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ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE JUNE 2014 TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION ISSUE

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Page 1: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE JUNE 2014

Technology and educaTion issue

Page 2: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

2 ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE

The AlAbAmA CPAmAGAZINe

Alabama Society of

Certified Public Accountants

P.O. Box 242987

Montgomery, Alabama 36124-2987

1-800-227-1711

334-834-7650

www.ascpa.org

Officers

Don McCleod, Chair

Dr. Lowell Broom, Chair-Elect

James R. L. Carroll,

Secretary-Treasurer

Renee hubbard, Past Chair

BOard Of directOrs

James R. L. Carroll

Caitlin F. Glass

Kate J. ham

Paul Marcus hamilton

M. Buddy Johnsey

Jason L. Miller

Michael C. Reibling

Gregory E. Sellers

Dennis E. Sherrin

Rachel M. Taylor

aicPa cOuncil MeMBers

John Shank

Don McCleod

E. Lamar Reeves

Jimmy L. Williamson,

Past Chair, AICPA

The Alabama CPA Magazine is published by

Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants

as a membership service to Society members.

Views and opinions appearing in this publication

are not necessarily endorsed by the ASCPA. The

deadline for submitting materials for publication is

the first of the month preceding issue date.

Jeannine P. Birmingham, CPA, CAE, CGMA

President and CEO

Diane L. Christy, Editor

message from the Chair...As I write my first message to the membership of the Alabama Society

of CPAs, I can’t help but acknowledge how wonderful “firsts” are. Whether

it is the excitement of a first date, the joys of a first child or the importance

of a first impression, there is little doubt that the first always holds a very

special place in our hearts.

So first and foremost, let me say thank you to Renee hubbard for her amazing leadership

over the past year. her ability to deliver great wisdom and insight coupled with a pleasant

smile, will be forever appreciated. Moreover, let me say thank you to Jeannine, her staff and

our members for your efforts at embracing so many firsts as we celebrate the first 95 years

of our existence as the ASCPA.

We should all be collectively proud at the many firsts we’ve experienced as the premier

accounting membership organization in this great state. Some of the more recent ones have

included being the first to embrace the regional Accounting Scholars Leadership Workshop

last June. It is a program that brought together over 30 of the best and brightest college

students from across the southern tier, to strengthen their professional skills and their

understanding of the limitless possibilities and benefits to earning a CPA credential.

We should equally be proud of the ASCPA’s first efforts to meet with leaders of Alabama’s

historically black colleges and universities (hBCUs) to build a bridge for future partnerships

and resource sharing, all with the hope of expanding our mission of promoting education in

the profession.

Speaking of education, we should also be proud of the ASCPA as it teams up with

the Alabama State Department of Education, the AICPA and other state societies to work

towards building an AP accounting course to be taught at high schools across the country.

We should all be excited that the ASCPA will lead the first Accounting Pilot and Bridge Project

training session in Alabama on July 8-10 in Montgomery.

I am equally proud that even as I witness the continued growth of our ASCPA Leadership

Academy, we are poised to launch yet another first, our ‘Best Foot Forward’ program. This

program will focus on the development of leadership skills for those who are new to us and

are between their first and third years in the profession. In closing, let me say how much I

believe “to whom much is given, much is required”, and that I look humbly look forward to

the many more firsts to come as I serve you over this next year as your chair.

Don

w w w. a i c p a . o r g / m a p s u r v e y

Page 3: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE 3

Don mcCleod...

Running hard, with a heart.

It’s one of the first things you learn about Don McCleod. When he listens to you, he really listens. he wants to know about you, your family and your

concerns. That quality has contributed to his success, and not just in his Dothan practice, Don McCleod, CPA, PC. Success for McCleod is about much more than driving a nice car (he does) or having a beautiful wife (she is) or talented children (they are). his success is closely bound up with the success of his small business clients, many of whom have been with him since he opened his office in January 2003.

he was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, one of five children growing up in public housing with a single mom. his mother worked as many as three jobs to keep her family afloat and together.

“She never complained and made each of us the focus of her life. It was her faith and determination to see us through the difficult times that motivated me not to allow circumstance to dictate my future. I wanted to be the first in my family to finish college and to achieve something in my life. I wanted to do it for myself but also for her; to honor her dedication to her children.”

Don’s first passion was running high school track and his first mentor was his coach, Russell E. Blunt. Blunt was a legendary high school and college track and basketball coach. [Duke University’s Russell Blunt East Coast Invitational track meet honors his memory.] Don went to college right in Durham at North Carolina Central University.

“My undergraduate experience at NCCU was the most wonderful time of my life. I had two professors, both of them CPAs, who really influenced me: Dr. Robert P. Moffie and Nathan T. Garrett. Moffie would ask me to assist him on accounting projects while Garrett would offer stern guidance and remind us to stay focused.”

A friend from his high school track team was a peer motivator and challenged Don through friendly competition. They continued to run and play basketball together and pushed each other to succeed academically, too.

“I used the motivation those friendly competitions provided with Ray to work three internship during my junior and senior years. One with the U.S. Department of State, one with the state of North Carolina and one with the largest minority-owned bank in Durham.”

his friendship with Dr. Garrett resulted in Don’s attending graduate school. Garrett was chair of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and asked Don to help with their conference. While there, he met Richard Zeigler from the University of Illinois. Ziegler sent Don an application for the school but it was set aside in a flurry of senior year activities. As he walked through campus one day, he met a recruiter from Illinois who was looking for engineering students. Don mentioned meeting Dr. Ziegler.

“She made me an offer that no broke college senior could resist, to

hand-deliver my application to the Illinois School of Business. I graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with an MBA in finance in 1996.”

McCleod worked in the corporate world for a couple of years and gradually noticed that some of the most successful people he worked with were CPAs. In 1999 he was hired by Windham Brannon in Atlanta and became certified in 2002.

In 2003 Don and college sweetheart Jerlyn, a pediatric psychiatrist, moved to Dothan and Don opened his practice there. That year, he was a subject of the award-winning Pillars of Success minority recruiting video which was produced by the AICPA’s Multi-Media Group. The video was distributed to state societies all over the country and got the attention of ASCPA and AICPA leadership.

“I believe that having had the opportunity to serve the Society on numerous task forces, committees and volunteer projects have made me not only a better CPA, but also a better person. In 2008, I was elected as the ASCPA’s Young CPA Board President and can still remember how we began our classroom blitz program that year. Six years later it has reached almost 20,000 young people all across the state of Alabama.”

McCleod has served on the AICPA National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion, on the Dothan Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, as chair of the Dothan Community Development Block Grant Advisory Board and as an at-large member of the AICPA governing council. he runs hard to keep ahead of his many responsibilities, but has no difficulty in taking time off.

“Being a father is my greatest joy. It is the ultimate relaxer and takes me far away from the office, often at a moment’s notice. I love being a father to a son who reminds me of the seasons of my youth. I adore being a dad to a beautiful little girl who is beginning to understand how to get daddy to bend to her considerable will. More so, I am forever grateful to be a husband to a woman who, as a first year medical student some 20 years ago, allowed this young man to find favor in her heart.”

Don enjoys keeping connected with his athletic past by coaching little league sports and mentions as a sole practitioner his clients are like family to him, saying, “they are what keep me up at night, their hopes, their dreams and their wishes”.

“Many of them have been with me from the very start of my practice. I have helped them to start businesses, build businesses and, in some cases, to close a business to begin the next chapter of their lives. I have seen births and deaths among my clients. I have celebrated graduations, job changes, relocations; have seen their joys as well as their sorrows. helping clients reach their hopes and dreams makes me proud to be their CPA.”

