The A-Team: Voices of the AccountingWEB Staff
| Blast your horn to any member of The A-Team (except Mr. T). We all love the accounting profession! Let’s share stories, ideas and more! |
Times read: 2407/04/08
 Rob Nance,Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - Extending benefits to same-sex partners of employees is certainly a hot topic here in America. Twenty-six years ago, the Village Voice, a New York newspaper, became the first U.S. employer to do so. Now, more than 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies provide such benefits. Interestingly, among the 10 largest U.S. companies, only ExxonMobil and Wal-Mart do not provide domestic-partner benefits.
What's going on with your firm or company regarding this subject? What are your clients doing? Take a moment and share your voice.
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Times read: 10606/26/08
 Gail Perry,CPA, Managing Editor |
By Gail Perry, CPA - This week we feature an article about a potential shortfall in availability of loan funds for college students. There is an alternative not addressed in the article - work your way through school. As someone who did just that, working part-time some semesters, full-time others, and going to school by taking however many courses I could afford to buy as each semester began, I can attest to the fact that it was my work experience during the college years and self-confidence gained from holding jobs and making my own way through school that made me marketable to employers when I finally finished school. Rather than relying on loan money and piling up huge amounts of debt during the college years, students should be reminded that there are other ways to get the schooling they desire.
Share My Voice | 2 Voice(s) Have Spoken. Read What They Said!
Times read: 16606/02/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - In a recent Publisher’s Note, which appears every Thursday in our Weekly Business Brief E-Newsletter, I wrote how some companies fail to remove you from their catalog mailing lists despite the number of times and ways one attempts to disconnect from these lists. Well it’s not gotten much better since I wrote that piece. I’m still receiving ULINE and Office Depot catalogs out the ying yang.
If you're like me, you would like to cut out some of the unnecessary printed products. Catalogs and certain direct mail lists come to mind. Here are two resources to help you accomplish just that:
To get rid of unwanted catalogs: Catalog Choice
To remove your name from direct mailing lists: Direct Marketing Association
Good luck!
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Times read: 16305/29/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - In reading the obituary of Robert Mondavi the other day, I couldn't help but feel energized by what this man accomplished in his 94 years. Starting very modestly in the wine business in 1943, Mondavi built an empire that resulted in a 2004 sale of the business. Constellation Brands bought his company for $1.35 billion.
More than building a business, Mondavi created a brand that became synonymous with "good, affordable wine." The next time I open a bottle of his wine, I will raise a toast to the man. Well done, Robert (great name, too).
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Times read: 25005/22/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - The news of American Airlines imposing a $15 fee per checked bag has people up in arms. But what about this accounting issue? American has not devised a way to collect this $15 fee at boarding when bags are deemed too big to carry on and therefore must be stowed. What a mess that will be...for operations AND accounting.
Get a load of this, too. American declared that they do not plan to offer refunds if suitcases do not arrive with the plane.
Thank God the accounting industry is held to higher standards than the airline industry!
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| 1 Voice(s) Have Spoken. Read What They Said!
Times read: 37605/15/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - There's a lot to be said for going out while you're at the top of your game. Yesterday's news of Justine Henin retiring while she's still ranked No. 1 in the World Tennis Association rankings is admirable. I can only imagine struggling with such a decision to walk away from that level of fame and money--and the daily requirements that go along with it.
I remember years ago talking with a great old guy at the end of his CPA career. He told me, "I need to retire while I'm still near 100% of my abilities." He went out as a true class act, which his partners appreciated--and so did his clients.
I'll never forget him and the example he set.
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Times read: 20805/13/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - The AICPA's "Feed The Pig" campaign has been really well done. Shoot, my son in elementary school even came home one day with a trinket from this campaign. It's certainly part of our responsibility as members of the accounting profession to teach financial management. No question about it.
Yesterday's "Feed The Pig" Weekly Savings Tip from Benjamin Bankes was on the topic of saving money when it comes to coffee purchases. The e-mail stated that one way to save was to brew your own coffee at home. This is a radical thought for some people! Keep stirring it up, Mr. Pig!
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Times read: 24005/12/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - There’s an article in the current issue of BusinessWeek on the weekend e-mail practices of PricewaterhouseCoopers. The piece states: ...employees logging on to work e-mail on Saturdays and Sundays are greeted with a pop-up window that says: “It’s the weekend. Help reduce weekend e-mail overload for both you and your colleagues by working offline.” The alert adds that workers who want to get a head start on writing messages should hold off sending them until Monday unless urgent.
