examine the question of AI freedom in our final part of our AI Thought Leaders series.