When the world has financial problems, the person who may have all the answers could be the one who has been handling the numbers.

Some of the most revered accountants in the country will be gathering next month to discuss various issues facing the industry today including the current state of the economy.

The 29th annual Financial Reporting Symposium will be taking place on May 7 in Houston, Texas, and will host a panel of accounting experts to share their insights.

Some of the guests included on the panel are Mark A. McCollum, executive vice president and CFO of Halliburton; James L. Kroeker, acting chief accountant in the SEC's office of chief accountant; and Phil D. Wedemeyer, partner in the National Professional Standards Group of Grant Thornton.

Recently, Congress requested guidance on various national accounting areas that are being affected by the economic crisis.

The number of accounting and auditing jobs is expected to grow by 18% by 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is also estimated that approximately 226,000 jobs will be created in this industry in the next decade.