Michael Cohn

M&A volume is expected to be significantly higher than in recent years, according to a new survey, with 82 percent pursuing deals in 2015 vs. 63 percent in 2014.

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants has introduced a Web-based version of its Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants for the first time.

Bloomberg BNA has released the inaugural edition of the Bloomberg BNA 2015 Federal Tax Guide, a quick-reference guide for tax practitioners to help with preparing 2014 individual and business tax returns and 2015 planning.

The Information Technology Alliance, a not-for-profit professional association of CPA firms, consulting firms and technology vendors, has created a new CIO Academy to educate chief information officers at the biggest CPA firms in North America.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged a Virginia Beach-based bank holding company and its former chief financial officer with violating the federal securities laws by improperly accounting for a deferred tax asset that was not fully realizable due to the company’s deteriorating loan portfolio and financial condition.

The Financial Accounting Foundation and the two standard-setting boards it oversees, the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, have created a draft strategic plan of their vision, mission and top priorities, and are asking for comments.

Greatland has begun offering Web-based features for its Yearli technology for reporting and filing W-2 and 1099 forms.

The business payments technology network Bill.com said Thursday that its clients can now earn continuing professional education credits for Bill.com training.

The Information Systems Audit and Control Association has released the third edition of its IT Control Objectives for Sarbanes-Oxley to help information technology professionals focus on performing an IT assessment for financial reporting controls in line with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

The Center for Audit Quality has published a member alert to help auditing firms address risks on audits on upcoming audits, highlighting some that officials with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board also pointed to during a conference Thursday.

Hackers who broke into Sony Pictures’ network and stole movies that they uploaded to the Internet have also uploaded a spreadsheet from a former Deloitte employee containing salary information on more than 30,000 employees at Deloitte.

Accounting firm Marcum LLP has released its annual Year-End Tax Guide for the national accounting and advisory firm’s clients and others.

Baker Tilly Virchow Krause has elected Alan Whitman to serve as CEO upon the completion of Timothy Christen’s term in June 2016.

The American Institute of CPAs’ Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center has released an advisory document on the importance of hiring a quality auditor to perform employee benefit plan financial statement audits, along information to help select a quality auditor.

The private sector added 208,000 jobs from October to November, according to payroll giant ADP, reflecting steady growth in the economy.

A Los Angeles tax attorney has received more than 6,500 pages from the Internal Revenue Service on the agency’s Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program and how it trains its agents.

Online audit confirmation provider Confirmation.com said Tuesday it has acquired LegalConfirm, a Maryland-based provider of electronic legal confirmations.

The International Accounting Standards Board has launched a new program in tandem with some of the largest financial firms in a bid to elicit closer ties with investors and investment firms.

Prompter disclosure of corporate audit fees would help investors, according to a new study that found sudden increases in audit fees may be a sign of trouble at companies.

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance has launched a continuing education program as part of the state’s efforts to regulate tax preparers.