Author: Caleb Newquist

Founding editor, Going Concern.

The IRS Doesn’t Want to Burden Anyone Too Much but They Kinda Want That Money

irs.jpgThe IRS, in its continuing effort to squeeze every last dime out of every single one of us, is planning 6,000 audits of companies and their compliance with employment taxes over the next three years.
The Service apparently figured it was about time they started putting the screws to companies since they hadn’t done an analysis since 1984:
Continued, after the jump

The Treasury Department in 2005 estimated, based on the 1984 IRS data, that companies underpay employer taxes by about $14 billion annually. In particular, federal agencies have raised concerns about whether employers are properly classifying workers as company employees or independent contractors.

The Service isn’t wasting any time, already proposing a $14 million tax on FedEx after auditing the courier’s 2002 tax return. The Service is also looking at the company’s 2004 through 2008 tax returns, so FedEx should probably get the check book.
The Service is promising to make company’s experience as ‘least burdensome as we can’ but we’re guessing they’re going to want the money, Lebowski, and being a nuisance will probably be of secondary importance.
IRS to Audit 6,000 Companies to Test Employment Tax Compliance [Bloomberg]
IRS Plans 6,000 Employment Tax Audits [Web CPA]

Preliminary Analytics | 09.22.09

Thumbnail image for accountant.jpg• For Rent: Chief Financial Officer – “B2B CFO Partners LLC, a Phoenix, Ariz., firm that has over 100 CFOs-for-rent, charges at least $300 to $400 per month for the service.” And essentially function as super heros/therapists. [WSJ]
• Bank of America to Pay for Merrill Backstop, Faces SEC Trial – We’re pretty excited to see how the SEC manages to screw the pooch on this one. [Bloomberg]
• What the SEC Might Look Like If It Did Its Job: Susan Antilla – McNulty? [Bloomberg]
• F.D.I.C. May Borrow Funds From Banks – Is the magic money printing machine over at the Fed broken? [NYT]

Review Comments | 09.21.09

Thumbnail image for KenLewisNOPEb.jpg• BofA fails to meet congressional deadline – In a move that is either ballsy or just plan stupid, KL and his merry band of mates decided that the deadline wasn’t a real deadline. [Reuters]
• Did Wells Fargo’s Auditors Miss Repurchase Risk? (WFC) – Our contributor, Francine McKenna’s, take on WFC and KPMG and the parallels to New Century. [Clusterstock]
• Congressional Report Says A.I.G. Has Stabilized – Whether or not they pay back the gazillion dollars they owe the Treasury is another matter entirely. [NYT]
• High-Yield Bond Buying Starting to Get ‘Ridiculous’ – That’s more like it. [Bloomberg]

Rumor Mill: KPMG Layoff Started Early in Philly

Not that Klynveldians need reminded but tomorrow is the rumored next round of layoffs. This time its rumored to be the tax practice and perhaps the advisory practice as well making cuts.
Someone in the Philadelphia office got their call earlier than planned according to a tip we received:

…one associate who received a phone call at 3:00 PM letting her know that her services were no longer needed. She was initially told this would likely happen on the 21st, but for some reason, the powers that be thought it more appropriate to call someone on the 15th

If you’ve got details on your office or if you have received a request for a meeting, let us know and we’ll continue to update you as we hear more.

Somehow Deloitte Gets Roped Into a Chicago Political Scandal

Rod Blagojevich.jpgBig D is probably just a pawn in the whole game but it serves as a nice example of how Illinois political tomfoolery touches just about anyone and everyone.
And Rod Blagojevich is just ridiculous and not relevant for this story but his picture seems to work here, so deal with it.
A criminal investigation into Cook County Board President Todd Stroger that started with questions surrounding the hiring, promotion, and firing of a busboy. Stroger then fired his own cousin, “the county’s chief financial officer amid questions about her dealings with [Tony] Cole.”
Cole is said busboy who must have made a move on Stroger’s cousin but enough speculation. The investigation has now grown wider as prosecutors have now subpoenaed Deloitte.
More, after the jump


Chicago Tribune:

Prosecutors have ordered Deloitte & Touche LLP, the county’s auditors, to turn over “certain documents” pertaining to the 2008 audit of county finances, according to a memo from County Board Finance Committee Chairman John Daley (D-Chicago), who also heads the Audit Committee. Deloitte personnel “may serve as witnesses to a current grand jury investigation,” according to an attached letter sent to Stroger from Deloitte’s Tracey Guidry.