Page 4: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

4 ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE

Tailor your schedule to fit your needs. Designed with three tracks of education

in both the morning and afternoon, each class

gives four hours of CPE credit. Spend

your morning in class and the afternoon on the

beach, or super-focus on education to receive

32 hours of credit by attending all of the

sessions you can schedule. Wifi is available for all

participants.

See you at the beach!

Gulf ShoreS CluSterS

Page 5: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE 5

June 23 — morning• Technology Update (007) - 6/23/2014 - Gulf Shores

• S Corporation, Partnership, and LLC Tax Update (006) 6/23/2014 - Gulf Shores

• An Overview of the Financial Reporting, Framework for Small and Medium-Sized Entities (005) 6/23/2014 - Gulf Shores

June 23 — afternoon• Advanced QuickBooks Tips & Tricks (010)

6/23/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Surgent’s Guide to Understanding the New Net Investment Income Tax in 2014 (009) 6/23/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Current Issues in Accounting and Auditing: An Annual Update (008) - 6/23/2014 - Gulf Shores

June 24 — morning• Excel Reporting - Best Practices, Tools and Techniques

(013) - 6/24/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Understanding and Implementing the New Repair/Capitalization Regulations in 2014 (012) 6/24/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Advanced Compilation and Review Engagement Issues (011) - 6/24/2014 - Gulf Shores

June 24 — afternoon• Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint Tips and Tricks for

Enhancing Productivity (016) - 6/24/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Critical Tax Aspects for Real Estate Transactions and Investments (015) - 6/24/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Financial Statement Disclosures: Guide to Current Requirements and Developing Issues (014) 6/24/2014 - Gulf Shores

June 25 — morning• Annual FASB Update and Review (020)

6/25/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Individual Tax Planning Ideas for 2014 (019) 6/25/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Financial Analysis in a Metrics Driven World: Run the Numbers Effectively (018) - 6/25/2014 - Gulf Shores

June 25 — afternoon• Ethics in the Real World: Living Values for Today (022) -

6/25/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Taking Your Medicine: Obama Care in 2014 and Beyond (021) - 6/25/2014 - Gulf Shores

• The Auditor’s Responsibilities Related to Fraud and Abuse Under GAAS and the Yellow Book (017) 6/25/2014 - Gulf Shores

June 26 — morning• how Good Companies Become Great: Secrets to

Success (025) - 6/26/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Partnerships and LLCs: Avoiding Common Pitfalls Facing Practitioners (024) - 6/26/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Critical Internal Control Concepts Under the Updated Internal Control Framework (023) - 6/26/2014 - Gulf Shores

June 26 — afternoon• Creating the Best Projections You Can: Insights and

Techniques (028) - 6/26/2014 - Gulf Shores

• Surgent’s Guide to Understanding the Passive Activity Rules in 2014 (027) - 6/26/2014 - Gulf Shores

• The Statement of Cash Flows: Preparation Guidance and Presentation Illustrations (026) - 6/26/2014 - Gulf Shores

The Beach Club plans year round fun and exciting activities for the entire family. These special activities are free for guests renting through Spectrum Resorts. See the interactive calendar at The Beach Club Website

STay and Play at the Beach Club

June 23-25 • The Beach Club

Page 6: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

6 ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE

During the past year, the K2 team has been warning people that the current wave of virus attacks is more aggressive and invasive than

any we have seen in the past. These attacks are frequently delivered via email, social media such as Facebook and embedded in PDF files. The anti-virus companies are having more issues keeping their software ahead of the threats and the creators of viruses and malware are becoming smarter in their attacks. Even if your IT team or managed service provider is diligent in updating your firewalls and anti-virus (AV) signatures, your organization is still susceptible to attacks.

How do we minimize and mitigate this risk?First, why are we so concerned about the attacks now? haven’t

viruses been around since the early 1980s? Some key things to know about viruses include:• This year will bring new virus attacks with the discontinuance of

security updates for Windows XP and Office 2003.

• Aggressive viruses like Cryptolocker are charging ransoms for an unlock key after systems have been infected. CPA attendees at our webinars report these keys work and have been worth the amount charged.

• Viruses exploit weaknesses in operating system controls and human patterns of system use/misuse.

• Destructive viruses are more likely to be eradicated by anti-virus software.

• Key logging viruses transfer information from your system(s) to the authors. This can include user ID and passwords, bank account information and other confidential data.

• Non-destructive viruses remain resident on your systems and slow your operations day after day.

• An innovative virus may have a larger initial window to propagate before it is discovered and the ``average’’ anti-viral product is modified to detect or eradicate it.

Infected systems are normally unusable during the recovery period. Viruses make attempts to hide intelligently and re-infect the systems where they have made initial entry. It may take 24, 48 or 72 hours to completely eradicate the viruses from your systems and to restore all of your files to a usable state. What will you have your team do while their computers are not working? how do you teach them to be careful in the first place?

have end users attend regularly scheduled and ongoing prevention training. Such training should include customized basic training for your firm, especially since firms have unique virus protection strategies. All team members of the firm should be required to attend from the janitor to the CEO/owners, with documentation through your human resources department.

name the product being used It is important for team members to know if your firm has GFI VIPRE Antivirus, Trend Micro, AVG, Sophos, etc. Train on the basics of that specific product to familiarize the end users with the protection they have been provided by their company.

explain how your firm’s aV protection works Explain what the firm has purchased and installed. You need to point out that this protection only works if it is enabled, up to date and employees follow these basic principles:• Don’t click links in emails without determining where they go first.

• Don’t open attachments unless you know the source of document AND were expecting to receive it.

• When surfing websites and popup windows come up, (ALT-F4) is the proper way to close them.

• When in doubt, don’t open a file or click through a link

Protect Outlook properlyOutlook has improved its virus protection and spam filtering with

each version, but there are still fundamental features to consider and use. Turn off the reading pane for the Inbox. This is not as great of a threat as it once was, but the reading pane can still be exploited for virus infections. Disable links for messages in the Junk Email Folder (Outlook). This should disable attachments too.

ensure your aV is on and current on your desktop at all times

AV is only as good as the most current signature file. Vendors frequently release updates to protect for known threats in the world and these change hourly worldwide. Often, it can be several days or even weeks before some vendors have updated definitions (the file that allows identification of the viruses) to protect from the newest threats

do not open emails that are not recognizedDo not open any file that may have questionable business content,

especially if the email has hyperlinks or attachments. If you are not expecting correspondence or are suspicious of the content, it is perfectly acceptable to ask the sender if the message was from them. Be exceptionally cautious with email from unknown sources. Frequently spammers will create spoofed (“fake”) emails from Intuit, Bank of America and Citibank. Malicious email authors are very clever nowadays and often include spoofed senders (senders pretending to

mINImIZe The RIsk fRom VIRuses

Page 7: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE 7

Please contact Vernon Dutton at Regions Insurance, Inc.at 501.661.4959 or visit www.cpai.com/premierad today!

When it comes to something as important as your CPA firm, do you want to insure it with a professional liability insurance policy created for all types of professionals?

Doesn’t it make sense to cover your firm with a professional liability insurance program created with the support of the AICPA specifically for CPAs?

Get the benefits of a national provider with the personal service you deserve:• Policy form designed to cover the unique exposures of CPA firms• All size firms and areas of practice are eligible • Premium credits designed to reflect the way CPAs do business• Quality coverage at a price that fits your budget

Do you have broad professional liability insurance coverage?You do if you are insured with the AICPA Professional Liability Insurance Program.

