Michael Cohn

Changes should make it easier for taxpayers to find the free versions of tax prep software from vendors who have been accused of misleading consumers into paying for the products.

The institute has asked the IRS and the Treasury to issue a notice clarifying that relief will also apply to S corporations.

Accounting firms are beginning to wade into the use of blockchain technology for audits, but with caution as the technology spreads beyond the cryptocurrency space where it’s been used for digital assets like Bitcoin.

Many dark money groups that raise funds for political and social causes and don’t pay taxes aren’t notifying the Internal Revenue Service of their intent to operate as tax-exempt organizations under section 501(c)4 of the Tax Code and haven’t been penalized, according to a new report.

The Internal Revenue Service debuted a new Gig Economy Tax Center on its IRS.gov website to help taxpayers who work with companies like Uber and Airbnb meet their tax obligations.

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants has released a set of revisions to the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, making some changes in the independence standards for assurance engagements, other than audit and review engagements.

Windes merges in Smith, Linden & Basso; UHY Advisors acquires Stewart, Beauvais & Whipple; TYS merges with Lefkowitz; and McGuire Sponsel acquires Align Global Consulting.

The job numbers were boosted by employment in professional and business services.

The IRS’s new anti-fraud filters are unnecessarily flagging millions of tax returns and delaying legitimate tax refunds for weeks or months.

The Internal Revenue Service’s announcement last month delaying a requirement for reporting partners’ share of partnership capital offers some extra time to busy tax practitioners, but the issue still isn’t going away and may lead to some other problems.

The Financial Accounting Foundation’s board of trustees has named Joel Black, partner in charge of the audit practice at Top 100 Firm Mauldin & Jenkins, the next chair of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board.

PKF O’Connor Davies adds DHL&S; LBMC Technology Solutions merges with InterDyn Artis; Finkler joins HW&Co.; Gilliam Coble & Moser merges with Apple, Bell, Johnson & Co.; and Blucora plans acquisition of HK Financial Services.

BDO adds Biegel Waller; Brown Edwards expands in Virginia; Prager Metis combines with Shine & Company; Hoffman Eells merges with Abbott, Frenyea & Russell; and Mariner Wealth Advisors acquires the tax practices of David G. Miller & Associates and G.M. Bremer & Associates.

As tax authorities around the world crack down on corporate tax avoidance strategies, demand for transfer pricing advice is fueling growth in advisory services.

Financial institutions are getting ready to begin complying this year with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s new credit losses standard, which means they will need to start making disclosures about their loan portfolios.

WithumSmith+Brown combined with KSJG CPA LLP; Wipfli LLP added Stratagem; and McHale, Caruso, Scullion & Knox joined CliftonLarsonAllen LLP.

The tight labor market prompted wage increases to accelerate at the end of the year.

The two proposals would offer guidance on implementing the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s new standards for long-duration insurance contracts and credit losses.

The Seattle-based Top 20 Firm issued a notice of a data security incident that it detected in October exposing the names and Social Security numbers of some of its clients.

The Internal Revenue Service issued the 2020 optional standard mileage rates that taxpayers and tax professionals can use to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.