Accounting

 
 
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    Deloitte LLP

  • From "Closed Garden" Business Models to Open by 2012?

    The wireless sector is on the edge of a significant disruptive shift affecting the established business models of many of the leading industry players, according to a Deloitte survey of executives in... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • The Workplace of Tomorrow: Productivity Engine or Safe Haven for Slackers?

    Some organizations aren't convinced that a flexible and mobile workforce is a good idea. Should your company enable the workplace of tomorrow – or is business as usual the right choice for now? [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • 2010 Gubernatorial Elections: Your Guide to the Issues

    State policymakers wield unrivaled potential for improving Americans' lives and implementing positive change. Explore insights into solving some of the most vexing challenges facing government... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Your Turn: Growth

    Whether or not you’re a believer in "green shoots," you’re likely watching closely for signs of a swing from cost cutting back to growth mandates. But every growth initiative comes with inherent... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Rebound Big Time: From Cautious Optimism to Strategic Action

    20 Oct 2009 | 12:29 pm
    The rollercoaster continues for many sectors, even as others are well-positioned and looking ahead to what's next. So what's the right move for your organization? It's no longer about the downturn or... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
 
 
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    Deloitte Health Care

  • Your Turn: Growth

    4 Nov 2009 | 1:03 pm
    Whether or not you’re a believer in "green shoots," you’re likely watching closely for signs of a swing from cost cutting back to growth mandates. But every growth initiative comes with inherent costs and risks as well as benefits. Explore our latest resources on investing in growth.

  • Scenario Planning in Life Sciences R&D: Planning for Uncertainty

    20 Oct 2009 | 12:29 pm
    A recent survey found that, 30 percent of pharmaceutical R&D executives surveyed believe their companies will have to change completely to face future risk, and 82 percent of biotechnology executives believe their companies need to endure major transformations to address future risk and uncertainty.

  • 54% of Americans Believe Health Care Reform Will Not be Passed This Year

    30 Sep 2009 | 12:29 pm
    Government-run health care and increased taxes top list of concerns, according to the results of a new Deloitte Center for Health Solutions study.

  • Episode-Based Payment: Perspectives for Consideration

    27 Sep 2009 | 12:29 pm
    This new report assists industry stakeholders in understanding the rationale, implementation and impacts of episode-based reimbursement.

  • Academic Medical Centers at a Tipping Point

    17 Sep 2009 | 12:35 pm
    While driven to serve their tripartite mission of teaching, research and patient care, AMCs are susceptible to myriad pressures that endanger their long-term viability. Learn what transformational change is needed to safeguard their future.
 
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    Deloitte Human Capital & Talent

  • The Workplace of Tomorrow: Productivity Engine or Safe Haven for Slackers?

    4 Nov 2009 | 1:03 pm
    Some organizations aren't convinced that a flexible and mobile workforce is a good idea. Should your company enable the workplace of tomorrow – or is business as usual the right choice for now?

  • Equipping the Federal Workforce for the Cyber Age

    20 Oct 2009 | 12:29 pm
    There is a need, not only for high-level information security training and certification, but for a higher degree of Cyber acumen and awareness coupled with new cultural sensitivity across all levels of federal agencies to meet new requirements and expectations around collaboration, transparency and openness.

  • The SEC’s Proposed Amendments to its Proxy Disclosure Rules

    17 Sep 2009 | 12:35 pm
    On July 10, 2009, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a series of proposed amendments to its proxy disclosure rules. The rules, which were voted on and approved unanimously, would significantly modify and expand the scope of information required to be included in the annual proxy.

  • Top 10 List for Employee Retention During a Recovery

    17 Sep 2009 | 12:35 pm
    Executives may be tempted to downplay the effects that cost-cutting survival strategies have on employee retention, but decreasing focus on human capital management may cause an increase in turnover intentions, with many employees planning to jump ship once the economy improves.

  • Steering Through an Unpredictable World: Strategies for the CHRO

    27 Jul 2009 | 12:41 pm
    It’s critical for the CHRO to find the right balance between reducing workforce and operational costs. Learn more about key strategies CHROs should consider in this Consumer & Industrial Products perspective.
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    The Adagio Blog

  • Hiatus

    23 Oct 2009 | 2:08 pm
    Pending completion of "The Adagio Consultants' Guide to Internet Marketing," This BLOG is on Hiatus. It is not gone forever....the rumors of its demise are greatly exaggereated as the saying goes. See you Soon!

  • NO POSTS FOR JUNE

    2 Jul 2009 | 6:11 pm
    Since JUNE is the month for the Adagio Oppurtunities Conference month, there will be no posts this month. See you in July!

  • MasterMind - Annemarie Nordman

    22 Apr 2009 | 4:39 am
    This month, we are pleased to feature for the Adagio-centric "Mastermind" interview Annemarie Nordman! I am sure Annemarie needs no introduction to our community but quickly, she is one-half of the "Foundation Marketing Team," and has worked with countless Adagio Consultants to improve their marketing skills. We at the Adagio Blog would like to thank Annemarie for taking the time to answer our questions! Q. For our readers who might not know the considerable contributions you've made to the World of Adagio, tell us about yourself and your relationship with the community.Wow, where do I start?

  • I've Been Thinking About Unused Marketing Oppurtunities!

    13 Apr 2009 | 3:01 pm
    I read recently that most companied miss 98% of their online marketing oppurtunities. So I have been thinking about ways to recover some of those I have been missing, and reading about ways to take advantage of them. So I would like to pass on the first one I have been thinking about, which will probably comprise an entire chapter of "The Adagio Consultant's Guide to Internet Marketing," in fact, I am already writing it...its called "The Art of the Email Signature!"Every email you send out is a marketing opp. and we should come up with ways to make the end of that email an opt in for more…

  • MasterMind - Ron Davis

    17 Mar 2009 | 6:09 pm
    This months MasterMind is Internet Entrepreneur Ron Davis. I am sure you all have had a time in your life when you have run across a new business in your area, or perhaps online, or maybe you just met someone who seems totally commit ed to some goal and you think to yourself, "Wow, they are doing this right!"(Like the staff at Softrak hosting the AOC, yes?) I know for myself, I have run across people or businesses several times that seem to have everything covered and are run in, not just an efficient way, but in a very progressive forward-looking way, and I have thought to myself that I am…
 
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    Accounting News and Notes

  • Holiday Service Opportunity: Feeding the Homeless in Atlanta…Taking Christianity Into the World

    John Dillard
    7 Nov 2009 | 5:41 am
    Holiday Service Opportunity: Feeding the Homeless in Atlanta…Taking Christianity Into the World My wife and I were blessed to be able to serve at 7 Bridges to Recovery where we met Pastor 7 and his men!  This Thanksgiving in 2009, we will be serving the homeless men and women of Atlanta as we bring a Thanksgiving feast and God’s word to many people living under the bridges of the streets of Atlanta and some canned goods to the shelter.  We will also be collecting jackets and sleeping bags to help keep those who cannot do for themselves warm this upcoming winter. We are collecting any…

