Surgent McCoy's Best Federal Tax Updates

In a business world that is frequently shifting and changing, this course is essential for every successful practitioner. Not only will you be updated on the most important tax issues that will require your attention in 2009, but this course will also review the major trends and changes in the case and regulatory law.  Just a few of the topics to be discussed are listed below:

What Value! Just $155 for 8 hours of CPE!

• Explore complete legislative developments: what they mean to individuals and businesses
• Planning in an era of changing tax brackets and rates
• Understand estate and gift tax: is there another big change?
• Find out about dividends: the 0% solution
• Study travel and entertainment: what can be deducted
• Review retirement distributions: timing is everything
• Discover recent developments with business entities, including C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies
• Find out about self-employment and other payroll tax issues
• Study practice aids, including the 2009 inflation-adjusted amounts, mileage rates, and more

CPA Firm Referral Webpage

The CPA Referral Service is a database designed to help individuals and businesses find a Certified Public Accountant to assist them with a variety of services.

When a business or individual needs to find a CPA firm, they contact the CPA Referral Service by either calling the Society or by visiting our web site. The database allows a person or business to search for a CPA firm by choosing a location and any combination of 60+ service sectors as criteria. Once their criteria are entered, the database quickly produces matches to meet their needs.

As tax season approaches, we encourage our public accounting members to participate in this referral program at no cost to your firm.

For more information on the benefits of being included in the CPA Referral Website, click here, or call Shanna Jackson at (800) 227-1711.

Business & Industry e-Zine

Two weeks ago, Business & Industry CPAs welcomed the first edition of the Business and Industry e-zine The Balance Sheet.   The Balance Sheet is a quarterly e-zine just for B&I Members, full of informative articles categorized by the tasks you perform every day.  The articles are all original material, authored by ASCPA members and Friends of the Society.  Editor Ron Box has done a masterful job of creating this communication vehicle as part of the ASCPA’s revitalized Business and Industry Committee.  The committee is also responsible for the planning of the Business and Industry Conference, to be held in spring 2010. 

View the newest edition: The Balance Sheet

Member Coordinating Project for Preemies

During the holiday season many of us think about helping someone outside our own family circle.  The ASCPA family recently learned of a project, initiated by Amanda Snead of the Northeast Chapter, to benefit babies in the Children's Hospital of Alabama neo-natal intensive care unit.

Amanda and her husband Craig became parents of twin girls on February 23, 2009.  They were premature, not unusual for twins.  The twins were diagnosed with trisomy 13, a genetic disorder associated with the presence of extra material from chromosome 13. The syndrome involves multiple abnormalities, many of which are not compatible with life.  Over the next seven weeks, the Sneads and their families spent as much time at the NICU as possible, holding the girls.  Catie passed within seven days while Addie joined her sister on April 11.

As you can imagine, Amanda and Craig were overwhelmed by what was happening to their babies.  In the midst of their grief, however, one thing stood out.  The nursing staff at Children’s were going way beyond their professional responsibilities to care for these very ill children.  They had what Amanda termed a “magic closet” and would bring out outfits, blankets, mobiles, pictures, anything to bring joy and color into the babies lives.  The cribs were decorated with pictures the nurses drew or colored, and Catie and Addie were always dressed in coordinating outfits.  The magic in the closet was from purchases made by the nurses themselves to lift the spirits of all who came to visit.

As a way to continue to remember their darling girls and to honor the nurses who cared for Catie and Addie, the Sneads are giving to Children’s what was given to them:  blankets, outfits, booties, and other items suitable for infants. Amanda, Craig and son Wilson will go to Children’s Hospital on December 19 to deliver their donations.  If you would like to contribute, please send your items to Amanda by December 13th.

Amanda Snead
200 Sherwood Drive
Gadsden, AL  35904

Tax-deductible monetary donations in the names of Catie and Addie Snead may be made directly to the hospital on-line, via the Ways to Give Link: http://foundation.chsys.org/body.cfm?id=13. 

Chapter News

Here is a list of upcoming chapter events...