California CPA articles from November 2003

California CPA archives from November 2003

New and improved online CPE tracking.(CalCPA News)(continuing professional education)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... CalCPA and the Education Foundation have joined forces to make your online CPE tracking system more complete by combining chapter and Foundation CPE information in each member's online CPE record. The records are housed on the Foundation's...

Find a job: CalCPA'S online classifieds.(CalCPA News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Whether you're looking for employment or you need to fill a key vacancy, CalCPA's classified ads are the place to be. The online classified ads populate a targeted, virtual community with job seekers, large corporate employers and public...

CFOs weigh in on SOX.(CalCPA News)(survey results)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act has presented CFOs with several challenges in the last year. While executive certification and internal control requirements loom large, a recent survey of 300 CFOs found that the most challenging aspects...

New addition to the board of directors.(CAMICO News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... CAMICO has named Pat Evans, a Forth Worth, Texas-based CPA, to its board. CAMICO policyholders elected Evans, a managing partner at Sproles Woodard, at the company's annual meeting. Evans will be CAMICO's first director from Texas,...

New resources to obtain EIN.(IRS News)(employer identification number)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The IRS has phased out its telephone number for obtaining an employer identification number. Those who need an EIN should use the new business and specialty tax line at (800) 829-4933 or the new EIN Internet application at...

Over-the-counter drugs covered by flex plans.(IRS News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Treasury Department and the IRS recently announced that over-the-counter drugs could be paid for with pretax dollars through health care flexible spending accounts. Guidance has been issued clarifying that reimbursements for...

Tax treatment of services under transfer pricing rules.(IRS News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Treasury Department and IRS have issued proposed regulations on the tax treatment of services transactions, including those related to intangible property, under the related party transfer pricing rules. The current regulations...

And the winner is ...(in the spotlight)(accountants Mel Mesuda and Andy Sale present Emmy results)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Two CalCPA members carried the results for the 55th annual Emmy Awards down the red carpet at show time. Mel Mesuda and Andy Sale, partners with Ernst & Young's Media and Entertainment division, were charged with keeping the results secure, and...

SEC, NASAA form task force.(SEC News)(Securities and Exchange Commission and North American Securities Administrators Association)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The SEC and the North American Securities Administration Association (NASAA) will form a 12-member task force to eliminate spats between state and federal regulators. The task force will explore protocols, procedures and best practices for...

Investors to get more mutual fund information.(SEC News)(Securities and Exchange Commission)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The SEC recently approved rules that require more complete information in mutual fund advertisements. Mutual funds will have to provide current information about their returns through the Internet or toll-free telephone numbers. The new...

Finance salaries rising in aftermath of SOX.(Survey Says)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Salaries for finance and accounting professionals have risen 6.3 percent this year to reach an all-time high. The increase may be due to the increased visibility of those roles in the wake of SOX. According to a recent survey by the...

Privately held companies adopting SOX measures.(Survey Says)(Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002)
November 1, 2003... Although privately held companies are not subject to SOX regulations, many are taking measures to comply anyway. A recent survey conducted by Robert Half International Inc. of more than 1,300 CFOs at privately held companies found that 38...

Directors watching audits more closely.(Survey Says)(since Sarbanes-Oxley Act)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Auditors are working harder than ever in the wake of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, a recent survey found. Audit committees at 39 of the 66 companies involved in the survey are meeting more than six times a year, up from only 11 companies before...

IRS steers taxpayers wrong, Treasury says.(Don't Ask the IRS)(tax help centers )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Apparently, IRS tax help centers don't always help. Treasury Department investigators recently found that the IRS tax help centers gave correct answers to only 57 percent of tax law questions. The investigators, posing as confused...

Measuring cash balance defined pension plan obligations.(FASB News)(Financial Accounting Standards Board)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... At its September meeting, FASB added a project to its formal agenda that would produce an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 87, Employers' Accounting for Pensions. FASB said that since accounting guidance doesn't specifically address...

