A study commissioned by a technology trade group says federal legislators should obtain more information before passing online privacy laws. It also says that, if passed, current legislative proposals will effectively require businesses to build costly compliance tracking systems and many companies will stop sharing information about their online customers
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TOPICS
Information management and technology assurance
Compliance
At a securities industry conference on money laundering, an SEC director encourages compliance by broker-dealers ( www.sec.gov/news/speech/spch486.htm ).
Professional Issues
Questions about the independence of investment analysts are attracting the SEC’s attention. Its acting chairman and its chief accountant worry that brokerage house researchers may be tailoring investment recommendations to suit their investment banking clients ( www.sec.gov/news/speech/spch477.htm ; www.sec.gov/news/speech/spch485.htm ).
Banking
The federal reserve board of governors adopts a rule that revises official staff commentary on regulation E, which implements the Electronic Funds Transfer Act. The new rule provides compliance guidance on electronic check conversion transactions, computer-initiated bill payments and electronic authorizations of recurring debits from a consumer’s bank account (
E-Commerce
To combat online fraud and improve the public’s confidence in doing cross-border business on the Internet, the United States joins 12 other nations in launching econsumer.gov, a multilingual Web site where consumers can obtain information about relevant laws and agencies and submit e-commerce-related complaints online ( www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/04/econsumer.htm ).
Employee Benefits
A new survey examines retirement plan sponsorship by businesses with fewer than 100 employees. Among reasons business owners cite for not offering a plan are their uncertainty about future revenue and workers’ preference for higher wages or other benefits ( www.ebri.org/sers/2001/index.htm ).
Financial Reporting
Corporations whose press releases provide pro forma earnings should also include a reconciliation to GAAP results, according to best practices guidelines jointly issued by the Financial Executives Institute and the National Investor Relations Institute ( www.niri.org/publications/alerts/ea042601.cfm ).
Personal Financial Planning
Fewer than three of four workers saved for retirement in 2000, says a new survey. According to researchers, while health care expenses worry workers who have tried to estimate their retirement needs, those who have not fret less about their retirement income ( www.ebri.org/rcs/2001/index.htm ).
Insurance
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners says its plan to improve the uniformity, efficiency and effectiveness of state insurance regulation will serve consumers better than the American Council of Life Insurers’ call for an optional federal charter for life insurance companies. Meanwhile, the Shadow Financial Regulatory Committee—an independent research group—evaluates
FYI
Gary S. Schieneman, CPA, begins a two-year term with FASB on July 1, replacing Anthony T. Cope, who has joined the International Accounting Standards Board ( http://accounting.rutgers.edu/raw/fasb/news/nr051401.html ). The United Kingdom’s accounting standards board appoints Douglas Flint to a three-year term ( www.frc.org.uk/publications/publication335.html ).
International
A new IFAC discussion paper examines the methods different countries’ accounting organizations advocate for defining and achieving competence in professional accountancy. Comments are due by October 31 ( www.ifac.org/News/LastestReleases.tmpl?NID=99010990012150 ). The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s initiative on harmful tax practices draws the opposition of the U.S. Treasury secretary,
Auditor Independence and Tax Practitioners
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE SEC’s NEW AUDITOR INDEPENDENCE RULES could have a significant effect on some tax practitioners. The SEC includes tax among the non-audit services CPA firms provide. AS PROPOSED, THE SEC RULES PUT IN DOUBT whether an auditor can do anything other than review the tax provision in
Avoid Taxes in Liquidation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE IRS SAYS DISTRIBUTIONS of customer-based intangibles to shareholders are taxable. When a firm or corporation distributes to its shareholders all of its assets, both tangible and intangible, and ceases doing business, the IRS says there is a taxable distribution of its intangible goodwill. THE CRITICAL ISSUE FOR
A CPA’s Guide to the Top Issues in Technology
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EACH YEAR, THE AICPA’s INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY team assembles a group of tech-savvy CPAs to identify the topics it believes will most affect the profession, its clients and employers. SECURITY AND PRIVACY are two of the group’s top technology issues for 2001, reflecting concern that existing measures are not
Facing the Future
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DON’T BE QUICK TO upgrade to the hot new technology. Those who rush to be at the forefront often pay a high price because the newest and hottest technology is usually the most expensive and the most vulnerable to initial design errors. AVOID GETTING LURED into buying the
Nine Ways to Make Your Firm More Exciting
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE EFFORT TO CREATE EXCITEMENT rewards modest expenditure with a generous payoff, fostering a pleasant, energetic workplace and making clients look forward to your visits. An exciting business will grow more than one that isn’t. SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES are an important opportunity to learn and network. Motivational
How to Be Careful and Still Be Clear
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IN AN EFFORT TO SIDESTEP POTENTIAL LIABILITY, CPAs may obscure rather than clarify important information presented to clients. The types of documents least affected by professional standards are the ones that are most important for practice development. A CPA WHO SPEAKS AND WRITES PLAIN ENGLISH develops a reputation
Pay Your Staff for Performance
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INCREASING THE PRODUCTIVE, efficient, billable use of each staff member’s time well into the 1,500 to 2,000 hour annual range is the key to a firm’s bottom-line improvement. ANY FIRM THAT BILLS AND COLLECTS less than an average of 2.4 times base salary for staff time should
The Downside of Good Times
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A PRACTITIONER FOUND ONE RISK OF A STRONG economy is that small business clients may loosen their internal controls, discovering fraud or theft only long after it has happened. THE MOST VULNERABLE ARE PRIVATE COMPANIES in the $10 million to $30 million range because they are large
A New Standard of Tax Practice
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE AICPA HAS ISSUED EIGHT STATEMENTS on Standards for Tax Services as enforceable standards for AICPA members. Effective October 31, they replaced the advisory Statements on Responsibilities in Tax Practice. COMMENT LETTERS RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT the necessity of enforceable tax practice standards. The strongest argument for enforceable
Features
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From The Tax Adviser
August 31, 2026
2026 tax software survey
July 31, 2026
