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 stories, as well as their best tips for staying in good physical and mental shape. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Not Desk Jockeys: These Accountants are Athletes.
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Help arrogant employees learn to listen. Self-confidence is a valuable trait in the workplace, but, in some employees, self-confidence manifests itself as arrogance. If employees act as if they know better than anyone else, shooting down others’ ideas, or stealing the spotlight at meetings, morale can suffer. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: How to Coach a Problem Employee: The Know-it-All.
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of the Current Marijuana Business (Part II of II) In November of 2018 there are some 28 thousand marijuana/cannabis businesses in operation and employing about 150,000 people in the United States and they manage and control some nine billion dollars in essentially cash revenues. This industry continues to grow. In this second part, the author illustrates the importance of choice of entity, provides an overview of the taxation of a cannabis business, and provides readers a high-level breakdown of the patchwork of state laws.
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Un-Impeaching Opinions of Calculated Values Valuation or calculation? That is the question asked, answered, and argued by judges, experts, lawyers, and industry thought leaders apropos to whether a calculation of value can be used in litigation. The answer echoed throughout courtrooms across America thus far is a resounding “it depends.” This article offers a synopsis of the debate over calculation engagements being used in litigation. The full version appears in The Value Examiner, September/October 2018 issue.
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Many nonresidents who come to the United States as scholars, appeal to the Tax Court claiming benefits under a tax treaty. Three recent cases provide tips to decide if it is worth the time and effort to appeal to the Tax Court. Three different U.S. tax treaties are covered: those with Russia, Poland, and China. To read the full article in The Tax Adviser, click: Researchers and Scholars Claim Tax Treaty Benefits.
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CPAs around the United States are raising alarms about a recent wave of deregulatory legislative proposals that are endangering the profession. While these proposals have not affected the profession yet, CPA profession leaders warn that the danger is far from over. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: States’ Deregulatory Push Threatens CPA Licensure.
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On Nov. 24, 2014, a woman named Diana received a menacing phone call in Hernando, Miss., a small city nestled in the northwest corner of the state. A caller purporting to be an IRS agent claimed she owed back taxes and told her that agents were waiting to arrest her unless she paid up immediately. The caller was insistent, threatening, and urging her to act quickly. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: How TIGTA Stymied and IRS Impersonation Scam.
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of the Current Marijuana Business (Part I of II) In November of 2018, there are some 28,000 marijuana/cannabis businesses in operation, employing about 150,000 people in the U.S., and they manage and control some $9 billion in essentially cash revenues. This industry continues to grow. In this two-part article, the author provides a brief overview of the history of this industry and tax issues CPAs and consultants must know. In the second part of this series, the author illustrates the importance of choice of entity and provides an overview of the state laws governing possession, sales, and distribution of cannabis.
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to Your Differentiation Strategy Among executives in the accounting and finance firms, creating and implementing a relevant differentiation strategy continues to be a struggle—however, this does not have to be the case. At its simplest, creating and implementing a differentiation strategy is a five-step process. In this article, Dr. Frederiksen describes these steps.
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As a trusted adviser, a CPA is often the first resource clients turn to for many financial issues. While often these questions are in the context of a service the CPA may already be engaged to provide (tax compliance, estate planning, etc.), it is not uncommon to receive other requests that seem simple but can carry unique challenges. To read the full article in The Tax Adviser, click: Third-Party Verification Requests.
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Blockchain is forecast to transform many industries by providing fast, verifiable transfer and tracking. At its core, blockchain is a distributed ledger that records transactions between every user in the chain. Although it’s commonly regarded as a single technology, there are different types of blockchain: public and private. To read the full article in In The Black, click: What’s the Difference Between a Private and Public Blockchain?
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CPA candidates in Europe will no longer have to undertake intercontinental travel to sit for the CPA Exam. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Launch of CPA Exam in Europe Provides Convenience for Candidates.
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Alexa Voice AI Makes Conversational Valuation Possible What if your valuation reports could have a two-way conversation with your clients? How would that improve the usability of your work product? Could it increase the value of your firm’s intellectual capital? In this, the author discusses how Alexa Voice AI can deliver a calculation report to a client.
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and Communications If readers accept the premise that technology is here to stay, then the flip phone is our reminder of what can be lost without complete and comprehensive communication. In this article, the author shares five reasons for regretting the loss of the “flip phone” to newer technology and cautions readers to the perils that new technology pose to our ability to communicate.
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A newly released international auditing standard for auditing accounting estimates and related disclosures is designed to help auditors keep pace with changes in accounting standards for loan provisions and insurance contracts. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: International Audit Standard Addresses Estimates.
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As public company auditors prepare to deliver new information in auditors’ reports, firms need to develop consistent processes for determining what should be disclosed. As auditors prepare for a new auditing standard requiring the disclosure of critical audit matters (CAMs) in their reports, they are traveling in uncharted territory and contemplating new information that they will be providing to investors. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Critical Audit Matters Coming into Focus.
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Hermann Sidhu, CPA, global assurance digital leader at EY, walks us through EY’s exciting new project to use drones to help audit large warehouses and outdoor inventories. The goal of the project is for drones to autonomously scan bar codes, QR codes, and other labels and transmit that data to EY’s online auditing platform. It has the potential to make audits faster and more seamless for both auditors and clients. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Using Drones to Enhance Audits.
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SSFS 1 Announced at AICPA FVS Conference The AICPA just announced the upcoming Statement on Standards for Forensic Services (SSFS 1) engagements. In this article, C. Zachary Meyers offers readers a sneak peek into the three key areas of interest.
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Obtaining Adequate Information in Small Business Valuations As valuation professionals, one of the challenges we face in valuing small businesses is the quality of the financial information provided by the subject company. The NACVA professional standards require members to exercise due professional care and obtain sufficient relevant data to prepare a conclusion, recommendation, or position. In this article, Michael Bankus lists several suggestions to obtain adequate information to complete the engagement of a small business.
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The Expert Witness Exchange In this article, the Expert Witness Exchange discusses expert witness employment opportunities for CVAs and how to get noticed by attorneys.