  • Sugarloaf United Methodist Church hosts Miracle on Old Peachtree

    John Dillard
    7 Nov 2009 | 5:28 am
    Sugarloaf United Methodist Church hosts Miracle on Old Peachtree Sugarloaf United Methodist Church Women’s Ministry is hosting “Miracle on Old Peachtree” a wonderful shopping experience.  Come join others and shop for all your Christmas gifts in one place (and pick up a few things for yourself).  There will be over 20 vendors with many of them being part of the mission groups at Sugarloaf.  Pueblo Pintado Navajo Missions will be represented with turquoise jewelry, sand art, Navajo weavings and more and 100% of the proceeds go back to the Navajo Indian Reservation.  Some…

  • Duluth CPA Advises on Bookkeeping Issues for Atlanta Business Owners

    John Dillard
    5 Nov 2009 | 8:01 am
    Duluth CPA Advises on Bookkeeping Issues for Atlanta Business Owners Utilizing financial statements properly will do much to ensure that you are able to both track and plan for the future financial results of your business. These articles will do much to help you Metro Atlanta Business survive tough economic times.  Bookkeeping for Your Atlanta Small Business Learn the ABC’s of accounting for the business and financial operations of your business. Visit http://www.hiscpa.com/keeping-books.html Preparing and Reviewing Financial Statements for Altanta Business Owners Financial results of…

  • Are You Looking For Christian Romance?

    John Dillard
    5 Nov 2009 | 6:58 am
    Are You Looking For Christian Romance? Christian Fiction Romance Charleston Dawn is set in the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The book is a murder mystery and relates to how its characters find God amidst real life issues. It speaks boldly about the Christian life and how God wants us to live. Combining Charleston’s history about everything from homes to lighthouses, chase scenes, a hurricane and a tornado; Charleston Dawn keeps its reader on the edge of their seat as they turn its pages. Learn about the uniqueness of the city’s past and the story’s characters faith in…

  • Gwinnett CPA Teaches Bookkeeping to Metro Atlanta Business Owners & Financial Statement Preparation

    John Dillard
    5 Nov 2009 | 6:44 am
    Gwinnett CPA Teaches Bookkeeping to Metro Atlanta Business Owners & Financial Statement Preparation Entrepreneurs either initially or over time become extremely proficient in their field of choice for it is by this growth of knowledge and wisdom which affords them the insight to make prudent decisions. Each and every hour of a business owner’s day, there are a series of insignificant and important thoughts and directions that directly impact the profitability of a business. Continually you are faced with making a positive impact towards bringing your business closer or further away…
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    Golden Practices

  • Think Your Clients Use Your Firm's Website?

    Michelle Golden
    4 Nov 2009 | 9:20 pm
    If you think your website exists primarily for clients, think again. A lot of firms think about investing in pricey features that would be in a client-only portion of the website. Did you know that only about 1% of clients return to a firm’s site after hiring them? And when they do, it’s usually to find an address or phone number. Firms think about adding a payment feature or a document storage tool where clients can get their electronic documents without bothering the firm to send copies. Yikes, how firm-centric are these ideas?? Firms also talk about putting valuable content and tools…

  • Disenchanted with the New Facebook?

    Michelle Golden
    26 Oct 2009 | 7:58 am
    I'm hearing it everywhere. People are pretty heated over the changes Facebook rolled out last week. Other than some technical problems I'm having with errors and actually using the site, I think there is actually some good potential in the changes they've made. First, let me reassure you that your "old" News Feed view is still there! Just choose "Status Updates" in the left column. If you want that as your default, just grab it and drag it to the top of the stack. So the new News Feed is a filter set up to show you the most popular items...the items people are engaging with on your wall and…

  • Social Media Risk Tolerance Quiz for Firms

    Michelle Golden
    13 Oct 2009 | 9:17 am
    I'm working on some risk assessment tools for firms to use to determine the level of rigidity (or lack thereof) needed in their own social media policies--and firms' likelihood, or not, of success in using social media tools to their full potential. And I wholeheartedly believe that, while some potential risks exist (liability, etc), such policies are primarily anchored to the level of trust within an organization. I like to keep things simple so I created a 3 question "Quiz" for firms to assess the strictness of their policies governing, well, everything--but particularly: Communication,…

  • What is it With Disclaimers?

    Michelle Golden
    3 Sep 2009 | 3:10 pm
    Some interesting albeit frustrating discussions about disclaimers lately. These relate to websites.Before I get into this, I want to state that I am not a lawyer, I do not pretend to be a lawyer, nor do I know more than lawyers on the topic of legal liabilities. (I hope that adequately protects me...you'll see the irony later.).  AND, if any IP or other attorneys, especially those WELL ACQUAINTED with web and social media would please add their .02, here, I would be thrilled!Now to my topic. It involves two scenarios...OUTBOUND LINK DISCLAIMERSAn association whose board (comprising leaders…

  • Two Great Honors, Two Amazing Marketers, Two Firms, One Houston Office Building

    Michelle Golden
    18 Aug 2009 | 10:19 am
    In June in Austin Texas, something really cool happened.Two extremely dynamic ladies who work for competing firms in the same city--the very same building, no less--were both honored for their exceptional contributions to the profession of accounting marketing.At the 2009 Association for Accounting Marketing conference--AAM's 20th anniversary event--Karen Love of PKF Texas was inducted into the AAM Hall of Fame (pdf), and Stacy Soefer of Gainer Donnelly & Desroches was named AAM's 2009 Rookie Marketer of the Year (pdf): awarded to marketers with substantial accomplishments within two…
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    Beancounter Ramblings

  • Invest in Yourself… with Toastmasters

    Chad Bordeaux
    23 Oct 2009 | 5:52 am
    I first blogged about Toastmasters when I became involved in the organization in early 2008 (Click here for the Toastmasters post).    Now that I have been involved with it for quite some time, I thought I should expand a bit on that prior post.  When I first heard about Toastmasters, I admit that I had know idea what they did.   Did they make toasters?   Where they a bakery that specialized in hundreds of unique types of toast?  When I would hear the name of the group, I could just picture someone standing in front of a large room, holding up a glass, and giving a “toast” to…

  • Roth IRA Conversion Rules Changing – Have You Reviewed Your Tax Plan – Part V

    Chad Bordeaux
    21 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm
    This is final part of a five part series of posts related to Roth IRA Conversions and the rule changes that go into effect on January 1, 2010. As mentioned in prior posts in this series regarding Roth IRA Conversions, I will explain the rules around Roth IRAs, as well as what the recent changes in the law means. I will also provide you with some reasons to convert, as well as some reasons not to convert. In addition, my final post will include some tax planning tips around the Roth IRA. For other posts in this series, please visit: Part I: What is a Roth IRA? What is changing about Roth IRA…

  • Roth IRA Conversion Rules Changing – Have You Reviewed Your Tax Plan – Part IV

    Chad Bordeaux
    20 Oct 2009 | 4:15 am
    This is forth part of a five part series of posts related to Roth IRA Conversions and the rule changes that go into effect on January 1, 2010.  As mentioned in prior posts in this series regarding Roth IRA Conversions, I will explain the rules around Roth IRAs, as well as what the recent changes in the law means. I will also provide you with some reasons to convert, as well as some reasons not to convert. In addition, my final post will include some tax planning tips around the Roth IRA. For other posts in this series, please visit: Part I:  What is a Roth IRA? What is changing about Roth…

  • Smart’n Up with… GET MOTIVATED!