I think this is a great idea that other firms should follow. Note: the pop-up window is not in operation during busy season.
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Addicted to Sequins & Schmaltz; Dancing our Way to the TV
Times read: 25005/08/08
Like most addictions, it began innocently enough. Of course, I never meant to get the children involved. No one ever does. But I couldn’t stop myself.It started one night last fall when a commercial featuring my eight-year-old daughter was to debut on the ABC affiliate in Rhode Island. We flicked on the set and a whirlwind of sequins, polyester, fake tans, and pulsating music steamrolled into our living room and our consciousness. It was our introduction to Dancing With The Stars and, as with truly addictive personalities, we were hooked within the first ten seconds. Quick Step! Tango! Cha Cha! We didn’t care which dance they did – we just wanted them to do more, more, more!
I confess that I’d rolled my eyes when I heard people carry on about how they loved the dancing and were thrilled to find a primetime show they could watch with children. Even starving children in Africa had no doubt seen the footage of Marie Osmond fainting in a skin-tight, electric blue sausage casing. I had watched it and snorted, Give me a break. Where’s Donny when you need him? My generation grew up doing the bump in neighborhood rec rooms while watching the Donny and Marie Show. We turned in circles at school dances while Led Zeppelin blared from the speakers. What do we know about ballroom dancing? But that is the beauty of the show – you don’t need to know anything.
“Wow, look at that,” I remarked as I plunked on the couch and stared at the set. Within minutes, the kids and I were talking about footwork and choreography and why the women’s costumes were the size of candy wrappers.
“She’s beautiful!” my daughter Jenson shrieked about the dancer shimmying across the shiny floor.
Jenson was right. The dancer was beautiful. Even more to the point, the dancing was beautiful. And we ate up the kicks, lifts, and flips as if they were a thick-crust pizza with extra cheese.
While Jenson threw her arms in the air and twirled around the room, my son Mitch practiced a combination of wrestling and Kung Fu moves. My husband Bill was the only one immune to the show’s flamboyant charms. Right after Jenson’s commercial aired, we all cheered then Bill congratulated her and he started to leave.
“Isn’t it time for the kids to go to bed?” he asked.
Glued to the couch as Mitch fought imaginary bad guys and Jenson swirled around me in a whirlwind of pajamas and prepubescent abandon, I mumbled yeah yeah as the next couple took to the dance floor.
Of course Bill was right. It was time for the kids to go to bed. But that wasn’t going to happen until the last dance was finished and a new champion was crowned. Then the addiction would end. At least until next season.
Ericka Tavares
Rhode Island
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Times read: 23905/08/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - Here's a great quote you've probably seen before, but I want to pass it along anyway. It's by the poet W.H. Auden.
"There are three cardinal rules--don't take somebody else's boyfriend unless you've been specifically invited to do so, don't take a drink without being asked, and keep a scrupulous accounting in financial matters."
Times read: 36205/06/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - More and more I'm hearing people refer to the "pound key" on the phone as the "hash key," just like they do in the United Kingdom. I think I kinda like that. Throw "hash key" out there the next time you're on an audit. Consider it additional training for those new college recruits.....
Share My Voice | 1 Voice(s) Have Spoken. Read What They Said!
Times read: 34405/05/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - Whenever I see BKD, I naturally think of Olive. That “Geo. S. Olive” bit ... never understood the use of “Geo.” as an abbreviation. Just spell it out ......
Share My Voice | 2 Voice(s) Have Spoken. Read What They Said!
Times read: 84005/01/08
 Gail Perry,CPA, Managing Editor |
By Gail Perry, CPA - I suppose the people who are receiving rebate/stimulus checks are going to be happy to get their payments early, but isn't it irritating that we told all of our clients when to expect their payments and now we're being proven wrong? For accountants who work in a profession where precision is important, it can be frustrating to have the proverbial tables turned on us, even if the end result is good news for the consumers. Anyway, today's top story sets out the new revised rebate schedule - some of your clients have probably already received their payments.
Share My Voice | 2 Voice(s) Have Spoken. Read What They Said!
Times read: 47404/25/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - I recently read this in New Accountant magazine. It was part of a great article by James Dalton of Kaplan Schweser.
Top 5 Reasons to Earn Your CPA:
1) It shows that you are serious about the field of accounting and is the first step toward advancement in your career.
2) You will be in high demand. According to the AICPA, 75% of today's CPAs will be retiring within the next 15 years.
3) Earning your CPA will give you a much wider variety of career options. CPAs are employed in virtually every industry.
4) CPAs are sought after in the U.S. and abroad, so those who hold the designation generally have many options regarding where they live and work.
