The IRS has released its annual revenue procedure updating the tax bracket amounts and making inflation adjustments for various credits and other tax items (Revenue Procedure 2009-50). Because inflation has been minimal, many of the numbers are unchanged from 2009 or have only been adjusted slightly. The Social Security Administration
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Mortgage Loan Fraud Reports Slow Dramatically
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s semiannual SAR Activity Review: Trends, Tips & Issues says mortgage loan fraud suspicious activity reports (MLF SARs) increased less than 1% for the six-month period ended June 30, 2009, compared with the prior-year period. This is a sharp decline in the rate of increase after
SEC Crafts Strategic Goals for 2010–2015
The SEC on Thursday released its draft Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2010–2015, which includes, among other goals, a continued commitment “to promote the establishment of high-quality accounting standards by independent standard setters” and support for “a single set of high-quality global accounting standards.” The draft Strategic Plan is a
AICPA Invites Feedback on Updated Oil and Gas Industry Guide
The AICPA on Friday published a working draft of the AICPA Audit and Accounting Guide, Entities With Oil and Gas Producing Activities. The draft, which was developed by the Accounting Standards Executive Committee and the Entities with Oil and Gas Producing Activities Task Force, addresses many new accounting issues that
Accounting Leaders Recommend Changes to IASB’s Constitution
To be most effective, international financial reporting standards should be field-tested prior to adoption, and the international standard setter needs to more clearly communicate its processes while gathering stakeholders’ opinions, a group of global accounting leaders including AICPA President and CEO Barry Melancon told the representatives of the International Accounting
IRS Memo Allows Taxpayer to Deduct Interest on $1.1 Million Mortgage
The IRS Office of Chief Counsel has issued a memorandum in which it reinterprets the definition of “acquisition indebtedness” under IRC § 163(h)(3) to allow a taxpayer to deduct interest on the first $1.1 million of his or her mortgage instead of the usual $1 million limit (CCA 200940030). This
XBRL Functionality Added to FASB Codification
FASB on Monday announced that it has added new XBRL functionality to its Accounting Standards Codification Web site. “The new XBRL functionality provided by the Codification Web site will help entities as they prepare or plan to prepare XBRL financial statements using the U.S. Financial Reporting Taxonomy,” said FASB Chairman
Small Public Companies Have Six More Months to Meet SOX Internal Controls Requirement
The SEC on Friday announced that the smallest public companies have six more months to provide audited assessments on the effectiveness of their internal control over financial reporting. Under section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, public companies and their independent auditors are each required to report to the public on
Excerpts From the Personal Financial Planning Round Table
Editor’s note: These are Web-exclusive excerpts from the JofA‘s round table discussion with members of the AICPA’s Personal Financial Planning Section. Also read “Lessons Learned From the Financial Crisis,” Oct. 09. PARTICIPANTS’ PERSPECTIVES ON GETTING INTO PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING Lyle Benson: We’re all living examples of CPAs who made the
Economic Crisis Discussion Group
To see other readers’ comments, click on the questions below. Discussion Questions: 1. Do you agree with the analysis by the authors of “The U.S. Economic Crisis: Root Causes and the Road to Recovery”? Explain why or why not. 2. Are there alternative causes of the economic crisis that
PCAOB Revises Effective Date of Rules Requiring Reporting by Registered Firms
The PCAOB postponed the effective date for registered public accounting firms required to report under its new rules to Dec. 31, 2009, from the previous date of Oct. 12, in order to resolve technical issues related to deploying the board’s new Web-based system for processing and publishing filings on the
Canada Finalizes Private Company Accounting Standards
The Canadian Accounting Standards Board (AcSB) on Wednesday approved final accounting standards for private enterprises. The new standards will be issued by the end of the year and will be available for 2009 reporting for entities that choose to adopt them early, according to an AcSB press release. The private
FASAB Issues Fiscal Sustainability Disclosure Requirements
The Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) issued a standard that furthers one of the standard setter’s federal financial reporting objectives—the stewardship objective—by enabling readers to determine whether future budgetary resources will sufficiently sustain public services and meet obligations as they come due. Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS)
CAQ Survey: Individual Investor Confidence Rises to 73%
Individual investors’ confidence in U.S. capital markets increased slightly from 2008, with 73% of investors indicating they have at least some confidence compared with 70% last year, according to a telephone survey of 1,000 investors conducted by the Center for Audit Quality and The Glover Park Group released Wednesday. This
IRS Updates Travel Expense Per Diem Rates
On Wednesday, the IRS released Revenue Procedure 2009-47, which is its annual update to the substantiation rules for business travel expenses when an employer provides a per diem reimbursement allowance. It sets the per diem rate for travel to high-cost localities and for travel to other localities in the continental
CPA Exam to Undergo Transformation
The Uniform CPA Examination will be transformed beginning in 2011, with a new structure, format and content and supported by enhanced technology, the AICPA said in a letter Friday to state boards of accountancy. The improvements, designated CBT-e for Computer-Based Testing evolution, will be launched Jan. 1, 2011, simultaneously with
New Exam Options Offer Pathways to PFS Credential
An examination leading to the AICPA’s Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) credential is now available in hundreds of cities nationwide, along with a live, interactive online offering of the exam’s case-study component. Together, these features of the new PFS Pathway program are intended to allow CPAs anywhere to obtain the PFS
G-20: Achieve Single Set of Global Accounting Standards by June 2011
In an agreement reached Friday to make dozens of changes to the regulation of financial markets, systems and institutions, the leaders of the G-20 called on “international accounting bodies to redouble their efforts to achieve a single set of high quality, global accounting standards within the context of their independent
IRS Issues Regs on Six-Year Limitations on Basis Overstatement
The IRS issued proposed and temporary regulations (TD 9466, REG-108045-08) Thursday to clarify that an overstatement of basis can create a substantial omission of gross income under IRC §§ 6229(c)(2) and 6501(e) for purposes of the six-year extended period for assessments and collections of tax attributable to partnership items. In
CPAs Can Benefit From Flu Preparation
Several federal agencies have jointly developed a “Preparedness Guide for Small Business” to help small businesses plan for the H1N1 flu (swine flu). “Small businesses play an essential role in our national effort to prepare for all disasters and emergencies—including the H1N1 flu,” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in
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