Financial reporting

Florida-based Top 100 Firm Berkowitz Pollack Dick & Brant has rebranded itself Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors and Consultants.

Hans Hoogervorst, chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board, said Wednesday that he believes Extensible Business Reporting Language, or XBRL, has “the potential to improve the effectiveness of financial reporting.”

Lawson Carmichael has joined the American Institute of CPAs as senior vice president for strategy, people and innovation.

Robert Herz, the former chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and Sir David Tweedie, the former chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board, said Tuesday that the Securities and Exchange Commission needs to make a decision soon on committing to International Financial Reporting Standards, or other major countries could drop their support for IFRS.

Recent accounting firm activity

Jim Pitrat, the assurance and advisory practice leader at Top 100 Firm SingerLewak LLP, will become managing partner of the Top 100 Firm effective July 1, succeeding current MP David Krajanowski.

The rapid growth of Islamic finance is increasing pressure on the industry to enter the accounting mainstream, by seeking guidance from the International Accounting Standards Board, the global body which sets the tone for bookkeeping in conventional finance.

Accounting Today has issued a call for speakers for its 3rd Annual Growth & Profitability Summit, which will be held this year in Boca Raton, Fla., on October 28-30

The April edition of Accounting Today's monthly Accountants Confidence Index reversed a two-month decline, showing positive expectations for the short- and mid-term for the firs time in 2012.

IMGCAP(1)]Check out the digital edition of the April 2012 issue of Accounting Today.

The multi-trillion dollar asset securitization market continues to have unresolved issues in the aftermath of the financial crisis, including how the assets are accounted for, and the credit risk assessments done by bond markets and credit-rating agencies, according to a new study.

Deloitte has relaunched IAS Plus, the firm’s site devoted to news about international accounting standards.

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board has released an exposure draft on financial discussion and analysis for public sector entities, proposing minimum required content.

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board has issued two new accounting statements, one covering items previously reported as assets and liabilities, which clarified the appropriate reporting of deferred outflows and inflows of resources, and another statement containing technical corrections to resolve conflicting guidance.

Your firm should be up on these seven new changes to annual reports -- including major changes to disclosure

Accounting firms are beginning to take value pricing more seriously, and some are making the transition from hourly billing

Top 100 Firm Armanino McKenna has created its own marketing and PR agency

Focusing on making the staff you have better takes effort, but makes for more dedicated, more talented emloyees

Managers and partners must take responsibility for keeping staff on board, no matter what time of year it is

Many firms are recognizing the value of developing a niche as a growth vehicle. The question is, what due diligence should firms do before jumping into a niche with both feet, and what new niches or service lines are hitting the radar screen?