Litigation / Practice Management
Alternative dispute resolution, such as arbitration and mediation, can be used to settle disputes and reduce the number of times a CPA must appear in court. In fact, ADR can not only save time and money but also protect CPA-client confidentiality and even preserve client relationships. This article examines the ADR methods available to CPAs and provides some examples of how they are used. Case studies: When ADR works for CPAs and when it doesn't.
Business and Industry / Consulting
By knowing the latest rules and conventions of the franchise industry, CPAs can help their employers and clients while becoming key players in this major business sector.
The Vision Process
Fed by the grass-roots input from the Future Forums, the Vision Process has entered a transitional phase. Its time to recap what's happened so far and see what challenges lie ahead as the process moves forward into implementation and achieving the vision defined by the profession.
Not-for-Profit
Not-for-profit organizations have been affected by a number of financial reporting pronouncements in recent years. CPAs can learn some important lessons from how one hypothetical organization handled the often complicated implementation process.
Software
The Journal of Accountancy, in cooperation with Brigham Young University, conducted an in-depth survey of readers who used tax software. The result: What users think of 11 products, their strengths and weaknesses, plus an analysis of how the recent spate of vendor acquisitions is affecting tax preparer professionals.
Practice Management / Public Relations
When a local firm created an innovative program to teach children how to budget, it also managed to improve productivity, bring firm employees closer together and even pick up new clients in the process.
Financial Reporting / Benefits
The FASB issued Statement no. 132, Employers Disclosures about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits, in February 1998. It means employers must follow a new standard when they reflect pension and other postretirement benefits in their financial statements.