5) Investing time and money in your career now will pay huge financial dividends for your entire professional life.
What other reasons do you have for being a CPA? Share Your Voice!
Share My Voice
| 1 Voice(s) Have Spoken. Read What They Said!
Times read: 52304/16/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - John McCain proposes giving taxpayers the option of filing a simpler, shorter tax form each year than is available now. What are your thoughts on this? What do you think about his proposal to eliminate the alternative minimum tax?
I think McCain's urging Congress to suspend the 18.4-cent-a-gallon federal gas tax from this Memorial Day until Labor Day is brilliant. That's a much better "economic stimulus" plan than this issuing of checks that is about to take place. It's certainly easier and cheaper to administer!
Let's open up some debate on all of this. Share Your Voice!
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| 3 Voice(s) Have Spoken. Read What They Said!
Times read: 44903/21/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - I recently read something in The Economist where the author referred to people making less than $50,000 as being "in the Dunkin' Donuts crowd." What nonsense. I'm willing to bet that Warren Buffet, Jimmy Buffet and other people of significant means love Dunkin' Donuts. Maybe even Donald Trump. Of course, he would scowl the entire time there.
I suspect most accountants making more than $50,000 annually love Dunkin' Donuts. You don't even have to like donuts to enjoy a trip to Dunkin' Donuts. On coffee shops, I am an expert. Long live Dunkin' Donuts.
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Tax "rebate" - ulterior motive?
Times read: 42703/17/08
 Gail Perry,CPA, Managing Editor |
By Gail Perry, CPA - The IRS is asking for assistance in seeking out low-income people who might be eligible for the tax rebates this spring. The term rebate of course doesn't describe the situation accurately when the recipient is not a taxpayer, but that isn't stopping the IRS from going way out of its way to give away the tax dollars of people who earned the money in the first place. People have to have an address to receive a rebate. They have to file a 2007 tax return to receive a rebate. Let's see: assigning addresses to homeless people; making everyone file a tax return even if they aren't required to. Maybe I'm mistaken, maybe there's no connection, but could this be some sort of effort to increase the likelihood amd success of a national ID program????
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Times read: 53202/15/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - Yesterday I had a delightful conversation with Bill Gummo, an accountant in Port Allegany, Pennsylvania with clients in the forestry and logging industries.
With one assistant involved in his practice, Bill serves both business and personal clients, mostly in tax prep work and tax matters. He professes to have "grown up in the industry," so working with clients in forestry and logging in this part of the country is "just the way it is." Bill is very knowledgeable about the businesses in these industries and the challenges clients face on a daily basis. He's actually been doing taxes since the tenth grade!
Bill, like so many in the industry, "treats clients like he would like to be treated." Most of his clients are local in nature, but like in a lot of practices, people move to other states and stick with their accountant via mail, fax and Internet.
It's always great to talk with accountants like Bill. AccountingWEB's 105,000+ weekly readers have so many terrific stories about their years in the business. I never get tired of talking with our audience.
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Times read: 54602/12/08
| Gail Perry, CPA, Managing Editor |
By Gail Perry, CPA - According to the not-for-profit National Priorities Project, a research organization that analyzes and clarifies federal data, the cost of U.S. involvement in the Iraq war is fast approaching $500 billion. There are lots of people on all sides of the political spectrum who worry about how our country can afford this expense, where the money is coming from, how future generations will be affected, and so on. And yet, our generous government just managed to pull another $150 billion out of its bottomless hat to provide tax "rebates" that are set to be mailed to nearly all U.S. taxpayers and millions of people who don't even pay taxes (which is why the word "rebates" is in quotes) this spring. This might sound like a good idea to you. Politicians certainly seem to think this technique will jump-start the economy, or at least their bids for reelection. For me, I'm getting more and more confused. Am I still supposed to worry about turning off the lights in empty rooms, walking instead of driving, turning down the thermostat in the winter? Or have we just thrown frugality completely out the window? This week's article about budgeting might be something our federal government needs to read.
Gail Perry, CPA
AccountingWEB Managing Editor
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Make No Bones About It, "Busy Season" Is Here!
Times read: 59102/11/08
| Rob Nance, Publisher |
By Rob Nance, Publisher - How are those tired "Busy Season" bones and muscles holding up so far? Well, if you need a bodily refresher, then look no further than our Student Zone section. Click on the weekly quiz graphic and dive in. You're not going to believe what we're giving away. If you're fortunate enough to be a random winner, this product will help get you through the next two demanding months!
Have fun with the quizzes!
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