Audit & assurance

I appreciated the article highlighting the tax impact of investment returns (“A Taxing Problem,” JofA, May00, page 51). My clients have also benefited from the tax efficiency of unit investment trusts (UITs). Typically targeted toward specific themes, such as worldwide wireless or Glass-Steagall companies, they have a buy-and-hold strategy to

The special report “ABA Gives Thumbs Down to Lawyers’ Fee-Sharing,” ( JofA, Sept.00, page 22) purports to be a news item, but in my opinion the editorial intent of the article cannot be mistaken. The House of Delegates of the American Bar Association, which may be referred to as the

I agree with the assessment of the letter writer regarding the FASB (“Agrees with Need for Change,” JofA, Sept.00, page 14). Some of the pronouncements are prime material for the repertoire of the Theatre of the Absurd. However, I do not believe the AICPA should be allowed to participate in

I recently spent a couple of hours in an after-hours medical clinic, waiting to see a doctor. There, I found a copy of the JofA. Even though I’m not in the accounting field, I really enjoyed the magazine. In particular, I recall reading a useful article describing how to generate

As a specialist in the not-for-profit industry, I found “Selecting the Right Charity ( JofA, Sept.00, page 19) most interesting. However, there are two issues mentioned I would like to address. The article suggests that the annual information statement, IRS form 990, “doesn’t break down fundraising and operational costs.” Although

A comment in “FASB Offers More Guidance on Stock Options” ( JofA, July00, page 18) suggests that the inability to reprice options could cause a company to lose all its employees if the value of its stock declines and is not likely to go up in the near future. I

“Beyond Section 1031” ( JofA, July00, page 61) was an excellent summary of some of the complexities surrounding this code section and provided practical solutions to construction and reverse exchanges. I offer two other concerns for advisers to consider: State taxation. While California and Idaho, for example, allow a replacement

“New Rules, New Responsibilities” ( JofA, Aug.00, page 53) deals with questions arising from only some of the important new audit committee rules resulting from the SEC’s “blue ribbon committee” initiative. There are other rules companies might need to consider. For example, the article omits discussion of the newly articulated

As a Web designer and the spouse of a “finance guy,” I enjoy reading his copies of the JofA for the technology information. The article, “Launch a Web Site—Now” (June00, page 22) was very informative although it omitted any discussion on servers, server software and the programming it takes to