Trusted Professional

Regulatory Roundup - May 4-10

AICPA

Press Release
AICPA Submits International Tax Recommendations to Congress to Simplify and Correct Existing Provisions

AICPA submitted recommendations on international tax positions to Congressional financial committees to address legislative proposals and statutory provisions requiring modification.
May 7, 2021

Press Release

AICPA Provides Tax Reminders as Postponed May 17 Deadline Draws Near

The AICPA is helping taxpayers with steps to take before finalizing their tax returns or extension requests as the postponed May 17th deadline draws near.

May 6, 2021

Press Release

AICPA’s Releases New Certificate on Data Analytics Core Concepts

New AICPA data analytics certificate can help CPAs and financial professionals better understand how to use and implement data analytics.

May 6, 2021

Press Release

AICPA Recognizes Outstanding CPA Exam Performers with 2020 Elijah Watt Sells Award

The American Institute of CPAs today announced the winners of the 2020 Elijah Watt Sells Award. The winners were honored for their performance on the CPA Exam.

May 5, 2021

Press Release

A Quarter of American Taxpayers Don’t Have a Financial Plan

New research from the AICPA explores how many Americans use the information in the tax return to build a financial plan.

May 4, 2021

 

CBO

Cost Estimate

H.R. 1464, Saudi Arabia Accountability for Gross Violations of Human Rights Act

May 7, 2021

As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on March 25, 2021

Cost Estimate

H.R. 1488, Global Electoral Exchange Act of 2021

May 7, 2021

As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on April 21, 2021

Presentation

The Historical Decline in Real Interest Rates and Its Implications for CBO’s Projections

May 6, 2021

Presentation by Edward Gamber, an analyst in CBO's Macroeconomic Analysis Division, at the 23rd Federal Forecasters Conference.

Report

Expired and Expiring Authorizations of Appropriations: Fiscal Year 2021

May 5, 2021

CBO reports annually on programs whose authorizations of appropriations have already expired or will expire.

Cost Estimate

H.R. 1036, Bassam Barabandi Rewards for Justice Act

May 4, 2021

As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on April 21, 2021

Cost Estimate

H.R. 496, Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act

May 4, 2021

As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on April 21, 2021

Cost Estimate
H.R. 2538, FENTANYL Results Act
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on April 21, 2021

Cost Estimate
H.R. 826, Divided Families Reunification Act
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on April 21, 2021

FASB

FASB Proposes to Improve and Expand Hedge Accounting  [05/05/21]
Media Advisory
Exposure Document

GAO

Defense Intelligence and Security

DOD Needs to Establish Oversight Expectations and to Develop Tools That Enhance Accountability

GAO-21-295

Published: May 06, 2021.

Publicly Released: May 06, 2021.

What GAO Found The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security (the office) gained new responsibilities from 2017 through 2020—including in the areas of artificial intelligence, law enforcement, personnel vetting, and identity intelligence—and made structural changes within...

Nuclear Triad

DOD and DOE Face Challenges Mitigating Risks to U.S. Deterrence Efforts

GAO-21-210

Published: May 06, 2021.

Publicly Released: May 06, 2021.

What GAO Found The Department of Defense (DOD) plans to replace or modernize existing triad platforms including submarines, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and bomber aircraft, as well as many of the nuclear command, control, and communication systems that facilitate control of them (see below).

Domestic Abuse

Actions Needed to Enhance DOD's Prevention, Response, and Oversight

GAO-21-289

Published: May 06, 2021.

Publicly Released: May 06, 2021.

What GAO Found The Department of Defense (DOD) met a statutory requirement to collect and report data for incidents that it determined met its criteria for domestic abuse.

Released on May. 5, 2021

Disaster Recovery

HUD Should Take Additional Action to Assess Community Development Block Grant Fraud Risks

GAO-21-177

Published: May 05, 2021.

Publicly Released: May 05, 2021.

What GAO Found GAO identified four categories of fraud risks facing the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from 2007 to 2020, including risks from contractors, disaster recovery applicants, grantees, and others, as shown...

Veterans Affairs

Use of Additional Funding for COVID-19 Relief

GAO-21-379

Published: May 05, 2021.

Publicly Released: May 05, 2021.

What GAO Found The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) received $19.6 billion in supplemental funding—additional funding above the annual appropriation—in March 2020 to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. GAO's analysis of VA data shows that through March 2021, VA had obligated $9.

Released on May. 4, 2021

Management Report

Internal Revenue Service Needs to Improve Financial Reporting and Information System Controls

GAO-21-401R

Published: May 04, 2021.

Publicly Released: May 04, 2021.

