Author: Caleb Newquist

Founding editor, Going Concern.

Young Buck Not Satisfied with Keeping Personal Possessions, Suing IRS

If you’re like us, you were crushed by the news of the IRS canceling the auction of Young Buck’s treasures. Whether it was the ‘marijuana leaf picture‘ or the Titans Fridge, the auction really had a lot to offer and it’s a shame – a damn shame – that Mr. Buck’s attorney put a stop to it.

But having your home raided by IRS Agents wielding shotguns (our vision) is enough to get the most passive citizen upset. So if you’re Young Buck, simply getting to keep your material possessions won’t suffice:

Officials said Young Buck is suing the IRS over the raid, saying the government’s response to his tax problems has hurt his ability to make money and pay off his debts.

Got it? The IRS kicked down the doors, made off with all the man’s goods and now his records won’t sell. It has nothing to do with his music sucking.

Should You Forgo Job Security for a KPMG Advisory Gig?

Welcome to the Friday edition of “Accounting Career Couch” (aka “I’d like some advice from a Big 4 expat turned blogger and a bunch of bitter bean counters”). Today we hear from a prospective KPMG advisory associate who has a secure job but is also looking for a little payoff after going back to grad school. Is joining the House of Klynveld a smart move or the stupidest idea ever? [effect]

Unsatisfied with your career choices to date? Are you an old school type not sure what to make of the Millenials? Having second thoughts about thr this weekend? Email us at advice@goingconcern.com and we’ll get you on the path to peace with subordinates or just getting a piece.

Returning to the career conundrum du jour:

Hi! I’ve started reading your blog because I’d accepted an entry level offer with KPMG that got deferred for a few years as I finished a graduate degree. I have an engineering background and went to work for Accenture after graduation. Left after a year and a half to get a graduate degree (in NO way related to technical consulting or accounting. Yes, the folly of youth and following a passion), during which time I began doing Business Analyst/SAP functional work for a state government agency (Child Support). I applied to KPMG because I felt like I tanked my career, and needed to get back into consulting to open my career options.This decision was driven mostly by the salary increase and not the work. I’m also risk averse, and don’t want to leave a secure job (in a rather boring city) to possibly get laid off in nine months.

So, my question is, do you think it is wise to take an IT advisory with KPMG? Do you think the economic climate would be productive? Am I taking a step back by starting again at entry level?

Thanks,

Between A Rock and KPMG

Dear Between,

Motivated by money, eh? Wow, you’re a rare case.

Look, like most people that write in, you list out everything that you want without prioritizing. “I want a good salary, work with smart, attractive people, job security and enjoy my work. Oh! And it would be really great if I could keep to 50 hours a week max. What do I do?” and that’s the first thing you need to do here. Somewhere in the back of your gray matter you’ve got to know that you’ll have to sacrifice something. Remember in the old days when winners on Wheel of Fortune had to spend all their cash winnings on the various material garbage? Did you ever see someone buy that ugly-ass Dalmatian first? Of course not. Figure out what you covet the most and let that lead your decision.

That being said, good money (relative term) and job security don’t usually correlate within a Big 4 firm. That is, if you want the big bucks, you work in Advisory Services. If you want job security, you work in audit or tax (although not even that is guaranteed).

In your case, you’re looking at a job in IT Advisory services. Will it pay well compared to what you’re doing? Yes. Will it open more doors for you down the road? You bet. If the demand in your market dries up in the next 9 to 12 months are your chances of getting let go good? Maybe. What you accomplish in that 9 to 12 months makes the difference. You have to ask yourself if the risk is worth it.

Here’s our advice friend – take the risk and go with KPMG. You went back to school to give yourself more options didn’t you? This is a pretty good one. You’ll get great experience, expand your professional network and if there’s plenty of work you may just have a decent career on your hands. Unless, of course, that doesn’t interest you.

Accounting News Roundup: Tweedie Warns of Global Accounting Rules ‘Last Chance’; Security Tops Misconceptions About Cloud; Clifton Gunderson Acquires Fifth Firm Since May | 10.29.10

Accounting chief says last chance for global system [Reuters]
Efforts to create a single global accounting system will be set back a generation if they do not succeed within 12 to 15 months, the chairman of a global accounting rule-setting board said on Thursday.

“This is our last chance really,” said Sir David Tweedie, chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board, which sets accounting rules used in over 100 countries.

“The next year is critical, this is it,” he told a New York Society of Security Analysts conference. “We can’t kick this tin down the road much longer.”

Cloud misconceptions: security tops the list [AccMan]
This is an important finding because it lends credence to the notion that once adopters have tasted what the cloud offers, then many of the issues raised by naysayers start to evaporate.

As accounting industry shifts, Reznick Group beefs up staff [Baltimore Business Journal]
Twelve positions in the Baltimore area now available.

