August 2013 - Journal of Accountancy

The word skepticism is derived from the Greek word skeptesthai, meaning “to reflect, look, or view.” It has evolved over the past 2,300 years to represent, among other definitions, the application of reason and critical analysis in the search for a factually supported conclusion. In this context, the concept of

The best time for an accounting firm to start work on a succession plan is the day the firm is formed. Of course, most firms don’t do that. The question in many cases has become: “How quickly can I put together a succession plan and head into retirement?” The answer

Private foundations lost more than 20% of their assets during the economic crisis, according to the Foundation Center (see Foundation Growth and Giving Estimates, available at tinyurl.com/2vhk93e). At the same time, the demand for charitable services—and foundation dollars to support those services—increased significantly. The combination of these dynamics prompted many

A number of investigative articles have been written by the media and charity watchdog agencies questioning the valuation of gift-in-kind (GIK) contributions received by not-for-profit entities (NFPs). These articles identify various approaches to valuing GIKs, focusing on the large disparities between conclusions reached by NFPs, and questioning the application of

The finance function is rarely expected to be the originator of a breakthrough product or technology. But it has an important role in ensuring that great ideas are spotted, encouraged, financed, and delivered efficiently to the market. “A finance function needs to be able to understand the business well enough

Tip lines are one of the most effective tools organizations possess for detecting and preventing fraud. Fifty-nine percent of forensic and valuation CPAs participating in the AICPA’s 2011 Forensic and Valuation Services Trend Survey said internal whistleblower hotlines would lead to improvements in preventing fraud in the next two to

While the comprehensive corporate tax reform desired by the business community remains highly elusive, businesses did receive a number of concessions via the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), P.L. 112-240, which was signed into law Jan. 2, 2013. The act extends through 2013 an assortment of expired or

You walk into your office on a Saturday morning during tax season to find a staff member waiting for you with sweaty palms and a look of terror on her face. She takes a while to get the words out, but you soon learn that she backed up some client