5 Twitter Feeds All Accountants Should Be Following

Emerging accounting professionals have the task of keeping themselves informed about accounting news, tax changes and helpful ideas. Conducting independent research to find this information can take up more time than busy professionals have. An easy way to keep up with news, changes and more is to follow some helpful Twitter feeds. These are five top examples.

1. @IRSNews

According to Forbes, this feed is one of the top 100 Twitter feeds for tax professionals to follow. @IRSNews is one of the main Twitter feeds for the Internal Revenue Service. It provides helpful news for the press, the public and tax professionals. Since the tax rules change from one year to the next, this is an easy way for accountants to stay abreast of the changes and to know when they take effect. The IRS does not collect messages or comments sent to this Twitter account.

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2. @RFChambers

Richard Chambers is the CEO and president of the Institute of Internal Auditors. With over 30 years of experience as an auditor, he provides helpful information to his followers on Twitter. Mr. Chambers keeps up with the latest economic reports and surveys, which accompany his statements via links on Twitter updates. He provides information from some of the top audit conferences. When Twitter followers address him, he is very attentive and responds quickly. He will respond directly or will address common questions in new Tweets. His responses provide an opportunity for anyone to join the conversation.

3. @TomHood

It is common to see frequent updates concerning conferences and accounting-related events on Tom Hood’s Twitter feed. For those who attend or keep up with these popular events and conferences, it is common knowledge that Mr. Hood provides a wealth of information and insight at those events. He shares it with his followers, which is helpful for those who are not able to attend as many conferences and events as they would like to attend. His feed consists of helpful advice with photos, mentions, re-tweets and check-ins to events. Many events were actually inspired by him and his brilliant ideas.

4. @GabrielleLuoma

Gabrielle Luoma owns a small CPA firm. She is a popular accounting icon for her innovative and helpful advice as well as her inspirational quotes. She provides a clear and unique perspective from the view of a practitioner and is an example of how small firms can excel financially through social media utilization. Ms. Luoma also attends several progressive accounting conferences each year. She includes exchanges of ideas between herself and other professionals at these events to allow her followers to learn more. For those who also have Facebook and Google+, Ms. Luoma posts on those sites as well.

5. @TaxGirl

This is the Twitter account of Kelly Phillips Erb. She is known for being the “Tax Girl” of JD and Tax LL.M. She balances a busy personal and professional life in addition to posting helpful information for her Twitter followers. Ms. Erb is known for her Forbes tax blog and several other published accounting pieces and books. This is a great Twitter feed for learning helpful tips, and Ms. Erb responds quickly to mentions and replies to any comments.

For busy accounting professionals and students who are entering the profession, it is very helpful to have wisdom and news packed into a concise 140 characters and delivered directly to an electronic device. Getting free help and advice from seasoned professionals is especially valuable for accounting students. There are plenty of other helpful Twitter accounts that focus on specific areas of accounting.