Time for a New Set of Return Deadlines? [Tax Update Blog]
Joe Kristan thinks moving the partnership deadline up to 3/15 makes sense.


Clifton Gunderson acquires Rockford, Ill., accounting firm [MJS]
Farrell & Associates becomes the latest to join the CG stable.

Verizon to pay $25 million settlement for overcharging [Reuters]
The top U.S. mobile service, Verizon Wireless, has agreed to pay the U.S. Treasury $25 million on top of more than $52 million in refunds to consumers for overcharging them, the U.S. regulator said.

The venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc said earlier this month it would pay refunds to 15 million cellphone customers erroneously charged for mobile Internet use.

Death to Death Tax Denial

“We’re confident that a Congress manned with our pledge signers will be prepared to take the necessary steps to pass permanent repeal of this un-American, outdated policy and stand up for small family businesses, the real job creators in our country.”

~ Dick Patten, President of The American Family Business Institute, says the estate tax is toast now that Senate candidates like Sharron Angle, Ken Buck and Rand Paul are on board with the AFBI’s “Death Tax Repeal Pledge.”

Ford CFO: Having Ready Access to Cash Is a Decent Business Practice

FYI for any budding CFOs out there:

Having liquidity is key to any business and it is important to build it before any crisis, said Ford Motor Co.’s (F) chief financial officer Thursday.

“We have to assume that when you really need liquidity, it won’t be there,” said Lewis Booth, speaking at Treasury & Risk’s 15th annual Alexander Hamilton Awards ceremony in New York City.


After those insightful comments, Booth gushed about how the company that Hank built was doing.

“We expect our automotive cash to be about equal to our debt by year-end 2010, earlier than expected,” Booth said, adding “this has been a magic year.”

Just a CFO walking the talk (almost anyway).

Will the Solution to the Big 4 “Too Few to Fail” Problem Come Out of China?

Adam Jones at the Financial Times takes a look at the Big 4’s too few to fail problem, noting that the recent green paper from the European Commission is a combination of A) lame ideas:

Its flakier suggestions included getting a regulator or another third party to appoint auditors to ease fears about their independence – a move that would disenfranchise shareholders to an unacceptable extent. A European quality certificate for auditing was also mooted as a way of helping second-tier firms show they could handle the biggest jobs. Such a badge would have limited credibility.


And B) points of discussion that need to be explored further, “[A] call for international talks on a contingency plan for the possible failure of one of the Big Four,” “enforced work-sharing also merits further discussion,” and “Brussels says it may also loosen rules requiring auditors to own the majority of an audit firm.”

All this talking gives us a headache and Jones admits that by allowing all ideas on the table it allows those happy with the status quo to distract from any real solutions:

The surfeit of ideas makes the debate comprehensive. But it also creates easy targets for those who want to preserve an inadequate market structure, detracting from more sensible suggestions made by Michel Barnier, EU internal market commissioner, and his team.

Despite the haters out there, the most interesting solution mentioned by Jones is the possibility of China – albeit a longshot – coming to the rescue:

Some think the danger might be eased by a Chinese accountant teaming up with a second-tier firm to create a new rival to the Big Four. Such an entity would face suspicion in the west, though, and it may be too soon to look to Beijing for answers.

For the market enthusiasts out there, this has to be the best idea you’ve heard even though it comes at the exception of the Chinese.

Think WeiserMazars but on a much, much larger scale. Maybe BDO’s U.S. firm is a target because of their legal troubles. Maybe Stephen Chipman will use his connections in China to parlay into some mega-international merger. We realize it’s hard to use your imagination when you’re staring at spreadsheets all day but ideas are needed people.

Solutions provided by the market will be a far better than something mandated by governments. China’s economy is still growing at a ridiculous clip and some say that’s good for the us here in the States.

Bottom line – we’re happy to entertain the possibility of China getting in the mix because as Jones says, “[W]hile this risk is broadly acknowledged, I have so far seen little evidence of a plan to deal with it.” And as it stands now, the bureaucrats are leading the discussion.

The Latest Results from the Deloitte Mid-year Salary Adjustment

Deloitte Raises 2.0 rolls along with the latest news from New York and Cleveland. Continue to keep us updated.


New York:

I am a senior at Deloitte based in New York.
Our engagement partner and I had a brief meeting- a 8k raise for seniors.
The second year was told a $5k raise for his level.
My manager also spoke to a partner and was told a $6k raise.
Nothing for new hires and senior managers.

There will not be a retrospective adjustment to pay us more for the past two months as if the increase happened in end of August.
The increase is effective starting 11/1/2010, meaning the first paycheck to reflect the increased pay will be 11/12/2010.