Aon Insurance Services is the brand name for the brokerage and program administration operations of Affinity Insurance Services, Inc. (AR 244489); in CA and MN, AIS Affinity Insurance Agency, Inc. (CA 0795465); in OK, AIS AffinityInsurance Services Inc.; in CA, Aon Affinity Insurance Services, Inc. (0G94493), Aon Direct Insurance Administrator and Berkely Insurance Agency; and in NY, AIS Affinity Insurance Agency.One or more of the CNA companies provide the products and/or services described. The information is intended to present a general overview for illustrative purposes only. It is not intended to constitute a binding contract. Please rememberthat only the relevant insurance policy can provide the actual terms, coverages, amounts, conditions and exclusions for an insured. All products and services may not be available in all states and may be subject to change without notice. The statements, analyses and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the respective authors and may not necessarily reflect those of any third parties including the CNA companies. CNA is a registered trademark of CNA FinancialCorporation. Copyright © 2014 CNA. All rights reserved. E-10373-614 AL

More than 25,000 CPA firms depend on the AICPA Professional Liability Insurance Program.

Endorsed by: Underwritten by: Administered by:

E-10373-614 AL_Layout 1 4/11/14 3:01 PM Page 1

• Security of smartphones and tablets

• Instant Messengers – AOL, MSN, Google Chat, ICQ

• Personal email access from Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook.com

• Transferring documents to and from clients via your portal or secure email

training is the best preventionThe best training is customized for each firm. Your staff should

know how they are being protected and what the limitations of that protection are. human resources and IT should work together to deliver ongoing, regular training that is recorded into employee records. In between regular training sessions, IT should inform staff of high risk known threats via alerts whether that is through email, intranets or bulletin boards. There should also be training required for new employee onboarding since the next regular training might be months away and the new employee might put the entire training program at risk unless we educate them. If you are from a smaller organization, your IT provider should be able to provide guidance. Otherwise, the ideas above can serve as a starting point for building your own security training agenda. Remember to hold a training session at least annually with your team to minimize your risk of virus infection.______Randy Johnston is a shareholder in K2 Enterprises, where he develops and presents continuing professional education programs to accounting, financial, and other business professionals across North America. You may contact him at [email protected].

mINImIZe The RIsk fRom VIRuses By Randy Johnston, K2 Enterprises

be someone they are not), content that seems to come from valid business senders, and, my personal favorite currently, emails “spoofed” from Intuit that contains a QuickBooks update that needs to be installed NOW to correct a program problem or improve performance. These emails actually contain images from Intuit’s website and appear very legitimate. Staff need to regularly communicate with their IT Support team or the senders before opening questionable emails or files.

explain your procedures for recovery• Outline your reporting and shutdown procedure.

• Have everyone stay off of their systems until given the all clear.

• Unplug infected machines from the network.

• Explain how you intend to estimate the recovery time.

• Explain what systems are likely to be made available first.

consider other topics related to securityYou probably don’t get your team together frequently enough. Take

this opportunity to discuss other important security related matters such as:• Review the firm’s acceptable use and other computer policies

• Encryption

• Protection of portable computers and removable media

• Properly handling USB devices from home or clients

• Password strength and changes

• Social networking site safety

Page 8: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

8 ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE

K2 Enterprises is proud to offer a broad curriculum of technology-focused CPE webinars to the members of the ASCPA. Now you can have webinar access to many of the courses that have made K2 Enterprises a leader in providing CPE to professionals throughout North America.

Topics in every field 2, 4 and 8 hour webcasts

• The Affordable Care Act - 7/16/2014 • Tax Consequences of Raising Capital -

7/30/2014 • State Tax Incentives and Other

Legislative Changes - 8/13/2014 • Income Tax Issues Involving

Grantor Trusts - 8/27/2014

ASCPA’s Preferred Webcast ProviderTopics in every field 2, 4 and 8 hour webcasts

Lunch and Learn Series – 1 hour each session11:30 – 12:30 on days listed below

• Section 338(h)(10) and Section 336(3) Elections - 9/3/2014

• 1411 Planning - 9/10/2014 • 469 Grouping Rules - 9/17/2014 • Defending Valuation Disputes with

IRS - 9/24/2014

eDuCATe

Page 9: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE 9

membeRs IN MOTIONNew Positions and PromotionsAuburnBank has promoted David hedges to senior vice

president/controller/CFO. hedges was previously employed by the global accounting firm KPMG in Bir-mingham and Charlotte, N.C. he is a graduate of Samford University, with both undergraduate and MAcc de-grees. he has been employed by Au-burnBank since 2006.

Robert “bobby” mills is now president and chief oper-ating officer at Citizens Bank of Fayette. Mills is a graduate of the University of Alabama and the Graduate School of Banking of the South. he’s been with the bank for 35 years.

Awards and New Designationseric haynes, a staff accountant with Wilkins Miller hiero-

nymus, has been awarded the Char-tered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation from the Ameri-can Institute of CPA’s (AICPA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). The CGMA des-ignation recognizes professionals who have deep understanding of finance

and have expanded their business skills through experience as management accountants to help drive better business decisions. haynes possesses three years’ experience in private accounting and two years’ experience in public ac-counting. his area of special concentration includes finan-cial analysis, litigation, audit, and advanced spreadsheet design. haynes graduated from the University of South Alabama in 2009.

Community NewsAuditwerx, a CPA firm specializing in performing auditor assurance engagements to meet regulatory or customer compliance needs for service companies, has been ac-quired by Carr, Riggs & Ingram, llC , the 23rd largest accounting firm in the nation. Auditwerx is based in Tampa, Florida and serves clients in more than 30 states, as well as several foreign countries. Their professionals specialize in SOC reporting for eight different industry types.

Jackson Thornton principal, Annamarie Jones, was re-cently honored as the 2014 Outstand-ing Business Leader by the College of Business at Auburn University at Montgomery. Jones was unanimously selected from a group of River Region business leaders. She was recog-nized for her service as the co-chair of the Business Finance Career Acad-

emy Advisory Board, her position on the Montgomery Chamber’s Women in Business Steering Committee, and on Family Sunshine Center Advisory Council.

Jones was also recognized for her role as an active volunteer for Auburn Montgomery, serving as the treasurer of the Alumni Association, the College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council, and as chair of the Accounting Department Advisory Board. Jones has been with Jackson Thornton since graduating summa cum laude from Auburn Montgomery in 1994.

David Hedges

Eric Haynes

louIe blANkeNshIP, founding member of legacy firm Blankenship, Lamar, Gilliland & hicks, died on April 4, 2014 at age 89. The firm later became Wilson Price Barranco Blankenship & Billingsley before merging recently with Warren Averett. Blankenship was born a member of the Greatest Generation in Bessemer on September 12, 1924 and grew up on Shades Mountain. he served as a tailgunner and radioman on Navy torpedo planes launched from the USS hornet during World War II. he remained active with the USS hornet Association throughout his life. After the war, Blankenship worked for Western Electric as well as in iron and limestone mines. he attended Jones Law School and got a degree in accounting; he held certificate #336 and was an influential leader within the profession. Blankenship raced motorcycles, waterskied at his lake cabin, was secretary/treasurer of the Alabama Society of CPAs in the early 1970s, and served on the board of Montgomery Water Works for 29 years. he and his wife Ramona were married for more than 50 years and raised three children together.