    Chad Bordeaux
    16 Oct 2009 | 8:40 pm
    Zig Ziglar is appearing at Get Motivated! in Charlotte on October 29, 2009. If you are around the Charlotte area, this is a must do event for personal development!    Get Motivated! is a dynamic seminar series that is put on by Peter Lowe that features some of the best speakers from around the Country. The good news is that it is coming to Time Warner Cable Arena (aka Bobcats Arena) in Charlotte on October 29th!  Even better news is that it only cost $4.95 per person (or $19 for your entire office)!  The price at the door is $225/person, so register in advance!  (Note, prices are not…

  • Roth IRA Conversion Rules Changing – Have You Reviewed Your Tax Plan – Part III

    Chad Bordeaux
    15 Oct 2009 | 4:15 am
    This is Part III of a series of post related to Roth IRA Conversions and the rule changes that go into effect on January 1, 2010.  As mentioned in prior post of this series regarding Roth IRA Conversions, I will explain the rules around Roth IRAs, as well as what the recent changes in the law means. I will also provide you with some reasons to convert, as well as some reasons not to convert. In addition, my final posts will include some tax planning tips around the Roth IRA. For other posts in this series, please visit: Part I:  What is a Roth IRA? What is changing about Roth IRA Rules?
 
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    Skeptical CPA

  • Turnabout

    6 Nov 2009 | 4:59 pm
    "Prosecutors are worried that a planned television appearance by Rod R. Blagojevich [Blogo], the indicted former governor of Illinois, may prejudice the potential pool of jurors for his trial on corruption charges scheduled for June. Although [Blogo] has appeared on many television talk shows and recently published his memoir, his plans to appear with Donald Trump on the NBC reality show 'The Celebrity Apprentice' sent prosecutors to court on Monday, to seek limits on what [Blogo] might say on the show. ... Defense lawyers countered that [Blogo], who has pleaded not guilty to 16 charges, had…

  • UK and Glass-Steagall

    6 Nov 2009 | 7:10 am
    "Bank of England governor Mervyn King, saying new regulations won't prevent failures of big banks, made a strong call for breaking up some of the world's biggest financial firms, a view that takes on increasing significance because he is likely to gain new regulatory powers in the next year. ... Finance ministers across Europe share Mr. King's worries about systemic risk and on Tuesday signed off on an agreement in principle to establish a financial watchdog covering the 27-nation bloc. But the UK held up formal approval because of concerns that three banking subsidiary supervisors covering…

  • China Sells Dollars-6

    5 Nov 2009 | 4:41 pm
    "A pickup in China's metal imports in September is stoking debate about how much of the nation's commodity intake this year is driven by demand and how much is stockpiling that will soon end. ... The trade figures issued Wednesday showed China's imports of copper rebounding from July and August slowdowns to post a 87% rise from a year earlier. Iron-ore imports also hit a record, at 64.55 million tons in September, up 65% from a year earlier. ... 'The most likely explanation is that stimulus-related infrastructure spending is now happening at a greater pace,' said Brian Jackson, a strategist…

  • Rozeff on Gold and the Dollar

    5 Nov 2009 | 7:36 am
    "A truly major change in the global monetary system is beginning to materialize. The dollar is starting to be dethroned. Foreign governments and central banks are going to do the dethroning. ... The major dethroners, the Chinese, are on record as favoring a slow process. ... The catalyst for reducing the dollar's role is the insolvent US banking system combined with the massive government and FED efforts to reflate the system. The weakness of the emperor has been fully revealed. Foreign players are going to press their advantages. The US monetary system has failed. ... This movement is going…

  • Question Conventional Wisdom

    4 Nov 2009 | 4:34 pm
    "Conventional question: Did the government's quick intervention on Wall Street last year save us from another Great Depression? Alternative question, one that I prefer: Did government intervention make matters worse? ... Next, consider the view that the crisis was prolonged by a misdiagnosis that led to more interventions. When the crisis first flared up, government officials argued that high interest rates in the money markets were due to a shortage of liquidity rather than to risk on the banks' balance sheets. ... Now, with the recent one-year anniversary of the Lehman bankruptcy, people…
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    Life and Times of Accounting

  • Fly Me Away ...

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:29 pm
    I know, you are going to tell me that my costume was not as "out there" as my husband's. But my BIG wings were pretty cool for a Butterfly, don't you think? What I found though is that wings really get in the way! I couldn't turn around without hitting someone. I guess that is why Butterflies soar into the sky ... to give themselves lots of space to move. And yes, I wish I could just fly away from my desk covered with papers from time to time. you know ... leave it all behind! We are talking escapism at its best!

  • Someone Just Like Me ...

    5 Nov 2009 | 6:08 am
    Somehow my work life has just gotten out of hand. I am running from meeting to meeting, talking on conference calls, jumping up to run off to a business lunch, gulping down coffee and a salad, then running off for another appointment. I am seeing myself coming and going! So, as I was heading back to the office yesterday after another meeting at a hotel in Crystal City I had time to ponder this problem The light bulb went on! I need a clone of me! That way I could be 2 places at once. Of course, human cloning is illegal right now, but hey, maybe someday. It was kind of creepy last evening…

  • It Goes On and On and On ...

    3 Nov 2009 | 1:10 pm
    It should not surprise you that I am still working on taxes ... Today I am trying to finalize a bunch of 990 Forms. These are lengthy tax forms filed by non-profit organizations annually to the IRS. Board members are now encouraged to review this document before it is filed. They are the legal body responsible for a non-profit organization. One problem that always arises is the disconnect between the field lengths provided for "descriptions" on the 990 Form itself and the "often long winded things the organization wants to say". The 990 Form sees each description as concise ... like an…

  • Not Happy ...

    2 Nov 2009 | 3:41 pm
    Why did I have a sad face today you might ask. I suddenly realized after my annual doctor's appointment that this would be the last appointment with my cardiologist ... or as I so fondly call him "Doogie Doctor". I only see him once a year. He always makes me laugh when he tells me ... again ... that I am his youngest and healthiest heart patient. And when you leave your appointment, it is time to set up your next appointment ... and that would be in November 2010. As the nurse was checking his calendar I realized ... I won't even be here! Eek. I'll be in the Other Washington! Additionally,…

  • Trick or Treat ...!!!!