Cleveland:

1st years – $0
2nd years: $2,500
All seniors: $4,000
All Managers (excluding sr. managers): $3,000
Sr. Managers and up: $0

UPDATE – Friday circa 12:50 pm:

The latest from Houston:

2nd year: $3,500
Seniors: $5,000
Manager:$6,000

KPMG Founders Get the Warhol Treatment

No doubt many a KPMG employees have thought to themselves, “If Warhol painted the KPMG namesakes, what would they look like?”

As you can see, you no longer have to wonder.


It just so happens that the Pittsburgh office’s alumni get-together will be at the Warhol Museum and our tipster wondered if this money could have been better spent on the Steel City employees:

I have a feeling the local partners spent the extra money they didn’t give out in bonuses (note bonuses were given, I’m just saying they could have been bigger) on hiring someone to “Warhol” out the KPMG founders below. Great artistry though.

Frankly, we’re of the opinion that this might be some of the best money the Steel City office has ever spent. However, it’s entirely possible that KPMG does some work for the museum and they’re swapping services, which again, seems like a pretty good deal.

Here’s the full invite:

We’re not Warhol experts so we’ll let you debate the artwork but we do have a few takeaways:

1. KPMG has a knight!

2. Three out of four rocking ‘staches.

3. Is it “Uncle Piet”? Or “Uncle Peat”?

4. What’s with three sour faces, KPM? At least Goerdeler looks like someone you would want to work for.

Any other questions? Leave them below.

Accounting News Roundup: Post-Election Deals on Tax Cuts in the Works; Is IFRS in Our Best Interest?; IRS Commish Predicts Relaxed Testing, Education for Nonsigning CPAs | 10.28.10

Foes Plan Post-Vote Deals [WSJ]
Democrats are engaged in a sharp internal debate over how—or whether—the president and congressional leaders should work with the GOP, which is favored to take control of the House of Representatives and maybe the Senate. White House officials, who declined to comment, haven’t given allies clear signals about their approach, partly because their calculation depends on Tuesday’s outcome.

Strategists in both parties see two options for President Barack Obama. He could seek deals on issues including trade, taxes and spending, following the model of President Bill Clinton, who after losing Coromised with the GOP to overhaul welfare.

Morningstar Selects KPMG as Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm [PR Newswire]
Auditor Swap: E&Y for KPMG.

Preventing Election-Season Clashes in the Workplace [Bloomberg BusinessWeek]
With less than a week to go, some of you may have already broken the “don’t send racist/sexist email” rule but at least you’ll be ready for 2012.

Jailed Stanford accuses ex-lawyer of incompetence [AP]
Stan is on his 5th round of attorneys after accusing Bob Bennett of “incompetence, unethical behavior, deceit and only caring ‘about dipping his fingers in the money pot.’ “

Billionaire Julian Robertson Notches Tax Win For New York City Non-Residents [Janet Novack/Forbes]
And saves $27 million. Hoo-rah!

IFRS Adoption by the US: Definitely Not in the “Public Interest” [Accounting Onion]
Besides the many accounting related objections to IFRS, there are two broadly “legal” objections. These involve the role and authority of the SEC as determined by Congress. The concern is that IFRS adoption would involve a “loss of sovereignty” for the SEC and a departure from its mission of acting “in the public interest.”


IRS Commissioner Predicts Relief From Testing and Continuing Education for CPA-Supervised Nonsigning Preparers [JofA]
In his keynote speech at the AICPA’s National Tax Conference in Washington, Shulman acknowledged the Institute’s concerns about the IRS’ new regulatory regime for all paid tax return preparers.

“I am very sympathetic to the argument that the rules should be flexible for people who have met a higher professional standard,” Shulman said. “Therefore it is highly likely that as we implement the new rules and procedures there will be some relief for testing and continuing education requirements” for such nonsigning preparers supervised by a CPA, enrolled agent or attorney.

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation CFO Resigns to Pursue Business Opportunity [PR Newswire]
William F. Spengler is over guns and is moving on to the…phytochemical and natural products industry.

IRS Auditors Begin Accepting QuickBooks and Peachtree Records [WebCPA]
Business owners and tax professionals have been advocating that the IRS begin accepting taxpayer records in electronic format instead of continuing to use traditional paper books and records for audits, the IRS noted. The IRS Small Business/Self-Employed Examination Division is responding to those wishes expressed in tax practitioner focus group interviews conducted at the 2008 Nationwide Tax Forums and from other stakeholders

Iowa Sets the Bar on Film Tax Credit Inefficiency

From known tax credit antagonist, Joe Kristan:

Before the Iowa Film Tax Credit program exploded in scandal in September 2009, the state had granted $31,967,641 in transferable tax credits to filmmakers. Yesterday the State Auditor reported that $25,576,301 were issued improperly — a full 80% of the credits granted.


Quite the field of dreams. Read more over at Tax Update Blog.

Also see:
What Are Your Taxes Buying Hollywood?