ElderCare resource guide available.(CalCPA Online WebFocus)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... CalCPA's Personal Financial Planning Committee is making its Internet-based ElderCare Resource Guide available to the public. Among other issues, the guide provides a listing of care management and hospital services; fiduciary and PFP services;...

Proposed changes to merger accounting mulled.(FASB News)(Financial Accounting Standards Board)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... FASB will propose rules to help investors discover whether or not companies that recently made acquisitions were helped or hurt by the newly acquired entity. FASB is proposing that companies separately disclose the earnings and revenue of...

Nonprofit group formed to cut SOX costs.(SOX News)(Association of Audit Committee Members Inc.)(Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Association of Audit Committee Members Inc., a nonprofit group catering to audit committees and the publicly held companies they monitor, was recently formed. The group looks to collaborate and exchange information on corporate...

Senate Banking Committee follows up on SOX.(SOX News)(Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The U.S. Senate Banking Committee has begun to review the implementation of SOX with a new set of hearings. Committee Chairman Richard Shelby kicked off the Sept. 9 hearings with an opening statement, which can be accessed at...

PCAOB rules on investigations, registration withdrawal.(PCAOB News)(Public Company Accounting Oversight Board)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The PCAOB has adopted rules on investigations and adjudications, as well as rules on registration withdrawals. At a Sept. 29 board meeting, the PCAOB adopted rules governing investigations and hearing procedures, as well as setting out...

A PCAOB for Europe?(FEE News)(Federation of European Accountants recommends Public Company Accounting Oversight Board)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Federation of European Accountants (or the Federation des Experts Comptables Europeens) recently recommended forming an oversight committee that would mirror the PCAOB's efforts. The organization called on the European Commission to...

More comprehensive information for financial statement users.(GASB News; Governmental Accounting Standards Board)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... GASB recently issued an exposure draft proposing standards aimed at enhancing and updating the information governments present with their annual financial statements. The proposal, dubbed Economic Condition Reporting: The Statistical...

E-filing tips from calcpa members.(California Society of Certified Public Accountants)
November 1, 2003... BY now its no secret that starting Jan. 1, 2004, tax practitioners who file 100 or more individual state tax returns and use tax preparation software are required by state law to e-file. Since many of your peers will e-file for the first...

New succession planning manual.(Financial Planners)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Financial Planners Association has released Succession Planning Strategies for the Financial Planner, designed for planners at all stages in their careers. The manual provides 12 real-life case studies, six succession planning...

Don't let that domain name pass you by.(Online News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... If you've been looking to use a domain name that's already been taken, a new service lets you claim the name the minute it becomes available. Next Registration Rights, a service of Network Solutions, automatically grants you the next...

Gov. signs corporate accountability legislation, fines could reach $1 million.(California News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Gov. Gray Davis signed several corporate accountability bills, including one that could fine corporations up to $1 million for hiding damaging financial information from their shareholders. Martha Esccutia (D-Whittier) authored two of the...

Treasurer, CALPERS join call for NYSE reform.(NYSE News; California Society of Certified Public Accountants)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... In the wake of former NYSE chair Richard Grasso's resignation, public pension fund officials and state treasurers recently convened to urge the SEC and NYSE to restore the NYSE's credibility. California Treasurer Phil Angelides and CalPERS...

Gary Dack.(named managing partner of Lund & Guttry)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Gary Dack has been named managing partner of Rancho Mirage-based Lund & Guttry...

Thomas Ayer.(Announcements)
November 1, 2003... Thomas Ayer has been appointed CFO of Sunnyvale-based American Multiplexer Corp....

Jeffrey Sumpter.(appointed to Stonefield Josephson)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Jeffrey Sumpter has been named to the Financial Recovery Group of Santa Monica-based Stonefield Josephson.

Armanino McKenna LLP.(Firm News)
November 1, 2003... Armanino McKenna LLP of San Ramon has formed a new Employee Benefits Practice Group, offering retirement and benefit plan consulting, employee compensation and succession planning.

