In the blogs: Higher questions

Valuations this year; handling interviewees; AI and accounting ed.; and other highlights from our favorite tax bloggers.

Higher questions

• Virginia – U.S. Tax Talk (https://us-tax.org/about-this-us-tax-blog/): Favorite question of the week: "Does Pope Leo XIV Have to File an FBAR?"
• Taxpayer Advocate Service (https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/taxnews-information/blogs-nta/): With more than 597,000 unprocessed claims for Employee Retention Credits and thousands of disallowance notices already issued, the IRS must now administer this program to prioritize "fairness, transparency and taxpayer rights."
• Berkowitz Pollack Brant (https://www.bpbcpa.com/articles-press-releases/): The New York State Court of Appeals has found an advertising research firm liable for $2.3 million in unpaid sales tax.
• Avalara (https://www.avalara.com/blog/en/north-america.htmll): Property tax compliance is a critical aspect of financial management for businesses — and that spells responsibility for accounting firms. The essentials of property tax appeals. 
• Withum (https://www.withum.com/resources/): New York Gov. Hochul has signed the state's 2025-2026 budget into law. Of note, among other changes, is a payroll tax hike and new rules related to partnership audits.

Haunting of the Hill House

• Eide Bailly (https://www.eidebailly.com/taxblog): The House Ways and Means Committee planned to begin to publicly debate and amend tax legislation on May 13, with the ultimate goal to produce the "one big, beautiful" bill to extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: "This is the stage where seemingly dead and buried ideas mysteriously come back to life to haunt the proceedings." 
• Wiss (https://wiss.com/insights/read/): Key highlights of the proposed beauty.
• Current Federal Tax Developments (https://www.currentfederaltaxdevelopments.com/): And a bulleted summary.
• Tax Vox (https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox): If Congress expands the Child Tax Credit with TCJA extension, who might benefit and what might it cost?
• Tax Foundation (www.taxfoundation.org/blog): Policymakers will also decide the fate of the SALT cap. Debate rages about making the cap more generous, along with possible limits on pass-through workarounds and SALT deductions  by corporations. While capping business SALT could raise additional revenue, it would risk slowing economic growth.

Soft skills

• Vertex (https://www.vertexinc.com/resources/resource-library/filter/field_asset_type/blog?page=0): Amid considerations and questions when tax groups have to push for a new software, what far-reaching positives should those groups present to the holders of the purse strings?
• Insights (https://blog.freedmaxick.com/summing-it-up): Today's special isn't always best. What to remind restaurant clients about accounting systems specific to their niche.
• Canopy (https://www.canopytax.com/blog): You know it's important but how do you do it? A thorough guide to document management for accountants.
• TaxProCenter (https://accountants.intuit.com/taxprocenter/): Tax software evals are a dime a dozen, but this one quickly meshes many voices and outlooks. Take a close look before you hit "Buy."

Rational decisions

• HBK (https://hbkcpa.com/insights/): Never underestimate the paperwork: How in the charged process of divorce, financial documentation often takes an unwarranted backseat to more emotional concerns.
• Dean Dorton (https://deandorton.com/insights/): Clients with valuation questions should realize that this year the standout differentiator is whether a company has exposure to international supply chains.
• TaxConnex (https://www.taxconnex.com/blog-): States levy sales tax on SaaS in more ways than you can shake a cloud at. What to bear in mind for impacted tech clients. 
• Taxjar (https://www.taxjar.com/resources/blog): June sales tax due dates.
• U of I Tax School (https://taxschool.illinois.edu/blog/): What to remind them about avoiding penalties on estimated taxes.
• Armanino (https://www.armanino.com/articles/): When good clients make bad (or at least too-hasty) decisions about international opportunities without weighing tax consequences.
• Yeo & Yeo (https://www.yeoandyeo.com/resources): What to remind businesses about turning losses into tax relief.

Tidying up

• Boyum & Barenscheer (https://www.myboyum.com/blog/): Should you vacuum the meeting room? How many times should you talk with a candidate? Keys — some often overlooked — to effective interviewing.
• The National Association of Tax Professionals (https://blog.natptax.com/): A WISP is the written information security plan that verifies how your firm protects taxpayer information. You can't ignore them anymore, and here's how to build a compliant one.
• Taxing Subjects (https://www.drakesoftware.com/blog): An outstanding guide to SEO for accounting firms. 
• AICPA & CIMA Insights (https://www.aicpa-cima.com/blog): Where does AI fit into accounting education? Everywhere.