The IRS released on Thursday its annual revenue procedure making inflation adjustments for various credits and other tax items (Revenue Procedure 2010-40). However, unlike in past years, the guidance does not include updated tax rate tables or updated amounts for the child tax credit, Hope scholarship and lifetime learning credits,
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IRS Commissioner Predicts Relief From Testing and Continuing Education for CPA-Supervised Nonsigning Preparers
The IRS will likely provide relief from testing and continuing education requirements for nonsigning tax preparers working under the supervision of a CPA or other federally authorized tax practitioner, such as an attorney or enrolled agent, in a CPA or other professional firm, IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said Tuesday. In
IRS Provides PTIN Guidance for Preparers Without a Social Security Number
In Revenue Procedure 2010-41, released on Tuesday, the IRS has provided a process for individuals without a Social Security number to obtain a preparer tax identification number (PTIN). Paid tax return preparers are required to register with the IRS and obtain a PTIN, and part of the PTIN registration process
FASB Seeking Input on the Costs of Convergence
FASB issued a discussion paper to gather input from stakeholders about the time and effort that will be involved in adapting to several anticipated new accounting and reporting standards and when those standards, which are part of the FASB and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) convergence projects, should be effective.
Paul Stahlin Begins Term as AICPA Chair
The economic turmoil of the past 24 months has driven demand for new business practices, new regulations, new oversight and new solutions, newly elected AICPA Chairman Paul Stahlin said Tuesday in his inaugural address to the Institute’s governing Council. “We have been finding solutions for more than 100 years,” he
AICPA Seeks Further Guidance From Regulators on New FHA Program Requirement
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued notice of a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) program change as a result of Mortgagee Letter 2009-31, “Strengthening Counterparty Risk Management,” issued Sept. 18, 2009. This policy change affects all supervised mortgagees. Effective for fiscal years ending on or after Jan.
Expediency at Heart of Panel’s Recommendations on Private Company Reporting
Asked why the panel on private company financial reporting appears to be favoring a separate standards board making modifications to existing U.S. GAAP (as compared to writing new standards)several members of the panel pointed to a simple factor – time. “How we got to where we got to as
Futurist to CPAs: Prepare for the Inevitable
The U.S. economy won’t be getting back to “normal” anytime soon, strategic forecaster David Pearce Snyder said Monday in a presentation to the AICPA’s 2010 fall meeting of Council in New Orleans. Increased emphasis on personal saving will combine with tightened credit and higher taxes to keep “consumer spending 5%
Regulations Provide Guidance on Hybrid Pension Plans
On Monday, the IRS released final and proposed regulations providing guidance on so-called hybrid defined benefit pension plans (TD 9505 and REG-132554-08). The regulations deal with changes made by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and the Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008. They generally apply to plan
CPA Exam Offered in Five International Locations Next Year
The Uniform CPA Examination will be offered in Japan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates in 2011, marking the first time in the exam’s history that it will be offered outside the 55 U.S. jurisdictions. The three organizations that jointly offer the CPA Examination in the United States—the
AICPA to SEC: Companies Will Need as Much as Five Years to Ready for IFRS Adoption
Giving companies enough time to carefully prepare for a move from U.S. GAAP to IFRS is critical, the AICPA told the SEC in a comment letter filed Thursday. The AICPA assembled members from business and industry with public company backgrounds to discuss questions the SEC posed in a recent request
FDIC Tells Creditors to Expect Losses in Dodd-Frank Liquidations
The FDIC board last Friday proposed a rule clarifying how the agency would treat certain creditor claims under the new orderly liquidation authority established under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The proposal advances the principle that all creditors must expect to absorb losses in any liquidation.
IRS Rules That Mortgages Over $1 Million Can Be Deductible
The IRS has ruled that indebtedness incurred by a taxpayer to acquire, construct or substantially improve a qualified residence can constitute “home equity indebtedness” to the extent it exceeds $1 million, up to an excess of $100,000 (Revenue Ruling 2010-25). In the fact situation discussed in the ruling, an unmarried
IRS Issues Final Regulations on Stock Basis Reporting Requirements
The IRS issued final regulations on Wednesday regarding a new requirement for reporting of basis and other information by stockbrokers and mutual fund companies for most stock purchased in 2011 and all stock purchased in 2012 and later years (TD 9504). The final regulations implement a provision from the Energy
FASB Seeks Greater Transparency, Consistency for Troubled Debt Restructurings
FASB issued an exposure draft Tuesday that contains clarifying guidance intended to improve consistency and transparency in financial reporting about troubled debt restructurings. “Investors, regulators and practitioners asked the board to clarify what types of loan modifications should be considered troubled debt restructurings for accounting and disclosure purposes,” FASB’s Acting
IRS Delays Mandatory W-2 Reporting of Health Care Coverage Costs
On Tuesday, the IRS issued a notice providing interim relief to employers regarding reporting the costs of group health plan coverage to employees (Notice 2010-69). Under the notice, notification to employees on Form W-2 will not be required for 2011. The IRS also posted a draft 2011 Form W-2 on
Dutch Official to Succeed Tweedie at IASB
Hans Hoogervorst will become the next chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). The Trustees of the IFRS Foundation, the IASB’s oversight body, named Hoogervorst as the successor to Sir David Tweedie, who will retire as chairman of the IASB at the end of June 2011. The trustees announced
AICPA Members Approve Proposal to Modernize Admission Requirements
Members of the AICPA who cast ballots voted by an 81.39% majority to modernize admission requirements, as detailed in a recent proposed bylaw amendment. Individuals may join the AICPA as voting members if they hold or previously held a CPA certificate/license and it was not revoked because of disciplinary action or
Panel Majority Signals Support for Separate Board, U.S. GAAP Exceptions for Private Companies
The blue ribbon panel on private company financial reporting is heading down a path to recommend that the Financial Accounting Foundation, FASB’s parent organization, accept U.S. GAAP with exceptions for private companies and that those standards should be set not by FASB but by a separate board under FAF’s oversight.
AICPA VP Testifies on Changes Needed to IRS Return Preparer Regulation Plan
Edward Karl, AICPA vice president–Taxation, testified at an IRS hearing on Friday about proposed amendments to Circular 230 that would put into place many parts of the IRS’ plan to register and regulate tax return preparers (REG-138637-07). The proposed regulations would clarify the definition of tax practice, establish a new
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