Roadblock 3: Deadline pressure impacts accuracy
Tax filing deadlines compress high volumes of work into narrow timeframes. During these periods, even well-established processes can break down. Under pressure, shortcuts in research are more likely, and errors increase. This is particularly challenging when dealing with complex tax jurisdiction issues or nuanced interpretations of constantly evolving codes and regulations.
Firms require purpose-built research tools that provide comprehensive answers to help track changes and provide the underlying documentation. AI can accelerate insights and reduce the time team members spend searching for answers.
Roadblock 4: Multi-jurisdictional complexity increases risk
Clients rarely operate within a single tax jurisdiction. Businesses often span multiple states and, in many cases, international markets. Each jurisdiction introduces its own rules, interpretations, and compliance requirements, making regulatory compliance across jurisdictions extremely complex.
Firms need clear visibility into jurisdiction-specific guidance and the ability to compare rules across locations. At the same time, there must be confidence that the interpretations are accurate and up to date to avoid compliance risk. Being able to compare analyses across jurisdictions and see rules side-by-side helps provide clarity.
Roadblock 5: Limited time for advisory services
Today, 94% of firms today offer advisory services, accounting for an average of 13% of firm revenue — a 30% increase from 2024. Year-round advisory services offer an opportunity to generate monthly recurring revenue beyond tax season, which is why 63% of firms say advisory is a key service.
However, many firms struggle to deliver on their goals, and the reason is often straightforward. When teams spend a significant portion of their time on tax and accounting research, there is less time available for tax advisory services. Strategic conversations are often delayed or deprioritized, and firms remain focused on compliance rather than planning.
Shifting this balance is essential for firms that want to expand their advisory services and CPA services to deepen client relationships. The right tax research platform can streamline the research and support confident decision-making. AI tools can help summarize key points and uncover specific insights into client scenarios.
The role of AI in modern tax research
AI tax research is emerging as a critical capability for firms looking to address these challenges. However, the value of AI is not simply speed. To be effective, AI for tax research must:
- Deliver answers grounded in authoritative content
- Support interpretation of complex tax and accounting regulations
- Provide context professionals can trust
When implemented correctly, AI can:
- Reduce time spent searching for answers
- Help junior staff navigate complex topics
- Surface relevant insights across jurisdictions
- Improve consistency in research outcomes
While AI for tax research will not replace professional expertise, it can enhance it.
From tax research burden to strategic advantage
Firms that modernize their approach to tax and accounting research are beginning to see a fundamental shift in how their teams operate. With the right tax and accounting research software in place, research no longer acts as a bottleneck that slows down delivery and decision-making. Instead, it becomes a driver of efficiency and confidence across the firm.
This shift allows teams to improve turnaround times while maintaining a high level of accuracy, even when dealing with complex interpretations of the Internal Revenue Code and regulations. It also reduces the pressure on senior staff by enabling more consistent outputs across the team.
In this model, research evolves from a reactive task into a forward-looking capability, supporting more proactive client engagement, strengthening relationships, and enabling firms to play a more strategic role in clients’ financial decision-making.
Moving toward a more efficient research model
Addressing today’s research roadblocks requires more than incremental process improvements. It calls for a broader rethinking of how tax research and accounting research are conducted and applied within the firm.
Our research shows that firms with highly integrated tech stacks are 53% more likely to achieve high growth. Quite simply, high-growth firms share two traits: technical maturity and operational discipline.
Supporting the shift with smarter research tools
As firms evaluate how to evolve their tax and accounting research processes, they find they need a solution that integrates into their tech stack and is purpose-built to address the growing complexity of tax jurisdiction requirements, regulatory changes, and the need for faster, more reliable answers.
CCH® AnswerConnect supports this shift by helping professionals navigate complex tax and accounting questions with greater clarity and confidence. This eliminates the need to search multiple sources or hunt for underlying supporting documentation.
CCH® AnswerConnect provides:
- Continually updated income tax regulations and accounting regulations within a single environment
- Fast, efficient, and comprehensive answers to most complex scenarios
- AI search backed by expert, vetted content
- Expert analysis of secure client documents and file
- Integration into tech stacks for a more seamless workflow
Explore how CCH® AnswerConnect helps firms overcome these roadblocks and shift from compliance to strategic advisory.
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