CPAs in small firms face many of the same operational challenges when it comes to running their firms. This is the first in an occasional series highlighting how individual practitioners tackled common issues. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Small Firm Spotlight: How I Recruit and Hire New Accountants.
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A competitive job market and emerging technology have made seniority only part of the advancement equation. As co-managing partner at accounting and consulting firm Friedman LLP, Harriet Greenberg, CPA, PFS, uses seniority as a factor in deciding whom to promote. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle: She also believes in skills-based promotion—now more than ever. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Putting Skills-Based Promotion in Motion.
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Considerations in Applying a Size Premium (Part III of III) In this third and final article, as displayed in Exhibits 1 through 4 in Part 1 of this three-part article, the size effect has been observed even when looking at recent periods starting in 1981 and 1990. If one holds that you should not apply the SP in the MCAPM and that beta should be the only measure of risk, one is supporting using the pure or textbook CAPM to estimate expected returns. But that cannot be correct as the literature clearly demonstrates. Though the pure CAPM is a good…
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It is Not Just About Having a Buy-Sell Agreement A business is a dynamic entity. Businesses are fueled by the passion and vision of its owners. While it is hard to be passionate about administrative aspects of building a successful business, the truth is, some of that stuff is crucial. Take the buy-sell agreement or similar provisions in an operating agreement—think of it as the business will—the “what happens if” document. And while all situations cannot be covered, the major ones—job performance, disability, divorce, retirement, and death—can. These provisions should be on the must-do list when forming or getting into…
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The Association’s quarterly survey finds that staffing is still a top worry. Finance executives in the United States continue to feel good about growth in their respective industries, despite creeping concerns that the good times could be coming to an end in the near future. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Finance Leaders Feel Good but Ready for a Downturn.
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The challenges associated with FASB’s new revenue recognition standard have been substantial for many companies, but at least they’re gaining valuable data and process improvements as a result of the implementation. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Finding Value in Revenue Recognition Implementation.
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A self-styled “Money Doctor” who promoted his services on a Christian radio station penned a self-help guide to “share the benefits of putting Christ back in the center of our personal spending habits.” In pitches to clients, the ex-advisor allegedly promised guaranteed risk-free returns of five to eight percent per year. To read the full article in Financial Planning, click: Author of ‘Jesus Christ, Money Master’ Charged in $19.6M Ponzi Scheme, SEC Says.
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In More Ways Than One It seems every few months we read about a financial institution involved in a money laundering scandal. The bank typically agrees to pay a fine, promises to behave, hires consultants to monitor and report to the regulators, and the scandal is generally forgotten. You may ask what do the consultants do and what do they monitor? This article will discuss the development of two recent scandals that made noteworthy headlines, the redflags to be watchful for, and the safeguards deployed to understand, monitor, and control the risks. It seems every few months we read about…
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Your Blog Posts Writing a blog is an achievement, in and of itself, but that is just the beginning. In this article, Dr. Frederiksen shares five steps you can take to effectively promote your blog posts. If you have written a blog post for your firm, well done! But before you start celebrating, you need to promote it. Why? The more targeted your promotion, the greater its reach, and the more likely that it will connect with qualified prospects. That, in turn, could mean new business, partnerships, and connections. Digital marketing tips like these can be found in Hinge’s How-To…
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FASB addressed two lessor implementation issues and clarified an exemption for lessors and lessees from a certain interim disclosure requirement associated with adopting the board’s new lease accounting standard. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: New FASB Standard Clarifies Lease Accounting Issues.
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The IRS posted a draft of a form that affected taxpayers will submit with their 2019 tax returns showing how they computed their qualified business income (QBI) deduction under Sec. 199A. Taxpayers who have QBI, qualified real estate investment trust (REIT) dividends, or qualified income from a publicly traded partnership (PTP) will use Form 8995, Qualified Business Income Deduction Simplified Computation, to report the computation. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Taxpayers Will File QBI Deduction Computation with IRS Next Year.
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Riding a decade-long bull market, robo advisory firms have proved investors are willing to let complex and proprietary algorithms be at the heart of their investment advice. Assets under management at digital platforms are expected to top $1 trillion in the next few years. To read the full article in Financial Planning, click: Why Regulators Are Taking Aim at Robo Advisors.
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Criticism of Ang (Part II of III) In the second part of this three-part article, Roger Grabowski respond to criticism over the years about the validity of CRSP Decile Size premia data. He begins by addressing the criticisms from a paper published in NACVA’s QuickRead by Clifford Ang. Roger Grabowski argues that Ang’s critique is flawed and presents concrete evidence to that effect. He also addresses other criticisms that have been made about size premia. In the second part of this paper, I would like to respond to criticism over the years about the validity of size Premia. I will…
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in Economic Damages Calculations (Part I of III) The AICPA has issued two practice aids, one on 2015 and most recently in November 2018, focused on the calculation of economic profits and damages. The purpose of this article—the first of three on this topic—is to provide the reader with an understanding of Chapter 1 (Revenue and Growth Rates) of the 2018 Practice Aid as well as certain other publications containing a body of knowledge on the best practices for developing “but for” revenues and revenue growth issues in lost profits models. Later articles will deal with Chapter 2 (Costs) and…
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Tax planning is a constant consideration for wealthy individuals, not a once-a-year process, said Lisa Featherngill, CPA, PFS. Wealthy clients can use several strategies to manage their tax bills, including creating conservation easements, setting up LLCs to manage investments, and using defined-benefit plans. Looking for more tax strategies for your clients? Use this checklist to help find tax and financial planning ideas using a 1040. To read the full article in CNBC, click: Here are Five Ways the Super-Rich Manage to Pay Lower Taxes.
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C corporations with foreign-derived intangible income can benefit from a 37.5% deduction. This article provides guidance and dispels general misconceptions or mistaken impressions regarding this new deduction. Further, the article provides an overview of the FDII concepts and pertinent definitions and terminology, as well as practice tips and implications for claiming the FDII deduction, for which many companies are not certain whether they qualify. To read the full article in Journal of Accountancy, click: Understanding the FDII Deduction.
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The Tax Court also denies capital gain treatment but allows business deductions for a taxpayer’s subsequent shooting activity. Recently, the Tax Court ruled that an individual who received income as a nominee of a C corporation was not subject to the hobby loss rules of Sec. 183. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Salesman’s Termination Payment Held Not For Goodwill.
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and Expert Witnessing In this article, the Expert Witness Exchange (EWE) discusses expert witness opportunities available to CVAs. [su_pullquote align=”right”]Resources: Certified Valuation Analyst® (CVA®) Credential Online Directory: Find a CVA Expert Witness Bootcamp [/su_pullquote] As a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), there is a vast array of employment opportunities you can pursue. One area that may not be as obvious is the ability to play a crucial role in our legal system. The knowledge and expertise CVAs have to offer is incredibly important and frequently sought after by attorneys across the country. However, most attorneys are not looking for any random…
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Good E-mail Newsletter In January, I asked: Are you a Digital Sharecropper? Are you relying solely on someone else’s digital platform (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) to reach your audience of leads, prospects, clients, and referral sources? Many of you do … that is not a good thing … and I told you why. In February, I wrote about How to Build an E-mail List from Scratch. It all starts with personally and individually inviting people you already know and who would benefit from the content you will be writing about to get on your e-mail list. They will be your…
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Advisers have a few options for protecting elderly clients from people who may try to exploit them, such as abusive family members or caregivers. Here is a look at three scenarios in which clients may be victimized and advice for dealing with each one. To read the full article in Financial Advisor, click: What Advisors Can Do About Inheritance Exploitation.