Annamarie Jones

WilliaM l. stePHensSeptember 21, 1946 – February 26, 2041

Opelika, AlabamaCertificate #1053

Maurice f. cOxDecember 13, 1925 – April 3, 2014

Florence, AlabamaCertificate #252

lOuie e. BlankensHiPSeptember 12, 2014 – April 4, 2014

Montgomery, AlabamaCertificate #336

ricHard alfred dunningJune 1, 1935 - April 21, 2014

Guntersville, AlabamaCertificate #428

I N m e m o R I A m

PROTECT • CONNECT • EDUCATEThe second dues notice was sent out on May 20. If you have not already renewed, please take a few

minutes to do so by logging in to your account on the ASCPA website, ascpa.org.

QUESTIONS? Contact Senior Manager for Membership

Shanna Jackson, [email protected], 334.386.5754.

Page 10: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

10 ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE

Zoebelein on Tax

AuTomATING The TAx fuNCTIoNTom Zoebelein, CPA, Tax Manager with Pearce, Bevill, Leesburg, Moore P.C.

Today’s tax practice is a far cry from the 1972 paper world when I entered the profession.

New technology has both increased efficiency and accuracy in tax preparation as well as tax research.

tax Preparation softwareThe IRS e-file mandate was the impetus for practitioners to use tax preparation software. Today there are many software companies of-fering products at different price points. The following chart was taken from the August 2013 issue of the AICPA Tax Advisor. The re-sults are from their survey covering the 2012 tax season.

Tax preparation software is a tool and can make complex tax computations that some of the IRS forms require nearly as fast as you enter the data and hit compute. The software can make nice professional looking tax returns but it can’t think for you.

The following are points that I believe must be considered with any tax preparation software:• The user must still know the tax law otherwise

garbage in and garbage out and an incorrect tax return.

• Test for reasonable does the final answer make sense? Does it agree with the tax expected from the year end meeting with your client? Is

This is the area we have found the most software mistakes.

• Assign a member of your firm to interface with the software vendor when problems arrive.

• Make sure the staff understands the tax concept avoid just telling the staff member the answer to “what box do I check?”

• Don’t buy more software than you need but don’t be too cheap either one can be a waste of time and resources.

tax researchOnline tax research services are the favorite technological change in my tax practice. On-line services offer a wealth of tax research materials at your fingertips. Gone are the days of hauling heavy tax books, finding a library that has the citation your paper service didn’t have, and the paper service that was misfiled or never updated. You can now do tax research anywhere, even at the beach if there is WiFi access for your tablet or smartphone. I spend about half of my day doing tax research online and feel this access makes me a better tax researcher.

The four leading tax research services according to the JOA October 2011 article are BNA, CCH, RIA & Intuit (see the charts below). Most of the local college accounting programs use RIA for its speed and cookbook approach of examples. RIA also offers a subject-based Deskbooks series on such subjects as LLC, Partnerships, and S corporations, just to name a few. The RIA Checkpoint is not in-depth enough for my purposes but I do use it when I need a quick answer. Most of the accountants at our firm also use RIA Checkpoint for the speed and ease of use. In my opinion, the best part of the RIA Checkpoint service is the citator. RIA’s citator, former Prentis hall citatory, has a much larger database of cases than the other

The important things to consider in selecting the preparation software are as follows:• Accuracy• Ease of use and installation including updates.• How quick are updated forms available?• Does the software populate all the related area

in the return? Too much redundant manual entry slows the preparation.

• Does the software offer e-filing capability? how reliable is this function?

• How many firms of your size are using the software you are interested in purchasing?

• How professional looking is the end product? • How good is the multi-state module

- Does it pull from the federal module? - how quickly are

small state like Alabama updated• Is there a link to the instructions and or your

tax research service for a specific line or form

the tax in line with last year’s return? Be wary of a huge overpayment.

• Make sure the latest version is in place. You might wait to make a software update if it is the last few weeks of tax season.

• Don’t gloss over your diagnostic reports. • Avoid using overrides the software most time

is correct and you may have missed a tax law change. Overrides prevent a good rollover of that return to the next year.

• Test the software especially the state modules.

Exhibit 2

Page 11: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE 11

AuTomATING The TAx fuNCTIoN services. This is important when shepardizing a case or IRS Rulings.

CCh is much like RIA. It is more traditional, but seems to be migrating toward the RIA platform. If you use the ProSystem preparation software, the research service can be linked to federal tax forms line by line. This is a good service; easy to use and was the standard for many years.

I am a little old school, but I prefer the BNA service, especially if it is for research in an area that I am not familiar with. BNA gives you the history; I can then understand why the particular code section was enacted. Understanding the “why” helps me to remember the code section logic as well as how to apply it to my client’s fact pattern.

I offer the following advice to using online tax research software:• Ask the service provider to give a class in the

use of their service.• Narrow your search or you will get too many

hits.• Watch how you phrase your key word search.• If stuck, use the index (my starting point, but I

am old school).• If you know the IRC Code Section, try that as

a starting point.• Don’t end your search when you get the

answer you want. Consider the opposing points of view since the IRS will.

• Don’t be discouraged if you can’t find your exact fact pattern; it rarely happens. You must learn to extrapolate points from your research to your client’s fact pattern. Show how the theory of the opinion in the case applies to your client case.

• Shepardize the case you want to cite, this means going to the citator and look up your case and it will show you what other cases cited your case. Look through them. Many will not apply, but there may be some that do. Do the same for any revenue rulings to make sure it is still current and not superseded. Look at the later rulings shown in the citation to see any changes to that ruling.

• Print your research as a word document when possible. That way you can cut and paste into your tax brief.

Most services offer states research online on a state-by-state basis and offer a state tax guide. This can be expensive if your clients are in multiple states. If you can’t afford a state tax research service I recommend starting with the FTA website www.taxadmin.org/fta/link/default.php. This website gives you a map of the US and you can click on the state you want to research. Clicking on your state takes you to the

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Department of Revenue websites for each state. Not all state websites are the same. Some are very helpful, and others may not be any help, but it is a start. See if you can pick up a paper state tax guide; most services have one. If your firm uses and recommends a payroll service to

clients, some payroll companies give away paper state tax guides as a promotion.

Page 12: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

12 ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE

Oliver P. Amerson, III hudson Bell Century, FloridaRichard M. Andrews Warren Averett Deatsville Andrew J. Bailey Warren Averett BirminghamBuford B. Battles Self, Maples & Copeland OneontaAmanda M. Benson Aldridge Borden & Company MontgomeryGregory R. Bentley Sellers, Richardson holman & West Birmingham William B. Brookshire Donald W. Causey & Associates GadsdenAutumn E. Brown Smith Dukes & Buckalew SilverhillNicholas A. Burke Cooper/T. Smith Stevedoring Co. FairhopeSonia M. Burrage Internal Revenue Service BrookwoodAnna h. Chandler Warren Averett hooverKelly L. Cline Sellers Richardson holman & West BirminghamWilliam J. Connolly, IV Warren Averett hooverAmanda L. Crawford Sellers Richardson holman & West BirminghamDavid A. Dalling Edmundite Missions MontgomeryDaniel J. Delancey D. Jeff Delancey, CPA FairhopeAmanda E. Dixon Justin A. Dorning Robins & Morton AthensJames A. Duncan hall, Albright, Garrison & Associates huntsvilleJessica M. Eddlemon Wilkins Miller hieronymus MobileNathan A. Edwards Anglin Reichmann Snellgrove & Armstrong Owens Cross RoadsBradley C. Fondren JamisonMoneyFarmer Northport Austin B. Gaines Jackson Thornton & Co. MontgomeryAnnette C. Gass hill, Fogg & Associates MadisonNicholas G. Gee Robertson, Andreoli & Covington Bay MinettePaulette J. Gillum Laura L. Golden Culotta Scroggins hendricks & Gilliespie Vestavia hillsMichael R. Grauel Warren Averett BirminghamJames E. Green, Jr. Barnes Blackwell & Company huntsvilleKenneth W. Griffin MontgomeryJonnathan P. Grochowalski ColorMasters GuntersvilleEric S. haynes Wilkins Miller hieronymus Lucedale, MississippiAllison L. hill Mostellar & Shreve MobileChristoper E. honeycutt Carr Riggs & Ingram MobileKayla N. hoofman Abroms & Associates Camden, TennesseeWendy h. hudson Lischkoff & Pitts BessemerRandi N. hughes Carr Riggs & Ingram BirminghamJohn P. Jansen Deloitte & Touche BirminghamAmanda Janssen Sellers Richardson holman & West homewoodDavid F. Keeler MobileJared S. Koechner Warren Averett BirminghamFernanda L. Luiken JamisonMoneyFarmer NorthportRobert A. Madison Meadows & Company GreenvillePaula W. Mccluskey McKean & Associate MobileSean M. McGriff PricewaterhouseCoopers BirminghamWilliam J. Michael, III Parsons Group DothanSeth J. Miller hON Company FlorenceDrew T. Ohmstede Sellers Richardson holman & West BirminghamRobert S. Pennington Cooper hill & Lecroix, CPAs FlorenceBalea M. Perrigin Kassouf & Co. Birmingham