It should be noted that John is the brother of Richard, the Mayor who was elected around the time when the Cubs last won the World Series.
The only word on the documents are that they were used in the ‘customary preparation’ of the audit, according to the Sun-Times.
Safe money is on at least one resignation/removal from office and a small fortune being discovered to have passed through various channels of the City Hall.
Todd Stroger: Probe expands into Cook County Board president’s hiring of ex-busboy [Chicago Tribune]

Someone Has a Dangerously Unhealthy Love for Preparing Tax Returns

ilovemyjob.jpgSomeone must really love preparing tax returns if they violate an injunction prohibiting them from doing just that.
“A man who had been barred five years ago from preparing tax returns and representing clients before the IRS was convicted of violating the injunction by continuing to do so.”
Most people that prepare tax returns would love to be banned from preparing them. They could get on with their lives that way. This guy has the good fortune to be told not to do it and he keeps at those tax forms like he’s on some romantic, Don Quixote-esque quest.
Continued, after the jump

..Prosecutors claimed that Mattatall attempted to evade detection by not signing the returns as the paid preparer and by using an alias when representing customers…At the conclusion of the trial, the judge cautioned Mattatall to re-evaluate his positions on the tax laws, warning him that he faces the possibility of a very tragic turn in his life if he continues down his current path.

We’re no Freud but this seems borderline obsessive.
The judge obviously recognizing that this man was completely deranged offered the touching plea, “he faces the possibility of a very tragic turn in his life if he continues down his current path.” Sorta sounds like, “Seriously man. Find something else to do. Anything.”
Tax Preparer Convicted After Violating Injunction [Web CPA]

Recruiting: Considering the Non-Big 4 Employers

BelushiCollege.jpgAs recruiting continues this week, we’ll put out the idea of opting to starting your career with a firm or company as opposed to starting at a Big 4 firm. Regardless of the Big 4’s dominance of the BW list, there are several smaller firms that make good offers and all businesses need number crunchers to track all the bloody money.
And this year, since many of the Big 4 don’t appear to be making as many offers, going with a national or regional firm or private company becomes a serious option for many recruits.
For the recruits out there, are you giving serious consideration to taking a position with a non-Big 4 firm? For the rest of you, is starting your career at a Big 4 the only way to go or can relative happiness and success be found elsewhere?
Discuss in the comments.

The IRS Seriously Isn’t Kidding Around About Your Last Chance to Declare Your Offshore Income

IRS_logo-thumb-150x140.jpgThe IRS has decided to give offshore tax scofflaws almost an extra month to rethink their cheater-cheater pumpkin-eater ways, extending the deadline to October 15th from September 23rd. According to the Service, this will be the absolute, final, drop dead chance for offshore account holders to come forward.
Apparently the IRS means biz-nass as 3,000 account holders have already come forward to declare their offshore income. This is compared to less than the 100 taxpayers that came forward all of last year.
You could safely assume that the public flogging of UBS in front of the entire world helped get the IRS’s point across. So now the extension of the deadline seems to be a friendly reminder that you have ONE LAST CHANCE to play ball.
Plus, the Service must have come to their senses and realized that a tax deadline on the 23rd really doesn’t seem to make a damn bit of sense.
IRS extends tax amnesty deadline to October 15 [Reuters via Tax Prof Blog]

The Accountants Plug at the Emmys Is Made Watchable By an E&Y Hottie and Dr. Horrible

When we heard that the accountants at E&Y with elephant-like memories were the butt of a joke on last night’s Emmys we weren’t really surprised. That being said, we weren’t really expecting a joke that would be that entertaining.
So, we were pleasantly surprised when 1) one of the E&Y reps, Mika Velga (sorry if we butchered the spelling), turns out to be a hottie and B) the sketch featured Dr. Horrible, courtesy of the comedic genius of NPH.
Video, after the jump



If you’re not familiar with Dr. Horrible, feel free to waste a few minutes of your morning getting caught up. Oh, and if you know Ms. Velga, tell her she has fans.

Preliminary Analytics | 09.21.09

money.jpg• Firms Back Plan to Change Pay Policies – Because if they don’t, the Feds will get involved which bigwig types aren’t really down for. The Fed is still looking to regulate bankers’ pay which is an idea that will likely remain popular forever. [WSJ]
• Dell to Acquire Perot Systems for $3.9 Billion [Bloomberg]
• U.S. as Traffic Cop in Web Fight – No discrimination if you’re watching ACORN undercover shenanigans or free porn. [WSJ]
• Holiday spending seen flat – Sayeth Deloitte’s retail group. Try to remember the kids at least. [Reuters]
• Can Mergers Stay Sane? – Companies with lots of cash will start getting bored and could start throwing money around. [DealBook]

Review Comments | 09.18.09

ikea-train-2.jpg• L’shana tovah to all our friends celebrating!
• Thain Says He Should Have Furnished Merrill at Ikea – Don’t laugh, those Swedes know what they’re doing. JT wouldn’t probably know what to do with the allen wrench though. [Bloomberg]
• The End of the World Is Upon Us – In Dubai you fools. [Daily Intel]
• Wall St. vs. Sports: a Look at the Top Paychecks – Think of it as motivation. For what, we’re not exactly sure. [DealBook]
• Going Concern Audit Opinions: Why So Few Warning Flares? Seriously. Bad news is the best news. [RTA]