AICPA

Press Release

Relationship Intimacy Being Crushed by Financial Tension: AICPA Survey

A new 'Love & Money' survey has found that nearly 3 in 4 married or cohabitating Americans say financial decisions are ever a source of tension in their relationship.

February 4, 2021

Press Release

AICPA’s Proposed New Quality Management Standards Aim to Enhance and Maintain a CPA Firm’s Audit Quality

The standards offer a new proactive, risk-based approach to effective quality management systems within CPA firms, which will improve the scalability of the standards and promote a system tailored to the firm and its engagements.

February 4, 2021

Press Release

AICPA Urges the Small Business Administration to Address Small Businesses’ Significant Challenges with PPP Loan Application System

There are significant operational, system and communication challenges that must be quickly addressed for PPP to succeed as intended

February 3, 2021

CBO

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GAO

Venezuela:

Additional Tracking Could Aid Treasury's Efforts to Mitigate Any Adverse Impacts U.S. Sanctions Might Have on Humanitarian Assistance

GAO-21-239: Published: Feb 4, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 8, 2021.
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DOD Health Care:

DOD Should Monitor Implementation of Its Clinical Practice Guidelines

GAO-21-237: Published: Feb 5, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 5, 2021.
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Medicaid:

CMS Needs to Implement Risk-Based Oversight of Puerto Rico's Procurement Process

GAO-21-229: Published: Feb 5, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 5, 2021.
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VA Health Care:

Community Living Centers Were Commonly Cited for Infection Control Deficiencies Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic

GAO-21-195R: Published: Jan 6, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 5, 2021.
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Federal Research Grants:

OMB Should Take Steps to Establish the Research Policy Board

GAO-21-232R:Published: Feb 3, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 3, 2021.
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Fixed-Price-Incentive Contracts:

DOD Has Increased Their Use but Should Assess Contributions to Outcomes

GAO-21-181:Published: Feb 3, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 3, 2021.
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2018 Pacific Island Disasters:

Federal Actions Helped Facilitate the Response, but FEMA Needs to Address Long-Term Recovery Challenges

GAO-21-91:Published: Feb 3, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 3, 2021.
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Disaster Resilience:

FEMA Should Take Additional Steps to Streamline Hazard Mitigation Grants and Assess Program Effects

GAO-21-140:Published: Feb 2, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 2, 2021.

Department of Energy:

February 2021 IASB meeting papers and agenda now available

05 February 2021

IASB discusses covid-19-related rent concessions at supplementary February 2021 Board meeting

05 February 2021

Webinar for national standard-setters on the Request for Information Post-implementation Review of IFRS 10, IFRS 11 and IFRS 12—recording now available

05 February 2021

Webinar on Discussion Paper Business Combinations under Common Control—recording now available

03 February 2021

Webinar recordings now available: how can academics inform post-implementation reviews of IFRS 9 and IFRS 16?

03 February 2021

IFRS Taxonomy 2020 now available in Korean

02 February 2021

IFRS Foundation Trustees announce next steps in response to broad demand for global sustainability standards

02 February 2021

January 2021 monthly news summary
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IRS

Beware of "ghost" preparers who don’t sign tax returns

IR-2021-30, February 5, 2021 — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers to avoid “ghost” tax return preparers whose refusal to sign returns can cause a frightening array of problems.

IRS names Maloy as director of Taxpayer First Act Office

IR-2021-29, February 5, 2021 — The Internal Revenue Service today named Heather C. Maloy to the position of director, Taxpayer First Act Office. She will report directly to the IRS Commissioner in her new role.

Educators can now deduct out-of-pocket expenses for COVID-19 protective items 

IR-2021-28, February 4, 2021 — Eligible educators can deduct unreimbursed expenses for COVID-19 protective items to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the classroom.

NYS

Superintendent Lacewell Announces DFS Issues Cybersecurity Insurance Risk Framework
February 4, 2021​

Superintendent Lacewell Announces DFS Approves Two New Bank Branches
February 4, 2021​

Governor Cuomo Announces Findings of New York Investigation of Redlining in Buffalo
February 4, 2021​

​Superintendent Lacewell Announces DFS Approves New Bank Branch

February 3, 2021

Governor Cuomo Reminds Surrogates and Parents of their New Insurance Rights and Protections During Gestational Surrogacy
February 3, 2021​

SEC

Kelly L. Gibson Named Acting Deputy Director of Division of Enforcement
2021-27, Feb. 5, 2021 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Kelly L. Gibson, currently the Director of the Philadelphia Regional Office, has been named the Acting Deputy Director of the Division of Enforcement.

Katherine K. Martin, Associate Director in the Office of International Affairs, to leave SEC
2021-26, Feb. 5, 2021 —The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Katherine K. Martin, Associate Director in the Office of International Affairs, will leave the agency in February after 15 years of public service.
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SEC Requests Comment on Potential Money Market Fund Reform Options Highlighted in President’s Working Group Report

2021-25, Feb. 4, 2021 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today published a request for public comment on potential reform measures to improve the resilience of money market funds as highlighted in a report of the President's Working Group on Financial Markets issued in December 2020.

SEC Charges Investment Adviser and Others With Defrauding Over 17,000 Retail Investors

2021-24, Feb. 4, 2021 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged three individuals and their affiliated entities with running a Ponzi-like scheme that raised over $1.7 billion from securities issued by a New York-based asset management firm and registered investment adviser, GPB Capital.  The SEC also charged GPB Capital with violating the whistleblower protection laws.

SEC Charges Former Executives of San Francisco Bay Area Company With Accounting Violations

2021-23, Feb. 2, 2021 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Joseph Jackson and Colm Callan, respectively the former CEO and CFO of WageWorks Inc. with making false and misleading statements and omissions, including to the company’s auditors, that resulted in the company’s improper recognition of revenue related to a contract with a large public-sector client. The settlements with both individuals include reimbursement of certain incentive-based compensation from the period during which the misconduct took place.

SEC Charges Three Individuals in Digital Asset Frauds
2021-22, Feb. 1, 2021 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged three individuals with defrauding hundreds of retail investors out of more than $11 million through two fraudulent and unregistered digital asset securities offerings.

Acting Chair Allison Herren Lee Announces Executive Staff
2021-21, Feb. 1, 2021 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today released a roster of the executive staff for Acting Chair Allison Herren Lee. The executive staff is responsible for advising the Chair on matters before the Commission, working closely with agency staff, and helping the Chair perform all day-to-day operations needed to fulfill the SEC’s mission.

Satyam Khanna Named Senior Policy Advisor for Climate and ESG
2021-20, Feb. 1, 2021 —The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that Satyam Khanna will serve as Senior Policy Advisor for Climate and ESG in the office of Acting Chair Allison Herren Lee. In this new role, Mr. Khanna will advise the agency on environmental, social, and governance matters and advance related new initiatives across its offices and divisions.

John Coates Named Acting Director of the Division of Corporation Finance
2021-19, Feb. 1, 2021 —The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that John Coates will serve as Acting Director of the agency’s Division of Corporation Finance.