Audit

The U.S. economy is already in a recession, say a majority of CFOs and senior-level executive CPAs.

Few people actually know what a credit score represents. For example, less than one-third of Americans understand that credit scores indicate risk of not repaying a loan and not knowledge of, or attitude toward, consumer credit. That is what has come out, among other things, from a new survey commissioned by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and Washington Mutual Bank, the guys you call WaMu. Moreover, the survey reflects the fact that most Americans fail to understand that one’s credit score shows only how they use credit and does not include factors such as income and age. Those that have obtained their scores are generally the most knowledgeable, says the survey. But if you have clients who have low credit scores, what can you advise them about raising such scores? Here are some ways they can do it:

Three-quarters of U.S. CEOs expect to see foreign companies investing more in U.S. businesses over the next year, according to a survey by Grant Thornton.

An Ernst & Young partner has teamed up with a movie studio accountant to produce an online comic book based on the TV series and recent movie Get Smart that provides an overview of tax deductions for the film and TV industry.

The American Institute of CPAs has released "Audit Sampling," a newly updated audit guide containing the latest requirements and practices for auditors.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board has certainly been hearing an earful in recent days from a variety of organizations warning that the amendments it is proposing to two of its accounting statements could lead to a spate of lawsuits.

The Internal Revenue Service appointed J. Richard Harvey Jr. as senior advisor to IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman.

Several organizations are criticizing a proposed standard on accounting for loss contingencies, saying it could lead to possible abuses, including a flurry of spurious lawsuits.

Deloitte & Touche and its audit client General Motors agreed to settle a securities class-action lawsuit for a total of $303 million.

Ernst & Young is engaged in lawsuits with Entrepreneur Media Inc. over the use of the term "entrepreneur of the year" by Entrepreneur Magazine.

KPMG has released a publication on transfer pricing controversies, highlighting how tax authorities worldwide are relying on specific "red flags" to tighten their enforcement and audit efforts.

I am never ceased to be amazed at the misinterpretations of what a certain financial planner does or how the planner acts in conjunction with the client. Let me explain. For one, there is the definition of commission-based and fee-based. Actually, there are three aspects here. A fee-only planner is one who is paid based on a set hourly rate, a project rate, an annual retainer, a percentage of assts under management, or some combination. The planner does not receive any compensation contingent on the sale or purchase or a financial product. A commission-based planner may include brokers who receive compensation based upon commissions paid by the client or by the mutual fund company or insurance company, or other product provider, each time the client is sold a security. A fee-based compensation is not to be confused with fee-only. This indicates that compensation occurs by way of both fees and/or commissions. Now as to those artful terms of advisor, planner, et al, consider this. The term investment advisor describes a rather wide range of people who are in the business of giving advice about securities and they may use a variety of titles such as investment manager, investment counsel, asset manager, wealth manager, or portfolio manager. An investment advisor then provides ongoing management of investments based on the client’s objectives. The terms broker and broker-dealer refer to firms who are in the business of buying and selling securities on behalf of customers. Individual salespeople employed by brokerage firms are usually called stockbrokers and are officially referred to as registered representatives of the brokerage firm. They may also use other titles such as financial consultant, financial advisor, and investment consultant. A financial planner, unlike an investment advisor and broker, is not a legally defined term and it usually refers to providers who develop, and may also implement, comprehensive financial plans for clients based on their long-term goals, or who may prepare plans to address specific issues their clients may face such as retirement income planning, funding of educational expenses, and the like. When you talk about a comprehensive financial plan, you can turn to the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors who defines comprehensive financial planning advice as the coordinated consideration of each of the following areas for a client: income tax, cash flow, retirement planning, estate planning, investments, risk management, and any special needs planning.

Ernst & Young has settled charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission for $2.9 million alleging a conflict of interest in its audits of three companies.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued a revised exposure draft of a proposed standard on earnings per share, along with a staff position on endowments for nonprofit organizations.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a warning about the use of 401(k) debit cards that allow employees at some companies to borrow money from their retirement plans.

Admissions of material weaknesses in internal controls have declined in the filings of large U.S. companies in the past two years, showing the positive effects of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, according to a newly released analysis.

The European Commission has decided to cut some of the red tape to allow audit firms from other countries, including the U.S., to operate in Europe.

Deloitte Financial Advisory Services has launched a new Electronic Discovery Solutions Center in the Nashville area to help with the evidence collection process for legal proceedings.

One of the speakers at the New York State Society of CPAs’ ethics conference last week told a series of alarming stories about accountants who had been sued by their own clients for not doing more to warn them about their own risky financial activities.

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