We WelCome NeW membeRs To The AsCPA

Page 13: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE 13

Carla A. Plunkett Boohaker Shillaci & Company VestaviaMichael W. Rebarchak Warren Averett BirminghamAnne V. Robertson Sellers Richardson holman & West BirminghamBrenton J. Rohler honda Manufacturing of Alabama BirminghamJeffrey T. Rouse Dixon hughes Goodman hooverJared T. Salmon Warren Averett hooverJoshua P. Sayers Lischkoff & Pitts homewoodRichard Serota BirminghamJohn E. Shell hargrove Engineers + Constructors MobileJean T. Shepherd Jean T. Shepherd, CPA TroyEmily Sims Sellers Richardson holman & West BirminghamJamie A. Smith Mauldin & Jenkins MoodySarah A. Sowell Sellers Richardson holman & West homewoodGeorge K. Taylor Brantley Boucher & Farr AuburnBurney h. Terry, Jr. Sellers Richardson holman & West BirminghamTimothy V. Trefethen Warren Averett hooverAlex T. Truss Dixon hughes Goodman BirminghamRebecca S. Vosghanian Alabama Society of CPAs MontgomeryLeighton M. Weaver Jackson Thornton & Co. MontgomeryEric R. Windsor, Jr. Protective Life Corporation PinsonJohn h. Young Crow Shields Bailey Mobile

This award is made on the basis

of “Excellence of character,

personality, leadership abilities

and academic achievement

while pursuing a major in

accounting”. It is the most

accurate marker of which

students will go on to become a

CPA. Congratulations to these

very capable graduates!

We WelCome NeW membeRs To The AsCPA

Kelsie Marie Baer – Samford University

Kristi Browning – Jacksonville State University

Alli E. Colquett – University of Mobile

Marvin Cox – Alabama State University

Elizabeth Ann Finley – Troy University

Laura Ashley Giles – University of North Alabama

Holly L. Goodmon – Athens State University

Lenore E. Lahti – University of South Alabama

Rickie D. Lee, Jr. – Spring Hill College

Michael Wade Medley – University of West Alabama

Nathan D. Miklovic – University of Alabama

Abigail Missildine – Auburn University

Menanteau Moolman – University of Alabama at Birmingham

Wofai Offem – Troy University-Montgomery

Philip Ray Otwell – University of Montevallo

Virginia M. Patterson – University of Alabama in Huntsville

Katelyn M. Sizemore – Auburn University at Montgomery

Jana Torres – Troy University-Phenix City Campus

Jennifer Weed – Troy University-Dothan

James S. White – Huntingdon College

Lauren Winfield – Alabama A&M University

Deontay Wright – Tuskegee University

Accounting Achievement

Awards2014

Page 14: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

14 ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE

meeT CoReNA uNPINGCo

AubuRN uNIVeRsITY AT moNTGomeRY seeks AuDITING/ACCouNTING PRofessIoNAl foR

full-TIme leCTuReR or seNIoR leCTuReR PosITIoNPosition: Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in Auditing/Assurance Services (primary area) and financial and/or managerial accounting (secondary area). Contract: 9-month contract with office space and potential for summer teaching with possibility for annual renewal. Lecturers are eligible for benefits equivalent to other full time employees of Auburn University at Montgomery. Starting Date: Fall Semester 2014Duties: Teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in Auditing/Assurance area and Accounting. There is also a research and professional service requirement as well. Our College teaches graduate level courses in the evening hours exclusively in a hybrid format (both live and online) and on weekends. Candidates must agree to evening and weekend scheduling. Salary Level: Dependent on qualificationsMinimum Qualifications:1. Master of Accountancy from an AACSB separately accredited accounting

program2. Professional Certification – Certified Public Accountant with an active permit to practice3. Minimum of 5 years significant and substantive professional experience in the areas of

auditing and advisory service including assessment of client’s internal controls, accounting policies and practices, and risk management policies for both private and publicly traded corporations.

4. Demonstrated success in teaching college level accounting courses, preferably auditing/assurance area, for a minimum of 2 years, adjunct or full-time.

Interested parties should apply at www.jobs.aum.edu.Auburn University at Montgomery is an equal-opportunity employer committed to achieving excellence through diversity; therefore, we encourage applications from historically under-represented groups. It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities (including provisions for training, development, transfers, and promotions) for all individuals without regard to race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age disability or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

The ASCPA team certainly considers itself to be sophisticated and worldly, but now

there’s a member of the staff who actually is. Corena Unpingco began at the Society in February, gradually taking over responsibilities in the communications department as chapter liaison, editor of the digital newsletter, assisting with the Young CPA Board and accounting student outreach. Once she revealed her skill at technical aspects of the website, she began updating the website.

Corena is a world traveler because of her dad’s career in the Air Force. She grew up on bases on three continents, and was graduated from Ramstein American high School in central Germany, headquarters of Air Force Europe. With no real connections in Montgomery, she elected to attend Auburn Montgomery and majored in English. Following her college graduation, she continued working in a small boutique until she accepted a full-time position at an apartment community. During that time she also became a certified yoga instructor through a local studio and taught there part-time.

“A good family friend saw the job posting for the communications coordinator position at the ASCPA and encouraged me to apply. I knew right away that I had the skills to do the job well. however, it wasn’t until I had my first interview that I knew I would love working here. Everyone was friendly and seemed genuinely interested in me.”

With a staff of 10, it’s important to fit into the team right away. Corena demonstrated her ability to blend in quickly during her first week by bringing a dish, and gift, to a pot-luck birthday party! She’s been equally at home in getting to know the work of the ASCPA.

“We learn a lot about our members and their lives. In the course of a conversation we learn what is important to them and how we can help members reach goals. After hearing details of somebody’s life, you can’t help but also know about their families and their ambitions for themselves in the profession. It’s very endearing and makes coming to work here a lot of fun.”

Since Corena is not an Alabama native, she enjoys discovering the roots and history of the state and being immersed in local culture. She attends festivals all over the state, especially if they involve food!

