With the rise of technology and professional service firms, the U.S. marketplace is shifting from one which supplies goods to one which supplies ideas.  Taryn E. Burgess, financial analyst with Mercer Capital, explains there is a growing gap in the balance sheet reflecting this shift from physical assets to intangible ideas. To read the full article in Mercer Capital's Financial Reporting Blog, click: Our E ...

What Firms Look at When Reviewing Resumes Average accounting and finance firms will look through 21 CVs before making a job offer, according to research from Robert Half.  Julia Irvine looks at how the research, conducted in the UK, shows firms will often focus on factors such as candidates' previous roles and how long they spent with their employers. To read the full article in Economia, click: Making Your ...

Regulations Finalize Reporting Rules for Debt Instruments The Internal Revenue Service on Wednesday issued final regulations on the rules for brokers to report transactions involving debt instruments and options, including original issue discount.  The rules finalize temporary and proposed rules issued last year, with a few changes in response to comments.  Sally P. Schreiber senior editor for The Tax Advis ...

Behavioral science says we can shape our own reality if we understand the shortcuts that our brains take, which is necessary to overcoming procrastination.  Samantha White, senior editor for CGMA Magazine, discusses the five techniques outlined by author Caroline Webb we can all employ to stop putting off tasks we dread. To read the full article in CGMA Magazine, click: 5 Ways to Overcome Procrastination. ...

Over the last several years, various officials at the SEC have expressed concern about the broadening application of fair value measurement and its impact on the reliability and consistency of valuations performed for U.S. public companies.  Lucas M. Parris, senior member of Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group, explains. To read the full article and view the presentation in Mercer Capital's ...

Study: Merit Pay is Ineffective for Many Employers According to a new survey of North American employers, only 20% find merit pay to be effective at driving higher levels of employee performance.  Matthew Heller, for CFO, explains that “pay-for-performance” may not always work in an employers’ favor. To read the full article in CFO, click: Merit Pay Programs Falling Short of Goals. ...

IRS Proposes Rules for Closed Pension Plans The Internal Revenue Service has responded to the proliferation of closed defined benefit pension plans, which continue to cover older employees while prohibiting new employees from joining, by proposing regulations that would let the plans qualify under the nondiscrimination rules.  Sally P. Schreiber senior editor for The Tax Adviser, explains. To read the full ...

IRS Final Regulations are Intended to Curb Inversions The new exception from the inversion rules for companies that have substantial business activities in a foreign country is hard to satisfy.  Jesse Scott, J.D., LL.M., associate at Holthouse, Carlin & Van Trigt LLP, discusses how corporate inversions have recently returned to the forefront of American political speech. To read the full article in The ...

Fairness opinions are issued by a financial advisor at the request of a board that is contemplating a significant corporate event.  Jeff K. Davis, CFA, managing director of Mercer Capital’s Financial Institutions Group, delivered a presentation on November 30, 2015 at the IV OIV International Business Valuation Conference in Milan, Italy by addresses the topic of dual fairness opinions and the role of the v ...

5 Steps for Inspiring Passion in Your Employees Passion is the most important trait a company can have, but no class can teach leaders how to spark and sustain that quality in others, writes Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst.  What's needed are five conditions, including smart hiring practices, autonomy, and mission-driven leadership. To read the full article in the Harvard Business Review, click: How to Build a P ...

Twenty large U.S. companies have formed an alliance in an effort to rebalance relationships between corporate America and the health supply chain.  Andrew Kenney, contributing editor for CGMA, explains. To read the full article in CGMA Magazine, click: U.S. Companies Align to Control Health Care Costs. ...

Non-compete agreements are increasingly in the news, though not always in the most favorable of contexts.  Proponents argue that such agreements protect firms’ intellectual property and prevent the loss of key employees, customers, suppliers, and trade secrets.  Karolina Calhoun, senior financial analyst with Mercer Capital, explains that others would suggest that non-competes stifle innovation by limiting ...

Why it Takes so Long to Hire Good CFOs CFO positions are taking longer to fill as companies and job candidates get more selective.  Many companies are now looking for people who have international experience and know how to work with activist shareholders.  However, John Touey, principal at executive search firm Salveson Stetson Group, discusses that highly qualified CFOs may be less eager to take risks and ...

Companies Struggle to Make Good Decisions With Their Data Many large businesses worldwide are struggling to gain strategic insight from the massive amount of data they gather, according to research from CGMA.  Thirty-six percent of respondents say their organizations haven't been able to manage this deluge of data.  Samantha White, senior editor for CGMA Magazine, explores the fact that many companies are u ...

Consumer Spending Returns to Growth in U.S. Core U.S. retail sales grew 0.6% in January, reversing a 0.3% decline in December, the Commerce Department said.  Also, a University of Michigan survey found that consumers are generally optimistic and say their purchasing power will benefit from low inflation.  Harriet Torry, The Wall Street Journal, explains. To read the full article in The Wall Street Journal, ...

As mutual fund flows continue to favor passive strategies, some active fund managers are beginning to look to alternative asset classes to augment returns and generate sustainable alpha.  Travis W. Harms Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group lead, discusses how the inclusion of illiquid venture capital investments in liquid funds shines a brighter spotlight on fair value measurement. To read ...

Clues to Finding a Missing Will Wills sometimes go missing.  Places to check include probate court, safe deposit boxes and hiding places around the home.  Also, consider contacting relatives and reviewing bank statements.  The Kansas & Missouri Estate Planning Blog reminds you that good communication can help prevent this type of problem altogether. To read the full article in WealthManagement.com, clic ...

Estate Planning When the Federal Estate Tax Doesn't Apply Even when your clients have estates that will not be subject to the federal estate tax when they die, helping them plan for the future can be complicated.  Steven G. Siegel, JD, LLM, Siegel Group, suggests ways you can help them best manage their assets To read the full article in AICPA Insights, click: Estate Planning for the 99 Percent. ...

How to Determine Household Workers' Tax Status The so-called "nanny tax," which actually applies to any form of household employment, can be complicated for clients to deal with.  A client is treated as an employer if he or she pays more than $2,000 to a household worker per year.  Whether that worker is an employee or an independent contractor depends on the nature of the business arrangement.  Karen DeMas ...

The Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB) definition of a business is important when it comes to classifying assets and related expenses.  However, some feel that the FASB’s current definition is ambiguous and can result in inconsistent designations of business or asset status.  Samantha Albert, senior financial analyst with Mercer Capital, explains what is currently happening with the FASB proposed ...