    31 Oct 2009 | 9:52 am
    Once upon a time in a neighborhood not so far away lived The Tooth Fairy ... Disclaimer: this fairy tale might scare young children ... it is not rated PG. Anyway, this Tooth Fairy was of the belief that providing gas or Novocaine was only for wimps ... all you need is a good set of pliers. He also only sparingly gives out payment for those teeth donations ... so some pillows when lifted might only hide a few ashes from his stinky cigar. So be on the lookout for this guy during the Halloween season. He could be coming to your town. And if I were you, I'd hide the fact that I had any loose…
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    A Counting School

  • Getting staff to assist you before you go on sweet leaves of absence

    Krupo
    25 Oct 2009 | 6:41 am
    An example of "what's it like to be a senior staff" writing seems in order, after all the drama of the nasty early fall combined recruiting, layoff and UFE exam analysis season.The thought of explaining what it's like to run jobs with eager young staff ready to assist you came about, ironically, after noticing that Stuff Accountants Like, an unashamed homage to the inventor of the online genre, Stuff White People Like, announced their site is going on an LOA, an extended vacation - I found it amusing that my search for the SWPL link led me to their article about taking a…

  • Rough "layoffs" right after the 2009 UFE at CA firms: more details emerge

    Krupo
    5 Oct 2009 | 10:14 pm
    The sad news I broke ten days ago about "layoffs" hitting writers coming back from the UFE is being discussed in greater detail at mycasite.com. Click here to go to the article and read more details about the unfortunate "welcome back from the exam, pack your desk up right away" terminations. What's most troubling about all this is the fact that the website of the firm in question (which one of the unfortunate former employees identifies here) actually has, as of writing, a job posting for a CA articling student. Uh, what, sorry? If I was drinking something at the…

  • The only good thing to report is the 376

    Krupo
    30 Sep 2009 | 9:13 pm
    The month before, the count was 416; in September the total count was only 376, that's an improvement. Accounting firms continue with dismissals as they welcome new hires and prepare for another busy season. After condemning the day-of-UFE terminations, a week later I heard that more terminations went through. Exact numbers are, as usual, hard to come by, since each firm is understandably secretive - but the carnage seems to be less severe than last year - if you had a chance to spot the warning signs, and had an escape route, it was a good time to transfer out of regular audit as soon as…

  • Don't audit late into the night

    Krupo
    26 Sep 2009 | 8:32 pm
    If you stay up late to finish work, you may just get it done. But at what price? You turn into some sort of 24 hour automaton. Remember how to stop and relax, then do it.One of the things I enjoy about my job is the flexible work schedule. Coming from a student journalism background, I'm well versed in the joy and pain of pulling an all-nighter to get things done once in a while. The risk, of course, is that you'll wake up. Sort of. You'll be groggy, and you'll hit snooze and pass out for another hour. And whoever tried to wake you up will hear you muttering about what you…

  • Shocker: CA firm lays off staff immediately after the 2009 UFE

    Krupo
    25 Sep 2009 | 10:02 pm
    My dear readers have reported experiencing something horrible: layoffs immediately after the UFE! Although it's one thing to decide, "we have too many young staff, let's tell some of them not to come into the office on Monday", saying, "well, let's get it over with quickly and call them to the office immedately after they have finished their 13 hour exam." Seriously - calling someone in on a Thursday afternoon to tell them they're being let go? Is that someone's idea of a sick joke? It's marginally better than doing it before the exam itself -…
 
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    AccMan Pro

  • How communities can fail

    Earlier in the week I attended the excellent SOMESSO event. In this 9min 52sec video, Marilyn Pratt, friend and fellow SAP Mentor explains how communities can fail. Her address was in the context of IFRS but it could equally apply to any professional services organization attempting to create a community ...

  • Fidor Bank: a new kind of community bank

    Earlier on the week I mentioned I'd spoken with Matthias Kroner, CEO of Fidor Bank. Here is a video of his presentation. In it he questions the classical model of risk averse, product led banks. He offers an alternative view that positions the bank as open as in open source, ...

  • PwC off the hook over Satyam? Not so fast!

    When I read this article while hanging around in Madrid airport people must have thought I was nuts when I yelled: 'WTF?' Here's what happened: Earlier on Wednesday, the Delhi-based franchise of PwC had approached the Delhi high court seeking quashing of proceedings initiated against it by the government in the ...

  • The new bank

    Earlier today I had the privilege of meeting Matthias Kroner, CEO and founder of Fidor Bank at the SOMESSO event in Zurich. As @hubculture suggested: 'is fidor bank the worlds first social community bank?' I doubt it. We've understood the notion of community banking for many years. The difference today is that ...

  • SOMESSO 09

    OK - we're off and running - SOMESSO 09: Social computing and the financial services industry. I'll be livestreaming through to here for most of the day. Enjoy. SOMESSO09
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    Ambitious Accountants

  • “Added value” – what do you mean?

    bookmarklee
    4 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    Many accountants and other service providers talk about providing “added value” to their clients. A friend of mine, Marcus Cauchi (who is a seller who trains selling not a trainer who teaches sales) makes the point that: “Added value” is only added value if the prospect acknowledges a real (or perceived) need for the particular aspect of the [...]

  • “I doubt I’ll sell my practice when I retire”

    bookmarklee
    2 Nov 2009 | 1:13 am
    A smaller practitioner shared this view with me recently. He is 60 and his current turnover is around £120k. He said to assume his net profits are around £80k pa. My friend had noted that were he to sell his practice he would be lucky to secure a capital sum of much more than £120k (being [...]

  • Is it worth the time it takes to learn how to use social media?

    bookmarklee
    1 Nov 2009 | 3:54 am
    A lot of people choose not to explore social media as they don’t have the time. In effect they want to know if they will be able to identify a ROI for the time spent learning about and engaging with other people through online social media? In the same way as you might ask the question [...]

  • ‘Social’ vs anti-social networking

    bookmarklee
    19 Oct 2009 | 12:55 am
    Whenever I am asked to speak about ’social’ networking to audiences of professional advisers I insist on the quote marks. In my experience most advisers aren’t excited by the the idea of social activities when they’re working. And if anyone wants to encourage accountants (and, I would expect, most other professional advisers) to get involved [...]

  • Does ’social’ networking force you to REDUCE your fees?

    bookmarklee
    1 Oct 2009 | 12:49 am
    It seems there is a tricky balance to be made here. I’ve written previously about how networking, whether online or offline, can be an effective way to secure new clients of the type you want – just as long as those with whom you network know enough about you, like you, trust you and know [...]
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    TickMarks

  • If You File (Personal Income) Taxes for a Living, You MUST FIle Electronically

    5 Nov 2009 | 5:18 pm
    Both houses of Congress passed a law extending unemployment benefits today, and as part of an amendment to the bill, tax language was included requiring tax preparers expecting to file more than 10 individual returns to file returns through e-file. The amendment also extended the homebuyers credit past the end of this month and extended the five-year NOL carryback to other than small businesses.Last Thursday, I weighed on the homebuyer credit; no reason to comment further today on that. Regarding e-file requirements, while the libertarian in me objects to this type of rule, I suspect that in…

  • SOX Lite? SAS 99, Legal Liability and Risk Management

    3 Nov 2009 | 5:01 pm
    Gary Zeune, top speaker on white-collar crime issues, gives a primer on fraud alertness, detection and how to proceed if fraud appears to be a legitimate possibility. One reason for his concern, SAS 99, imposes many requirements on private-held businesses and state and local governments that Sarbanes-Oxley imposed on publicly-held major corporations. Among the steps in his 17-step action plan are: make sure that audit program is clearly adjusted for SAS 99, consider added use of surprise audit procedures, make sure to perform EVERY procedure which "should" be performed, GAAP and GAAS…

  • "Fool Us Once, Shame on You; Fool Us Twice..."

