2011 KICKOFF

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board issued a new accounting statement Thursday aimed at incorporating accounting guidance issued by outside standard-setters that is applicable to state and local governments.

The Small Business Administration has redesigned its website and is providing a new tool to personalize the site’s resources for particular types of businesses.

The past year witnessed plenty of head-spinning developments in the worlds of accounting and taxes, and AccountingToday.com (along with its predecessor site WebCPA) was there to chart the latest developments.

The start of the New Year ushers in a series of new regulatory, compliance and legislative changes that could potentially affect every small business.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has published an alert warning auditors of the risks involved when auditing loss contingencies from litigation arising from mortgages and other loans, especially in cases where mortgage servicers have been accused of “robosigning” foreclosure notices.

In a recent speech, a senior European Commission official warned accountants that a drastic tightening of auditing rules in the European Union is under consideration in Brussels, including possible segregation-of-service rules on client auditing and accounting services, and requiring auditors to give "an unencumbered opinion of a situation", as opposed to the current "historical review."

Canada's transition to International Financial Reporting Standards, while improving transparency and comparability of Canadian companies, will likely not affect credit ratings, according to a new report from Moody's Investor Service.

Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, who was appointed only six months ago to oversee the board that sets international accounting standards, died of a heart attack on Saturday night.

Eighty percent of CPA firms reported either a decline in revenue, no growth, or modest growth between May 2008 and June 2010, according to a new survey by the American Institute of CPAs and the Texas Society of CPAs.

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board has issued revisions to its financial reporting entity standards to better account for business-type activities at government-run institutions such as state universities.

Check out the digital edition of the December 13, 2010-January 10, 2011 issue of Accounting Today.

KPMG reported a 2.6 percent increase in annual revenue worldwide Thursday to $20.63 billion from $20.11 billion, a 0.1 percent increase in local currency terms.

Accounting bodies from three countries have found an increase in sustainability strategies to address climate change, particularly within large companies.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has established a new Office of Outreach and Small Business Liaison.

The Small Business Administration has launched two new initiatives designed to increase lending to underserved communities and make the process go faster.

Accounting Today is in the midst of compiling its annual lists of the Top 100 Firms and Regional Leaders.

Microsoft and the Small Business Administration have introduced a free technology guide to help small businesses grow and create jobs.

Two years after revelations emerged of Bernard Madoff’s multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme and only days after the suicide of Madoff’s eldest son, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board proposed a set of rules on Tuesday to begin expanding the PCAOB’s oversight authority to encompass audits of securities brokers and dealers.

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