“I love to be outside – working on the garden, hiking, general exploring. I also love cooking, especially making pies and varieties of

newest Member of the ascPa Team is a World citizen

barbequed anything.”She and her boyfriend Chace have visited

Belle Chevre, the Elkmont farm which is gaining regional notice for their artisan goat cheeses. Corena went with Chace’s mother to a weekend retreat at Camp McDowell where they were exposed to bee-keeping and outdoor photography. Recently the couple became the proud parents of a 9 week old German wire-haired puppy named hondo. It’s only natural for her to want a doggy child, she’s one of five children and is used to a degree of domestic chaos.

“I come from a large family and I’m the oldest. There are four of us girls, one boy. Somebody once said that the oldest tends to be the smartest, but in birth order after me my brother is graduating from the Naval Academy next May, my next sister graduates with a degree in electrical engineering the following May, my sixteen year old sister has ambitions in the culinary world, and my baby sister already

knows she loves impressionist art! I’m very proud of them and their successes.”

Corena’s talents have moved her into the education department as conference coordinator. You’ll see her at the most important ASCPA events as continuing education ramps up during the summer and fall.

Please take a moment to say hello. And, in case you wondered, her name is pronounced just like it looks, UN-PING-KO. her family on Guam would be so proud.

Page 15: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE 15

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basic staff TrainingJune 24-25, 2014 / Montgomery16 hours of A&A CreditMember Fee: $550 / Non-Member Fee: $600Improves your staff members’ knowledge, skills and attitude to enable them to be more productive and profitable on audits, reviews and compilations.

semi-senior staff TrainingJune 26-27, 2014 /Montgomery16 hours of A&A CreditMember Fee: $550 / Non-Member Fee: $600Enables your more experienced staff to complete small audits, reviews and compilations with minimum supervision and maximum profitability.

AsCPA’s sTAff TRAINING......provides continuing professional education for local and regional CPA firms through courses that result in: • Enhanced on–the–job performance • Elevated motivation of staff• Improved competence of staff • CPE credits• Increased commitment of staff to the firm

beginning In-Charge staff TrainingJune 11-12, 2014 / Montgomery16 hours of A&A CreditMember Fee: $550 / Non-Member Fee: $600Beginning In-Charge training enables your experienced staff to better plan andefficiently complete audits, supervise staff and interact with partners and clients.

for complete view of education modules and objectives of this course, visit www.ascpa.org.

Page 16: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

16 ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE

eDuCATIoN ExprEss Area of AICPA Member Registration Non-Member No. Study Title Date(s) Location Discount Member Fee Fee

auburn

041 8AA NeW It Cost What! A Practical Approach to Implementing Activity Based Costing 7/15/14 Auburn 275.00 325.00

042 8Tax NeW The Top 10 Tax Topics of 2014 7/15/14 Auburn 275.00 325.00

047 4Tech Excel Tables - Revolutionize how You Work with Excel! 7/28/14 Auburn 180.00 230.00

049 4Tech NeW Technology Update 7/28/14 Auburn 180.00 230.00

078 8AA 2014 Compilation and Review Update 8/13/14 Auburn 224.00 274.00

135 8AA NeW Internal Control Best Practices for Small and Medium-Sized Entities 8/27/14 Auburn -30.00 275.00 325.00

136 8Tax NeW ObamaCare and Fringe Benefits: 2014 and Beyond 8/27/14 Auburn 275.00 325.00

170 8AA Revenue Recognition 9/12/14 Auburn -30.00 275.00 325.00

171 8Tax hottest Tax Topics for 2014 9/12/14 Auburn -30.00 275.00 325.00

DOTHAN

044 8Tax NeW ObamaCare and Fringe Benefits: 2014 and Beyond 7/15/14 Dothan 275.00 325.00

094 8AA NeW Preventing and Detecting Identity Theft 8/15/14 Dothan -30.00 275.00 325.00

095 4AA Fraud in Revenue and Cash Receipt Cycles: Designing a Sound System of Internal Controls 8/15/14 Dothan 180.00 230.00

217 4AA Forensic Accounting: Uncovering Schemes and Scams 8/15/14 Dothan 180.00 230.00

160 8AA NeW Accounting and Auditing Update for Small Businesses 9/10/14 Dothan -30.00 275.00 325.00

161 8Tax hottest Tax Topics for 2014 9/10/14 Dothan -30.00 275.00 325.00

176 8Tax S Corporations: Key Issues, Compliance, and Tax Strategies 9/17/14 Dothan -30.00 275.00 325.00

GULF SHORES See Page 5 for Class Listings

HUNTSVILLE

029 8AA NeW GAAS from A to Z 7/9/14 huntsville 275.00 325.00

068 8Tax S Corporations: Key Issues, Compliance, and Tax Strategies 8/5/14 huntsville -30.00 275.00 325.00

071 8AA 2014 Accounting & Auditing Update for the Real World 8/11/14 huntsville 224.00 274.00

096 8AA Internal Control Essentials for Accountants and Auditors 8/21/14 huntsville -30.00 275.00 325.00

100 8AA 2014 Compilation and Review Update 8/22/14 huntsville 224.00 274.00

123 4AA The Statement of Cash Flows: Preparation Guidance and Presentation Illustrations 8/27/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

124 4Tax Key Partnership and S Corporation Tax Planning Strategies 8/27/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

125 4Industry Thriving in a Chaotic Economic Environment: Planning and Strategy Formulation for Your Organization 8/27/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

126 4AA Financial Statement Disclosures: Guide to Current Requirements and Dev. Issues 8/27/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

127 4Tax NeW Taking Your Medicine: Obama Care in 2014 and Beyond 8/27/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

128 4Industry Gaining a Competitive Advantage: Critical Skills for CFOs and Controllers 8/27/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

129 2Tax/2Bus.Law From hiring to Firing and Everything In-Between: health Care, Retirement, and Fringe Benefit Tax Issues 8/28/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

130 4Tax Individual Tax Planning Ideas for 2014 8/28/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

131 4Tax Partnerships and LLCs: Avoiding Common Pitfalls Facing Practitioners 8/28/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

132 4AA NeW Disaster Recovery Planning for Your CPA Firm, Company, or Client 8/28/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

133 4Tax Understanding and Implementing the New Repair/Capitalization Regulations in 2014 8/28/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

134 4Tax NeW Surgent’s Guide to Understanding the Passive Activity Rules in 2014 8/28/14 huntsville 180.00 230.00

149 8AA Applying the Risk Assessment to Smaller Business Audits 9/8/14 huntsville -30.00 275.00 325.00

163 8AA NEW Audit Workpapers: Reviewing Field Work Documentation 9/11/14 huntsville -30.00 275.00 325.00

164 8Tech NEW Top Accounting Solutions 9/11/14 huntsville 275.00 325.00

182 8AA Forensic Accounting Investigative Practices 9/23/14 huntsville -30.00 275.00 325.00

183 8Tax Advanced Partnership/LLC Workshop: how to Do Optional Step-Up in Basis Under §754 and Related Provisions 9/23/14 huntsville 275.00 325.00

209 8Tax Getting Ready for Busy Season: A Guide to New Forms, Filing Issues and Other Critical Developments 12/16/14 huntsville 275.00 325.00

216 8Tax Surgent’s Federal Tax Camp 12/19/2014 huntsville 275.00 325.00

mobiLe

033 8AA Auditing Defined Contribution Plans 7/10/14 Mobile -30.00 275.00 325.00

034 8AA Fair Value Accounting: Making the Complex Issues Understandable 7/10/14 Mobile 275.00 325.00

035 8AA NEW Internal Control Best Practices for Small and Medium-Sized Entities 7/11/14 Mobile -30.00 275.00 325.00

059 8AA Construction Contractors: Critical Accounting, Auditing, and Tax Issues in Today’s Environment 8/1/14 Mobile 275.00 325.00

060 8Tax Smart Strategies to Slash Taxes for Closely held Businesses 8/1/14 Mobile -30.00 275.00 325.00

069 8AA Auditing Employee Benefit Plans 8/5/14 Mobile -30.00 275.00 325.00

081 4AA Compilation and Review Update 8/14/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

Save $25 when you register at least 10 days before class date.

