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AICPA seeks some changes to COSO’s updated framework proposal

The AICPA is suggesting changes to the proposed, updated internal control framework of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). In a comment letter, the AICPA wrote that the framework will be a valuable resource for practitioners. But the AICPA also described concerns, some of which are

CAQ seeks more transition guidance in updated internal control framework

The Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) would like the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) to provide more transition guidance for users implementing COSO’s updated internal control framework. COSO is updating its 20-year-old internal control framework to provide a fresh, modern approach with explicit advice and implementation

TIGTA recommends improvements to IRS cybersecurity system

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) reports that the IRS’s computer security response center is performing effectively, but further improvement is needed (TIGTA Rep’t No. 2012-20-019 (3/12/12)). Part of TIGTA’s mandate is to review the adequacy and security of IRS technology. From March through September 2011, TIGTA performed

Medical Center’s FICA refund claim dismissed as untimely

The First Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed a suit for refund of Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes Maine Medical Center mistakenly paid for its medical residents in the 2001 tax year, upholding a lower court determination that Maine Medical’s discovery requests were not warranted and that the information it

GASB issues guidance on deferred outflows and deferred inflows, plus technical corrections

In separate statements of standards for state and local governments issued Monday, GASB clarified the appropriate reporting of deferred outflows and deferred inflows of resources, and issued technical corrections to resolve conflicting accounting and financial reporting guidance. GASB issued Statement No. 65, Items Previously Reported as Assets and Liabilities, and

Some tax-exempt organizations are receiving erroneous penalty notices; relief available

Practitioners are reporting that some tax-exempt organizations have received penalty notices from the IRS for late filing of Forms 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, and 1120-POL, even though they received an automatic extension and filed during March, as instructed by the IRS. The IRS’s e-filing computer system was not available for filing

Court upholds IRS’s denial of college insurance fund’s application for tax exemption

An association of tax-exempt secondary schools and universities in Florida formed to pool insurance risk and obtain insurance for its members did not qualify for federal tax-exempt status because it fell under the prohibition against exemption for commercial-type of insurance companies in Sec. 501(m) (Florida Indep. Colleges & Universities Risk

IRS and OECD separately address transfer pricing issues

On Tuesday, the IRS announced a reorganization of its advance pricing agreement (APA), mutual agreement, and competent authority programs into one new program (IR-2012-38). All three programs dealt with transfer pricing rules, which determine how international transactions within a multinational company must be priced to ensure each country receives its

Audit rotation debated in House subcommittee hearing

Members of Congress asked pointed questions of PCAOB Chairman James Doty on Wednesday as the hot topic of mandatory audit firm rotation was debated during a wide-ranging discussion of accounting and auditing issues in front of a House subcommittee. Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J., the chairman of the House Subcommittee on

Auditor’s reporting model proposal scheduled for third quarter

The PCAOB’s proposed changes to the auditor’s reporting model are on track to be issued for public comment in the third quarter of 2012, according to a standard-setting agenda the board released Monday. PCAOB Chairman James Doty said in December that he thought the proposal would be out by the

Global economic survey, pension accounting discussion coming this week

The AICPA and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants on March 29 will release results of the first CGMA Global Economic Survey. The quarterly survey is designed to capture the views of CGMA executives on economic conditions worldwide and in their respective countries. A panel of leading CGMA executives will

TIGTA calls for improvements to IRS volunteer tax prep program database

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) reported Monday on its study of the IRS’s monitoring of volunteer tax preparation services (TIGTA Report No. 2012-40-021 (2/23/12)). The IRS has developed a database, the Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication Total Relationship Management System (SPECTRM), to monitor the performance of organizations

Repurchase agreements added to FASB’s agenda

In response to concerns from stakeholders, FASB on Wednesday added repurchase agreements and similar transactions to its agenda. In repurchase agreements, an entity transfers financial assets with an agreement that entitles and obligates the transferor to repurchase the financial assets at a fixed price at a later date. If the

Roth IRAs cannot be S corporation shareholders, Ninth Circuit holds

The Ninth Circuit, affirming the Tax Court, held that a corporation whose sole shareholder was a Roth IRA was not a valid S corporation when it was created in 2003 (Taproot Administrative Services, Inc., No. 10-70892 (9th Cir. 3/21/12), aff’g 133 T.C. 202 (2009)). The taxpayer who established the Roth

PCAOB panelists say mandatory firm rotation could be harmful, helpful

Panelists voiced opposing views of mandatory audit firm rotation Wednesday during the first of two days of PCAOB hearings on the concept. Critics of mandatory rotation said it would be costly with questionable benefits, while proponents said rotation would increase auditors’ objectivity. Many panelists proposed strategies other than rotation that

Review of FIN 48 isn’t necessary, FASB decides

FASB has concluded that it is not necessary to review or reconsider FIN 48 as a result of a “post-implementation review” conducted by FASB’s parent organization, the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF). The FAF review found that FASB Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (FIN 48), is resulting

Debate continues over auditor independence and audit firm rotation

On Wednesday and Thursday, what’s likely to be a robust discussion on audit firm rotation for public companies in the United States kicks off. Meanwhile, markets will get a glimpse of the U.S. housing situation, and FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) will meet in London to discuss

GASB proposes M&A standards for government

GASB issued for public comment Friday a proposed statement that aims to improve accounting and financial reporting by providing standards for combinations and disposals by state and local governments. Under the proposal outlined in the exposure draft, Government Combinations and Disposals of Government Operations, state and local governments would be

IRS suspends repair/capitalization exams pending accounting method changes

On Thursday, the IRS issued a Large Business & Industry (LB&I) Directive for field examinations on the repair vs. capitalization issue that essentially suspended current examinations so as to permit taxpayers to file accounting method changes under just-issued revenue procedures (LB&I-4-0312-004). Taxpayers that are subject to the new temporary regulations

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