What GAO Found During its audit of the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) fiscal years 2020 and 2019 financial statements, GAO identified new information system control deficiencies related to access controls and security management that contributed to IRS’s continuing significant deficiency in its...


Farm Programs
USDA Should Take Additional Steps to Ensure Compliance with Wetland Conservation Provisions

GAO-21-241
Published: Apr 02, 2021.
Publicly Released: May 04, 2021.
What GAO Found The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has taken steps to increase the consistency of their determinations about where wetlands exist on farmers' lands

Comment Letter
May 3, 2021, letter commenting on the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants' January 2021 Exposure Draft, "Proposed Revisions to the Definitions of Listed Entity and Public Interest Entity in the Code"

Published: May 03, 2021.
Publicly Released: May 04, 2021.
This letter provides GAO's response to the exposure draft, Proposed Revisions to the Definitions of Listed Entity and Public Interest Entity in the Code. GAO promulgates generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS) in the United States.

IASB 

Call for fieldwork participants: Exposure Draft Disclosure Requirements in IFRS Standards—A Pilot Approach
7 May 2021

IASB clarifies the accounting for deferred tax on leases and decommissioning obligations

7 May 2021

Webcast: Explicando el Documento de Discusión Combinaciones de Negocios bajo Control Común

4 May 2021

IRS

Reminder to tax-exempt organizations: 990s, other forms due on May 17; information and tools available to help

IR-2021-104, May 7, 2021 — The Internal Revenue Service today reminds tax-exempt organizations that operate on a calendar-year (CY) basis that certain annual information and tax returns they file with the IRS are due on May 17, 2021. 

More than 1.1 million additional Economic Impact Payments disbursed under the American Rescue Plan; payments total approximately 164 million

IR-2021-103, May 5, 2021 — Today, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they are disbursing more than 1.1 million payments in the eighth batch of Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan.

IRS announces use of Projected Contract Award Date web app that predicts when contracts will be signed

IR-2021-102, May 5, 2021 — The Internal Revenue Service’s Office of the Chief Procurement Officer today announced the successful development of a web app called Projected Contract Award Date.

As hurricane season nears, IRS reminds people to prepare for natural disasters 

IR-2021-101, May 4, 2021 — The Internal Revenue Service reminds everyone that May includes National Hurricane Preparedness Week and is also National Wildfire Awareness Month.

Low Income Taxpayer Clinic 2022 grant application period now open

IR-2021-100, May 3, 2021 — The Internal Revenue Service today announced that the application period for Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) matching grants for calendar year 2022 will run from May 3, 2021, to June 18, 2021.

PCAOB

PCAOB provides update on data and technology research project.

May 6, 2021

PCAOB to consider proposed rule to provide framework for HFCAA determinations.
May 7, 2021

SEC

SEC Approves Registration of First Security-Based Swap Data Repository; Sets the First Compliance Date for Regulation SBSR

2021-80, May 7, 2021 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it has approved the registration of its first security-based swap data repository (SDR). With today’s registration of DTCC Data Repository (U.S.), LLC (DDR), the security-based swap market now has the first SDR that can accept transaction reports. DDR intends to operate as a registered SDR for security-based swap transactions in the equity, credit, and interest rate derivatives asset classes

Register for the SEC's 40th Annual Small Business Forum, Featuring Inclusive Conversations on Capital Formation from Startup to Small Cap

2021-79, May 5, 2021 — The Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation will host the Securities and Exchange Commission's 40th Annual Government-Business Forum on Small Business Capital Formation virtually from May 24-27, 2021.  Each of the four sessions will feature panelists with in-depth knowledge of the issues facing small businesses across the country, spotlighting the following topics:
Monday, May 24:       Finding Your First Dollars
Tuesday, May 25:       Being a Savvy Investor
Wednesday, May 26:  Small and Emerging Funds
Thursday, May 27:     Small Cap Insights

SEC Charges Under Armour Inc. With Disclosure Failures
2021-78, May 3, 2021 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged sports apparel manufacturer Under Armour Inc. with misleading investors as to the bases of its revenue growth and failing to disclose known uncertainties concerning its future revenue prospects. Under Armour has agreed to pay $9 million to settle the action.

Jessica Wachter Named SEC Chief Economist and Director of the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis
2021-77, May 3, 2021 —The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Jessica Wachter has been appointed Chief Economist and Director of the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis (DERA). Dr. Wachter joins the SEC from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, where she has been a professor since 2003.

TIGTA

Interim Results of the 2021 Filing Season
May 6, 2021​

Interim Report – Status of Coronavirus Response Funding
May 5, 2021

Internal Controls and Oversight in Criminal Investigation’s Fleet Management Program Can Be Improved
May 5, 2021