Louis Barbich.(honoured for community work)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Bakersfield-based CPA Louis Barbich, of Barbich Longcrier Hooper & King, and his wife, Sheryl, were recently honored for their community work. At an awards banquet in their honor, they were presented the John Brock Community Service Award. Lou...

Matthew Dooley.(Accomplishments)
November 1, 2003... Matthew Dooley with Brown, Adams received his CPA license Sept. 5... In August,

Scott M. Sachs.(recognized as an influential business person)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Scott M. Sachs, partner at Los Angeles based Good Swartz Brown & Berns LLP, was recognized by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal as one of the Valley's Top "40 Under 40," awarded to the region's most influential business-people...

Janice Carr.(appointed at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Janice Carr has recently been made a full professor at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo...

Stanley Schneider.(Accomplishments)
November 1, 2003... Stanley Schneider, senior partner at Gursey, Schneider & Co. LLP, was named co-chair of the board of People Assisting the Homeless...

Len Williams.(Accomplishments)
November 1, 2003... Len Williams appeared on a panel regarding estate planning at the annual convention of the International Fire Buff Associates, held in Waukesha, Wisc....

Keith Tobias.(Accomplishments)
November 1, 2003... Keith Tobias has been named to the board of San Diego-based Retirement Capital Group, Inc.

Susan Bradley of Fresno and David Cieslak of Encino.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Susan Bradley of Fresno and David Cieslak of Encino were quoted in the August issue of Accounting Technology...

San Diego-based Don Vonk and Ontario-based Matt Bradvica.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... San Diego-based Don Vonk and Ontario-based Matt Bradvica had articles published in the Aug. 11 San Diego Business Journal...

John Campbell.(Member In The News)
November 1, 2003... John Campbell was quoted in an article in the Aug. 12 Sacramento Bee...

John Campbell and Jeanne Rosenmeier.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... John Campbell and Jeanne Rosenmeier were featured in articles in the Aug. 22 Orange County Register...

Ronald Dill.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Ronald Dill, president of CalCPA's Bakersfield Chapter, was profiled in an Aug. 23 article in the Bakersfield Californian...

Josephine Gunther.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Josephine Gunther was quoted in the Aug. 24 Santa Rosa Press Democrat...

Scott M. Sachs.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Scott M. Sachs of Los Angeles was quoted in an Aug. 27 article in The Washington Post...

Larry Harmon.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Larry Harmon of Granite Bay was featured in the Aug. 27 Sacramento Bee...

Michelle Pimentel.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Modesto-based Michelle Pimentel was featured in a story in the Aug. 28 Modesto Bee...

Mary Kay Foss.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Mary Kay Foss of Danville was quoted Aug. 29 on MoneyCentral.msn.com...

Calvin Louie.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Calvin Louie of San Francisco was cited in the Aug. 30 Marin Independent Journal and was featured in the Oct. 2 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle...

Joel Framson.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Los Angeles-based Joel Framson was quoted in a Sept. 3 article in The Akron Beacon Journal and Sept. 15 on MSNBC.com...

Charles Peters.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Charles Peters of San Bernardino was interviewed for a Sept. 4 article in the Lake Arrowhead Mountain News...

Cindy Halstead.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Cindy Halstead of Santa Barbara was mentioned in the Sept. 7 Santa Barbara News Press...

Mitch Freedman.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Sherman Oaks-based Mitch Freedman was featured in the Sept. 8 edition of Accounting Today...

Thomas Pico.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Thomas Pico of Pleasanton was discussed in the Sept. 8 edition of the Contra Costa Times...

James Bone.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... James Bone was quoted in a Sept. 14 article in Los Angeles Daily News...

Heidi Hideshima.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Heidi Hideshima was profiled in the Sept. 15 Orange County Register...

G. Steven Burrill.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... G. Steven Burrill of San Francisco was featured in the Sept. 15 San Francisco Business Times...