    30 Oct 2009 | 11:46 am
    Other views: Kay BellJoe KristanPeter PappasTreasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan have called for an extension of a modified Homebuyers' Credit through the second quarter of 2010. Among the changes proposed: extending (at a reduced amount of $6,500) the credit to non-first time buyers, increasing income levels to $250,000 MFJ and $125,000 otherwise and adding antifraud provisions including an age test and documented proof of purchase. Support appears to be present from three Senate powerhouses: Chris Dodd (D-CT), Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Harry Reid (D-NV) and…

  • You've Earned Your Break--Now Make Sure that You Can Afford It

    28 Oct 2009 | 6:54 pm
    Congress designated last week as National Save for Retirement Week. The Illinois CPA Society has developed a five-step plan to evaluate your progress toward saving for retirement: [1] start with a plan--and realize that the older you are, the harder you will have to work to get where you want; [2] set priorities--how do YOU value retirement saving vs. saving for a child's college education; [3] think practically--if the numbers aren't coming out the way you would like; see if there are "little luxuries" (example: eating lunch out rather than "brown bagging") which you can reduce or eliminate;…

  • FEMA Can Estimate, But Can It Measure?

    27 Oct 2009 | 5:02 pm
    FEMA Deputy Administrator Timothy Manning stated that he believed that $29 million in funds to the Federal Emergency Management Administration within Homeland Security had helped prepare for potential terrorists attacks, but that he could not measure these benefits nor develop a return on investment for the funds. Congressmen Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) criticized FEMA for slow performance towards measuring effectiveness of emergency response programs and also indicated that Congress was likely to overturn recent FEMA policy barring states and municipalities from using new…
 
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    NJSCPA Exam Cram Blog

  • Half way there...

    Ryan McDonough
    2 Nov 2009 | 12:24 pm
    Hi everyone, I hope all is well and that your studies are moving along nicely.  Work has been hectic as of late with important projects facing tight deadlines.  As such, it has been increasingly challenging to get my studying in, but I have been fighting to stay focused to do so. I now am working through the third of seven lectures for Regulation.  Although I thought REG would be challenging for me since I am not particularly interested or experienced in tax, I am finding the Becker material to be sufficient.  I actually am moving through the…

  • Quick Update....(BEC- rescheduled, Deloitte start date)

    Edward Adiele
    30 Oct 2009 | 3:40 am
    Hello Everyone, I rescheduled BEC at the last minute, I did not feel too comfortable from the practice questions I took. I really want to maximize this window, and do my best. I could have done it with the attitude of "well I can always retake the exam" but I looked at "cost and time" it would cost me $59+ to reschedule and more to re-take the exam. I would loose out on this window, and have to wait for next year, and all who are in public accounting know that the beginning of the year is hectic. For those who have used Becker to take BEC, I need your advice my weak areas…

  • Still no license? How many months has it been...

    Wendy Penman
    27 Oct 2009 | 12:10 pm
    SOOOOO I was HOPING I could avoid the extra $50 charge NJ makes you pay to have them review your transcript if you get your extra credits AFTER you submit your initial application to sit for the CPA. As a result of what I was hoping I still haven't gotten my license. Good thing I kept following up with them otherwise I'd be sitting and waiting for it and would have no idea that they hadn't even looked at my form since it didn't have the money.  In my defense, the woman from the state had told me to just send the form since I had already sent my final transcript. I took…

  • Audit 10/26.....BEC 10/29

    Edward Adiele
    26 Oct 2009 | 4:11 pm
    Hello everyone, I completed my  Audit exam today, and all I can say is "practice, practice, practice" I cannot stress this enough. Honestly it pays off, no matter how you study, you can never understand the style of questioning except you practice. I feel very comfortable with this test, and I am off to BEC on Thursday. All I would have left is FARE which I plan to take next month. All three of my scores would be out on the same week (REG, AUDIT, BEC) gosh... I don't know how I would feel to report back to you all that I've passed all three..so...lets all keep our…

  • Test Date Update

    Kunal Mistry
    26 Oct 2009 | 7:45 am
    Hi All,   It’s been a while since my last update.  I apologize.   My original plan was to take last week off to study and update my status to help keep me on track.  Unfortunately, (as I should have expected), nothing goes as planned.  The Friday before my week off, I made the mistake of celebrating the end of busy season and the chance to spend a full week studying (like the good ol’ days in college) by returning to my college for the Rutgers Pittsburgh game.  The poor game coupled with the cold and rainy conditions ultimately led to my bed rest last…
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    AccountingCoach.com Q&A

  • In a bank reconciliation, what happens to the outstanding checks of the previous month?

    ACoach
    5 Nov 2009 | 12:05 pm
    The outstanding checks of the previous month will have either cleared the bank in the current month or will remain on the list of outstanding checks. If an outstanding check of the previous month clears the bank (is paid by the bank) in the current month, you simply remove that check from the list of outstanding [...]

  • Is Accounts Payable a debit or a credit or both?

    ACoach
    4 Nov 2009 | 12:28 pm
    Since Accounts Payable is a liability account, it should have a credit balance. The credit balance indicates the amount that company or organization owes to its suppliers or vendors. The Accounts Payable account is credited when goods or services are purchased on credit terms (as opposed to being purchased for cash). Accounts Payable is debited when [...]

  • Why are loan costs amortized?

    ACoach
    3 Nov 2009 | 5:17 am
    When loan costs are significant, they must be amortized because of the matching principle. In other words, all of the costs of a loan must be matched to the accounting periods when the loan is outstanding. To clarify this, let’s assume that a company incurs legal, accounting, and registration fees of $120,000 during February in order [...]

  • Are repairs to office equipment and factory equipment period costs?

    ACoach
    2 Nov 2009 | 7:34 am
    Repairs to office equipment are period costs. That is, the cost of the repairs to office equipment will be reported as a selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense in the period in which the repairs take place. Repairs to factory equipment are not period costs. Rather, the costs of repairs to factory equipment are product costs. [...]

  • Why would a company use double-declining depreciation on its financial statements?

