Practice Management

A number of years ago, a gaming and hospitality analyst whom I'd interviewed a number of times was fired after he told The Wall Street Journal that a certain casino in Atlantic City was basically a house of cards and would not survive.

Marketing professionals are fond of telling clients to look to the logo and beyond when it comes to branding. But for many CPA firms, the economic downturn had managing partners' eyes trained on only one line - and it wasn't underlining a focus-group-tested font.

The Comprehensive 1099 Taxpayer Protection and Repayment of Exchange Subsidy Overpayments Act of 2011, which passed Congress on April 5, 2011, eliminates two recently enacted 1099 reporting requirements that were to take effect in 2012. Still on the books, however, are a couple of new 1099 reporting requirements effective for 2011.

Many CPA and accounting firms have taken the leap into the world of Web site marketing through search engine optimization. Though the mechanics of the optimization process have been well-documented across several print and online publications, there has been little discussion about the business-development process for Web site-generated leads, which do differ from the more standard lead.

SHULMAN PROPOSES TAX TECHNOLOGY OVERHAUL

As trusted advisors, accountants and auditors guide clients regarding various financial reporting, tax and management matters. A currently contemplated tax policy change may provide an ideal opportunity for advising clients.

LarsonAllen plans to combine with Florida CPA firm NCT Group in July, expanding the Minneapolis-based firm’s presence in the Sunshine State.

The Texas Society of CPAs has issued an analysis of the Obama administration’s call for eliminating special tax breaks for domestic oil and gas production and come out firmly against any repeal.

The Internal Revenue Service has selected Prometric Inc. as the vendor to administer a new competency examination and fingerprinting program for certain paid tax return preparers.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner blamed a “broken” tax system as one of the chief causes of the U.S. budget deficit.