The Auditing Standards Board exposes a suite of seven draft statements on auditing standards (SASs) ( www.aicpa.org/members/div/auditstd/auditrisk120202.asp ) to improve auditors’ application of the audit risk model. The proposed SASs require auditors to develop a better understanding of audited entities and their environments, to use that knowledge to more rigorously
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TOPICS / TAX
International tax
FYI
The AICPA and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners release a free one-hour PC-based training program. How Fraud Hurts You and Your Organization , that can be downloaded at no charge from http://antifraud.aicpa.org/Resources/ How+Fraud+Hurts+Your+Organization.htm The course also is available on CD from the AICPA at 888–777–7077 (product code 056513JA). It
International
The International Federation of Accountants issues exposure drafts of three international standards on auditing (ISAs) and one amendment to an existing ISA ( www.ifac.org/Members/Source_Files/Exposure_Drafts/ED-Audit_ Risk_Oct021.pdf ). Comments are due by March 31 on the proposed guidance, Understanding the Entity and Its Environment and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement; The
Accounting
AcSEC, the AICPA accounting standards executive committee, in agreement with FASB and the SEC, rescinds SOP 92-3, Accounting for Foreclosed Assets. FASB statement no. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, effectively superseded the SOP, the scope of which did not include non-long-lived assets such as inventories
Privacy
A new Federal Trade Commission publication, Financial Institutions and Customer Data: Complying with the Safeguard Rule ( www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/safeguards.htm ), explains important aspects of the regulation ( www.ftc.gov/privacy/glbact ), which applies to businesses “significantly engaged” in providing financial products or services to consumers. The report includes a section called “How to
Retirement
The IRS releases 2003 cost-of-living adjustments related to benefit and contribution limits for qualified retirement plans ( www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/ir02-111.pdf ). Many such savings caps are not changing this year because the increase in the cost-of-living index fell below the statutory thresholds that otherwise would trigger their adjustment. However, several will increase
Auditing
The ASB issues Statement on Auditing Standards no. 100, Interim Financial Information, replacing SAS no. 71, with the same title. The new standard provides additional guidance on performing reviews of interim financial information and incorporates the SEC’s requirement for timely filing of interim data. It also includes recommendations from the
FYI
Four practitioners replace departing members of the ASB. The appointees are Kenneth Macias, William F. Messier Jr., Steven L. Schenbeck and Michael T. Umscheid.
International
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issues an exposure draft, Share-based Payment ( www.iasb.org.uk ), which proposes companies, on their financial statements, report as expenses any shares or options they grant to employees as compensation. The IASB concluded that such transactions are not different from those in which an entity
Accounting
For news from the AICPA and state societies, visit www.cpa2biz.com , which also offers online CPE, AICPA professional literature, practice management aids and links to state society Web sites. FASB issues Statement no. 147, Acquisitions of Certain Financial Institutions ( www.fasb.org/news/nr100102.shtml ). It provides guidance on accounting for all such
Securities
The SEC proposes two rules governing mutual funds’ and investment advisers’ proxy voting on behalf of their investors and clients, respectively. The first proposal ( www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/33-8131.htm ) would require mutual funds to disclose the policies and procedures they use to determine how to vote proxies relating to their shareholders’ securities.
Government Accounting
The Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board issues Technical Bulletin 2002-2, Disclosures Required by Paragraph 79(g) of SFFAS 7, Accounting for Revenue and Other Financing Sources and Concepts for Reconciling Budgetary and Financial Accounting ( www.fasab.gov/pdf/tb20022.pdf ). The bulletin explains to users, preparers and auditors what disclosures a federal financial reporting
Money Laundering
The Treasury Department issues three rules relating to the USA Patriot Act and financial institutions’ and CPAs’ roles in the fight against money laundering ( www.treas.gov/press/releases/po3436.htm ). The new regulations, which the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network will administer, amends and adds provisions to the Bank Secrecy Act, which governs
Professional Issues
The portfolios of financial advisers’ clients suffered heavy losses in 2001 and early 2002 as the S&P 500 stock index fell sharply. But by bringing in new business and thus increasing their total client holdings by 16.7%, the advisers limited to 5.3% the decline in assets under their management, says
Banking
Comptroller of the Currency John D. Hawke says banks owned by financial conglomerates should better protect their interests—by insisting on reasonable compensation—when dealing with affiliated organizations that want to sell products to bank customers ( www.occ.treas.gov/ftp/release/2002-78.doc ). Hawke recommends several additional ways—including adopting corporate governance standards—banks can preempt government intervention
Why Compensation Committees Need Your Help
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WHETHER WORKING IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT of a public company or advising that company as an outside consultant, CPAs are in a unique position to guide compensation committees in their role as corporate overseers and to help them better align compensation practices with shareholder interests. CPAs
Employee Benefits
U.S. companies will pay on average 15.4% more in 2003 to provide their workers with health insurance than they did this year, when rates climbed 13.7%, says consulting group Hewitt Associates ( http://was.hewitt.com/hewitt ). Some corporations will absorb most of the increase, but others will ask employees to contribute more
Auditing
The Institute of Internal Auditors ( www.theiia.org ) issues for its members a summary of several regulatory organizations’ current and proposed corporate governance requirements aimed at improving the accuracy, completeness and transparency of financial statements. The regulations specify what boards of directors, audit committees and corporate managers must do to
FYI
The SEC appoints Scott A. Taub, CPA, its deputy chief accountant. A recent partner of Andersen’s professional standards group in Chicago, Taub previously had served with the commission as a professional accounting fellow. John T. Smith, CPA, joins the International Accounting Standards Board as a part-time member, filling the post
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