News from Your Accounting Association CPAmerica Advantage Tax in the Tropics CPAmerica members head to the islands for the 2014 Tax Conference T his year’s Tax Conference finds our members heading for the tropics this fall. Members will meet in the capital of Puerto Rico, San Juan, and catch PERLA up on the latest tax regulations and best practices in tax practice management. and Local Tax/Jordan Goodman, Sessions/Speakers - 2014 Tax Conference ◆ Nuts and Bolts of IRS Audits and Update Regarding New IDRs/Chuck Rettig, P.C. ◆ The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in State IPA's Best of the Best and more P. 2 Member News P. 3 Inside Tax - Linda Harding P. 4 ◆ Cross-Border Transactions: Where Tax and Immigration Meet/ Sean King, and Laura Edgerton, ◆ 2015 Outlook: Employer Responsibilities under the Affordable Care Act/Patricia Moran, The accommodations at this year’s LA HACIENDA SIESTA ALEGRE conference are stunning – meeting spaces and rooms are at the elegant La Concha Resort. The stylish and sophisticated resort boasts beautiful views of Condado ◆ National Taxpayer Advocate Priorities/ Beach and is home to Perla, a luxury Nina Olson, seafood restaurant, located in an iconic shell surrounded by a reflection pool. ◆ Repair Regs/ David Strong and Ed Meyette, Meetings are set for November 10-12 ◆ Working the Period and Accounting and entertainment includes attendance Method Changes to Your Client’s Advantage/ to two receptions and the special event at David Strong and Ed Meyette, La Hacienda Siesta Alegre. The Hacienda, ◆ Trusts and Estate Planning: A Trustworthy located on a horse ranch, has breathtaking views of the Puerto Rican rainforest’s Guide to Trusts/ Sam Donaldson, mountain range. Cocktails, dinner and entertainment will all be provided. ◆ Net Investment Income Tax/Steve Siegel, The early bird deadline for the Tax Conference is Friday, October 10; the complete agenda and enrollment information can be found on the events calendar of CPAmerica’s members-only website. Contact Lisa Browne at: lbrowne@ cpamerica.org to register or for more information. october 2014 ◆ Tax Reform and Legislative Update/Steve Miller, CPAmerica member firms among the 2014 Best Accounting Firms to Work For Three CPAmerica firm were named to the annual list of Best Accounting Firms to Work For by Accounting Today in partnership with Best Companies Group. We would like to congratulate: Bethesda, Md., firm ; Austin, Texas firm, See Best Firms, continued on page 2 reach your expert services team One of the benefits of membership in your association is having access to an Expert Services team. They are specialists and are available to help answer your firm's complex questions. For tax questions, you can contact Linda Harding, Director of Tax at: 352727-4141 or email: lharding@ cpamerica.org For A&A questions, you can contact Art Winstead, Director of A&A at: 336-5532304 or email: [email protected] Best Firms, continued from front ; and West Des Moines, Iowa firm, The annual survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best employers in the accounting profession. us to better serve our clients across the region and the country.” Deeter LLC, acquire Kingery & Crouse , will Chuck Crouse, co-founder of continue to transition his workload as he prepares to retire so he can spend more time with his family and pursue passions outside the practice of public accounting. , an IPA Top 100 firm, recently acquired the Tampa, Florida-based CPA firm, . “The Tampa market represents a vibrant, growing business environment and we are truly excited to be joining the professional community,” said Seth McDaniel, managing partner of . “By establishing our Tampa office, will now have a presence in three states across the Southeast, enabling will become The partners at partners with Mark Kingery, co-founder of , becoming the managing partner of the Tampa location. Mike Hendricks, the co-head of the Frazier Tax Practice, will relocate from Atlanta, Ga. to Tampa, Fla. Frazier will start to grow their local tax and audit practice in the Tampa area. McDaniel said that their plan is to double the size of the Tampa office within the next several years. “We are excited to be joined by the experienced professionals of Kingery & Crouse, who have a long history of outstanding service in the Tampa market,” said McDaniel. “We believe we are in position to become a significant resource for the business community and I am looking forward to Frazier & Deeter to becoming an active participant in the broader Tampa community.” Inside Public Accounting names CPAmerica firms to their 2014 Best of the Best, Top 100, and Top 200 firms lists Since 1994, INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) has named the top 50 Best of the Best