Category Archives: General

With the effective date of Topic 842, Leases, right around the corner, the FASB recently issued two new ASUs that update the lease accounting guidance originally issued in 2016. Both of these updates are effective at the same time as Topic 842. In July, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842, […]

Much has been written about Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) lately. QIP is defined as any improvement to an interior portion of a building that is nonresidential real property if such improvement is placed in service after the date such building was first placed in service. QIP does not include any improvement for which the expenditure […]

On July 24, 2018, House Republicans released their outline of Tax Reform 2.0. Interestingly, the outline commits to improving the tax code every year and likens the process to upgrading apps on a phone. Three main points are discussed. Making the individual and small business tax cuts of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act permanent […]

After being particularly slow with its standard setting in early 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has significantly picked up its pace in issuing new accounting guidance over the past few weeks. Also, in looking at the FASB’s technical agenda, there are several more Accounting Standards Updates (ASU) which the FASB plans to issue […]

Impact on 529 Plans The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act treats up to $10,000 a year for elementary and high school expenses per student as qualified under the Section 529 plan rules. Previously, Section 529 money could only be used for post-secondary education – think college and graduate schools. But now, the Tax Cuts & […]

In May 2014, FASB issued an Accounting Standards Update regarding Topic 606: Revenue from Contracts with Customers, along with various amendments, to be implemented in 2017 and 2019. In this post, we’ll talk about exact adoption dates of the new construction revenue recognition standards, the major updates, and how you can help your construction clients […]

3 Ways Surgent's Unlimited CPE for CPAs Is Perfect for You

CPE hours are an integral part of the accounting profession; CPAs use them not only to keep their licenses current, but to stay up-to-date on new technologies and advancements and enhance their careers. However, getting CPE hours isn’t exactly easy, and finding relevant opportunities can be time consuming and frustrating, especially if your deadline is […]

We’ve heard quite a lot recently about the coming inclusion of critical audit matters (CAMs) in the audit report for audits following PCAOB auditing standards. CAMs are those items that have been reported to a client’s Audit Committee and relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and involve especially challenging, […]

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act implemented in December 2017 will cause dramatic changes to the tax treatment of alimony payments as of January 1st, 2019, effectively reversing the tax treatment of payments by payers and recipients. Here, we’ll provide an overview of how the new law will affect divorce or separation instruments, and how […]

No doormat rule akin to mailbox rule Undoubtedly, the grand majority of people reading this are aware the mailbox rule deems a return filed as it is placed in the mailbox and correspondingly postmarked the same day. An enterprising taxpayer unsuccessfully attempted to extend the rationale of the mailbox rule in Plato v. Commissioner, USTC […]