Financial reporting

Firms beef up security as the mobile workforce takes off

All puns aside, the cloud is finally living up to its promise

Financial Accounting Standards Board chairman Leslie Seidman and International Accounting Standards Board chairman Hans Hoogervorst appeared side by side at an American Institute of CPAs conference in early December to discuss what went awry in U.S. support for International Financial Reporting Standards.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board released a report in early December in which it identified widespread problems at eight major firms with their audits of internal control over financial reporting.

The Private Company Council held its inaugural meeting in early December to discuss how accounting standards should be adjusted for privately held companies.

Ten years on, SOX doesn't appear to be working

Accounting Today is in the midst of compiling its annual lists of the Top 100 Firms and Regional Leaders, and is looking for more top-notch accounting firms to consider.

The U.S. Justice Department opened an investigation relating to Autonomy Corp. after Hewlett- Packard Co. accused the software company of misrepresenting its performance before being bought last year.

The Financial Accounting Foundation, which oversees the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, is coming out in support of a proposal to create a new Accounting Standards Advisory Forum of international standard setters, but is balking at a requirement that participants need to make a commitment to International Financial Reporting Standards.

Fiscal Cliff Estimator, community service, new studies, Web sites and more

Jill Martin has been named partner in the tax services group at ParenteBeard LLC.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board has released the 2013 U.S. GAAP Financial Reporting Taxonomy.

Grant Thornton reported global revenue growth of 10.4 percent in U.S. dollars, to a record $4.2 billion, for the year ended Sept. 20, 2012. Growth in local currency terms was even higher, at 13.2 percent.

Paul Beswick is the Securities and Exchange Commission’s new chief accountant.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved Auditing Standard No. 16, Communications with Audit Committees, as well as amendments to other standards from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

A dose of this week’s office moves, tools, industry reports and charity updates.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board has released a proposal for comment to improve reporting on expected credit losses on loans and other financial assets held as investments by banks, financial institutions and other public and private organizations.

A new company aims to match up accounting contractors with potential employers.

Wednesday was a red-letter day for many accounting departments, as December 19 was the busiest day for submitting expense reports.

Top 100 Firm Sikich LLP added the public accounting and consulting firm, Hill & White LLC. The merger went into effect on December 1.