Headlines CPAs Exempt from Uniform Debt Management Services Act IRS Proposes PTIN Fees; Comment Deadline is Aug. 23 New Guide Reflects Changes in CPA Exam TSCPA/PCPS MAP Survey Deadline Extended You Must Order 2011 U.S. Master Tax Guide by Aug. 31 to Save 30% Members on Vacation: Special August Discounts Save on FedEx Shipping With Your TSCPA Membership CPA Risk Management Tip of the Month from CAMICO Management and Leadership in a CPA Firm - Part Six The Social Media Big Four: Getting Friendly with Facebook Improving Outlook Communications and Productivity
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The Tennessee Accounting & Business EXPO is the ultimate exercise in customization, with the opportunity to tailor a high-quality CPE program to fit your needs and interests. We could give you a litany of reasons why you should attend, but we'll stick to just five: 1. 40 sessions. Five tracks. Up to 16 hours of CPE in two days. 2. Hear the most current information from some of the top speakers and experts in the country. 3. Explore the latest business solutions and gadgets with a variety of exhibitors. 4. Connect with your fellow members from across the state. 5. Enjoy great value and convenience. Don't miss it! For more information, including specific track sessions, and to register, visit http://www.tscpa.com/conferences/tn_accounting_expo_2010.aspx. Professional Issues CPAs Exempt from Uniform Debt Management Services Act The Uniform Debt Management Services Act, which the Tennessee General Assembly passed in 2009, requires the registration and regulation of providers of debt management services to protect the interests of consumers. The Act and the attached rules specifically exclude accounting services provided by a certified public accountant and financial planning services provided by a member in the financial planning profession from the definition of debt management services. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance will hold a rulemaking hearing on Aug. 31 at 10 a.m. on the new attached rules dealing with the Uniform Debt Management Services Act. For more information, please see http://state.tn.us/sos/rules_filings/07-06-10.pdf. IRS Proposes PTIN Fees; Comment Deadline is Aug. 23 The IRS has proposed to require all individuals who receive compensation for preparing all or substantially all of a federal tax return or claim for refund after Dec. 31, 2010, to have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). Under the proposed regulations, compensated tax return preparers will need to obtain, or reapply for, a PTIN and pay a user fee using this new comprehensive system, which is part of a series of steps planned to increase oversight of federal tax return preparation. Compensated tax return preparers would pay a $64.25 user fee the first year for a PTIN based on two underlying costs. Under the proposed regulations, compensated tax return preparers will be required to renew their PTINs annually and pay the associated user fee. The amount of the fee may change in future years as the actual program costs are periodically reevaluated. Please see http://www.tscpa.com/hotwire/IRS_PTIN_Fees.html for additional details. The comment period for this latest release of regulations is Monday, Aug. 23. Comments can be submitted online at www.regulations.gov. New Guide Reflects Changes in CPA Exam The AICPA Examinations Team has released a guide to the major developments that will be new and different on the Uniform CPA Examination, effective Jan. 1. Major developments include content updates (including International Financial Reporting Standards), structure, time allocations, scoring weights and functionality. Download the guide today. TSCPA/PCPS MAP Survey Deadline Extended Ever wondered how your firm stacks up against other firms? Find out where your firm stands by taking part in the CPA profession's premier benchmarking study - the PCPS/TSCPA National MAP Survey. The deadline to participate has been extended to Friday, Sept. 3. The survey is available at http://map.pcps.org. Society News You Must Order 2011 U.S. Master Tax Guide by Aug. 31 to Save 30% TSCPA has partnered with CCH to offer members discounted pricing on CCH publications and resources. The 2011 U.S. Master Tax Guide is available to TSCPA members at a 30% discount. However, this discount is only available until Aug. 31, so be sure and order your copy early! You will not be billed until the book ships. To order, visit TSCPA's CCH Partnership page at CCHGroup.com/members/TSCPA. The member discount code is Y5039 and should be included in the "Priority Code" field during checkout. If you have questions, contact Wendy Garvin at the TSCPA office at 615/377-3825. Members on Vacation: Special August Discounts
Save on FedEx Shipping With Your TSCPA Membership Sign up now to take full advantage of your member discounts on FedEx shipping services. Sign-up is free, and there are no shipping minimums. To enroll today, simply go to http://enrolladvantage.fedex.com/4790 and enter passcode Q5DVTX or call 1-800-MEMBERS (1-800/636-2377, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST, M-F). CPA Risk Management Tip of the Month from CAMICO Even with insurance coverage, claims have a significant impact on your practice in terms of time, money, professional reputation, and peace of mind. As the expert in CPA risk management, CAMICO helps you to recognize the five warning signs of a claim. See http://bit.ly/c91TaO to read the full article. Accounting Practice Management Management and Leadership in a CPA Firm - Part Six In this issue's commentary, Bill Reeb continues his series, Management and Leadership in a CPA Firm. In his last article, Bill discussed the importance of having a competency model in your own firm and introduced a couple ideas for creating your own model. In part six, Bill continues the discussion about implementing your own competency model to develop your staff. He also covers what an action plan might look like to drive that development. Read the full article at http://www.tscpa.com/hotwire/reeb082010.html. The Social Media Big Four: Getting Friendly with Facebook This article is the second of a series by ConvergenceCoaching, LLC that will take a look at social media tools and how they have entered the mainstream and are transforming the way we communicate at work. The second part of the series discusses another popular social media tool, Facebook. Krista Remer and Jennifer Wilson of ConvergenceCoaching, LLC, take a look at Facebook and its benefits, best uses and strategies. Read the full article at http://www.tscpa.com/hotwire/marketing_facebook.html. Improving Outlook Communications and Productivity Most accountants have become dependent on email as the main method for interacting with clients and firm members as well as for moving files and attachments. Over time, Microsoft Outlook has become the predominant communication tool for accounting firms; however there has been little training beyond when firms first converted. In this article, Roman Kepzyck, CPA, CITP, discusses Outlook 2007 and best communications practices and techniques with the new version. Read the full article at http://www.tscpa.com/hotwire/outlook.html.
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