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House Passes Tax Extenders Bill

On Friday, the House of Representatives passed the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (HR 4213) by a vote of 215–204. The bill now goes to the Senate, which will not take it up for consideration until after it returns from its Memorial Day recess on June 7. The

IASB Asks Constituents to Comment on FASB Proposal

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) on Thursday asked its constituents to comment on the financial instruments accounting proposals FASB released Wednesday. The IASB said that because FASB’s proposal is part of the global convergence project, it is important for FASB to receive feedback on the proposed model from the

FASB Proposes Comprehensive Changes to Financial Instruments Accounting

FASB on Wednesday issued a much anticipated exposure draft intended to improve accounting for financial instruments. Among other changes under the proposed Accounting Standards Update (ASU), financial statements would incorporate both amortized cost and fair value information about financial instruments held for collection or payment of cash flows. The proposal

Jobs Key to Consumer Confidence

Job growth is at the heart of increasing consumer confidence and growing the economy, Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist for Prudential Financial, told AICPA Council members Tuesday in San Diego. “If we don’t bring the word ‘confidence’ in, small business owners will be afraid to hire. They are worried about

Election Analyst Questions Whether Republicans Can Take House

Republicans may not be able to secure a majority in the House this November despite the potential for a tidal wave election, political analyst Charlie Cook told AICPA Council members Monday at a meeting in San Diego. Cook addressed the Council, providing his view of the political environment in light

IASB Chairman Outlines Approach for Reconciling Financial Instrument Standards

International Accounting Standards Board Chairman Sir David Tweedie on Tuesday outlined a possible approach for reconciling the divergent IASB and FASB models for financial instruments accounting.   With FASB’s comprehensive exposure draft on financial instruments expected any day, Tweedie said during a JofA exclusive interview at the AICPA Council meeting

Supreme Court Declines to Hear Textron Work Product Privilege Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to review the case of Textron Inc. v. United States, Sup. Ct. docket no. 09-750 (5/24/10). The decision not hear the case lets stand the First Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision that a corporation’s tax accrual workpapers were not protected from an IRS

Banks Earn $18B in First Quarter; FASB 166 and 167 Alter Balance Sheets

FDIC-insured commercial banks and savings institutions posted an aggregate profit of $18 billion in the first quarter of 2010, driven mostly by a 16.6% year-over-year drop in provisions for loan losses. It was the industry’s most profitable quarter since the first quarter of 2008, although the FDIC noted it is

Survey: CPAs Growing More Familiar With IFRS

Even though most American CPAs do not prepare or audit IFRS financial statements, many have begun learning the international standards, according to an AICPA survey released Monday. Two years ago nearly a third of AICPA members reported no familiarity with IFRS. But this year’s results show that number has been

IRS Guidance on Small Business Health Care Tax Credit

The IRS issued a notice Monday providing guidance to small businesses that are eligible to claim a tax credit for employee health insurance coverage (Notice 2010-44). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148) enacted new IRC § 45R, which allows certain eligible small businesses to claim a tax

FDIC Clarifies Securitization Safe Harbor Prompted by New FASB Standards

The Board of Directors of the FDIC on Tuesday approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) to clarify the safe harbor protection in a conservatorship or receivership for financial assets transferred by an insured depository institution in connection with a securitization or participation. (Click here for prior JofA coverage.) The

Panel Expresses ‘Broad-Based Concerns’ for Private Company Financial Reporting

There are legitimate, broad-based concerns about whether current U.S. GAAP and the underlying standard-setting process are meeting the needs of private companies, and it is time to start exploring alternatives that have surfaced in other countries, the chairman of a blue ribbon panel told panel members Friday. “There’s a reason

Automatic Revocation of Tax-Exempt Status to Start Monday

Monday, May 17, is the deadline for calendar-year tax-exempt organizations to file a Form 990 for 2009. It also marks the third filing deadline under the mandatory filing requirement instituted by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PL 109-280). Under the terms of that mandatory filing requirement, tax-exempt organizations that

Blue-Ribbon Panel on Private Company Financial Reporting to Meet Friday

The blue-ribbon panel established to provide recommendations on the future of U.S. accounting standards for private companies will hold its second meeting Friday at the offices of the Financial Accounting Foundation, FASB’s parent organization, in Norwalk, Conn. The public portion of the meeting will take place from 9:10 a.m. to

Economic Outlook Turns Optimistic

For the first time in more than two years, CPA financial executives were more optimistic than pessimistic about the outlook for the U.S. economy, according to a quarterly survey conducted by the AICPA and the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, but more than half don’t expect full economic

Final Interim Regulations Issued on Adult Dependent Health Coverage

On Monday, the IRS, along with the Department of Labor and Department of Health and Human Services, issued interim final regulations for group health plans and health insurers relating to dependent coverage for children under the age of 26 (TD 9482). The regulations complement guidance issued by the IRS on

FASAB Proposes Changes to Deferred Maintenance Reporting

The Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) is seeking comment on an exposure draft that proposes amendments to Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, & Equipment (PP&E), specifically relating to deferred maintenance (DM). The ED, Definitional Changes Related to Deferred Maintenance and Repairs: Amending

AICPA Testifies About Tax Return Preparer ID Plan

Patricia Thompson, CPA/PFS, vice chair of the AICPA’s Tax Executive Committee, spoke Thursday at an IRS hearing on the IRS’ plan to require all paid tax return preparers to obtain and use a preparer tax identification number (PTIN). She said the IRS’ PTIN proposal, along with its proposal to make

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