Economy

The American Institute of CPAs has written a letter to the leaders of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee asking them to amend the Tax Code to allow estates and nongrantor trusts to fully deduct the cost of complying with the fiduciary duties of administering estates and trusts.

Martin Shenkman, principal at Paramus, N.J.-based Martin Shenkman PC, received the 2012 Sidney Kess Award for Excellence in Continuing Education from the American Institute of CPAs this week.

I remember when being a Certified Public Accountant was a big deal.

CCH Small Firm Services and the National Association of Tax Professionals have expanded the benefits they are offering to tax and accounting professionals from their partnership.

Lawson Carmichael has joined the American Institute of CPAs as senior vice president for strategy, people and innovation.

Confidence in the global economy recovered significantly in the early part of this year among accountants, regaining some of the optimism that had been lost last year, according to a new survey.

K2 Enterprises has signed a deal with CPA2Biz, the technology and marketing services subsidiary of the American Institute of CPAs, to distribute on-site learning content.

The New York State Society of CPAs has written a letter to the Internal Revenue Service asking the IRS to clarify several rules governing the reporting of foreign financial assets.

Kevin McGrath has been selected to succeed Frank Arford as CEO of global accounting network Crowe Horwath International. Arford will be retiring at the end of June, and McGrath is due to take up his new post on July 1.

A new survey conducted for the American Institute of CPAs found that 41 percent of respondents selected cutting back on eating out as their most likely response to a financial pinch.

Joanne S. Barry, executive director of the New York State Society of CPAs, has been named the 2012 Outstanding Association Executive by the New York Society of Association Executives

The New York State Society of CPAs will give awards to George Foundotos, Stephen Valenti, Joseph Falbo and Tracey Niemotko

A reader writes in to support Spirit of Accounting columnists Miller & Bahnson

The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy has released its annual Candidate Performance Book for Uniform CPA Examination candidates, presenting comprehensive statistical data from all four testing windows of the Uniform CPA exam last year.

Ronald Gitz has been appointed executive director of the Society of Louisiana CPAs, taking office on April 23. He will succeed Grady Hazel, who is retiring after 17 years as ED.

Anchin, Block & Anchin has joined the BKR International association of accounting and business advisory firms.

Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters has renewed and expanded its agreement with the Tax Executives Institute, an international association of 7,000 corporate tax professionals.

The New York State Society of CPAs has told the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board that they need to make changes in their latest set of proposals for changing revenue recognition standards.