News

Tax

New Law Requiring Tax on Internet Sales Moves Forward

The federal government moved one step closer toward imposing state sales tax on online retail sellers when the Senate voted on April 22, 2013, to bring the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 to the floor for limited debate.
A&A

Survey Finds Parents Flagging as Financial Role Models

Turns out American kids aren't the only ones with a foggy idea about the financial future. According to a recent study by T. Rowe Price, many parents are also neglecting to prepare for their families' long-term financial stability.
A&A

A More User-Friendly Ethics Code On Tap for AICPA

With the goal of making it more user-friendly and intuitive for members, the AICPA has completed a proposed revision of its Code of Professional Conduct. AICPA members have until August 15 to submit comments on the proposal.
A&A

CEE Details New Standards for Financial Literacy

On April 16, the Council for Economic Education (CEE) released its National Standards for Financial Literacy. The standards are a framework for the content and skills the CEE believes should be contained in a K-12 personal finance curriculum.
Education & Careers

CGA-Canada Reenters Unification Talks with CPA Canada

The Certified General Accountants Association of Canada (CGA-Canada) has returned to talks aimed at unifying the accounting profession in Canada under the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) banner.
Practice

CPA Objectivity Important When Valuing a Business

It has long been established that the CPA must meet certain standards of independence, objectivity and integrity when performing attest services. Similarly, certain standards are called into play when a CPA performs a business valuation.
Tax

IRS Issues Furlough Notices to More than 89,000 Employees

The IRS has identified five furlough days where the agency will shut down completely, leaving taxpayers without access to information and assistance from frontline workers.
Practice

Cover Your Notes: Confidentiality Depends on Role of Accountant

A business owner calls a meeting to discuss the tax consequences of a particular business transaction. Two years later, the business is involved in litigation related to the transaction, and the plaintiff seeks to discover the outside accountant's notes from the initial meeting.
Education & Careers

Hein & Associates Celebrates Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day

Hein & Associates LLP will be transformed into a shopping plaza on April 25. That's because visiting school-aged children will be starting their own businesses – one of many activities the firm has organized for Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day.
Technology

Announcing CCH Axcess: New Modular Tax, Compliance, and Management Tool

CCH has announced the launch of CCH Axcess – a Cloud-based modular tax preparation, compliance, and firm management solution built from the ground up, offering the accounting profession a powerful solution for complete firm management.
Practice

Due Diligence Found Lacking in Recent Case

Exercising due diligence is a big deal to the IRS. CPA Tim W. Kaskey discovered that the hard way. He was disbarred for failing to exercise due diligence in preparing tax returns for a corporation and its husband and wife shareholders.
Practice

Divorce Cases Hold Potential Liabilities for Accountants

Unfortunately, divorcing clients may attempt to increase the amount of money they receive by making a claim against their accountant. When clients divorce, accountants are put in a variety of uncomfortable positions.
Education & Careers

Russell G. Golden Named New FASB Chairman

Russell G. Golden has been named the next chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) effective July 1, 2013. Golden will succeed current FASB Chairman Leslie F. Seidman, whose term ends June 30.
A&A

ASU No. 2013-07 Establishes Liquidation Accounting Principle in US GAAP

The FASB amended US GAAP to explain how businesses and other organizations should prepare financial statements when they're ceasing operations and selling assets to settle debts with creditors.
Tax

Lauryn Hill May Avoid Prison for Tax Evasion

Eight-time Grammy-winning singer Lauryn Hill was back in court April 22, presumably for sentencing in the tax evasion case against her. With three possible counts of tax fraud against her, she was facing a year in prison for each count.
Education & Careers

Debunking Dull: OSCPA Student Video Contest Challenges CPA Stereotype

This spring, the Ohio Society of CPAs (OSCPA) is inviting college accounting students to shatter the one-dimensional, bland CPA typecasting by participating in its inaugural Me in a Moment: Future CPA Video Contest.
Tax

IRS Warns of Tax Scams Following Boston Marathon Tragedy

Since the bombings at the Boston Marathon on April 15, millions of dollars have been donated by people and businesses from across the country to help the families of the three people killed in the attack and those who suffered severe injuries.
Community News

Company Announcements: Week of April 22, 2013

Following is the latest roundup of community news for the week of April 22, 2013.
Technology

Resetting the Last Cell in an Excel Worksheet

It's frustrating when Excel acts as if the active area of a worksheet is significantly larger than the actual area where you have data. Suddenly your scroll bars move you into uncharted areas, such as column TX or row 5,000.
Tax

Survey Shows Small Businesses Struggle with Complex Tax Code; Turn to Accountants

According to Sage survey results, the majority of small businesses that use the services of an outside accountant do so, in part, because of the complexity of regulations and tax code.

Pages

Voice of the Editor

Even though any accounting auditor would tell you it seems like there are an awful lot of tax accountants out there, surely one-third of the country isn't made up of tax preparers, so it's rather startling news to learn that one-third of Americans like to do their taxes. Who knew?
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