Accounting Survey Probes Caregiving and Career Retention
Researchers are surveying finance professionals to understand how caregiving impacts burnout and job turnover.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Financial Planning
Live Poll
Does your current employer provide adequate support for your caregiving responsibilities and personal life needs?
A new research initiative titled Beyond the Ledger: The Caregiving & Life Events Study is currently seeking input from 8,000 accounting and finance professionals nationwide. The effort aims to identify how personal life events contribute to workplace burnout and talent turnover.
Why it matters
The study aims to address a talent crisis in the accounting sector by documenting how caregiving and life events affect long-term career retention. Findings could influence future workplace responsiveness and support policies within the financial industry.
The study targets a sample size of at least 8,000 current and former accounting and finance professionals. Participation requires approximately 30 minutes to complete the online survey.
The players
DePaul University
This Chicago-based private university is spearheading the research team for the caregiving study.
Center for Accounting Transformation
This organization acts as a research partner to help facilitate the study's distribution.
Illinois CPA Society
This professional organization is one of four research partners supporting the data collection efforts.
The details
The research is led by professors from institutions including DePaul University, the University of Portland, and Auburn University. Topics covered include disclosure willingness and workplace responsiveness, with all responses kept anonymous and free of individually identifying data.
Timeline
The survey officially launched on October 26, 2026.
The survey is scheduled to close on December 18, 2026.
Market Dynamics
This study aligns with broader efforts to address the accounting sector's talent crisis through empirical research. By focusing on life events, it follows the pattern established by the Beyond the Ledger: The Caregiving & Life Events Study to quantify professional burnout.
The study may lead to improved workplace support systems that could stabilize the accounting workforce for investors reliant on financial reporting accuracy. Professionals who participate contribute to data that may reshape future industry retention and disclosure practices.
The takeaway
Understanding the intersection of caregiving and career pathing is essential for modern professional development in finance. Participants can help shape a more supportive industry landscape by contributing their experiences to this national research effort.
What happens next
The survey results are expected to be compiled following the December 18, 2026, closing date.
Further reading
Learn more about industry trends in the Financial Planning section.
More information
View the Accounting caregiving and life events survey to provide input.
Live Poll
Does your current employer provide adequate support for your caregiving responsibilities and personal life needs?