Page 17: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE 17

082 4Tax hot Tax Planning Developments Under the Current Tax Law 8/14/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

083 4AA NeW Real-World Business Ethics for CPAs in A&A 8/14/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

084 4AA NeW FASB Developments for Business & Industry 8/14/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

085 4Tax Estates and Trusts: Mastering Complex Income Tax Issues 8/14/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

086 4Other Doing More with Less: Lean Accounting and Management 8/14/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

087 4AA Forensic Accounting: Uncovering Schemes and Scams 8/15/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

088 4Tax NeW health Care Reform Act: Critical Tax and Insurance Ramifications For You, Your Business, and Your Clients 8/15/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

089 4Other NeW Risk, Cost, and Cash Management for Controllers and Financial Managers 8/15/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

090 4AA NeW Transaction Processing Controls Best Practices for Small and Medium-Sized Entities 8/15/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

091 4Tax Social Security and Medicare 8/15/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

092 4Other Taking Planning and Budgeting to a higher Level: Critical Skills to Make the Trip 8/15/14 Mobile 180.00 230.00

155 8AA 2014 Accounting & Auditing Update for the Real World 9/9/14 Mobile 224.00 325.00

158 8AA Not-for-Profit Accounting & Reporting: From Start to Finish 9/10/14 Mobile -30.00 275.00 274.00

159 8Tech The Mobile Office 9/10/14 Mobile 275.00 325.00

177 8Tax hot IRS Tax Examination Issues for Individuals and Businesses 9/17/14 Mobile 275.00 325.00

178 8Other Annual Update for Controllers 9/17/14 Mobile -30.00 275.00 325.00

198 8Tax Estate and Life Planning Issues for the Middle-Income Client 9/25/14 Mobile 275.00 325.00

199 8Tax Determining how Much Money You Need to Retire, and Tax Ideas and Money Management in Retirement 9/26/14 Mobile 275.00 325.00

200 8Tax Fiduciary Income Tax Returns 9/26/14 Mobile 275.00 325.00

210 8Tax Surgent’s Federal Tax Camp 12/16/14 Mobile 275.00 325.00

215 8Tax Getting Ready for Busy Season: A Guide to New Forms, Filing Issues and Other Critical Developments 12/19/2014 Mobile 275.00 325.00

montgomerY

002 16AA Basic Audit Staff Training – Take $50 off when registered by 6/6 6/16-6/17/14 Montgomery 550.00 600.00

003 16AA Semi-Senior Audit Staff Training – Take $50 off when registered by 6/9 6/19-6/20/14 Montgomery 550.00 600.00

004 16AA Beginning In Charge Audit Staff Training – Take $50 off when registered by 7/6 7/16-7/17/14 Montgomery 550.00 600.00

040 8Tax Shortcuts to Tax Cuts: Individual Tax, Social Security, and Retirement Planning Tools and Strategies 7/14/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

046 8Tax NeW Buying and Selling a Business: Critical Tax and Structuring Issues 7/18/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

057 8Tax Advanced Selected Issues for Trusts, Estates, and Their Beneficiaries 7/30/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

075 8AA Construction Contractors Advanced Issues 8/12/14 Montgomery -30.00 275.00 325.00

076 8Tax Surgent McCoy’s handbook for Mastering Basis, Distributions, and Loss Limitation Issues for S 8/12/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00 Corporations, LLCs, and Partnerships

079 8AA Internal Control Essentials for Accountants and Auditors 8/14/14 Montgomery -30.00 275.00 325.00

080 16Other NeW Best Foot Forward 8/14 - 15/14 Montgomery 595.00 645.00

137 8AA NeW Audits of State and Local Governments: What You Need to Know 8/28/14 Montgomery -30.00 275.00 325.00

138 8Tax NeW Reading, Understanding, and Structuring LLC and Partnership Agreements from a CPA’s Perspective 8/28/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

144 8Tax The Top 50 Mistakes Practitioners Make and how to Fix Them: Individual Tax and Financial Planning 9/4/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

145 8AA NeW Group Audits: Clarifying the Complexities 9/5/14 Montgomery -30.00 275.00 325.00

146 8Tax The Top 50 Business Tax Mistakes Practitioners Make and how to Fix Them 9/5/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

154 4AA/4Tech NeW Excel Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Accountants 9/9/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

162 8AA 2014 Accounting & Auditing Update for the Real World 9/11/14 Montgomery 224.00 274.00

172 8AA Applying OMB Circular A-133 to Not-for-Profit and Governmental Organizations 9/16/14 Montgomery -30.00 275.00 325.00

173 8Tax S Corporations: Key Issues, Compliance, and Tax Strategies 9/16/14 Montgomery -30.00 275.00 325.00

220 8Tax NeW Federal Tax Update - Individual & Business Current Developments 9/17/14 Montgomery 224.00 274.00

179 8Tax NeW Obama health Care Bill and Other Federal Income Tax Update 9/18/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

184 8AA NeW Digging Deeper with Data Analysis 9/23/14 Montgomery -30.00 275.00 325.00

186 4AA Revenue and Cash Receipts: Common Frauds and Internal Controls 9/24/14 Montgomery 180.00 230.00

187 4Tax NeW Tax Planning Strategies for Small Business: Corporations, Partnerships & LLCs 9/24/14 Montgomery 180.00 230.00

188 4AA Purchasing, Inventory, and Cash Disbursements: Common Frauds and Internal Controls 9/24/14 Montgomery 180.00 230.00

189 4Tax NeW Practical Tips and Techniques for Dealing with the IRS 9/24/14 Montgomery 180.00 230.00

190 4AA Advanced Issues in Compilation, Review and Accounting Services 9/25/14 Montgomery 180.00 230.00

191 4Industry NeW Position Your Organization for Success: Strategies for Today’s Competitive Environment 9/25/14 Montgomery 180.00 230.00

192 4AA Audit Workpapers: Documenting Field Work 9/25/14 Montgomery 180.00 230.00

Area of AICPA Member Registration Non-Member No. Study Title Date(s) Location Discount Member Fee Fee

Save $25 when you register at least 10 days before class date.

