Regulatory actions and programs

A federal judge has signed off on a $72.5 million settlement between Arthur Andersen and investors who sued the former accounting giant over its role in the financial collapse of former energy giant Enron Corp.

With great anticipation I was awaiting FASB Statement 159, "The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities." I was a bit shocked by it when it came out. Two aspects really bothered me --one, that it is an option, and two, that to a great extent, it can be applied on an instrument-by-instrument basis. I will not go into a discussion of the standard, except for the narratives explaining the dissent of two members of the seven-member of the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Thomas Linsmeier dissents from its issuance because he believes a fair value option generally won’t result in financial reporting that achieves many of the expressed objectives for issuing FASB 159.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce had offered up a number of recommendations for changes to the country’s legal and regulatory framework -- taking aim at Securities and Exchange Commission and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the process.

The Institute of Internal Auditors has hired Luc Lavoie to serve as executive director of its newly established Canadian office.

After two years of compliance with the internal control provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, proxy researcher Glass Lewis & Co. says that public companies are reporting fewer material weaknesses in their internal controls.

Businesses paid $554 billion in state and local taxes during the 2006 fiscal year, representing 45 percent of total taxes collected by all state and local governments, according to the annual study prepared by Ernst & Young in conjunction with the Council on State Taxation. The study includes estimates of taxes paid by major industry groups, with the share of taxes paid being determined by a state's overall tax system, the structure of its economy, the types of business taxes levied, as well as business tax features that may provide a competitive advantage or disadvantage in attracting and retaining business employment and investment.

Intuit recently announced that more than 6,000 small businesses and midsized companies have switched to its QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions from more complex solutions.These customers are part of the 38,000 who have already selected the software to help run their businesses.

Microsoft subsidiary FRx Software Corp. has unveiled its latest version of the company’s budgeting and planning software.

The Private Company Financial Reporting Committee announced its inaugural members on Tuesday.

The heads of the major accounting regulators in the United States and the European Union agree that they are on the same page in heading towards convergence of standards.

Independently-owned Los Angeles firm RBZ LLP has named three partners to share the firm’s managing partner position.

In a new report, proxy researcher Glass Lewis & Co. said that U.S.-listed companies filed 1,538 financial restatements in 2006, up 13 percent from what had been a record number in 2005.

I believe there are two keys to success, whether a sole practitioner or a regional firm. They are simple when you say them, but that simplicity can be deceiving. The two are providing quality service, and establishing a reputation for doing so and continuing to do so.

A $170-million malpractice suit against BDO Seidman has been sent back to square one, after a Miami judge declared a mistrial.

The Internal Revenue Service completed a round of staff cuts in recent weeks, letting go nearly 100 employees from the division that oversees gift- and estate-tax returns, according to published reports.

Several years ago, my once-reliable station car suddenly became harder to start than a fire with damp kindling.

For the past year, the Securities and Exchange Commission has been investigating how Google accounted for its income taxes, according to the online search giant’s 2006 annual report.

A board within the International Federation of Accountants is seeking comment on its exposure draft that addresses what auditors should consider when dealing with related parties and related-party transactions.

The Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Board has approved the nomination of James H. Quigley -- currently the head of Deloitte’s U.S. arm -- as the next global chief executive officer of the Big Four firm, though worldwide member firm partners must still vote on the appointment.Quigley, who has served as Deloitte's U.S. chief for the past four years, will succeed William G. Parrett, another former U.S. chief whose eight-year term ends on May 31.

Responding to extension requests, restaurants and bars will have a few extra months -- until June 30 for this year only -- to elect to participate in the Internal Revenue Service’s Attributed Tip Income Program.