Republican lawmakers released their conference committee report for The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on December 15, 2017. This compromise tax reform package passed in both the House and Senate the week of December 18th. President Trump’s signature has heralded in the most substantive changes to the tax code in over 30 years. The basic […]
With the House and Senate bills being reconciled in an effort to pass a tax reform law, it is incredibly difficult for a professional to competently advise an individual on year-end planning. To illustrate this point, the IRS itself has punted on usually already issued withholding guidance as it awaits the finalized legislation. Here, however, […]
For fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2017, state and local governments will be implementing GASB No. 75, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Postemployment Benefits Other Than Pensions. While postemployment benefits other than pensions are seldom seen in the private sector today, the majority of state and local governments across the country still provide other postemployment […]
The Senate passed its version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act at approximately 2 a.m. on the morning of December 2, 2017, almost entirely along party lines. The final vote was 51-49 with only Senator Bob Corker (Republican, Tenn.) defecting. The House is scheduled to vote December 4, 2017 regarding conferencing with the Senate […]
Did you know that, as part of the IRS’s new program, whistleblowers may recover 15 to 30 percent of the amount collected (provided the taxes and amounts in dispute exceed $2 million)? The fact is that over the last 10 years, the federal government issued record-breaking awards to whistleblowers to reward those who report misconduct. Several federal agencies […]
Customer feedback drives the customer experience, which is why Surgent conducts annual customer surveys that ask CPAs to provide feedback about their experiences with Surgent CPE, the competition, and the overall market. These insights allow Surgent to make adjustments to their high quality CPE online courses and continue delivering exactly what CPAs need and want. […]
As Tax Reform legislation works its way through Congress, we’ve mostly heard about its potential impact on personal or corporate income tax bills (i.e. “how will the GOP tax plan affect me?”) However, those involved in the financial reporting process should also be considering how potential tax reform could impact financial statements. Per ASC Topic 740, […]
By Nick Spoltore On November 9, 2017, the Senate released its Description of the Chairman’s Mark of the “Tax Cuts & Jobs Act,” detailing many proposed changes to the Code. The following highlights are major points of the proposed legislation. The changes apply to tax years beginning in 2018 unless noted. 2017 Tax Rates – […]
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Talking Points: The Top 5 Topics Your Clients Will Ask You About
By Surgent CPE
By Nick Spoltore On November 2, 2017, the House released The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It is the most comprehensive tax legislation since 1986. Its intended tax reform may very well affect each American taxpayer. The Senate just announced it will release its own tax reform legislation by the end of this week, so […]
To Hedge or Not to Hedge: Assessing the Impact of ASU No. 2017-12 on Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
By Surgent CPE
By Rich Daisley, CPA In its recent issuance, ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, the FASB both simplified certain elements of hedge accounting under Topic 815 as well as increased the types of effective risk management strategies for which hedge accounting treatment would be applicable. In […]
