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SEC WON'T APPEAL COURT DECISIONThe Securities and Exchange Commission said that it would ask a court to allow four months for investors and their brokers to respond in light of a court decision affecting an estimated 1 million fee-based brokerage accounts.

A new nationwide research study on family businesses commissioned by Seattle-based Laird Norton Co., a diversified financial concern, shows that overwhelming optimism of the owners of family businesses about their future might prove to be premature because of a lack of strategic vision, succession planning and governance policies.The survey showed that nearly 60 percent of majority shareowners in family businesses are 55 or older, while 30 percent are 65 or older. However, less than 30 percent of those respondents even have succession plans in place, and fewer than 40 percent have a successor lined up.

Before the advent of the personal computer, computerizing a business' accounting was a daunting experience, costing thousands of dollars just for the software component. Many companies hired a team of programmers to either customize a "turnkey" system of hardware and software to their specific requirements, or to write their own accounting applications.All that changed when the first PCs hit the market.

INTUIT ROLLS OUT NEW LACERTE TRIAL BALANCE UTILITYIntuit Inc. has introduced a new trial balance utility for Lacerte tax software users.

As firms begin to plan for 2007-2008, they should be wary of relying on previous strategies for technology. Technology will remain an important tool as the accounting profession transforms; but remember, it must be employed with vision, leadership and strategy. Technology can't fix problems associated with poor leadership, management and the inability to attract quality people.The profession has been stuck in "me too" mode in terms of technology. Firms that differentiate themselves have invested significantly in end-user training and digital content management - including the use of client portals. They also have adequate IT support for end users, either from internal or external resources.

I am still surprised by the number of CPA and IT professionals - from firms both large and small - who are unable to articulate their core values, or the guiding principles of their firm. That is why I wanted to write this article, in the hopes that you would be motivated to define, communicate and then model your firm's values.WHY WOULD YOU?

Software & servicesLACERTE UTILITY

ONE DOWN, 74 TO GOBond Beebe, a CPA and advisory firm with offices in Bethesda, Md., and Alexandria, Va., sent a team of 38 firm volunteers to clean, paint, landscape and do light handyman work at Washington, D.C.-based Bruce

JULY9-13: Tax Education Program (Week 3), American Institute of CPAs. University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill. Contact: (888) 777-7077 or www.cpa2biz.com.

There are certain subjects that invite debate, while other subjects consume a debate, i.e. Joe DiMaggio vs. Ted Williams, Citizen Kane vs. The Godfather, or even great taste vs. less filling.