Springline Advisory, a financial and business advisory firm backed by the private equity firm Trinity Hunt Partners, has partnered with Fiske Advisory LLC, a South Florida-based business accounting, tax, business valuation and advisory services firm. 

Through the partnership, Fiske will get greater access to the resources of a larger firm. Springline Advisory will in turn expand its firm portfolio with Fiske’s business advisory services such as forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and tax.

“Joining forces with Springline Advisory is a natural fit,” said Sheri Fiske Schultz, managing partner of Fiske Advisory LLC, in a statement Tuesday. “Their commitment to delivering exceptional client service and their strong cultural alignment with our values of professionalism, integrity and personalized attention make this partnership a powerful opportunity. Together, we’re excited to provide even greater value to our clients, increase professional development opportunities for our teams, and to build on our legacy of excellence.”

Founded in 1972, Fiske offers litigation support accounting, business valuation, and other specialized services, Fiske is consistently ranked among the top 25 litigation support accounting firms, top local providers of business valuation services, and top women-owned businesses in the region.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Fiske as a Springline founding firm. Their sterling reputation for providing exceptional advisory services, employee-centric culture, and entrepreneurial spirit complement our shared vision for growth,” said Springline Advisory CEO Tim Brackney in a statement. “This combination underscores our dedication to forging strategic partnerships that strengthen the capabilities of traditional accounting firms, allowing us to offer a broader range of services that meet the business demands of today’s dynamic middle market.” 

“My focus in advising Fiske was to find a partner that could really accelerate their growth as an advisory business while continuing to nourish and support their strong culture,” said Gary Thomson, managing partner of Thomson Consulting and advisor on the deal. “Springline Advisory’s strategic approach to growth is impressive. Partnering with Fiske, whose solid reputation in specialized areas like litigation support and business valuation is built on years of experience and deep industry knowledge, positions Springline as a high-impact player in the accounting and advisory space and elevates their competitive advantage as demand in the market continues to grow.”

The announcement follows recent strategic transactions for Springline Advisory with Dallas-based HM&M Advisory, LLC and Clark, Raymond & Co.in Redmond, Washington.

Trinity Hunt Partners, a Dallas-based PE firm, created Springline Advisory last year. The first investment was in MarksNelson, a Kansas-based firm. In addition to MarksNelson, Springline later added Indianapolis-based BGBC Advisory and made plans to expand by adding more firms around the country that serve middle-market clients. 

Insero Advisors LLC, a firm based in Rochester, New York, has received a strategic investment from Rallyday Partners, a private equity firm in Denver, to accelerate its growth and expand its service offerings.

With the investment, Insero plans to enhance its advisory services, integrate advanced technologies into its operations, double down on its “people-first” culture, and broaden its reach across new regions. Insero’s strategy will include partnering with other like-minded public accounting, advisory, and professional services firms and adding more service lines for clients.

Following the closing of the transaction, Insero will operate an alternative practice structure in which Insero & Co. CPAs, LLP, a licensed CPA firm, will provide attest services, and Insero Advisors, LLC, will provide business advisory, tax and other non-attest services. 

“Insero has always been committed to helping our clients succeed by providing solutions that address their unique challenges and opportunities,” said Insero CEO Nancy Catarisano in a statement Tuesday. “We are excited for this next step as we lead the reinvention of the public accounting and consulting industries at a national level. This partnership with Rallyday is going to enable us to get to this vision faster and smarter, and we could not be more thrilled.”

Insero & Company CPAs has frequently been ranked among Accounting Today’s Best Firms to Work For over the past decade. Beyond enhancing client services, Insero plans to continue its investment in its people, offering employees opportunities to learn, innovate, and contribute to impactful projects with a great sense of purpose.

“We are honored and inspired to partner with Nancy and the team at Insero as they redefine what it means to be a modern accounting firm,” said Rallyday managing partner Ryan Heckman in a statement. “Their clients consistently praise the firm’s ability to deliver exceptional results through a unique blend of technical expertise, operational savvy, and unwavering integrity. Insero’s commitment to innovation and personalized service truly sets them apart in the accounting and advisory space. They also share our dedication to the human side of business — prioritizing both employee development and meaningful client relationships — which makes this partnership even more compelling for Rallyday.”

The Internal Revenue Service is making some changes this tax season in an effort to combat tax scams in areas like the Fuel Tax Credit.

The IRS is teaming up with partners in the Coalition of Scam and Scheme Threats as part of the effort. 

Convened at the request of IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel, the CASST task force of federal and state tax agencies, software and financial companies, as well as key national tax professional associations, agreed to a new public private partnership in August focused on scams and schemes.

“Since its creation, this special group across the tax community has been working to take extra steps to protect taxpayers and the tax professional community,” Werfel said in a statement Tuesday. “This effort includes expanding outreach and education on emerging scams, developing innovative approaches to identify potentially fraudulent returns at the point of filing and creating infrastructure improvements to protect taxpayers as well as federal, state and industry tax systems. CASST partners have already worked together on important changes to protect taxpayers and tax professionals in the 2025 filing season, but this needs to be an ongoing effort given the continued expansion and threats from scams.”

The IRS noted that the Fuel Tax Credit has been promoted on social media as a tax break by promoters, but it’s available to relatively few taxpayers. The tax credit is designed for off-highway business and farming use, and taxpayers need to have a legitimate business purpose and a qualifying business activity such as running a farm or purchasing aviation gasoline to be eligible for the credit. Most taxpayers don’t qualify to claim the credit. The IRS has developed the “Statement Supporting Fuel Tax Credit (FTC) Computation – 1” to educate taxpayers on eligibility requirements for claiming the credit.

The IRS is also stepping up its review of various “other withholding” claims on Form 1040 that have been exploited by scammers and schemers. To decrease potential delays in verifying the “Other Withholding” claimed, the IRS is encouraging taxpayers to attach the supporting documentation to their tax return. Some of the main forms covered by Line 25c, “Other Withholding”, include Form 1042-S, Foreign Person’s U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding; Form 8805, Foreign Partner’s Information Statement of Section 1446 Withholding Tax; Form 8288-A, Statement of Withholding on Dispositions by Foreign Persons of U.S. Real Property Interests; Form W2G, Certain Gambling Winnings; Form 8959, Additional Medicare Tax; and Schedule K1, Partner’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc.

The IRS is reaching out to taxpayers who have potentially been using “ghost preparers” to prepare tax returns. These preparers don’t identify themselves on the tax return, which is a red flag for taxpayers to be misled into a scam or scheme. During the 2025 filing season, the IRS will send letters to taxpayers whose tax returns appear to have been completed by a paid tax preparer who did not sign or include their Preparer Tax Identification Number on the tax return. The letters aim to educate taxpayers about “ghost preparers” and to help the IRS identify those who are being paid to prepare returns and are not signing or including their PTIN on the return. The IRS said it’s continuing to see instances where ghost preparers dupe taxpayers into filing inaccurate tax returns for bigger refunds. The preparers later vanish like a ghost, leaving the taxpayer exposed to inaccurate claims.

During the 2025 filing season, the IRS plans to add more protections for tax professionals, aimed at protecting the tax pro’s Electronic Filing Identification Number or EFIN and PTIN from unauthorized use. More details will be available in the near future.