Tax
WITH INTEGRITY AND FAIRNESS: A conversation with the Commissioner of Internal Revenue
Think you’re busy this month? Imagine being Mark W. Everson, Commissioner of Internal Revenue, heading into tax season with a $10 billion budget and a staff of 100,000. Everson talked with the Journal of Accountancy about his personal priorities, his enforcement efforts and his high hopes for closer relationships between his fellow CPAs and the IRS. For all CPAs.

Personal Financial Planning
IS YOUR RETIREMENT PLAN REALLY SAFE?
Richard A. Naegele and Mark P. Altieri
A landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court has modified the protections afforded to retirement plan assets from creditors, and other new court cases and IRS rulings have affected 401(k)s and IRAs. It’s time for CPAs to take a second look at protecting their own and their clients’ retirement benefits. For CPAs who offer investment advice or are consultants to small businesses.

BUILD CUSTOMIZED BOND PORTFOLIOS
Stuart Zimmerman
CPAs increasingly are becoming the preferred providers of investment advice. This article offers suggestions for elevating firms to the next level of service by offering individually constructed bond portfolios to clients. For CPAs who currently have a registered investment advisory practice.

Professional Issues/Practice Management
PEER REVIEW IS STRONGER AND BETTER NOW
David Jentho and Dean Beddow
The AICPA peer review board has enhanced the peer review program, its standards and its overall process. The revisions are designed to improve the quality of peer reviews and increase the usefulness of subsequent reports to the public and regulators that rely on them. For CPAs participating in the peer review program.

Technology Workshop
MASS MAILINGS MADE SIMPLE
Bonnie Brinton Anderson, Larysa V. Oprya and Marshall B. Romney
Microsoft Office’s Mail Merge function can help you create custom client communications by merging names, addresses and other data. For all CPAs.

Business & Industry
WILL THEY THROW EGGS?
Kelly J. Watkins
With the advent of Sarbanes-Oxley, CPAs—especially those in internal audit—are making more presentations than ever to the board of directors’ audit committee and other groups. This article explains how to develop effective presentations for a wide variety of technical and nontechnical audiences. For internal auditors, CFOs and all CPAs who speak before groups.

Financial Reporting
NO LONGER AN “OPTION”
Tim V. Eaton and Brian R. Prucyk
Companies this year must use the fair value method to value options and other share-based compensation. This article will explain the financial statement changes and offer a firsthand account from a CPA and CFO who began expensing options in 2003. For CPAs who prepare or audit financial statements.

Business Reporting Technology
XBRL: A MULTITALENTED TOOL
Colleen Sayther Cunningham
XBRL can improve the performance and usefulness of virtually any business information process. Here’s an explanation of what it can do—and a resource for teaching your employers and clients all about it. For CPAs in industry, public practice, education and government.