We get busy. I get it.
Clients are calling, files are piling, deadlines don’t care how tired you are. It’s easy, almost inevitable to push off the updates. You tell yourself you’ll catch up next week. Then next month. Then next year.
Until the day you give outdated advice and it costs someone money.
Worse, it costs you your credibility.
Tax law doesn’t stop changing because you’re overwhelmed. GAAP doesn’t freeze until your workload lightens.
State boards won’t bend because you were too buried in work to catch a revision.
And your license won’t protect itself (smiles).
This profession is dynamic by design. The second you get too comfortable with what you already know, you risk slipping behind. And in our field, “behind” is dangerous.
I’ve seen it happen:
- A CPA files using last year’s deduction threshold, unaware of the revision.
- Another misses a new reporting requirement because they hadn’t checked the IRS bulletin.
- Another gives advice that was technically correct two quarters ago, but wrong today.
Each one had the same excuse: “I didn’t know.”
But ignorance isn’t a defense, it’s a liability.
Here’s what I do to stay sharp without losing my mind after going through the same challenge:
- Set a standing monthly calendar block for tax law and accounting updates. No excuses. It’s non-negotiable.
- Subscribe only to two or three trusted sources. Quality over quantity. IRS updates. AICPA alerts. Your state board’s newsletter. That’s enough.
- Join a peer circle or online group (Facebook or LinkedIn groups) where other CPAs share changes fast. You’ll hear things there before they hit your inbox.
- Update your internal checklists quarterly. New laws mean new workflows. Your systems will not catch up on their own.
When you stay informed, you’re not just avoiding mistakes. You’re serving from a place of current authority. And clients can feel that. They trust it. They stay because of it.
This is how you can take action now:
Pick a day this week and schedule 45 minutes. Read one IRS update, one AICPA standard, and skim your state board’s latest bulletin. That small habit, done consistently, will protect your edge and your license.
Don’t miss it lesson 11 tomorrow
Book your free 15 minutes clarity session today: 757-977-8911 or email [email protected]
If we haven’t met,
I am Dr. Lilly Mbinglo, CPA,
❤️Daddy YONGKA’s Nyomshiliv,
💃🏾Abakwa’s FINEST and SMARTEST CPA,
💸Tax Strategist and Tax Alchemist Extraordinaire,
👩🏽💼Regent University MBA Professor,
I serve through The Ark NPS, a full-service Accounting Firm, where we provide Accounting services, Bookkeeping, Payroll, Tax Preparation, Planning, Resolution and Consulting, as well as Startup services to Individuals, Businesses and Nonprofits.
Let’s Connect!
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