Top 5 Must-Have Online Resources for Accountants

The field of accounting is an ever-changing one. It can be difficult to stay up to date with current regulations and best practices. Fortunately, there is an abundance of online information to be obtained for those in the profession.

However, obtaining the most useful information is a time-consuming endeavour. For a quick start guide to some of the best accounting information on the web, continue reading for a list of the top five online resources for accountants.

These resources cover a comprehensive array of topics from experts in the field, including sources such as professional associations, blogs and business sites.

1. American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) (aicpa.org)

The AICPA website is a must when it comes to accounting resources. While its name implies it may be exclusively for CPAs, the fact is that this organization is that it provides information relevant to all accounting professionals. It's also the largest professional organization in the world dedicated to accountants. Those considering the profession will find a guide to getting started, along with a list of scholarships. Seasoned professionals can find the latest research and publications across a wide array of the subject matter.

To join AICPA means you're connected to a professional network 400,000 strong. It means you receive support and guidance for the work you do every day. And it means you're challenged to seize that next career milestone.

2. Accounting Today (accountingtoday.com)

If you're looking for one place to find the latest business news relevant to the accounting community, along with keen insight from experts, helpful resources and opinion pieces, Accounting Today should be a regular destination. Free membership entitles you to a wide variety of online content from the website and its sister site CPA Wealth Provider, regular newsletters, special reports and past archives. The daily features, podcasts and columns will provide you with extensive information you need to know to remain knowledgeable and competitive in the workplace.

Accounting Today is an important information resource for accountants – serving professionals who provide tax preparation, bookkeeping, auditing, financial planning, and business advisory and consulting services to individuals and small businesses.
It is focused on the industry’s concerns, such as tax law, accounting standards, technology, audit and assurance, and wealth management. Its analysis and news, and expert advice, helps to make informed decisions about businesses and their clients.

Need additional help? Seek its community then! The community often engages to help each other solve pressing issues.

3. The Economist (economist.com/topics/corporate-accounting)

The Economist is a popular publication spanning various topics that would be of interest to accountants and other finance professionals. Such topics include international news, business, finance and politics. You can browse the extensive material available on the site or choose to focus on your preferred area of interest, such as corporate accounting. This publication does a spectacular job of providing analysis and expert opinion regarding numerous issues that affect your work.

The Economist strives for the highest moral and ethical standards in its work and avoids conflict of interests where it can with its clear policy. Every single article they publish is checked for accuracy and credibility. They have a dedicated Research department to support this task.

Authors are expected to write with fact-checking in mind and should be ready to provide source material and to discuss and respond to questions, ensuring only the highest quality of their work.

4. Strategic Finance Magazine (sfmagazine.com)

Strategic Finance Magazine is a publication of The Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business. Here you'll be able to read individual articles of interest to those in the business of finance, along with columns discussing specifics such as taxes, leadership, ethics and careers. Any accountant, tax preparer, financial adviser or other industry pros will find a wealth of information to boost job performance and enhance work-related insights.

Furthermore, Strategic Finance Magazine is the award-winning flagship publication of IMA (Institute of Management Accountants). On a monthly bases they product articles that help financial professionals perform their jobs more effectively, advance their careers, grow personally and professionally, and make their organizations more profitable. SF is consistently rated by IMA members as one of the most accessed and valued benefits of membership.

5. Accounting Coach (accountingcoach.com)

Accounting Coach is a website that provides information and tutorials on all aspects of accounting and bookkeeping, from beginner to advanced. It's perfect for use as a supplement for student learning or as a guide to provide a quick answer for a professional looking to refresh their memory. The instructional content is written by Harold Averkamp, an expert with 25 years as a college accounting professor and 25 years working as an accountant and consultant. Premium content is also available for those wishing to extend their knowledge.

Accounting Coach was launched in 2003 to help learn, refresh, and deepen understanding of introductory accounting and bookkeeping at no cost. The free website contains explanations, quizzes, Q&A, and more for 30 major topics.

So Which Ones?

All of these five online resources for accountants will give you a good start to staying on top of your game when it comes to the profession you love. Enjoy browsing the articles, tutorials and blog posts as each and every one of these sources bring the vast number of resources for you to learn from to master your skills.

Best of luck in your professional endeavours.