The IRS introduced on Tuesday a streamlined application process for small organizations that want tax-exempt status under Sec. 501(c)(3) (Rev. Proc. 2014-40). Final and temporary regulations were also issued on July 1 to allow the IRS to adopt this streamlined application process (T.D. 9674). To apply for tax-exempt status under Sec.
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ITINs will expire after five years under new IRS policy
The IRS announced a new policy concerning individual taxpayer identification numbers (ITINs) on Tuesday: ITINs that are not being used will expire after five years (IR-2014-76). The policy will go into effect in 2016. The IRS reports that only a quarter of the 21 million ITINs issued since 1996 are
Complete rules for the IRS’s voluntary return preparer certification program are released
On Monday, the IRS published guidance introducing its new, voluntary Annual Filing Season Program, which permits tax preparers who are not CPAs, attorneys, or enrolled agents to complete tax education requirements and receive a certificate, called a Record of Completion (Rev. Proc. 2104-42). (For prior coverage, see “IRS Reveals Details
Department of Commerce hasn’t met conflict minerals obligations, GAO says
Although U.S. public companies were required to file their first conflict minerals disclosures earlier this month, a new government report shows that the U.S. Department of Commerce has not met its obligations with regard to new conflict minerals regulations. The department failed to meet a January 2013 deadline to compile
Regulations provide guidance for small-employer premium tax credit
The IRS issued final regulations on the Sec. 45R credit for small employers that offer health insurance coverage for employees (T.D. 9672). The regulations provide guidance on how to determine full-time-equivalent employees (FTEs) and average annual wages, how to calculate the credit, and what is a “qualifying arrangement” for purposes
PCAOB staff provides guidance for broker-dealer auditors
The PCAOB staff on Thursday issued new guidance for SEC-registered auditors of brokers and dealers as they make the transition to PCAOB standards from the generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS) that previously governed such audits. The staff guidance highlights relevant requirements for audits and attestation engagements. It also provides direction
Additional ASB interpretations address GASB pension issues
The AICPA Auditing Standards Board (ASB) on Thursday issued two interpretations that are designed to help governmental pension plans, participating employers, and their auditors as they implement new GASB standards. Governmental multiple-employer pension plans and their participating employers are facing numerous accounting and auditing issues as a result of GASB
IRS reveals details of voluntary preparer certification program
On Thursday, the IRS announced that it will soon introduce a voluntary program for tax return preparers called the Annual Filing Season Program (IR-2014-75). This program will permit return preparers to obtain a record of completion when they voluntarily complete 18 hours of continuing education, including a six-hour refresher course
Final rules involve disregarded entities, indoor tanning tax, and FICA and FUTA exemptions
The IRS issued T.D. 9670 on Wednesday, which finalizes rules on the disparate topics of disregarded entities that collect the excise tax on indoor tanning and how certain exceptions from Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) taxes work when a disregarded entity is involved. Indoor
Critical skills needed for finance to cut through complexity
The roles of finance professionals are expanding at a fast pace in a constantly changing global economic environment, new AICPA research shows, creating an urgent need for accounting and finance professionals to grow their skills. An overwhelming majority (85%) of CPAs who participated in a recent survey said the role
AICPA reiterates its strong concerns about IRS voluntary certification program
The AICPA on Tuesday sent a 14-page letter to the IRS, expressing its strong concerns that a proposed IRS voluntary certification program for unenrolled tax return preparers “would cause significant legal problems that may ultimately frustrate the IRS’s goals, confuse the public, and lead to litigation.” The IRS is expected
New rules allow one-month orientation period before 90-day health plan waiting period begins
The IRS, the Labor Department, and the Department of Health and Human Services jointly issued final regulations (REG-122706-12) governing the maximum length of time an employee orientation period can last consistent with the 90-day waiting period under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148, which prohibits employers from
Five barriers restricting risk management progress
Organizations continue to be aware of the risks in their midst, yet barriers remain for implementing enterprise risk management (ERM) initiatives. More than half (57%) of companies acknowledge that the volume and complexity of risks has increased “mostly” or “extensively” in the past five years, but the number of mature
FASB updates accounting for stock compensation
FASB has updated accounting standards on stock compensation to resolve diverse accounting treatments of awards linked to performance targets, such as an initial public offering or a specific profitability metric, that could be longer-term than the recipient’s employment. Current U.S. GAAP does not contain explicit guidance on how to account
CAQ’s field-testing yields further recommendations to auditor’s reporting model
Field-testing by the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) of proposed changes to the auditor’s reporting model yielded four key observations related to the identification of “critical audit matters.” The CAQ expressed support for the PCAOB’s effort to update the auditor’s reporting model. The CAQ said in a news release Friday
New streamlined procedures and changes to the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program are announced
Just in time for the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which goes into effect July 1, the IRS announced changes to its streamlined filing compliance procedures and its Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) designed to make it easier for taxpayers to comply with their obligations to report offshore assets and
Supreme Court issues decision on IRS summons enforcement
On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated and remanded a decision of the Eleventh Circuit, in which the appeals court held “that a bare allegation of improper purpose [in issuing a summons] … entitle[s] a taxpayer to examine IRS officials” (Clarke, No. 13-301 (U.S. 6/19/14), slip op. at 1). Instead,
International forum aims for cohesion in corporate reporting
A new international forum is bringing together key players in corporate reporting to promote more coherence, consistency, and comparability between corporate reporting frameworks, standards, and related requirements. The Corporate Reporting Dialogue was introduced Tuesday by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC). Along with the IIRC, participants in the Corporate Reporting
GASB’s OPEB proposals may have big impact
Proposed new accounting standards for other post-employment benefits (OPEB) published Monday by GASB are expected to have a significant impact on state and local government financial statements. GASB’s work on OPEB is intended to complement its development of new standards issued in 2012 on pensions. The goal is to present
FASB revises standard for accounting of repurchase agreements
FASB on Thursday issued a revised standard that addresses investors’ concerns with the financial reporting of repurchase agreements and brings U.S. GAAP accounting for such transactions into closer alignment with IFRS. Under the updated standard, Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860): Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures, these transactions would be
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