Essential insights into Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), financial statement preparation, and professional bookkeeping. Discover guides for maintaining financial transparency and business health.
How can you tell a Social Security imposter scam from a real government contact? The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG) issued a fresh warning in 2026 about a rising imposter scam: criminals impersonate real federal employees by harvesting names from social media and sending doctored badge photos to “verify” their…
How does the IRS Offer in Compromise work, and how do you avoid OIC mills? An IRS Offer in Compromise (OIC) is a legally-binding agreement between a taxpayer and the IRS to settle outstanding tax debt for less than the full amount owed. You apply with Form 656-B (Offer in Compromise Booklet) plus a $205…
Who qualifies for the No Tax on Tips deduction under the final regulations? The Treasury and IRS issued final regulations on April 10, 2026 (IR-2026-49) implementing the “No Tax on Tips” deduction under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Workers in 70+ occupations on the Treasury Tipped Occupation Code (TTOC) list can deduct qualified…
What does ASU 2023-05 require for joint venture formation accounting? Under FASB Accounting Standards Update 2023-05, joint ventures must record assets received and liabilities assumed at fair value at the formation date — adopting a new basis of accounting on day one. The guidance is in new Subtopic 805-60 and is effective prospectively for any…
What did the FASB decide on equity method targeted improvements at the May 13, 2026 Board meeting? The FASB tentatively decided to apply a single “significant influence” threshold for the equity method regardless of entity type, remove the 20% presumption, broaden the board-of-directors indicator to functionally-equivalent governing bodies, and require general-partner significant-influence treatment for noncontrolling…
What is the SEC’s proposed semiannual reporting framework? On May 5, 2026 the SEC proposed rules allowing public companies to opt into semiannual reporting via a new Form 10-S — replacing three Form 10-Q filings per year with one mid-year report. Quarterly remains the default; semiannual is an annual opt-in election made on the cover…
What is ASU 2023-09 and how are companies handling the new income tax disclosures in their first year? ASU 2023-09 requires public business entities to disclose an eight-category income tax rate reconciliation in both percentages and dollar amounts, plus jurisdictional disaggregation by state and country — and Fortune 500 first-year adoption shows California and Canada…
What are the latest AI disclosures 10-K trends among Fortune 500 companies? 95% of Fortune 500 registrants now disclose AI-related matters in their 10-Ks (up from 84%), with Risk Factors leading at 95% — and the SEC is signaling a shift in focus toward AI governance, explainability, and emerging fraud risks. If you’re drafting your…
How should businesses account for government grants under US GAAP? US GAAP has no comprehensive standard for business government grants, so entities apply an accounting policy by analogy — typically IAS 20 (deferred income or net asset reduction), ASC 958-605 contribution model, or revenue recognition — and now must comply with ASU 2024-04’s enhanced disclosure…
What is the new PIK dividends measurement rule under ASU 2026-01? Issuers must measure paid-in-kind dividends on equity-classified preferred stock by multiplying the stated PIK dividend rate by the liquidation preference of the shares — eliminating the prior diversity in practice between discretionary and nondiscretionary approaches. On April 23, 2026 the FASB issued ASU 2026-01,…
