On Tuesday, the IRS’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) issued a bulletin clarifying when corporate officers or employees must have a valid power of attorney in order to represent the company before the IRS (OPR Bulletin 2014-12). The bulletin also discusses how the existence of a power of attorney may
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PCAOB alert calls for auditors to focus on revenue
The PCAOB on Tuesday urged auditors to focus on the board’s standards for auditing revenue. In Staff Audit Practice Alert No. 12, Matters Related to Auditing Revenue in an Audit of Financial Statements, the PCAOB discusses board requirements for auditing revenue that are relevant to significant audit deficiencies found frequently
CPA practitioners sue to stop PTIN fees
Two CPAs have filed suit in the U.S. district court for the District of Columbia, asking the court to stop the IRS from charging fees for issuing preparer tax identification numbers (PTINs), to obtain refunds of fees paid in the past, and to enjoin the IRS from asking for more
U.S. accountants’ optimism returns to pre-recession levels
Not since 2007 have U.S. accountants in industry felt as optimistic about the future of their companies and the state of the domestic economy as they do now. While concerns about regulatory requirements linger, and some companies remain hesitant to deploy cash or hire, those potential obstacles can’t stem the
AICPA seeks comment on next format of CPA exam
The AICPA is inviting public comment as it shapes the next version of the Uniform CPA Examination, to ensure that it continues to reflect the skills that newly licensed CPAs need to protect the public interest. An Invitation to Comment, issued Tuesday, is the first document available for public comment
Worry-free payroll
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Capital gain, not amount realized, determines application of 6-year collection statute
On Thursday, the Tax Court held that gross income for purposes of Sec. 6501(e) statute of limitation calculations includes only the gain from the sale of investments and not the amount realized from their sale (Barkett, 143 T.C. No. 6 (8/28/14)). The court distinguished its holding from the Supreme Court’s
FASB’s proposed 2015 GAAP taxonomy available for comment
FASB released its proposed 2015 GAAP Financial Reporting Taxonomy on Friday and asked for public review and comment. The taxonomy is a list of financial reporting labels that are machine-readable and coded in XBRL. Users of financial statements can use the tags to electronically search for and process data so
COSO transition getting a close look from auditors
The early stages of implementation are over for many companies using the updated internal control framework of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). In 2013, the framework—which had been in use since 1992—was updated to reflect changes in the business environment. U.S. public companies have been
FASB defines management’s going-concern responsibilities
FASB issued a new financial reporting standard Wednesday defining management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an organization’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. The standard provides new guidance, as current GAAP does not describe management’s responsibility to evaluate whether
Five elements of effective judgment process for auditors
The public relies on auditors to make critical professional judgments in an objective, professionally skeptical manner. Participants in capital markets who are making investment decisions place trust and confidence in the judgments made by auditors during audits of public company financial statements. A new Professional Judgment Resource released Wednesday by
Clarified, revised SSARS approved for reviews, compilations, and engagements to prepare financial statements
The AICPA Accounting and Review Services Committee (ARSC) voted during its meeting this month to approve clarified and revised standards for reviews, compilations, and engagements to prepare financial statements. The clarified and revised standards for compilations and engagements to prepare financial statements create a bright line between accounting (preparation) services
Former Deloitte exec Schnurr named SEC chief accountant
Recently retired Deloitte LLP executive James Schnurr will replace Paul Beswick and become the SEC’s third chief accountant in three years, the SEC announced Tuesday. Schnurr will begin serving in his new position in October, the SEC said in a news release. He was vice chairman and senior professional practice
Final rules clarify when issuer’s obligation under a debt instrument is part of a straddle
The IRS on Tuesday provided guidance on when an issuer’s obligation under a debt instrument may be a position in actively traded personal property, in which case it can be part of a straddle. Tuesday’s final regulations (T.D. 9691) adopt without substantive change temporary and proposed regulations on the treatment
New IRS appeals process starts Sept. 2
Starting Sept. 2, the IRS Office of Appeals is changing the way it handles appeals to examination decisions. Under the new Appeals Judicial Approach and Culture (AJAC) project, appeals officers are “no longer going to be examiners or investigators,” Appeals Team Manager Philip A. Oyoto told preparers at the IRS
FASB proposes simpler accounting for fees paid to cloud service providers
FASB on Tuesday issued a proposal designed to simplify the accounting for fees that public and private companies pay as customers in cloud-computing arrangements with third-party service providers. Rules exist under current GAAP addressing the accounting for cloud service providers. But there is no explicit accounting guidance under GAAP about
CPAs have opportunities in financial planning and forecasting
Many accountants may have opportunities to expand their service offerings to small business clients by providing financial planning and forecasting, according to a new survey. Just one in three accountants offers financial planning or forecast services as part of clients’ business planning process, according to a survey of 150 accountants
AICPA membership eclipses 400,000
The AICPA’s continuing growth trend has pushed membership past a significant milestone, as the world’s largest membership organization representing the accounting profession announced Tuesday that it recently surpassed 400,000 members. “I’m particularly proud of the growth we’ve seen in the past seven years, a challenging period for many professional organizations
SEC will scrutinize municipal advisers’ rules compliance
A new SEC examination initiative will scrutinize municipal advisers’ compliance with new rules and regulations that are under implementation. The SEC announced Tuesday that its Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) will examine a significant percentage of municipal advisers for compliance. “The municipal adviser examination initiative will focus on
PCAOB requests comments on auditing accounting estimates and fair value measurements
The PCAOB is seeking input as it weighs possible standard-setting activities related to auditing accounting estimates and fair value measurements. In a staff consultation paper released Tuesday, the PCAOB Office of the Chief Auditor seeks comments on the potential need for changes to PCAOB standards—and a possible approach to a
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