Jeffrey Kolsin.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... Fountain Valley-based Jeffrey Kolsin was quoted in a Sept. 24 article in the Orange County Register...

John Tonsick of Long Beach and Steven Franklin and David Nolte of Los Angeles.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... John Tonsick of Long Beach and Steven Franklin and David Nolte of Los Angeles were featured in a Sept. 24 article in the Los Angeles Business Journal...

Bruce Coblentz.(Members In The News)
November 1, 2003... San Ramon-based Bruce Coblentz wrote an article that appeared in Accounting Today...

CalCPA CEO Susan Waters, Fresno-based CPA Susan Bradley and Petaluma-based CPA Ronald J. Baker have been named to Accounting Today's "Top 100 Most Influential People" in the accounting profession.(Members In The News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... CalCPA CEO Susan Waters, Fresno-based CPA Susan Bradley and Petaluma-based CPA Ronald J. Baker have been named to Accounting Today's "Top 100 Most Influential People" in the accounting profession. For Waters and Baker, this is the third...

Innovative or risk extinction.(accounting)
November 1, 2003... "History teaches that innovation does not come about by central planning. If it did, Silicon Valley would be nearer to Moscow than to San Francisco." Tom Kelley, The Art of Innovation MUCH OF OUR PROFESSION'S CORE services are not In...

Fast tax facts 2003: as of Oct. 17, 2003.(Illustration)
November 1, 2003... The online version of Fast Tax Facts will be updated for tax law changes. Check it out at www.calcpa.org/fasttaxfacts. WELCOME TO OUR ANNUAL at-a-glance compilation of federal and state tax information. User-friendly tax rate schedules...

Finding the needle in the haystack.(Retirement Plans; tax laws)
November 1, 2003... Many retirement plans do not comply with the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA, as evidenced by the estimated 10,000 submissions the IRS has received under its voluntary correction program in the past decade. Countless other plans have...

On your side: CalCPA'S GR team has one special interest--you!(California Society of Certified Public Accountants government relations)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2003... ON A SWELTERING SPRING DAY in Sacramento last year, hundreds of CalCPA members--outfitted with pins that pronounced "CPAs: Committed to Excellence"--flooded the State Capitol corridors. Unfettered by the heat outside and buoyed by a...

Tax updates for the upcoming tax season.(Calendar)
November 1, 2003... Tax Updates for the Upcoming Tax Season Business and Corporate Taxation Federal and California Tax Update for Businesses and Other Entities with Tom Manolakas: Day 2 Dec 4 East Bay Area ...

Want more clients? Sell yourself.(Marketing Tips)
November 1, 2003... Unique to consulting is that marketing is never done. But consultants and CPAs who focus on consulting know that no marketing equals no work. This dynamic is spreading to public practice firms because increased competition and the expanding...

The value of membership: CalCPA member services & benefits.(Special Pull-out Section; California Society of Certified Public Accountants)
November 1, 2003... Discuss * Connect * Learn CalCPA's 14 chapters feature technical committees, specific interest groups and geographically-based discussion groups tailored to meet members' needs. Groups provide excellent professional networking...

Circular 230: professional responsibility for tax practitioners.(Professional Standards)
November 1, 2003... How do we keep standards of professionalism alive and well in the tax community? In the past, the IRS' Office of the Director of Practice lacked the resources to effectively pursue potential ethical violations by some tax professionals. ...

Inside SB 2: mandatory health coverage for employees.(government relations)
November 1, 2003... Before the Oct. 7 recall election, Gov. Gray Davis signed into law the hotly debated SB 2 (Burton, Speier), which mandates employer-sponsored health insurance for many California businesses. Business interests had vigorously opposed the...

Practical tax tips: independent contractors, E-filing and more.(california tax)
November 1, 2003... The drumbeat continues regarding California's Employment Development Department and independent contractors. Many TaxTalk participants have been relating their experiences with EDD auditors who are seeking to re-classify clients'...