Efforts to get accountants more fully engaged with clients have found limited success with small businesses in the United States and Canada, a new survey shows. Forty per cent of small businesses surveyed in the U.S. and Canada do not even use an outside accountant, according to a report by
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Information management and technology assurance
Technology extracts a big price from Americans, survey shows
Americans’ infatuation with technology such as cellphones, cable TV, and satellite radio isn’t helping them fatten their bank accounts, according to a survey conducted for the AICPA by Harris Interactive for National Financial Literacy Month. Fifty-six percent of U.S. adults said they believe that technology has made it easier to
TIGTA recommends improvements to IRS cybersecurity system
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) reports that the IRS’s computer security response center is performing effectively, but further improvement is needed (TIGTA Rep’t No. 2012-20-019 (3/12/12)). Part of TIGTA’s mandate is to review the adequacy and security of IRS technology. From March through September 2011, TIGTA performed
Is it time to ditch your thumb drive?
Q: Our firm wants to provide everyone in our office with new and larger USB thumb drives to be used for transporting and sharing data files. Is this a good idea, and, if so, what size and type should we get? A: The emergence of cloud-based data storage such as
What CPAs need to know about organized crime
The FBI called it “The Case of the Stolen Company.” New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said it “gave new meaning” to the term corporate takeover. An indictment filed in a New Jersey federal court said that a group with ties to La Cosa Nostra (LCN), commonly known as
Elbows on the table, please
Q: How do you enter two labels into a single Excel cell, separated by a diagonal line? I’ve seen this done, and I want to add this to my table, but I can’t figure out how. A: The solution you are referring to is called an elbow, and you can
Planning and paying for partner retirements
John was one of three founding partners in a firm formed 35 years ago. He oversaw the buyout of the other two founding partners and, as managing partner, groomed three young managers as his successors. However, when the time came for these managers to be admitted as partners, two of
Transposition errors in Excel
Q: Is there an easy way to copy formulas that are arranged horizontally across an Excel worksheet and paste them vertically down the page? When I try this using Excel’s Paste-Transpose command, the cell references change and no longer reference the correct cells. A: I can think of three ways
I read you loud and clear
Q: Because of the smaller screen size of my laptop, I find it difficult to read news and articles on the Web. Is there a way to make Web content easier to read? A: I know exactly what you are talking about. I do most of my reading on a
A wealth of opportunity
Much has been written in recent years about wealth management services that call for practitioners, including CPAs, to have personal financial planning certification and to come under investment-adviser or other regulations. Much less attention has been paid to PFP services that don’t require specialization or additional licensing. One of these
Secure your laptop
Q: I use a Windows password to protect my laptop computer (which runs Windows 7 Professional), but my colleague has advised me to set up a BIOS password, too. Is a BIOS password warranted? A: The use of BIOS and Windows passwords will prevent others from turning on your
Keep the best and brightest
The AICPA’s Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) recently completed a national survey about the attitudes and aspirations of the most promising young accounting professionals. The 2011 PCPS Top Talent Study (available at tinyurl.com/6tygubv) suggests how firms of all sizes can hang on to top talent. —By Yasmine El-Ramly, CPA/CITP, (yelramly@aicpa.org),
CPAs prioritize security, unsure how to best leverage new technologies
CPAs are confident that their organizations can secure their IT networks and manage data, but they doubt whether their employers will be able to generate revenue streams and other benefits from emerging technologies such as cloud computing and mobile devices, the AICPA reported Wednesday in releasing the results of its
A strategic approach to IT budgeting
Organizations of all types struggle with information technology (IT) budgeting. This often happens because the IT team doesn’t understand the budgeting process and the finance team doesn’t understand IT. CPAs, whether in public practice, business and industry, the not-for-profit sector or government, can remedy this disconnect by changing their organization’s
Daily money management
As Americans enter old age in rapidly increasing numbers, more accountants will run into situations like the one a Virginia CPA encountered last year. The CPA spent five hours rummaging through the home of a 94-year-old client, trying to find the paperwork needed to complete the man’s 2010 tax return.
Ready, set, Excel!
Q: I’ve just installed Excel 2010. Can you tell me which default settings, if any, I should change to make it easier to use? A: When I install Excel, I typically adjust the default settings as outlined below. (These suggestions tend to be more of a personal preference than
Monitoring the field
Q: I enjoyed the February 2011 JofA article “Increase Productivity With Multiple Monitors” (page 28), which addressed using multiple monitors with a desktop computer, but is there an easy solution that allows our audit staff to use dual monitors with their Windows laptops in the field? A: I applaud the
Heads in the cloud: Part 2
The rapid growth of cloud computing is whipping up a storm of change and challenges, opportunities and obstacles for CPA firms. While many firms have embraced the Internet as a place to conduct business more efficiently and effectively, others are holding back, often due to concerns about the security of
Watering your documents
Q: Is there an easy way to insert a prominent disclaimer on each page of a Word 2010 document that reads “For Management’s Eyes Only”? A: Word 2010, 2007 and 2003 provide a watermark solution that likely meets your needs. To use this feature in Word 2010 and 2007, click
Tagging along
Q: I see an increasing number of colorful square patterns popping up in magazines and newspapers, but I don’t understand their purpose. Could you enlighten me? A: Those colorful square patterns you see are Microsoft Tags. To use them, download the free Microsoft Tag reader to your smartphone and scan
Features
SPONSORED REPORT
Preparing clients for new provisions next tax season
As the 2025 filing season approaches, H.R. 1 introduces significant tax reforms that CPAs must be prepared to navigate. These legislative changes represent some of the most comprehensive tax updates in recent years, affecting both individual and corporate taxpayers. This report provides in-depth analysis and guidance on H.R. 1.
From The Tax Adviser
November 30, 2025
Digital asset transactions: Broker reporting, amount realized, and basis
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Recent developments in estate planning
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