Spooky spending alert: 15% of Americans said they would go into debt for Halloween.
— WalletHub
Jillian Phan
LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
With eyes set on a medical career while in college, 2025-26 CalCPA Chair Jillian Phan found herself instead drawn to accounting classes, changed her major and has never looked back. A partner at Meloni Hribal Tratner, LLP, her work has touched the food service, manufacturing, real estate, entertainment and gaming industries
What does a typical day look like for you?
It starts with a list of five top-priority projects I hope to tackle. I consider accomplishing two of them a win because most days are filled with “fire drills”—anything from urgent client needs to firm-related matters. It can be intense, but that’s what keeps me sharp.
What keeps you coming back to your work?
The relationships I’ve built with my clients keep me inspired. I’ve known many for more than two decades, and I’m honored to be their trusted adviser. I’m there not just for accounting, financial and tax matters, but sometimes even personal ones. Collaborating with them is deeply rewarding.
What would people not expect of accounting?
The numbers are just the beginning. The real value lies in interpreting them, strategizing, planning and helping others understand what they mean. That’s where accounting becomes both an art and a science.
What should people know about accounting?
Accounting is like learning a new language. Once you understand it, you can decode the financial and tax world and help others do the same. It gives you a powerful way to bring clarity to complexity.
Time-Sensitive Tax Planning Under the OBBBA
by Celia Lau, CPA
Oct. 15, 2025
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act brings sweeping changes to some common tax provisions, including higher SALT caps, new charitable limits and the early expiration of popular energy credits that may impact clients’ 2025 tax planning.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed into law a CPA pathways bill (AB 1175) that establishes an alternative route to getting a certified public accountant license that doesn’t require 150 hours of college credit—which typically equals five years of post-secondary education.
Supply-chain disruptions caused by natural disasters, pandemics or global recessions may seem unambiguously negative. But they can also force businesses to streamline operations to stay competitive. Research suggests that how well companies respond depends in part on the quality of their accounting.
How do tax returns and forms processed by the IRS stack up against Mount Everest? Daily Accrual
If you thought your desk was buried in paperwork, consider that for tax year 2024, the IRS could have stacked its paper returns higher than Mt. Everest (29,032 feet).
Of the 266 million tax returns and forms the IRS handled that year, more than 161 million came from individuals.
How do tax returns and forms processed by the IRS stack up against Mount Everest?
Daily Accrual
If you thought your desk was buried in paperwork, consider that for tax year 2024, the IRS could have stacked its paper returns higher than Mt. Everest (29,032 feet).
Of the 266 million tax returns and forms the IRS handled that year, more than 161 million came from individuals.
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