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Bush & Associates, KMPG take top spots for new SEC audit clients in 2024

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A small firm in Henderson, Nevada, Bush & Associates, topped the list of those with the most new Securities and Exchange Commission audit clients in 2024, followed by Big Four firm KPMG — but the audit firm that had what was likely the biggest impact on the market isn’t on the list at all.

Bush & Associates added 32 new SEC clients and netted 30 over the course of last year, while KPMG added 39 and netted 23. (See “Net engagement leaders.”)

Almost half of Bush’s new clients — 14 out of 32 — came from one-time star BF Borgers, which was permanently suspended from practice by the commission in May, and whose demise amid a welter of accusations of improper practice sent a huge number of clients out into the market seeking new auditors.

A significant number of firms picked up clients that had been with Borgers, including:

  • Michael Gillespie & Associates, with 15 Borgers clients;
  • Boladale Lawal & Co., with 12;
  • Fruci & Associates, with 10;
  • Olayinka Oyebola & Co., with 9;
  • Astra Audit, BCRG Group, and M&K CPAs, with six each; and,
  • BartonCPA and Beckles & Co., with five each.

BF Borgers wasn’t the only firm whose clients were looking for new homes: Astra Audit picked up 13 new engagements in 2024 from Accell Audit & Compliance, which closed down its SEC practice, and the exit of Morison Cogen from the SEC market helped Stephano Slack pick up 11.

Most of these firm departures didn’t have much of an impact on the largest auditors (see “2024 total gains & losses), but the combination of Top 10 Firms Marcum and CBIZ did shake out a large number of clients who were picked up by a wide range of firms.

chart visualization

Clients by filing status, and more

In terms of clients by filing status, KPMG led among new large accelerated filers, while Bush & Associates took the lead among non-accelerated filers and small reporting companies. (See “Audit leaders.“) Deloitte took on the most accelerated filers in 2024.

As you might expect, KPMG topped the league tables for new market capitalization audited, with the biggest contribution coming from Grayscale Bitcoin Trust’s $25.5 billion, as well as for new assets audited, with insurance underwriter Everest Group accounting for $49.3 billion and Grayscale Bitcoin Trust for $26.4 billion. It came in second for new audit fees, energy distribution and services company UGI Corp. the biggest slice, at $9 million, and all the rest of its clients scattered below that. (See “New client leaders.)

Deloitte was No. 1 for new audit fees, with dental instrument and supply provider Dentsply Sirona Inc. coming in at $11.8 million and 3D printing company 3D Systems Corp. at $10 million, and all its other clients below that. The firm came in second for new assets audited, with insurance holding company American National Group’s $79.9 billion and cruise line Carnival’s $49 billion standing out.

Finally, PwC took second in new market cap audited, with a big boost from semiconductor manufacturer Global Foundries Inc.’s $32.1 billion.

Data for the quarterly rankings are provided by Ideagen Audit Analytics, a premium online intelligence service delivering audit, regulatory and disclosure analysis. Reach them at (508) 476-7007, [email protected] or www.auditanalytics.com

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Total college enrollment rose 3.2%

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Total postsecondary spring enrollment grew 3.2% year-over-year, according to a report.

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center published the latest edition of its Current Term Enrollment Estimates series, which provides final enrollment estimates for the fall and spring terms.

The report found that undergraduate enrollment grew 3.5% and reached 15.3 million students, but remains below pre-pandemic levels (378,000 less students). Graduate enrollment also increased to 7.2%, higher than in 2020 (209,000 more students).

Graduation photo

(Read more: Undergraduate accounting enrollment rose 12%)

Community colleges saw the largest growth in enrollment (5.4%), and enrollment increased for all undergraduate credential types. Bachelor’s and associate programs grew 2.1% and 6.3%, respectively, but remain below pre-pandemic levels. 

Most ethnoracial groups saw increases in enrollment this spring, with Black and multiracial undergraduate students seeing the largest growth (10.3% and 8.5%, respectively). The number of undergraduate students in their twenties also increased. Enrollment of students between the ages of 21 and 24 grew 3.2%, and enrollment for students between 25 and 29 grew 5.9%.

For the third consecutive year, high vocational public two-years had substantial growth in enrollment, increasing 11.7% from 2023 to 2024. Enrollment at these trade-focused institutions have increased nearly 20% since pre-pandemic levels.

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Interim guidance from the IRS simplifies corporate AMT

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Jordan Vonderhaar/Photographer: Jordan Vonderhaar/

The Internal Revenue Service has released Notice 2025-27, which provides interim guidance on an optional simplified method for determining an applicable corporation for the corporate alternative minimum tax.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 amended Sec. 55 to impose the CAMT based on the “adjusted financial statement income” of an “applicable corporation” for taxable years beginning in 2023. 

Among other details, proposed regs provide that “applicable corporation” means any corporation (other than an S corp, a regulated investment company or a REIT) that meets either of two average annual AFSI tests depending on financial statement net operating losses for three taxable years and whether the corporation is a member of a foreign-parented multinational group.

Prior to the publication of any final regulations relating to the CAMT, the Treasury and the IRS will issue a notice of proposed rulemaking. Notice 2025-27 will be in IRB: 2025-26, dated June 23.

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In the blogs: Whiplash | Accounting Today

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Conquering tariffs; bracing for notices; FBAR penalty timing; and other highlights from our favorite tax bloggers.

Whiplash

Number-crunching

  • Canopy (https://www.getcanopy.com/blog): “7-Figure Firm, 4-Hour Workweek: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself.”
  • The National Association of Tax Professionals (https://blog.natptax.com/): This week’s “You Make the Call” looks at Sarah, a U.S. citizen who moved to London for work in 2024. On May 15, 2025, it hit her that she forgot to file her 2024 U.S. return. Was she required to file her 2024 taxes by April 15?
  • Taxable Talk (http://www.taxabletalk.com/): Anteing up with Uncle Sam: The World Series of Poker is back, and one major change this year involves players from Russia and Hungary. After suspension of tax treaties with those nations, players will have 30% of winnings withheld. 
  • Parametric (https://www.parametricportfolio.com/blog): Direct indexing seems to come with a common misunderstanding: On the performance statement, conflating the value of harvested losses with returns. 

Problems brewing

  • Taxing Subjects (https://www.drakesoftware.com/blog): No chill is chillier than the client’s at the mailbox when an IRS notice appears out of the blue. How you can educate — and warn — them about the various notices everybody’s that favorite agency might send.
  • Dean Dorton (https://deandorton.com/insights/): Perhaps because they can be founded on trust, your nonprofit clients are especially vulnerable to fraud.
  • Global Taxes (https://www.globaltaxes.com/blog.php): When it’s your time, it’s your time: The clock starts on FBAR penalties when the tax forms are due and not when penalties are assessed — and even the death of the taxpayer doesn’t extend the deadline.
  • TaxConnex (https://www.taxconnex.com/blog-): Your e-commerce clients can muck up sales tax obligations in many ways. How some of the seeds of trouble might hide in their own billing system.
  • Sovos (https://sovos.com/blog/): What’s up with the five states that don’t have a sales tax?
  • Taxjar (https://www.taxjar.com/resources/blog): Humans are still needed to handle sales tax complexity, with real-world examples.
  • Wiss (https://wiss.com/insights/read/): A business — and business-advising — success story from a California chicken eatery.

Almost half done

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