Director, Strategic Relationships, CCH,
Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting
David Bergstein, CPA, CITP is Director of Strategic Relationships for CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business. David has been in the tax and accounting industry for many years and has been a practicing accountant for over 20 years. While at the IRS he held various positions: Agent, Trainer, Speaker, and Chief Technical Section. He received his CPA and an MA in Taxation from Long Island University’s CW Post College.
David was an accounting professor at Suffolk County Community College in New York for over 15 years. In addition, he has served on the AICPA Top Tech Technology Team and presently is a member of the FICPA Business Technology Section and the Financial Literacy Committee. He is also an AICPA CPA Ambassador. David is well-known as a speaker and trainer in the field of utilizing new technology to improve the efficiency of operations in tax, accounting, practice management, and general operations of the accounting process.
David is a happy grandfather who tweets on twitter while rollerblading. His hobbies include bicycle riding, tennis, and staying up to date on technology. If you are looking to keep up with him you can find him on Facebook or his twitter account.
Your initial plan to relax after a long and stressful tax season in a fun, tropical location might be better spent at a conference. I’ve been to four conferences this year and met new contacts as well as shook hands with old friends. Read further >
New Breed of Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Accountant, Licensed Accountant
The time is now for everyone in the profession to realize that no matter what we do the times are a-changing and there is more opportunity than there ever was if you want it. There are small businesses starting every day and the best part of it is that no matter what the size they are, they all have the potential to be global.
Nielsen and NM Incite recently published a report on Americans in the 18- to 34-year-old age group and their use of mobile technology. Although they represent less than a quarter of the population, they are leading the way in smartphone and tablet PC use (39% and 33% respectively). This trend is applicable worldwide with a higher number of individuals using mobile applications at a higher rate than Americans. Generation “C” are more likely to click on their favorite video sites, social media sites, or surf the web while watching TV. Rapidly flipping through information and completing tasks is commonplace. Answering emails, texts, and posts in realtime is now the rule and not the exception. Read further >
Blockbuster, a store featuring rental videos and DVD’s, once had over 4000 locations in the United States. They filed for bankruptcy in 2010 and were eventually sold to The Dish Network, which kept about 500 stores open. Competitors such as NetFlix, where a movie can be ordered through your television or downloaded to a computer, are the reason why consumers no longer want to wait in line at the store and worry about returning their rental. Read further >
As we are just getting started in 2012, I would like to share with you some of my top technology tips for the coming year. I have pulled these together mainly with accountants in mind, however this should also be relevant to other professionals. Take a look at the list and let me know what you think or what your tips are for the coming year. Read further >
I just sat through a presentation of a practice management software application that transformed the way people worked and functioned. Innovation according to Wikipedia is the ”creation of better or more effective products, processes, technologies, or ideas that are accepted by markets, governments, and society.” It is interesting to note that innovation differs from invention where as the former is relating to use of a new idea or method and latter is the creation of the idea. Read further >
The November issue of the Journal of Accountancy has an article where experts explain what should be on your wish list for 2012 or a preview to Tech 2012. Rick Richardson comments are most interesting to me in terms of intelligent solutions. “ I think one of the biggest issues is they’re now throwing around a term called the post-PC era. That is an (era) where the desktop and/or laptop computer, at least for some users, is going to have a metamorphosis in terms of who uses it and for what is it used.” Read further >
“Since the advent of search engines, we are reorganizing the way we remember things,” Betsy Sparrow, a Columbia University assistant professor of psychology, said in a statement. “Our brains rely on the Internet for memory in much the same way they rely on the memory of a friend, family member, or co-worker.” If you are interested, you can read more about this on cnet News. This leads me to the main point in how we function in the tax and accounting world today. Read further >
SaaS has become a common delivery application in the accountant’s environment. In this post I will talk about some of the differences between SaaS systems that can help you when choosing which one to use. Read further >
I have been doing some research on how millennials learn and it came to mind that most firms ignore the need to update and train personnel after the initial implementation of a new application. This is a really Big Mistake. Software is constantly being updated and accountants have a habit of looking back (prior year workpapers) and doing the same thing over and over again as they perform their tasks. They do not realize that there have been changes in the tools they use that allow them to be more efficient and effective. Read further >
