Choose an area of interest:

FASB, Chinese Accountants Sign Agreement The Financial Accounting Standards Board and the China Accounting Standards Committee (CASC) have issued a memorandum of understanding articulating their commitment to strengthen cooperation and communication between the two standards-setting organizations.

News & Insights

E&Y Announces Global Merge Ernst & Young said it will integrate all of its 87 country practices in Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa into a new EMEIA Area. KPMG Creates IFRS Institute Accounting firm KPMG LLP has launched the KPMG IFRS Institute to raise awareness and address the information needs of companies, investors, academics and others who may be affected by a transition by U.S. companies to International Financial Reporting Standards. IFRS XBRL Taxonomy Released for Comment The International Accounting Standards Committee Foundation's XBRL Team announced the release of the near-final version of the IFRS Taxonomy 2008. Japanese GAAP, IFRS Convergence Progressing as Planned The International Accounting Standards Board and the Accounting Standards Board of Japan (ASBJ) held their second meeting earlier this month in Tokyo to accelerate convergence between Japanese generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs). FAF, FASB to Host Global Standards Forum The Financial Accounting Foundation and the Financial Accounting Standards Board announced they will host a forum entitled "High-Quality Global Accounting Standards: Issues and Implications for U.S. Financial Reporting." PCAOB, Singapore Confirm Cooperative Arrangement The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board said that the PCAOB and the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority in Singapore (ACRA) have mutually confirmed their intention to cooperate in the oversight of audit firms that fall within the jurisdiction of both the PCAOB and the ACRA. KPMG Announces Green Goal Accounting firm KPMG LLP has launched a "global green initiative" with the goal of reducing its member firms' combined carbon footprint by 25 percent by the year 2010. Cost of Staff Skyrocketing for Privately Held Businesses Globally, 63 percent of privately held businesses, are paying significantly more in staff costs than a year ago, according to a report by Grant Thornton International. U.S. Accounting Renews Agreement With Canada, Mexico The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and National Association of State Boards of Accountancy have renewed a trilateral mutual recognition agreement with professional accounting bodies in Canada and Mexico. CalCPA Announces IFRS Educational Initiative The California Society of Certified Public Accountants announced an educational initiative for their members that supports global convergence of accounting standards. Financial Reports Still Hard to Understand, IFAC Says Despite improvements to the financial reporting process, financial reports are just as hard to understand according to a new report from the International Federation of Accountants. XBRL International Conference to Be Held in Netherlands Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox is among the speakers scheduled to speak at the XBRL International Conference & Expo to be held in the Netherlands in May. Tech CFOs: Currency, Business Climate Pose Int'l Risks According to a new survey by accounting firm BDO Seidman, LLP, chief financial officers at technology businesses cite currency risk (26 percent) and uncertain political/business climates (25 percent) as their main concerns regarding continued international growth in 2008.

Spotlight

Corporate Training and CPE SmartPros offers a variety of corporate training and CPE solutions to help meet each of our customer's specific business needs from curriculum to delivery to student management and deployment. SmartPros Price: Prices vary per program. FMN Online Subscribe to the program that more than half of the Fortune 500 trust for CPE. Stay up to date on Sarbanes-Oxley and other key events impacting corporate finance. SmartPros Price: Courses: $59.98 - Subscriptions: $389

SmartPros Today

Introducing SmartPros Legal Professional Education SmartPros Legal features the Cognistar CLE library highlighting over 150 course titles in areas such as litigation, IP, corporate/securities law, tax, labor/employment law, bankruptcy, ethics, professionalism, substance abuse, bias, and many more.