Sage Software added new features for business analysis, reporting, inventory management and product flexibility to the latest version of DacEasy.

According to Info-Tech Research Group, almost 60 percent of North American businesses do not have a disaster recovery plan in place to resume IT services in case of crisis.

XBRL International has appointed Gilles Maguet as secretary general of XBRL Europe, giving him the job of promoting the adoption of the Extensible Business Reporting Language in Europe.

Under new regulations, taxpayers must consent to the disclosure or use of their tax information by return preparers. Stiff penalties can be imposed on the preparer who makes unauthorized disclosures.

The AICPA is a very complicated and unique entity that continues to amaze me. In large part, it is because of the many roles that it performs with regard to the CPA profession and the significant impact it has on individual CPAs, firms, and companies.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued FASB Statement No. 163, "Accounting for Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts."

As economic indicators continue to trend downward, Baby Boomers are feeling less confident that their retirement savings will see them through retirement. So says the results of a new research by Longevity Alliance that was conducted by Harris Interactive. Interestingly enough, the survey shows that few of these Baby Boomers really know what steps to take next. According to Longevity, 56 percent of all Boomers (adults 44-62) claim they are less confident than they were only three months ago that their retirement savings will last them through retirement. In fact, of those with such savings, seven in 10 say that were “less confident” overall, with 35 percent being “somewhat less confident,” and 36 percent indicating that they were “much less confident.” Despite the concern, few Boomers have done anything—or plan to do anything—about such flagging retirement savings. Longevity shows that only two out of five with such savings have changed or plan to change their retirement savings as a direct result of the current economic conditions. In fact, of those with such savings who have made a change (or plan to), some 43 percent say they would seek the advice of a financial advisor or retirement planning professional. Hooray! There’s hope alive here. Longevity president Steve Zaleznick says that the Boomers “know the train is coming, but they’re frozen on the tracks.” Unfortunately, he adds, too many are unsure of the best steps to take to guarantee that their money lasts. “In uncertain economic times like these, knowing what to do and when to act is critical; and seeking the advice of a professional can be extremely reassuring.” Also of interest were the distinct differences in attitudes about retirement between men and women. Among adults of all ages, men were more likely to have retirement savings although female Boomers are much more likely to say they have less confidence in their savings. Zaleznick notes that the survey shows clear consumer preferences among Boomers who plan to make changes in their retirement savings. Seeking the advice of a financial advisor or retirement planning professional was the top response followed by a reallocation of funds from stocks to more conservative investments. Other options were investing in value-priced stocks, buying long-term care insurance, and purchasing an annuity. Longevity has a Web site where you can tap into its “Five Tips for Retirement Planning” (www.longevityalliance.com). Boomers can also take the “Longevity Ready” quiz to get a better understanding of their personal preferences and planning style for a longer life.

The American Institute of CPAs' Private Companies Practice Section and the Texas Society of CPAs have begun their fifth annual survey of management policies at small and midsized CPA firms.

Nonprofit accounting software developer Kintera said it has received notice of a possible delisting from Nasdaq after falling below the required threshold of stockholders' equity.

Sage Software has upgraded its Peachtree line with new features for cash flow analysis, reporting, payroll management, real-time alerts, and time and expense tracking.

Wayne R. Pinnell has been leading Haskell & White as the firm continues to expand its mergers and acquisitions practice.

The U.S. Small Business Administration said that homeowners, renters, nonprofit organizations and businesses have one more month to submit disaster loan applications for damage caused by the severe storms and tornadoes on April 4.

A week after proposing requirements for public companies to start filing their financial statements with interactive data tags, the Securities and Exchange Commission wants mutual fund companies to begin filing risk and return information using the technology.

The Financial Accounting Foundation has tapped Teresa S. Polley as its new president and chief operating officer.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has broadened financing opportunities for small businesses by adopting a rule amendment under the Investment Company Act.

The American Institute of CPAs gave out its public service awards at its Spring Council meeting to an individual and a firm for their contributions to the community at large.

The American Institute of CPAs outlined plans to simplify the plethora of auditing standards and eliminate any that had no clear objective.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed civil fraud charges against eight former executives of AOL Time Warner, blaming them for causing the company to overstate advertising revenue by more than $1 billion via round-trip accounting transactions.

With accounting standards moving toward convergence around the world, some accounting firms are beginning to worry that the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards could lead to litigation.

KPMG is donating $250,000 to the nonprofit organization First Book to distribute more than 200,000 books this year to needy children.