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COSO Releases Draft of Updated Internal Control Framework

An exposure draft released Monday by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) seeks comments on an updated internal control framework designed to help organizations perform with more agility and confidence. COSO set out to update its nearly 20-year-old framework for new technology demands and capabilities, in

FASB, IASB Announce New Disclosure Requirements on Offsetting

FASB and the IASB today issued investor-focused common disclosure requirements on the effect or potential effect of offsetting arrangements on a company’s financial position. U.S. GAAP and IFRS differ on the criteria for offsetting, also known as netting. Offsetting presents net amounts of assets and liabilities in the balance sheet

Some Form 990 Filers Have Extension to March 30

In Notice 2012-4, the IRS extended the filing deadline for Form 990 until March 30, 2012, for many tax-exempt organizations with a filing due date during the first two months of the new year. Organizations affected by the extension normally would have a filing deadline of Jan. 17 or Feb.

Regulations Issued on Continuity of Interest Rule for Corporate Reorganizations

The IRS issued final and proposed regulations (T.D. 9565 and REG-124627-11) on the continuity of interest (COI) requirement in Sec. 368 corporate reorganizations. To qualify for nonrecognition treatment in a corporate reorganization, one of the requirements that must be met is COI, specifically how that requirement is met in the

FASB Clarifies Scope of Derecognition of In Substance Real Estate

FASB on Wednesday issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) no. 2011-10, Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360): Derecognition of in Substance Real Estate—a Scope Clarification (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force). The ASU clarifies that the guidance in Accounting Standard Codification (ASC) Subtopic 360-20, Property, Plant, and Equipment—Real

FASB, IASB Make Progress in Convergence Project on Leasing

In one of their most important convergence projects, FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) have reached tentative decisions on aspects of the treatment of leases in financial reporting. How to account for leases is one of four remaining major areas in which FASB and the IASB are trying

Regulations Issued for Specified Foreign Financial Assets Reporting

The IRS issued temporary and proposed regulations (T.D. 9567; REG-130302-10) on the requirement that certain foreign financial assets be reported to the IRS for tax years beginning after March 18, 2010. Sec. 6038D requires individuals to report interests in “specified foreign financial assets” (SFFAs) when filing their federal income tax

AICPA Letter to PCAOB Raises Concerns About Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation

The AICPA recommended that the PCAOB refrain from imposing mandatory audit firm rotation. AICPA Chairman Greg Anton, and President and CEO Barry Melancon signed a comment letter sent by email Wednesday to the PCAOB stating that mandatory audit firm rotation is costly and has the potential to hinder audit quality

Tax Issues and the 2010 S Corporation Shareholder Decedent

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on thetaxadviser.com.   A tax practitioner working with the estate of an S corporation shareholder who died in 2010 must contend with numerous issues. This article points out some of the issues and discusses some of the choices that a practitioner can consider. The

Prada Appointed Chair of IFRS Foundation Trustees

Michel Prada was appointed chairman of the Trustees of the IFRS Foundation, the IASB announced Monday. A former chair of the Executive and Technical committees of the International Organization of Securities Commissions, he has significant experience leading investor-focused international organizations. Prada’s three-year term begins Jan. 1. He succeeds Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa,

IRS Clarifies Recurring-Item Exception

The IRS issued a revenue ruling on Tuesday to clarify the application of the all-events test’s recurring-item exception under Sec. 461(h)(3) to certain fact patterns (Rev. Rul. 2012-1). The ruling addresses four questions: Is the amount of a taxpayer’s liability material for purposes of the recurring-item exception if the liability

Transit Pass and Vanpool Benefits to Shrink in 2012

Millions of people across the United States will experience a significant increase in the cost of their daily commute to work, and many employers will suffer a corresponding increase in payroll taxes for 2012 and beyond, unless Congress acts. The monthly tax exclusion for employer provided transit pass and vanpool

Standard Mileage Rates for 2012 Released

The IRS on Friday released standard mileage rates for use in 2012 (Notice 2012-1). Taxpayers can use the optional standard mileage rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile. For business use of an automobile remains at 55½ cents per mile. For medical or moving expenses, it is

Time to Test-Drive the Revenue Recognition Proposal

GE’s global technical controller said a new standard on revenue is close enough to reality that he is instructing business managers to keep the likely new regulations in mind as they draw up contracts. “To the extent you’re entering into five-, 10-, 15-year contracts today, you really need to think

IRS Holds First Hearing on Real-Time Tax System

The IRS held a public hearing on Thursday to gather feedback on how to implement a system in which the IRS would match information on tax returns with data from third-party information returns during the processing of the return. Under the proposed “real-time tax system,” if the IRS found discrepancies

Letters to SEC Show Support of Global Standards, According to Official

Comment letters to the SEC revealed support for the idea of global standards but that further progress on convergence is desired before IFRS is incorporated in the United States, according to a key SEC official. In written remarks, SEC Deputy Chief Accountant Paul Beswick said the goal of a single

Technology 2012 Preview: Video

With 2012 just around the corner, the JofA gathered the three technology keynote speakers from the AICPA’s 2011 Practitioners Symposium/TECH+ Conference to talk about tech trends heading into the new year. The nearly 90-minute conversation covered a wide range of technical issues critical to all CPAs. Participating in the call

Survey of CPAs Shows Economic Pessimism Still Prevalent, But Shrinking

Pessimism about the U.S. economy among CPA decision makers has shrunk slightly, but remains high, according to the AICPA Economic Outlook Survey for the fourth quarter of 2011. Forty percent of the 916 qualified respondents in the survey said they were somewhat or very pessimistic about the economy. That was

FASB, IASB Chiefs Agree New Convergence Model Is Needed

The heads of the U.S. and international accounting boards that have been working to resolve standards differences agree that their current convergence process should be replaced by one that is more manageable and effective. FASB Chair Leslie Seidman said Tuesday at the AICPA National Conference on Current SEC and PCAOB

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