IPA 100 data: 86% of top US accounting firms now use offshore staff

Industry News · Finance and Accounting · October 21, 2026

Offshore teams are routine at large accounting firms. The open question is how well they work with onshore teams.

Week of October 15 to October 21, 2026 · Orbytt Editorial

INSIDE Public Accounting reports that 86% of IPA 100 firms employ offshore full-time staff. Last year the figure was 83%.

The IPA 100 is a ranking of the largest US accounting firms. INSIDE Public Accounting published the data on October 12, 2026. Outsource Accelerator reported it on October 16.

Offshore employees average 8.2% of total headcount at these firms. Also, 97% of firms with offshore talent plan to keep or expand their programs. All 25 of the largest firms plan to increase their use.

The data shows that 68% of IPA 100 firms offshore tax returns. The author calls offshoring an operating-model issue, not only a staffing tactic.

The author lists open questions. Which work goes offshore? How do offshore and onshore teams work together? How do early-career staff build technical judgment? Should a firm use a provider, its own center, or both?

The article does not state the survey method, the number of responses, or the dates. It covers only the largest firms, so small practices may see a different picture. These are firm employees, not freelance assistants.

The takeaway

Large accounting firms treat offshore work as normal. IPA says the edge now comes from how firms manage global teams, not whether they use them.

Why it matters

• For talent: bookkeeping and tax support are clear markets. Name the tasks you handle and the software you know.
• For employers: small practices can borrow the questions above. Decide which work moves, who reviews it, and how new staff learn.
• For agencies: expect clients to ask about training and review. IPA names both as open issues.

Sources

• INSIDE Public Accounting, IPA Data Dive: Offshoring is becoming standard across the IPA 100, October 12, 2026. insidepublicaccounting.com
• Outsource Accelerator, October 16, 2026. 86% of top U.S. accounting firms now use offshore staff. news.outsourceaccelerator.com