In response to the economic challenges brought by the COVID-19 crisis to the executive compensation landscape, significant enforcement actions from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and International Shareholders Services (ISS) concerning design, implementation, and disclosure are expected to bring complexities to businesses.
With today’s major economic recession faced by businesses due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) continues to be an attractive option for companies seeking to address the need for succession planning to sustain competitive advantage in the market and looking to provide their employees with an ownership interest through a retirement plan.
The global transfer pricing landscape has been in flux over the past years. Key factors driving change include intensified enforcement by tax authorities, changes to international tax rules, new case law, the impact of digitalization in the economy, and the COVID-19 crisis. With all these complexities and challenges, it is imperative for multinational enterprises (MNEs) and their counsel to be acquainted with the legal updates and governing compliance principles in this area of law to ensure sound compliance and abate potential exposure to legal risks.
In response to the uncertainties brought by the COVID-19 crisis, congress had passed several economic relief opportunities for distressed companies significantly impacted by the pandemic. However, along with these opportunities are heightened levels of scrutiny and enforcement efforts from the government to root out potential fraud under the False Claims Act (FCA) against companies taking advantage of these funds.
Section 363 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is a significant tool for distressed companies seeking to sell their assets. It also provides potential buyers the chance to purchase assets at a bargain price and free of liens through the bankruptcy process. However, though the Section 363 sale process provides several opportunities to both debtor and creditor, the risks associated with acquiring a distressed business should always be underscored.
The rising popularity of cryptocurrency constantly brings profound transformations in payment transactions. Every day, more and more businesses turn to cryptocurrency because of its decentralized structure, efficient transaction flow, and low operation cost. However, as new regulatory frameworks arise, companies relying on cryptocurrency become prone to government crackdowns and are exposed to legal and financial hurdles.
The International Trade Commission (ITC) is continuing its efforts to develop effective alternative procedures to continuously conduct Section 337 investigations even amidst the growing impact of the pandemic.
For most public companies, the adoption deadline for Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB’s) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) has already passed. Their focus now shifts from adoption to quarterly reporting under the new lease accounting standard. Private companies, however, are still preparing for their implementation of the new ASC 842 leases and should learn from public companies’ experience.
As threats of bribery and corrupt practices rise globally, emerging developments continue to have a major effect on the current legislation landscape. On July 3, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released the second edition of its resource guide for the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
In this LIVE Webcast, a panel of thought leaders and professionals brought together by The Knowledge Group will provide and present an in-depth analysis of the fundamentals as well as recent developments in How to Mitigate and Manage Third-Party Risks: Leveraging Tools and Best Practices. Speakers will also present all important issues surrounding this significant topic. Join us for this Knowledge Group Webinar!
The scheduled phase-out of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) by the end of 2021 is currently posing significant transition challenges for banks and all concerned individuals. Furthermore, ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (IBA) announced last December 2020 the extension of U.S. dollar (USD) LIBOR through June 2023, creating a change in the LIBOR transition process and opening more ambiguities in managing USD contracts.
Today’s workplace can be a minefield for professional accountants because of the many behavioral expectations and higher ethical standards. To help CPAs overcome current and new ethical dilemmas, codes of professional conduct promulgated by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and other major organizations are continuously enhanced. This underscores the importance of ethical conduct to ensure that public trust is protected and strengthened across various accounting roles and activities. Thus, accountants should be well-versed with updated ethical guidelines and principles and be able to apply them in everyday situations.
With constant production of over 50 live Continuing Professional Education (CPE) webinars each year, we’ve covered nearly every topic in Tax, Accounting, and Finance that is relevant to your practice area.
With constant production of over 50 online CPE courses each year, we’ve covered nearly every topic in Tax, Accounting, & Finance that is relevant to your practice area.
Financial transactions, shareholder disputes, and strategic planning and are only some of the contexts in which business valuation plays an important, and often contested, role. Shifting financial conditions and evolving regulatory landscapes add to these complexities. As a result, it is important to understand and implement the key components of any valuation engagement. Furthermore, advisors can avoid blind spots in their analyses and mitigate risk by efficiently addressing important aspects of the valuation process.