Firms in the U.S. Selected and ranked exclusively on performance in specific areas of management, these 50 firms are the most successful in the profession. CPAmerica is proud to include so many of our member firms to this year's winners. Chandler, Ariz.; and WHEELER WOLFENDEN & DWARES PA / Wilmington, Del. 2014 IPA Best of the Best Firms - AKT LLP CPAS AND BUSINESS CONSULTANTS / Salem, Ore.; FRAZIER & DEETER LLC/ Atlanta, Ga.; KASSOUF & CO. / Birmingham, Ala.; MAXWELL LOCKE & RITTER LLP / Austin, Texas; and TPP CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS LLC / Overland Park, Kan. IPA Ranking of the Largest 200 Firms - (#147) GELMAN ROSENBERG & FREEDMAN CPAS / Bethesda, Md.; (#151) VONLEHMAN & COMPANY INC. / Fort Mitchell, Ky.; (#175) MAXWELL LOCKE & RITTER LLP / Austin, Texas; and (#196) GRAY GRAY & GRAY LLP / Westwood, Mass. 2014 IPA Best of the Best Firms Under $5 Million - BRADLEY CONSULTING GROUP PC / Lakewood, Colo.; GYL DECAUWER LLP / Ontario, Calif.; KENTNER SELLERS LLP / Vandalia, Ohio; WALLACE PLESE + DREHER LLP / 2 IPA Ranking of the Largest 100 Firms - (#71) FRAZIER & DEETER LLC / Atlanta, Ga.; (#81) HONKAMP KRUEGER & CO. PC / Dubuque, Iowa; and (#89) AKT LLP CPAS AND BUSINESS CONSULTANTS / Salem, Ore. Member News N&K CPAs, Inc. names two new principals to their firm Honolulu, Hawaii-member firm, , recently announced the addition of two new principals to the firm. Dwayne S. Takeno, CPA and Lawrence M.T. Chew, CPA, were recently named to their new roles. Takeno graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's in accounting. He went on to earn a master's of business administration from the University of DWAYNE S. TAKENO Hawaii at Manoa. Takeno has more than 21 years of experience in public accounting and is versed in providing audit, accounting and management consulting services to clients in the construction, nonprofit, government, and commercial industries. Takeno is a member of the AICPA, the Hawaii Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Association of Government Accountants. Chew graduated from the University of San Francisco with a bachelor's degree in accounting. He has more than 30 years of public accounting experience in LAWRENCE M.T. CHEW providing audit, accounting, and management consulting services to clients in the real estate development, retail, construction, government and nonprofit industries. Chew is also a member of the AICPA and the Hawaii Society of Certified Public Accountants. Wegner CPAs welcomes two new staff members Madison, Wis. firm announced the addition of Melodi Bunting and Joe O’Connor to the firm. Bunting joined Wegner CPAs as a staff accountant in the Assurance Department. She comes to the firm with more than 10 years of experience teaching college accounting courses at the college level. O'Connor has joined Wegner CPAs as a staff accountant in the Assurance Department. He recently graduated with a degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. Both Bunting and O'Connor will work with the firm's tax-exempt clients in the areas of auditing, accounting and tax return preparation. Miller elected as treasurer of Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce W. Thomas Miller III, principal of Fairfax, Va.-based member firm, , has been elected treasurer of the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce. Within this position, Miller serves as an officer of the Executive Board and head of the Finance Committee. The Dulles Regional Chamber W. THOMAS MILLER III of Commerce is located in one of the top technology corridors in the nation, serving the Dulles Region. As one of the largest chambers in the D.C. metro area, the Dulles Chamber works to increase business for members, to support education, workforce initiatives, economic development, and to partner with the communities they serve. Lansdale, Pa. member firm announce new MBA, new employee , announced recently that Jennifer L. Landis, CPA completed her master's of business administration with a concentration in accounting from Delaware Valley College. Landis is an account manager with the firm and resides in Souderton, Pa. with her family. The firm also announced that Shawn Leo recently joined the firm as a staff accountant. Leo is a graduate of West Chester University where he earned a bachelor's in accounting. He currently resides in Harleysville, Pa. and is a member of the Jaycees. BS&P announces two promotions Buffalo, N.Y. member firm, , announced in September the recent promotion of Alison Clohessy, CPA and Peter Ruocco, CPA to manager. Clohessy has six years ALISON CLOHESSY of experience with the firm. Clohessy received her master’s of business administration in accounting from Canisius College. She is a member of the AICPA and the NYSSCPA. Ruocco graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo where he earned both a bachelor's and a master's in business administration. Ruocco has five years of PETER RUOCCO experience with the firm and is a member of the AICPA and the NYSSCPA. Sol Schwartz & Associates offers scholarship awards , with headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, will present their annual $2,500 scholarship award to an outstanding accounting college student in the San Antonio area. Established in 2005 in honor of their 25th anniversary, will continue to offer $25,000 in scholarships over the course of 10 years. Ohio firm, Kentner Sellers, volunteers help out in their community Staff from Kentner Sellers, LLP helped support the House of Bread community kitchen in Dayton, Ohio by sending volunteers to help prepare and serve a free lunch to those in need. The House of Bread is a nonprofit that prevents hunger for thousands of people by offering free lunchtime meals. Looking to give back to the community, Kentner Sellers employees volunteered to spend a day helping at the House of Bread. IMPROVE YOUR FIRM'S MARKETING EFFORTS CPAmerica Advantage welcomes articles, member news, and letters to the editor from our readers. The Advantage newsletter is a great and easy way to market your firm, and is a part of membership. To submit, send to: [email protected] 3 Inside Tax: Member Tax Resource Reminder Since I have heard from some of our members that they were unaware of some of the tax related expertise available LINDA HARDING, to our members, DIRECTOR OF TAX I thought I’d take this opportunity to remind you of the various service providers with whom we have relationships. Our tax preferred providers and consultants have been selected based on several criteria. In order to be considered, a provider must come with at least one member firm recommendation. I perform some due diligence on the company by speaking with them and reviewing their website. The final decision to add a provider is voted upon by a committee of members. The following is a summary of our providers: • Research and Development Tax Credits—Calculation, documentation, and substantiation of R&D tax credits for companies of all sizes and across all industries. • Cost Segregation Studies—Studies supporting the segregation of costs from long-lived assets such as buildings to components with shorter lives resulting in accelerated depreciation utilizing an engineering or appraisal approach. • National Tax Advisory—Haynes and Boone is an international corporate law firm with offices around the country. Our members may consult briefly with their tax attorneys without charge. • International Tax—we have two international tax attorneys who have helped many of our members with inbound and outbound tax issues and structuring questions. • FBAR/FATCA—Assistance with amnesty options including voluntary disclosures. • New Markets Tax Credits - The credit is helpful for developers and investors by providing financing for new or rehabilitated construction of commercial or mixed-use properties, and loans to businesses in low-income communities. • Energy Efficient Buildings Deduction-Federal and state tax laws provide incentives for alternative energy creation and use, and for incorporating “green” technologies into commercial buildings. • Employment Tax Credits—federal and state tax credits for specified categories of workers. Investment Trusts and much more. To further the expertise available to our members, we have recently announced an alliance available with Crowe Horwath’s National Tax Office (NTO). Crowe’s NTO has approximately 25 dedicated personnel with expertise in accounting periods and methods, tax controversy, ASC 740, information reporting, mergers and acquisitions, pass-through taxation and more. As part of these offerings, Crowe has agreed to make available for purchase the tools they developed to implement the tangible personal property regulations. The rest of the CPAmerica staff and I are constantly looking for resources for you. If you know of a particularly helpful resource to your firm, please let us know. In addition to the above providers, our members have a lot of expertise! We have members who have expertise in low-income housing credits, ASC 740, Captive Insurance, Cooperatives, inpat/ expat taxation, transfer pricing, fixedasset impairment studies, Real Estate International Group Meeting Atlanta, Georgia Dec. 3-4 For more info, log in at: www.cpamerica. org > news-events > read more 104 N. Main St. Gainesville, FL 32601 (352) 727-4070 www.cpamerica.org Send feedback and member CPAmerica Tax Conference [email protected] San Juan, Puerto Rico Nov. 10-12 For more info, log in at: www.cpamerica. org > news-events > read more 4 follow us on our social media: