By CA GAGAN, Kishnani & Associates

In today’s compliance-heavy environment, we, Chartered Accountants, are feeling the heat like never before. We’ve always served as the link between the system and the taxpayer, but the recent pace of reforms, while well-intended, has turned this link into a high-stress tightrope walk.

From sudden policy shifts to faceless assessments and portal glitches, the system is burdening not only taxpayers but also professionals like us who are trying to maintain sanity, accuracy, and accountability amid chaos.

1. Excessive Compliance and Pressure on Professionals

Gone are the days when tax filing was seasonal. Now, it’s a year-round sprint. New forms, revised formats, and frequent circulars—each demands our time, attention, and immediate action. We are expected to remain alert at all times, often with little to no notice. Add to this the technical hurdles on the portals, and it’s a recipe for burnout.

2. Cash Flow Crunch Among CAs

A lesser-discussed but critical issue is the cash-flow stress within CA firms. The nature of our work is now highly front-loaded—we invest hours of effort long before a single rupee is billed or received. During peak ITR seasons, many firms are juggling resource planning, team expansion, and client service with limited financial flexibility.

When clients themselves are dealing with economic uncertainties, fee payments are delayed, and the entire value chain feels the squeeze. It’s time we spoke about this openly.

3. Taxpayers Caught in the Crossfire

From our side of the desk, we see clients—especially MSMEs, freelancers, and salaried professionals—getting overwhelmed. They want to comply, they want to do things right, but the compliance web is getting denser by the day. Fear of notices, last-minute changes, and portal crashes only adds to the anxiety.