    ACoach
    25 Oct 2009 | 12:44 pm
    Most companies will not use the double-declining balance method of depreciation on their financial statements. The reason is that it causes the company’s net income in the early years of an asset’s life to be lower than it would be under the straight-line method. One reason for using double-declining balance depreciation on the financial statements is [...]
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    CPA Success

  • New math: Risk management + strategy = strength

    Bill Sheridan
    6 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    The corporate battlefield is littered with little risk bombs these days, isn't it? New regulation, data protection, network security, economic recovery ... it's a mine field out there, and every step brings considerable risk. If you plan your route and know what to look for, though, mitigating that risk gets considerably easier. That seems to be the message from the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, or COSO. In a new report titled "Strengthening Enterprise Risk Management for Strategic Advantage," the panel says aligning risk management with strategy will…

  • Eight best practice tips CFOs can't live without

    Tom Hood
    5 Nov 2009 | 5:23 am
    "You cannot predict the future, but you can create the future." -- Peter Drucker These essential best practices for CFOs come from Cynthia Jamison (Tatum LLC), writing for the AICPA Insider in her article titled, "Planning During Uncertain Times." Here are her eight tips for savvy CFOs: Formulate assumptions. Make plans based on assumptions. Assess the competitive landscape. Look for new funding. (I say, "know your cash flow and balance sheet.") Take on people issues (morale, performance and training). Communicate early and often (up to senior management and the board and down to your team).

  • Celebrating our history and our historians!

    Tom Hood
    3 Nov 2009 | 8:12 am
    "If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development." -- Aristotle How many of us know the history of our profession? On Oct. 30, we had the opportunity to recognize a few of Maryland's leading accounting educators for their service to the CPA profession above and beyond their everyday roles in preparing students for careers in accounting. The occasion was to recognize the important work of these educators in our mission as one of the founding professional associations for CPAs in the United States.   Pictured from left are yours truly (Tom Hood); Dr. Stephen Loeb,…

  • FTC delays enforcement deadline for 'Red Flags Rule'

    Bill Sheridan
    2 Nov 2009 | 8:50 am
    If you and your business are scrambling to meet the Nov. 1, 2009 deadline to comply with the Federal Trade Commission's "Red Flags Rule," relax. You've got a little more breathing room. At the request of Congress, the FTC is delaying the enforcement deadline for the Red Flags Rule until June 1, 2010. The FTC announced the extension two days before the rule was to have gone into effect. According to the FTC, the rule requires certain creditors and financial institutions "to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs to help identify, detect and respond to patterns,…

  • Identity theft: Do you know the 'red flags?'

    Bill Sheridan
    31 Oct 2009 | 9:04 am
    It's time to get serious about identify theft. That's the take of the Federal Trade Commission, anyway. The FTC has implemented what's commonly know as the "Red Flag Rule." The rule requires many businesses -- and yes, for the time being, that includes CPA firms -- to enact policies that will, in the FTC's own words, "detect the warning signs –- or 'red flags' –- of identity theft in their day-to-day operations." The rule isn't new; the federal legislation that led to the rule was passed in 2003. But there are a few pieces of timely information that you need to know. The first is the…
 
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    TSCPA Governmental Affairs

  • Yet more franchise tax reporting issues

    Linda Messing
    4 Nov 2009 | 9:22 am
    From the State Comptroller's site: Notice on Using Tax Preparation Software for 2008-2010 Franchise Tax Reports Legislative changes to the Texas franchise tax have prompted the need for revised franchise tax reporting forms to capture additional information and include new edits and calculations. If you use approved tax preparation software to complete your franchise tax reports, please note these important updates: Effective Jan. 1, 2010, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts will not be able to accept original franchise tax reports generated from tax preparation software approved for…

  • Gilbert says gas tax increase is cheaper than toll roads

    Linda Messing
    30 Oct 2009 | 8:02 am
    While we don’t try to make the GA blog an election update, we thought we would start following the elections and post a few items, especially where candidates actually make concrete proposals. That policy probably means there will be few opportunities for postings, but here’s the first one. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hank Gilbert announced his transportation proposals for Texas. It includes an immediate eight cent per gallon tax increase plus indexing the tax to inflation. It’s rare for a candidate for any office - let alone governor - to propose a tax…

  • Dallas Morning News editorializes in favor of Proposition 2

    Linda Messing
    29 Oct 2009 | 11:16 am
    While expressing its support for Proposition 2, the DMN discredits the email campaign that claims it establishes a state property tax. “Here's the thing to remember when voting on Proposition 2: The constitutional amendment will not – repeat will not – create a statewide property tax.”

  • Pursuing small firm exemption from FTC Red Flags Rule

    Linda Messing
    27 Oct 2009 | 1:55 pm
    TSCPA, AICPA and other state CPA societies have made solid progress in efforts to exclude CPAs from the FTC Red Flags Rule, an identity theft program requirement to become effective November 1st. HR 3763excludes accounting firms of 20 or fewer employees from the Red Flags Rule requirement. The bill passed the US House and has been received in the Senate, referred to Banking Committee. TSCPA has submitted this letter(PDF) to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), who serves on the committee, asking her to eliminate the 20-employee cap on CPA firm relief.

  • CPA Legislators launch new website in support of constitutional amendments

    Linda Messing
    26 Oct 2009 | 1:16 pm
    Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) and Rep. John Otto (R-Dayton), both CPAs and members of TSCPA, have established a new PAC and website to promote passage of propositions 2, 3 and 6 on the November 3rd constitutional amendment ballot. Both state legislators chaired their respective Senate and House Chamber’s recent interim committees on Property Tax Appraisal Reform and authored or sponsored the legislation that gave rise to these propositions. The website is their latest efforts to counter the incorrect perceptions being spread by some that these changes would establish a…
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    CPA Technology Blog

  • Microsoft Discontinues Office Accounting after 12/16/2009

    Brian Tankersley
    1 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pm
    I received this e-mail from Microsoft on Saturday: Dear Valued Microsoft® Office Accounting customer: We are writing to let you know that we will no longer distribute Microsoft Office Accounting after November 16, 2009. As a registered Office Accounting user,...

  • QuickBooks 2010 / Enterprise 10.0 Announced

    Brian Tankersley
    28 Sep 2009 | 9:23 am
    Intuit announced the release of QuickBooks 2010 today. Major new features include integrated document management, mass edit screens for list items, and integrated electronic check scanning/presentment (with Intuit Payment solutions). There are also some new options for selecting items on...

  • Intuit Releases R8 for QB 2009, QBES 9

    Brian Tankersley
    3 Aug 2009 | 8:10 pm
    Note: I received the attached notice from Intuit about R8 for QB2009 and QBES9, and thought I should reprint most of the Intuit notice about the included changes for you, the gentle reader. With the exception of the text in...

  • What’s New in Office 2010, MS Online, and Other Updates

    Brian Tankersley
    24 Jul 2009 | 7:19 am
    15 Items I noted which were interesting in the beta of Office 2010: 1. You can now customize the Ribbon. 2. The “meatball” (office button) is now a “chicklet”. (Bad for people with cheap mice, good for most of us...

  • News Roundup for July 22, 2009

    Brian Tankersley
    22 Jul 2009 | 8:21 am
    After a long absence, the CPA Tech Blog is back. It’s been a busy last three months, but there’s lots of good stuff to discuss. The Release Candidate of Windows 7 is out, and I really like it. I’ve been...
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    CPA Trendlines

  • Accounting gains 3,800 jobs in October

    rtelberg
    6 Nov 2009 | 7:16 am
    … while U.S. unemployment hits 26-year high of 10.2%. The Accounting and Bookkeeping sector of the economy gained jobs at a seasonally adjusted rate of 3,800 in October, according to today’s Bureau of Labor Statistics report from the Department of Labor. October’s total employment in the sector came to a seasonally adjusted 937,700, according to the BLS, [...]

