Associations

The American Institute of CPAs has given one of its most prestigious awards to tax attorney Albert B. Ellentuck.

Jacqueline Akerblom, Grant Thornton LLP's managing partner of Women's Initiatives and Programs, has been recognized as the American Society of Women Accountants Educational Foundation's 2008 Balance Awards "Woman of the Year."

The American Institute of CPAs’ Fall Council meeting in October focused on the state of the economy, a proposal to internationalize the CPA credential, distinguished service awards and welcoming the upcoming year’s new chairman of the board.

Fair value under fire Financial crisis spurs debate over standardAs the financial community scrambles to regain the trust of investors angered by the Wall Street crisis, fair value accounting continues to come under fire.

The financial rescue plan approved by Congress included many extensions of expiring tax credits and deductions that helped it win passage in the House, but it also left out some tax issues that will surely be bones of contention for the next Congress."It's safe to predict that not much will happen in a lame duck session," said Tom Ochsenschlager, vice president of taxation at the American Institute of CPAs.

American Institute of CPAs president and CEO Barry Melancon defended fair value accounting standards at a securities industry conference, but admitted the standards could be improved.

The American Institute of CPAs has appointed Alan Einhorn, national director of Deloitte Tax LLP's Quality Assurance Group, as the new chair of its Tax Executive Committee.

The Texas Society of CPAs has provided five tips that CPAs can pass along to their clients to calm their financial worries.

It might seem strange, pairing the phrase “love fest” with the AICPA Fall Council meeting, but I tell you, the lovely and heartfelt moments were flowing as freely as the wine and margaritas at the opening reception.

The American Institute of CPAs is mulling the idea of internationalizing the CPA designation.

Barry Melancon, president and chief executive of the American Institute of CPAs, opened his annual remarks regarding the state of the profession at the Fall Meeting of Council and Members by addressing the current economic crisis and the controversy around fair value accounting.

The American Institute of CPAs' Fall Council meeting kicked off Sunday with commentary from the chairman of the board, a presentation of distinguished service awards and updates from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and the "Feed the Pig" campaign.

If there were any doubt about Americans' urgent need for basic financial enlightenment, the economic meltdown that has been taking its heavy toll on Wall Street and Main Street of late should lay it to rest.But today's rocky environment was probably far from the imagination of the legions of CPAs who responded to the American Institute of CPAs' call in 2003, asking if they'd be willing to participate in a sweeping effort to raise Americans' financial literacy quotient.

In what can be termed a shift in placement, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board and the American Institute of CPAs are proposing that certain guidance in the latter's literature belongs in the literature of the former.

As more clients are confronted with shrinking retirement portfolios, layoffs and hardship getting bank loans for their business and personal needs, accountants are being asked for advice on how to survive through lean times.

Bernard Blum, 86-year-old founder of Connecticut accounting firm Blum Shapiro, passed away at a hospital in Hartford.

The issuance of the so-called Final Report of the Advisory Committee on the Auditing Profession to the U.S. Department proves conclusively to me that many of the powers that be need to gain a better understanding of transparency. It isn’t what’s in the massive document that tells me this, but it is what is specifically left out of both the document and the press release announcing the report’s approval.

The demand for CPAs who provide forensic accounting services has accelerated in the past year, according to a survey by the American Institute of CPAs.

The American Institute of CPAs has expanded its financial literacy campaign, Feed the Pig, with a new educational program aimed at tweens.

The Senate passed a bill that would extend expiring tax cuts, patch the alternative minimum tax for another year, provide clean energy incentives and equalize the disclosure standards for tax preparers and taxpayers.