Practice Management

BKD said it is combining forces with the Hanke Group, allowing the Springfield, Mo.-based accounting firm to expand to Hanke's San Antonio and south Texas markets.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., introduced the Energy Independence and Tax Relief Act of 2008 as Democrats and Republicans haggle over how to pay for extending expiring tax provisions.

Presidential hopefuls Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., clashed over their tax plans, trading accusations of hikes in capital gains and Social Security taxes.

The Small Business Administration has created an online tax savings resource center to help small businesses understand the benefits of the economic stimulus package.

Senate Republicans have defeated a proposal to charge oil companies a windfall profits tax.

The Internal Revenue Service is pursuing billionaire Philip Anschutz over $143.6 million in back taxes in an effort to discourage arrangements that allow people to defer paying capital gains taxes.

The Association of Accounting Marketing presented awards to 45 accounting firms and marketers at its annual conference.

The AICPA Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) did a remarkable job with its 2007 Top MAP Issues survey, and it was done without even changing the question that is asked each year or who was asked. It was done simply by taking a knife and cutting up the answers. The annual survey asks various practitioners in public practice: What are your top five MAP concerns?

The Internal Revenue Service has added new features to its Online Payment Agreement Application, making it easier for taxpayers and practitioners to modify existing installment agreements for paying tax debts to the government.

Canadian accounting firms Horwath Orenstein and Meyers Norris Penny have merged, allowing MNP to expand eastward to Toronto.