COVID-19 changed the world as we know it, necessitating unprecedented pervasive changes to the way we live, work, and educate.  With the first case of COVID-19 identified in the United States in January of 2020 (Holshue et al, 2020), infections in the US continued to climb, culminating in substantial “life-as-we-know-it” shutdowns across the country by mid-March 2020.  Such shutdowns caused massive job losses and economic disruptions; however, these shutdowns were effective at halting the exponential spread of the virus (Achenbach and Meckler, 2020).  Compounding the complexity of this situation for accountants is that the COVID-19 shutdown timeline coincided with the United States tax season, requiring quick process changes on behalf of accounting firms.  Further complicating the accounting processes is the uncertain financial futures of accounting clients, who sought answers and assistance regarding available government support (US Department of Treasury) as they faced business failings, personal monetary devastation, and the anxiety that resulted from these events.

This study seeks to understand and present what the unintended consequences and nontraditional roles were experienced and assumed by accountants during the tax season of 2020, as compared and contrasted to earlier years.  Such nontraditional roles include counselor, psychologist, virologist and IT specialist, among others.   It further explores the concept of resiliency as it relates to accounting firms experiencing this black swan event.  The data are analyzed and presented in terms of accounting firm size, function, and location.

Achenbach, Joel, and Laura Meckler. “Shutdowns Prevented 60 Million Coronavirus Infections in the U.S., Study Finds.” Washington Post, 8 June 2020.

Holshue, M. L., DeBolt, C., Lindquist, S., Lofy, K. H., Wiesman, J., Bruce, H., ... & Diaz, G. (2020). First case of 2019 novel coronavirus in the United States. New England Journal of Medicine.

U.S. Department of the Treasury. (2020, June 29). Retrieved June 30, 2020, from https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/cares