  • Thomson Launches “Next Generation” Write-up and Payroll

    rtelberg
    5 Nov 2009 | 11:59 am
    Baron unveils new features in Accounting CS at user conference Here’s the Thomson Reuters’ news release (or you can  follow the tweets on Twitter at #09uc)… At the opening keynote address at the 29th Annual Users’ Conference today, The Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters announced the unveiling of its next generation products, Accounting [...]

  • Jean Caragher asks: Is the Accounting Profession Setting the Bar Too Low?

    rtelberg
    4 Nov 2009 | 7:16 am
    She finds an interesting detail in Business Week’s “Best Place to Launch a Career 2009″ At her blog, “What I’ve Learned So Far,” Jean writes: The Big 4 firms hold the top four spots: Deloitte (1), E&Y (2), PWC (3) and KPMG (4). Grant Thornton (51) and RSM McGladrey (66) also make the list. Kudos to [...]

  • Practice Management: Looking Ahead, Preparing Now

    rtelberg
    2 Nov 2009 | 2:42 pm
    Leaders vs. Laggards and the Seven Keys to Successful CPA Firm Management Melissa Hoffman Lajara at The New York State Society of CPAs reports in the latest e-zine on my part in last week’s Practice Management Conference: There are just two types of managers in the world: leaders and laggards, said Rick Telberg, the conference’s luncheon speaker, [...]

  • AICPA cheers FTC relief on ‘Red Flags’ rule

    rtelberg
    2 Nov 2009 | 1:17 pm
    Exemption sought for CPAs and CPA firms drawn in by billing cycle via AICPA The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants said it welcomes the Federal Trade Commission postponement of the Nov. 1 enforcement deadline of the FTC’s Final Rule relating to Identity Theft Red Flags under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions [...]
 
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    The Big Four Blog

  • Huron Consulting Group Q3-2009 Operations Strong, Shares Zoom

    www.Big4.com
    5 Nov 2009 | 5:22 pm
    Huron Consulting Group Inc. (NASDAQ: HURN) just reported its Q3-2009 results, with revenues of $172.2 million increasing 2.1% from $168.7 million in Q3-2008 and up sequentially from $165.8 million in Q2-2009. However, more importantly, Huron took a $106.0 million non-cash pretax goodwill impairment charge, about 20% of the total goodwill balance of $506.5 million as of June 30, 2009. In addition, there were restructuring and restatement charges of $15.1 million. The GAAP loss per share including the aforementioned charges was $(3.16) in Q3-2009 compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.12…

  • Capgemini Q3-2009 Revenue Down 9%, But Confirms 7% Operating Margin for 2009

    www.Big4.com
    5 Nov 2009 | 4:18 pm
    Capgemini just reported its Q3-2009 financial results with revenues of EUR 1,946 million, which was 9.0% below Q3-2008 revenues of EUR 2,098 million on constant exchange rates. On a reported basis revenues were 7.3% lower. Capgemini attributed this to a decline in the economic environment, and a sharp reduction in corporate IT spending. In terms of segments, Consulting Services and Local Professional Services revenues fell 12.5% on average, and those activities most vulnerable to the economic cycle falling the most. Outsourcing Services provided an offsetting effect with a 2.7% decline in…

  • All Big Four Firms Make The World’s Top 50 Most Attractive Employers List

    www.Big4.com
    27 Oct 2009 | 4:56 pm
    We have blogged earlier about Universum, the employer branding company, particularly on their MBA and undergraduate surveys of top employers. The Big Four firms, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Accenture typically make the top ranks in their surveys.Now they have come up with the world’s Top 50 most attractive employers, their first global index of employer attractiveness which highlights the world’s most powerful employer brands, those companies that excel in talent attraction and retention. To come up with these results, nearly 120,000 students at top academic…

  • Big Four Firms Dominate UK’s Large Cap Market, Is Big Three Possible?

    www.Big4.com
    27 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm
    The Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the UK’s independent regulator responsible for promoting confidence in corporate reporting and governance just published its Fourth Progress Report on the implementation of the MPG recommendations on Promoting Choice in the UK Audit Market.While the report generally deals with progress on a number of FRC’s key strategic initiatives, there is a very interesting analysis on the concentration of the auditing market in the UK which is dominated by the Big Four firms, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Here is the summary…

  • Deloitte Revenues Grow 1% Local Currency, Now Just Behind PricewaterhouseCoopers

    www.Big4.com
    26 Oct 2009 | 8:25 am
      Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, the global firm, just came out with its fiscal 2009 revenues for the year ending May 31, 2009. 2009 full year global revenue was US$26.1 billion, an actual increase in local currency terms of 1%, but a drop of 4.9% in US dollar terms from 2008. The tough economic climate and appreciating US dollar were the two main factors in 2009 which impacted Deloitte as much as it did other Big Four firms. However, a 1% growth in local currency bested both E&Y (0.2% increase in local currency…
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    Success starts here

  • My Shawshank Redemption - A Screenplay: Part 1

    Rachel
    6 Nov 2009 | 11:48 am
    Hello, it’s Rachel again. Since the last time I was here I received my bachelor’s degree and am now working on my master’s and studying for the CPA Exam. It’s been an adventure juggling my studies and my life, and over the course of the next few weeks I’ll be sharing my experiences with you…in screenplay form….”My Shawshank Redemption”…whether by design or by fate, my Shawshank is grad school… (fade to black)….”My Shawshank Redemption”Scene OneSetting: bright, sunny day on ASU (Appalachian State Univ.) campus in late summer glory (green grass, beautiful flowers…

  • October Poll Result Recap

    Ben
    3 Nov 2009 | 12:44 pm
    The results of the October Poll are in and thanks again to all of you who responded. Once again, you provided some interesting and revealing responses. Here's our take, and some follow-up questions for you:The #1 resource or factor that influences you to pursue employment with a particular company by a large margin is Company Reputation (81%). Not a surprise, but is there something in particular that you look for when you investigate a company's reputation?The #2 response was Company Size (50%). Do larger or smaller companies appeal to you, and why?On-campus company presentations (35%). At…

  • Are you a Fan?

    Ben
    30 Oct 2009 | 12:39 pm
    Are you a fan of McGladrey on Facebook yet? Our fan base has more than doubled over the past two months, and we are closing in on 1000 fans! Why become a fan?It's a great place to ask questions. We have had a steady stream of questions from our fans over the past several weeks. We answer every question presented to us on our Wall either with a comment or with a direct message back to you.Access to Success starts here posts. We carry a feed of posts over to our Facebook page. Become a fan and you will be notified whenever we publish a new post.Videos! Watch some of our videos on the video tab.