Page 18: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

18 ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE

eDuCATIoN ExprEss

193 4Industry Analyzing Your Company’s Financial Statement 9/25/14 Montgomery 180.00 230.00

212 8Tax Surgent’s Federal Tax Camp 12/17/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

213 8Tax Getting Ready for Busy Season: A Guide to New Forms, Filing Issues and Other Critical Developments 12/18/14 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

221 16Tax NeW hands-On Tax Return Workshop - Individual (Form 1040) 1/12/15-1/13/15 Montgomery 525.00 575.00

222 8Tax NeW hands-On Tax Return Workshop - S-Corporations (Form 1120S) 1/14/2015 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

223 8Tax NeW hands-On Tax Return Workshop - Partnerships (Form 1065) 1/15/2015 Montgomery 275.00 325.00

tuSCaLooSa

037 8AA Internal Control Essentials for Financial Managers, Accountants and Auditors 7/14/14 Tuscaloosa 275.00 325.00

038 8Tax Advanced Tax Strategies for S Corporations 7/14/14 Tuscaloosa -30.00 275.00 325.00

063 8AA Fraud and Abuse in Not-for-Profit Entities and Governments: Stealing from Everyone 8/4/14 Tuscaloosa 275.00 325.00

064 4AA/4Tech Budgeting, Forecasting and Business Analytics 8/4/14 Tuscaloosa 275.00 325.00

098 8Tax Determining how Much Money You Need to Retire, and Tax Ideas and Money Management in Retirement 8/21/14 Tuscaloosa 275.00 325.00

099 8Other NeW Toolkit of Best Practices for Today’s Controller & Financial Manager 8/21/14 Tuscaloosa -30.00 275.00 325.00

181 8AA FASB Update 9/23/14 Tuscaloosa 275.00 325.00

195 8AA Revenue Recognition 9/25/14 Tuscaloosa -30.00 275.00 325.00

196 8Tax hot IRS Tax Examination Issues for Individuals and Businesses 9/25/14 Tuscaloosa 275.00 325.00

203 8Tax hottest Tax Topics for 2014 9/29/14 Tuscaloosa -30.00 275.00 325.00

204 8Tech NeW Excel Best Practices 9/29/14 Tuscaloosa 275.00 325.00

BIRMINGHAM

031 8AA Audits of 401(k) Plans 7/10/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

032 8Tax NeW Advanced Estate Planning Strategies 7/10/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

053 4Tech PDF Forms - What Accountants Need to Know 7/29/14 Birmingham 180.00 230.00

054 8Tax Federal Taxation of Timber Growers 7/29/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

055 4Tech NeW Technology Update 7/29/14 Birmingham 180.00 230.00

058 16Tech NeW Excel Boot Camp: Two Days of Intensive Excel Training 7/30 - 7/31/14 Birmingham 550.00 600.00

061 8AA Audits of Banks and Other Financial Institutions 8/4/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

062 8Other NeW Advanced Business Law for CPAs 8/4/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

065 4AA/4Tech Advanced Excel 8/5/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

066 8Tax Form 990: A Comprehensive Approach to Accurate Preparation 8/5/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

072 AA6/Tax2 Advanced Real Estate Accounting, Auditing, and Taxation 8/11/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

073 8Tax hot IRS Tax Examination Issues for Individuals and Businesses 8/11/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

074 8AA Accounting & Auditing Update 8/12/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

077 16AA Yellow Book Workshop 8/13 - 8/14/14 Birmingham 550.00 600.00

147 8AA Audits of hUD-Assisted Projects 9/8/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

148 8AA NeW Internal Control Best Practices for Small and Medium-Sized Entities 9/8/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

151 8AA Not-for-Profit Accounting and Auditing Update 9/9/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

152 8Tax Private Foundations: Understanding the Requirements and Tax Implications 9/9/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

156 8AA Common Frauds and Internal Controls for Revenue, Purchasing and Cash Receipts 9/10/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

157 8Tax Advanced Tax Strategies for LLCs and Partnerships 9/10/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

165 8AA NeW Revenue Recognition: The New Perspectives 9/12/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

166 4AA Write-Up, Payroll, and Other Accounting Services: Managing the Risks 9/12/14 Birmingham 180.00 230.00

167 4Tech NeW Advanced QuickBooks Tips & Tricks 9/12/14 Birmingham 180.00 230.00

168 4AA NeW Transaction Processing Controls Best Practices for Small- and Medium-Sized Entities 9/12/14 Birmingham 180.00 230.00

169 4Tech NeW Microsoft Office 365 9/12/14 Birmingham 180.00 230.00

219 8AA Community Banking Update 9/17/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

174 8Tax Farmer/Nunnalee 2014 Tax Update 9/19/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

180 8Tax The Complete Guide to Payroll Taxes and 1099 Issues 9/22/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

194 8AA FASB Update 9/24/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

201 8AA Identifying Fraudulent Financial Transactions 9/29/14 Birmingham -30.00 275.00 325.00

202 8Tax NeW Getting More Active with the Passive Activity Rules and the New Net Investment Income Tax 9/29/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

205 8Tax Surgent McCoy’s 2014 Annual Tax Planning Guide for S Corporations, Partnerships, and LLCs 9/30/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

206 8Tech NeW Top Accounting Solutions 9/30/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

211 8Tax Getting Ready for Busy Season: A Guide to New Forms, Filing Issues and Other Critical Developments 12/17/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

214 8Tax Surgent’s Federal Tax Camp 12/18/14 Birmingham 275.00 325.00

Area of AICPA Member Registration Non-Member No. Study Title Date(s) Location Discount Member Fee Fee

Save $25 when you register at least 10 days before class date.

Page 19: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

ThE ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE 19

eDuCATIoN ExprEssContinuing Professional Education Registration

Mail this form and payment to: The Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants P.O. Box 242987, Montgomery AL 36124-2987 Fax to: 334.834.7310 or Register online www.ascpa.org

If you have special needs under the Americans with Disability Act, attach a written description Call, or email [email protected] or [email protected]

Please reproduce this form for multiple registrants PERSONAL INFORMATION

Course Date

City

Course Title Course Number

Course Fee ASCPA Non- Member Member

Fee Adjustment AICPA Member

Discount * See Note

Subtotal

CPAs who are members of the ASCPA may register at the member rate. CPAs who are not a member of the ASCPA or other State Society may register at the Non-Member rate. Please include the appropriate discount(s) when registering for events.

CPAs who are members of the AICPA may deduct $30 from AICPA seminars ONLY (8 hrs classes). (These are identified in the

CPE Schedule online or in the ASCPA newsletter). Refunds or credits for this AICPA discount will not be allowed after the registration has been processed.

PAYMENT INFORMATION: Check: I have enclosed a check payable to ASCPA in the amount of $ ___________

Credit Card: MC Visa Discover AMEX I authorize the ASCPA to charge $ __________ to my credit card below:

Expiration Date PRINT CARDHOLDER’S NAME CARDHOLDER’S SIGNATURE ________________________________________ ________________________________________________ Address of cardholder City, State, Zip of cardholder

April mag

Last Name

First Name

M.I.

City State Zip

Firm / Employer

Email Address (for registration confirmation) ______________________________________________________ State Certificate Number _____________________ or ASCPA Member Number ________________________________________

Business Phone Business Fax

Address

check if information has recently changed and needs to be updated in your member record Are you a CPA? Yes No Are you a member of the ASCPA? Yes No (If “No”, join now and save!) Contact Betty Barker [email protected] or go to our web site for an application: www.ascpa.org. Applications in progress qualify for the member rate.

Are you a member of the AICPA? Yes No Member Number: ____________________ (Required for discount; subject to verification)

Cancellations & Refund Policy REFUND POLICY: If you must cancel during the ten (10) days prior to a course, there will be no refund. However, you may name a replacement by contacting the CPE department, a $20 transfer fee applies. At any time prior to 10 days from a course, a refund less a $25 cancellation fee, will be made upon request.

Mail this form and payment to: The Alabama Society of CPAs

P.O Box 242987 Montgomery, AL 36124-2987

Phone: 334.834.7650 In-state: 800.227.1711 FAX to: 334.834.7310

Register online www.ascpa.org

Month Year

Save $25 when you register at least 10 days before class date.

Page 20: 2014 June ASCPA Magazine

Presorted StdUS Postage

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The Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants

1041 Longfield CourtP.O. Box 242987

Montgomery, AL 36124

JUNE 2014

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95 Rocks95 Rocks

The Society office will be closed on Thursday, June 5 for the Annual Meeting.

Come join us at the AsCPA’s biggest event of the year.

95Th ANNuAl meeTING