AT Think

Fans of the award-winning AMC cable TV series “Mad Men” are anxiously awaiting the series finale on Sunday, but many longtime viewers may not be aware that the show about Madison Avenue advertising agency executives was partly inspired by a movie about an accountant.

Gumbiner Savett, a Santa Monica-based full-service accounting, taxation and consulting firm, recently congratulated Danny Vivier, the recipient of the "UCLA Department of Economics - Gumbiner Savett Inc. Endowed Undergraduate Prize for 2014-2015."

The AICPA released a Six-Point Plan to Improve Audits on Thursday that provides a roadmap for the profession’s continued journey to improving audit performance in an increasingly changing business world. The plan concentrates on financial statement audits for private companies, employee benefit plans and governmental entities in the United States.

Nearly half of all states impose taxes on memberships in gyms, health clubs, athletic clubs and fitness clubs, while the rest either exempt memberships or don’t have state sales taxes at all, according to new research.

Career and leadership development portal TaxTalent released its 4th annual Tax Hiring Outlook on Monday, based on a survey of U.S. corporate heads of tax. The Hiring Outlook included 356 total respondents ranging from middle market to Fortune 10 companies. This year, 69% of those surveyed stated they would be hiring in the coming year, representing a 28% increase from the 2014 hiring data.

Dixon Hughes Goodman (DHG)announced this week that Brian Burns and Bryan Campbell have received the Virginia Society of CPA’s (VSCPA) "Top 5 Under 35 leadership" award for 2015. Brian Burns is a Senior Manager in DHG’s Richmond office who focuses on Forensic and Valuation Services. Bryan Campbell is a Senior Manager in DHG’s Norfolk office who focuses on Assurance Services for clients in the government contracting, manufacturing and distribution and construction industries.

At a recent gathering of corporate tax professionals, many confessed to uneasiness about the damage to the reputations of their companies from media reports about their tax strategies.

Seventeen-year-old Sean Lawrence earned a $120,000 college scholarship through the H&R Block Budget Challenge - a financial literacy program that rewards high school students for mastering personal finance - the company announced Monday.

H&R Block is looking for accountants, bookkeepers and salespeople to join its recently launched Block Small Business service.

With more than half of Americans not saving enough for retirement, the Financial Services Roundtable (FSR), Washington’s leading financial trade association, recognized IBM with a “Save 10” award for their efforts to help their employees prepare for a secure retirement by enabling them to save 10% of their income, FSR announced last Monday.