WebCPA Staff

Southeast regional accounting firm Watkins Meegan is expanding its Annapolis, Md., office by adding several accounting, tax and business consulting experts from Annapolis-based Sturn Wagner Lombardo & Co.

Overstock.com has engaged KPMG as its new outside auditor, but not without a parting shot at its previous auditing firm, Grant Thornton.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a report that examines more effective ways to protect consumers from fraudulent financial schemes.

The American College, an educational institution devoted to financial services classes, has created a $500,000 scholarship fund to offer financial aid to veterans.

A prominent securities attorney told a group of CPAs that they will face a rising tide of enforcement actions and litigation next year.

The American Institute of CPAs has published a set of technical practice aids to help auditors and preparers understand the accounting rules on determining the fair value of investments in entities that calculate a net asset value.

Jean Stephens has been leading RSM International as the global accounting firm network saw two of its most prominent members, RSM McGladrey and McGladrey & Pullen, embroiled in a recently settled legal skirmish over their longstanding administrative services agreement.

The Treasury Department said a new protocol amending the income tax treaty with France has entered into force.

Business consulting and internal audit firm Protiviti has begun publishing “Board Perspectives: Risk Oversight,” a new monthly newsletter aimed at corporate boards of directors.

Law firms representing shareholders of Comverse Technology have reached a settlement stemming from the alleged stock option backdating practices of the former directors and officers of the communications technology company.

The American Institute of CPAs said it strongly supports recently introduced legislation requiring the comptroller general, who leads the Government Accountability Office, to be a CPA.

The bank that Jackson Hewitt Tax Service uses to process and administer its refund anticipation loans will not be in a position to originate RALs for the 2010 tax season, according to the company.

Accounting firm LarsonAllen is combining with the senior citizen services consultancy Third Age Consulting in the New Year.

Maryland accounting firms DeLeon & Stang, CPAs & Advisors, and Hull & Associates CPAs have merged.

Advisor Software has acquired Advisor Partners LLC, an asset management firm that specializes in creating comprehensive investment portfolios and managing client accounts on behalf of professional investment advisors.

SAP has settled a lawsuit with Security Weaver, a company that provides governance, risk and compliance software.

An attorney for the Black Eyed Peas has filed suit accusing the hip-hop group’s manager of failing to file income tax returns for the group for at least eight years.

H&R Block will be among the tax preparation businesses that will be taking advantage of a new IRS initiative aimed at helping taxpayers build their nest eggs by allocating a portion of their tax refund toward the purchase of U.S. savings bonds.

The Internal Revenue Service has extended its moratorium on collecting penalties on listed tax shelter transactions from small businesses after an influential senator threatened to block the nominations of key Treasury Department nominees.

Accounting firm Eisner LLP has introduced its 2010 Personal Tax Guide, which is available on the firm’s Web site and as a download to the Amazon Kindle e-reader.