  • Another Great Week for Golf and McGladrey at Pinehurst

    Ben
    28 Oct 2009 | 12:45 pm
    The 3rd annual McGladrey Team Championship ended today with the Southern California PGA Section winning by 7 strokes. Once again this year, thousands of amateur golfers from around the country competed for the opportunity to play in the Championship event held this week at the beautiful Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Many McGladrey employees participated at various stages of this tournament, which started with local qualifiers earlier this year, including two employees from our New York office who competed this week as part of the Metropolitan PGA Section team.This year's event had a…

  • How McGladrey Helps You Prepare for the CPA Exam...FAST!

    Ben
    23 Oct 2009 | 5:07 am
    OK, so you graduate from college with your Accounting degree, and a few months later you start with at a CPA Firm where you are expected to complete your CPA Exam Preparation and the Exam itself on your time (and maybe on your own dime) while also getting started in your new job (and during busy season no less!). Sounds tough huh? It’s no wonder that it takes many new Associates months, if not a couple of years, into their new career to finally pass the CPA exam and gain their certification. This can have the harmful effect of potentially delaying their career growth opportunities.McGladrey…
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    Navigator Project Finance Blog

  • Calling all African PF’ers - I am in Lagos until 3/11/09.

    Nick Crawley
    26 Oct 2009 | 2:25 am
    I rarely write about my trips, often due to confidentiality or lack of time, however I am currently en route to Lagos, Nigeria and I thought this would be an interesting insight into those of you interested in the way we operate at Navigator. Why go from Sydney to Lagos? Lagos, the capital of Nigeria, is a city of around 8-18m people (depending on who you believe), forecast to be ~40M within 8 years and by then the world’s third largest city. With this in mind it is not surprising that the project finance world is booming in this region of sub-saharan Africa. Infrastructure projects…

  • Mineral Asset Reporting and Valuation.

    Nick Crawley
    24 Sep 2009 | 10:02 pm
    I was asked to present a financiers perspective of the mining valuation process at the Mineral Asset Reporting and Valuation conference organised by the Australian Institute of Geoscientists in Perth on Monday the 19th of October. The AIG is a not run to make a significant financial gain and so all parties are contributing their time voluntarily. I fully support the work performed by Jonathan Bell at Alexander Research and would love to have been at the event but my timetable keeps me in Sydney on that date (or in Tehran, as yet unsure!). The event is focussed on the themes: Reporting and…

  • Attack of the Mac!

    Nick Crawley
    23 Sep 2009 | 4:33 am
    Modelling issue on a Mac (again) There are plenty of people looking at the pro’s and con’s of modelling on an Apple Mac at the moment so I won’t write a thesis on the matter but thought I would share with you a question that was aked of me earlier today.  Over the years I have seen many people try to use  a Mac for modelling, on training courses, project developers using their home pc when travelling. I should be up front, regular readers know I am, ironically, not a fan of Excel (especially 2007) but using a Mac is not a great alternative for professional financial…

  • Avoiding the OFFSET function

    KChew
    1 Sep 2009 | 10:49 pm
    Continuing from Nick’s recent post on the multi lingual translator, I have recently learnt that for some reason the German version of Excel does not translate the OFFSET function, which makes it difficult although not impossible to use. There are of course add-on packs and macros that can be written to replace this function but not everybody in every organisation will be able to use this approach. So the challenge was to find a way of avoiding the use of OFFSET when building models for a German audience. Of course the easiest answer to that question would be to stay away from them…

  • PPP Asia 2009 - A brilliant conference!

    Nick Crawley
    25 Aug 2009 | 5:08 am
    PPP Asia 2009 was a fantastic success. The location for the Singapore event was, Royal Plaza on Scott was a great training location, upmarket but well positioned for companies with a close eye on costs. The marketing, by LexisNexis, of the two day event was intelligent and drew a great audience from the Asia Pacific region along with a good line up of speakers. Speakers, Peter Hicks, of Leightons Contractors, discussed the Australasian infrastructure market and how PPP / PFI transactions fit into Leightons plans. Other very well qualified speakers included Sharad Somani, Executive Director of…
 
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    Stacie's More Tax Tips

  • What's Happening With The Homebuyers Credit - Well I'm Going to Tell Ya

    Stacie Clifford Kitts
    6 Nov 2009 | 7:43 am
    By Stacie Clifford KittsThe House has voted to extend the Homebuyers credit as part of H.R.3548 Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009What's new for the credit? Well if President Obama signs the bill here is a quick outline of what we get: (The entire section of the bill that relates to the Homebuyers credit is listed below my outline)The applicable period is extended until April 30, 2010. (see binding contract rules below)If you are on qualified official extended duty outside the US the applicable period is extended until April 30, 2011. (Members of the military serving…

  • Shameless Self Promotion - OCTalkRadio.net Here is My Interview

    Stacie Clifford Kitts
    5 Nov 2009 | 11:18 am
    By Stacie Clifford Kitts CPALast week I announced my interview on OCTalkRadio.net with Ric Franzi of Critical Mass.Interestingly, Ric wanted to find out how social networking including my blogs Stacie's More Tax Tips and The Business Perspective was affecting my CPA practice. Although I was excited about being on the show and talking about how I am utilizing social networking, I must admit I was nervous. I mean, accountants tend to stay in the shadows rather than in the limelight. And, I am definitely not the exception to that stereotype. So here is the link to the recorded show at Critical…

  • Treasury Allocates $2.2 Billion in Bonds for Renewable Energy Development

    Stacie Clifford Kitts
    5 Nov 2009 | 7:19 am
    WASHINGTON--As part of the Obama Administration's efforts to spur renewable energy production, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced the allocation of $2.2 billion in Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) for 805 recipients across the country. Funded by the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), these energy bonds help government agencies, public power providers, and cooperative electric companies obtain lower cost financing for clean energy development projects."The Recovery Act's innovative bond programs provide…

  • Guidance - Payroll Form 944 Rev Proc 2009-51 - Know Who is Eligible to File Annual Form Rather Than Quarterly

    Stacie Clifford Kitts
    4 Nov 2009 | 7:01 am
    Revenue Procedure 2009-51 sets forth the procedures for employers who are eligible to file Form 944, Employer’s Annual Federal Tax Return, to request to file Form 944 instead of Forms 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010. In addition, this revenue procedure sets forth the procedures for employers who previously were notified to file Form 944 to request to file Forms 941 instead for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.Revenue Procedure 2009-51 will be published in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2009-45 on November 9, 2009.

  • Disaster Relief - American Samoa

    Stacie Clifford Kitts
    3 Nov 2009 | 7:26 am
    From the IRSAmerican Samoa — Victims of the recent Tsunami in American Samoa may qualify for tax relief from the Internal Revenue Service.Following severe storms and flooding on Sept.29, the President declared the Territory of American Samoa a federal disaster areas qualifying for individual assistance.As a result, the IRS is postponing until Dec. 28 certain deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area. The postponement applies to return filing, tax payment and certain other time-sensitive acts otherwise due between Sept. 29 and Dec. 28.In addition, the IRS…
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