Dear lord, not another CAS blog. Seriously? We have to have ANOTHER CAS blog??
Well, yeah. Because it’s most definitely not going away or becoming less popular. And with three bazillion authorities jumping in to try to claim the advisory arena as their realm of expertise, there’s a ton of confusing and contradictory info out there about what Client Advisory Services actually are.
By now, just about everyone in accounting has heard of CAS. It’s been the buzz at conferences, on podcasts, and in every accounting publication worth its salt (and a few that aren’t). And yet, despite all the noise (or maybe because of it), there’s still a lot of confusion around what it actually includes—and what it doesn’t.
Understanding CAS isn’t just about semantics—it’s about evolving from historical number-crunchers to forward-thinking strategic partners. So if you’ve ever smiled and nodded while someone said “we’re going all in on CAS,” but secretly wondered what that really means… you’re not alone.
Let’s break it down.
Mama CAS Elliot. Few people knew about her accounting advisory background.
Actual photo (okay, not really) of a firm’s CAS revenue. Ignore the pennies in there,
someone came up short.
If you want to deliver CAS, don’t call GrubHub or Uber Eats. They won’t do it. We asked.
Client Advisory Services aren’t a trend—they’re a reflection of what businesses actually want: help making decisions, understanding their numbers, and planning for growth. Whether you’re offering full outsourced CFO support, tax strategy, or tech-driven insights, CAS is about becoming a true partner in your clients’ success.
And if you're still wondering whether your firm is "doing CAS"... ask yourself this:
Are we just delivering data—or helping our clients do something with it?
The difference might be the future of your firm.