The IRS released guidance Friday on the standard mileage rate for business, medical and certain moving expenses incurred in 2019. To read the full article in Journal of Accountancy, click: 2019 Standard Mileage Rates Announced. ...

In an Era of Reform: Value Drivers (Part II of II) As stated in Part I of this II-part series, as the demand for healthcare services continues to grow, the site at which these services are performed is experiencing a simultaneous transformation from the inpatient (e.g., hospital) setting to the outpatient setting—e.g., at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). This article will review the unique value drivers t ...

on Expert Witness Testimony Expert witness testimony has played a vital role in both criminal and civil trials in the United States. Testimony from expert witnesses constantly helps judges and jurors reach conclusions in controversial and complex cases. Therefore, the Daubert Standard is important to know and understand in general, and especially as an expert witness. The Daubert Standard helps courts deter ...

Preparing for an audit by the Securities and Exchange Commission can be a significant undertaking for a small firm. During stressful times such as this, leaders should stay confident and set a positive example for others. To read the full article in Smart Brief, click: Preparing for an Unexpected SEC Audit. ...

Retirement assets received in a divorce settlement may be available to creditors, a federal court has ruled. The decision may have far-reaching consequences for clients. To read the full article in Financial Planning, click: Another Crack in Bankruptcy Protection for Clients. ...

Apple is rushing to release an iOS update in China to resolve potential infringement of Qualcomm patents. The news follows a report stating that a Chinese sales ban of certain iPhone models would cost Apple millions of dollars a day. To read the full article in Cult of Mac, click: Apple Hopes iOS Update Will Help Overturn Costly iPhone Sales Ban in China. ...

In an Era of Reform (Part I of II) As demand for healthcare services continues to grow, the site at which these services are performed is experiencing a simultaneous transformation from the inpatient (e.g., hospital) setting to the outpatient setting. This transformation is being driven by factors such as: (1) technological advancements; (2) an increasingly consumer-driven and convenience-driven healthcare ...

Or, Why Aren’t You Hosting Your Own Content? (Part I of III) Many of us create content for, and market on, social media platforms—like LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. The questions are: Is this a dangerous practice? And if so, what should we be doing instead? Many of us create content for, and market on, social media platforms, like: LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. The questions are: Is ...

With the year coming to a close, Kiplinger offers last-minute tips for retirees to enhance their tax savings this year. Clients nearing retirement will need to revise their tax-saving strategies, as some tax breaks are no longer available and replaced by new ones, thanks to the new tax law, according to Kiplinger. For example, these clients should consider running the numbers based on standard deduction and ...

Excuse me, did Todd Thomson just say there too many financial advisors, not too few? Puncturing one of the RIA industry’s most widely-accepted axioms, the Dynasty Financial Partners chairman did indeed make that assertion at the recent MarketCounsel Summit in Las Vegas. Contrary to ominous reports of a talent shortage, Thomson said, too many advisors are serving too few clients. To read the full article in ...

Days after Apple announced a major expansion to its operations in the U.S.—including a new $1 billion campus in Austin—fellow tech giant Google has announced that it too will invest $1 billion as it sets up a new campus at Hudson Square in New York. To read the full article in Tech Crunch, click: Google is Spending $1 Billion to Build a Massive New Campus in New York. ...

on Corporate Income Taxes What corporate tax rate should valuation practitioners use going forward given the current environment? Despite corporate rates being “permanent”, is that so?! How should practitioners handle temporary differences? How do we decode a financial statement? In this article, the author shares his thoughts on how valuation professionals should approach a valuation engagement in this unc ...

In Nine Easy Steps You have probably heard how helpful it can be to write blogs, either for yourself or your valuation and accounting firm. If you have never written one, the challenge can seem daunting. But you probably will find it easier than you think—especially if you follow these steps. The article outlines the steps; these are based on a How-To Guide from Hinge University, their online learning platf ...

The EU is making increasingly positive noises that a Brexit deal is within reach. But don’t breathe easy just yet—there are still battles to come when Prime Minister Theresa May brings her deal back to Parliament. To read the full article in Bloomberg, click: Brexit Bulletin: A Deal, and Then the Drama. ...

LPL Financial has made three major recruitment moves—unveiled over a two-day span—to add at least 125 advisors with about $4.5 billion in client assets to the largest independent broker-dealer. To read the full article in FinancialPlanning, click: LPL Grabs More than 100 Advisors with $4.5B in Latest Haul from Rivals. ...

Eight years after Congress passed the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA, which was enacted as part of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, P.L. 111-147) to address the potential for tax evasion, lack of planning in response to evolving FATCA guidance may be putting some financial institutions at risk of noncompliance and potentially steep penalties. To read the full article in The Tax Ad ...

and an Expert Witness While there are hundreds of Daubert decisions issued every week, only a few go a long way in shaping the way experts are screened by judges in the future. And even fewer times, a multimillion-dollar verdict is hinged solely on the expert witness testimony! In this article, the author discusses the district and appellate court decision in Alaska Rent-A-Car v. Avis Budget Group. ...

December 2018—U.S. Tax Court on Qualified Appraisals and Gill v. Gill, Minnesota’s Supreme Court Rules on the Status of Earn-Outs in Dissolution Cases The U.S. Tax Court issued two valuation memorandums in September and October 2018. Each memorandum serves as a reminder of the importance of attaching a qualified appraisal. The issue in Presley v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2018-171 (October 15, 2018) was whet ...

It is increasingly important for accountants to have soft skills such as problem-solving acumen, flexibility, and the ability to communicate well. Rian Powell, senior director of recruiting at Chicago-area staffing and recruiting firm LaSalle Network, explains the right questions to ask during job interviews to assess candidates’ soft skills. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Ho ...

They say pursuing fitness goals contributes to work performance. Accountants are better known for their skill with numbers than their physical abilities, but many make exercise part of their routines. And some have achieved remarkable feats of athleticism. These five accountants have competed in extreme sports events, become professional athletes, or simply challenged themselves physically. They share their ...