March 2014

March 18, 2014

No easy answers in key leases standard debate

FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are struggling to find common ground in their efforts to create a converged standard for financial reporting on leases. While meeting together Tuesday at FASB’s headquarters in Norwalk, Conn., the two boards came to different conclusions in preliminary votes on financial reporting

March 17, 2014

11 issues that could flare up at the next shareholder meeting

U.S. public companies are operating in an environment full of both risk and opportunity as they prepare for their annual shareholder meetings. Cyberthreats, disaster planning, and political and economic unrest are among many factors that make the current climate hazardous for many companies. Although high values in the stock market

March 13, 2014

IRS expands use of electronic signatures

With the updated version of IRS Publication 1345, Handbook for Authorized IRS e-File Providers of Individual Income Tax Returns (rev. 3/11/14), the IRS provides new methods for taxpayers to electronically sign Form 8878, IRS e-file Signature Authorization for Form 4868 and Form 2350, the e-file signature authorization form. Taxpayers can

March 12, 2014

Regulatory issues requiring more attention from some CFOs

Managing regulatory compliance has become a more arduous task in the past 12 months for one-fifth of U.S. CFOs, a new survey shows. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, new regulations have been added through legislation such as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, P.L. 111-203,

March 10, 2014

FASB to research fair value standard’s relevance for certain investors

FASB plans to research concerns about the usefulness of its fair value measurements standard for users of financial statements of employee benefit plans, not-for-profits, and private companies. The concerns arose during a post-implementation review conducted for the board’s parent body, the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF). The review was completed last

March 10, 2014

New procedure permits automatic recognition of consolidated return filing status

The IRS announced that it will permit an affiliated group of corporations that did not file the required Form 1122, Authorization and Consent of Subsidiary Corporation to Be Included in a Consolidated Income Tax Return, for all of its subsidiaries, to be treated as if its subsidiaries had filed Form

March 6, 2014

Spending and sentiment on the rise for U.S. finance professionals

Businesses show a sustained desire to spend on technology and employee training while expecting profits to increase—signs that economic sentiment among U.S. finance professionals is improving. Respondents in the AICPA Business and Industry Economic Outlook Survey previously have projected rising profits. Until now, that expectation hasn’t been mixed with much

March 5, 2014

Simplified employer health care coverage reporting announced

On Wednesday, the IRS released final regulations to implement simplified reporting requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148, which requires employers to report health care coverage information under Secs. 6055 and 6056 starting in 2015 (T.D. 9660 and T.D. 9661). Also Wednesday, the Department of Health

March 4, 2014

Use data privacy to gain a competitive advantage

Data privacy doesn’t have to be an issue that keeps executives awake at night. Instead, companies that approach data privacy the right way can use it to differentiate themselves, said Carolyn Holcomb, CPA, the leader of PwC’s data protection and privacy practice in the United States. “We see companies that

March 4, 2014

FASB takes step forward in streamlining of disclosures

FASB took a step forward Tuesday in its effort to make disclosures in notes to financial statements more useful to investors. The board is building a framework that is intended to reduce unnecessary disclosures and highlight information that investors need most. On Tuesday, FASB issued a proposed concepts statement that

FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

AI risks CPAs should know

Are you ready for the AI revolution in accounting? This JofA Technology Q&A article explores the top risks CPAs face—from hallucinations to deepfakes—and ways to mitigate them.