IN THIS ISSUE:

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS - DBPR Call Center Survey; VoteSmartFlorida.org; Do You Know a Member of the Florida Cabinet or Legislature?

NEWS YOU CAN USE – Coming to Mailboxes Soon: The Latest Issue of Florida CPA Today Magazine

CPE - Newly Expanded Val & Lit Conference Offers Nationally Recognized Speakers; CPAs and Attorneys Come Together at the 23rd Annual International Tax Conference

SECTIONS - Resolve to Get More Involved; Business Technology Survey Available Soon

FLORIDA CPA NETLINK^TM -  Florida CPA NetLink Hosts Online Library; 'Tech Tip': New Year, New Computer

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GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

DBPR Call Center Survey

Have you recently called the Florida Board of Accountancy for information about your CPA license? If so, we want to hear from you.

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) completed a department wide re-engineering project that includes a centralized customer contact call center (850-487-1395) and online licensing system (https://www.myfloridalicense.com) for more than 20 regulated businesses and professions. Within the last three years, the FICPA has conducted two member surveys on the new DBPR call center – one in May 2002 and the second in July 2003. The purpose of these surveys was to collect information about members’ experience with the DBPR call center. 

In an effort to provide feedback to the DBPR on the service licensees received at the call center, the FICPA is asking all members to complete a quick, four-question survey no later than Jan. 10, 2005. All comments on your experience with the DBPR call center are greatly appreciated. 

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VoteSmartFlorida.org

Created as an organization during the 2004 elections to help educate and inform voters about the constitutional amendment process, register voters and provide information on proposed constitutional amendments, VoteSmartFlorida.org is continuing to support efforts to reform Florida’s constitutional amendment process.

For more information on VoteSmartFlorida.org please visit www.votesmartflorida.org.

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Do You Know a Member of the Florida Cabinet or Legislature?

To develop strong grass roots relationships with members of the Florida House of Representatives, Florida Senate and Florida Cabinet, the FICPA has developed the Key Person Contact (KPC) Program. In this program, the “contacts” are Certified Public Accountants who have personal relationships with Florida legislators or Cabinet officials. These CPAs act as liaisons between the FICPA and state officials, creating a line of communication to relay technical and general information regarding legislative issues affecting the CPA profession.

To become a part of the FICPA’s KPC Program, please complete the online form here.

If you have any questions on the governmental affairs topics mentioned above, please call Jennifer J. Green, CAE, the FICPA’s Director of Governmental Affairs, at (850) 224-2727, Ext. 201, or send an e-mail to govaffairs@ficpa.org.

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NEWS YOU CAN USE

Coming to Mailboxes Soon: The Latest Issue of Florida CPA Today Magazine

As enrollments in accounting schools across the nation rise, a new predicament emerges: Will there be enough professors available to teach the students entering these programs? Accounting educators say ensuring faculty ranks are adequate is vital to maintaining the supply of new CPAs. The issue of a looming shortage of accounting professors is explored in the March/April issue of Florida CPA Today.

You’ll also read about Punta Gorda CPA Rex Koch, the FICPA’s 2004 Outstanding CPA in Public Service Award recipient. And you’ll find out about recent actions by House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, and Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, to create the framework for this year’s regular legislative session.

Finally, Weston CPA Jim Spencer, of Grant Thornton LLP, writes about transfer pricing. Look for these stories and more in the latest issue of the magazine scheduled to arrive within the next week.

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CPE

Newly Expanded Val & Lit Conference Offers Nationally Recognized Speakers

Ring in the New Year at the Valuation & Litigation Services Conference to be held Jan. 13-14, at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport Hotel. This newly expanded conference offers the convenience of a one- or two-day registration and up to 16 hours of CPE credit on important topics including business valuation, divorce case law updates and a new full-day, hands-on, in-depth case study.

Improve your valuation and litigation services skills by learning from nationally recognized speakers. Course highlights include:

• Surviving the rigors of cross examination.
• How to perform a detailed analysis of enterprise versus personal goodwill.
• How to value a professional practice under Florida Statute. 
• Tips on handling thorny issues related to unreported income.
• One-on-one question and answer sessions with the experts.

Previous attendees applaud the conference for providing a well-rounded program with new ways to look at business valuations.

Register before Jan. 6 to take advantage of early registration discounts. For more information about this conference, membersmay call the FICPA Member Service Center at (800) 342-3197 (within Florida only) or (850) 224-2727.

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CPAs and Attorneys Come Together at the 23rd Annual International Tax Conference

The FICPA will join The Florida Bar to offer the 23rd Annual International Tax Conference, being held Jan. 20-21, at the JW Marriott Hotel in Miami. The conference provides CPAs and attorneys practicing in the field of international taxation access to state and national representatives from the Internal Revenue Service who will address a host of subjects.

This conference offers two days of “must hear” topics, covering both Outbound and Inbound international tax rules, a field which continues to grow and become more complex with the everyday political and economic changes throughout the world.

Other topics include:

• Outbound Financing Techniques
• Tax Planning for the Ownership, Development and Use of Intellectual Property
• International Transactions and Tax Shelter Issues - A View from the Chief of Counsel

In addition to outstanding topics, the Thursday night reception on Jan. 20, sponsored by the Ansbacher Group, offers an excellent networking opportunity for CPAs and attorneys to discuss current issues.

“What an exciting and stimulating experience,” says Elliot Lowenstein, a CPA in Coral Gables and attendee at last year’s conference. It provided “a unique opportunity to be exposed to an impressive assembly of highly qualified and prestigious professionals.”

For more information about this conference, members may call the FICPA Member Service Center at (800) 342-3197 (within Florida only) or (850) 224-2727.

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SECTIONS

Resolve to Get More Involved

The direction, activities and service priorities of each FICPA Section are determined by its volunteer leaders. Active volunteers enjoy advantages that come through regular contact with accounting professionals statewide and from being among the first to know of emerging practice issues. 

Volunteering has never been easier - members can now sign up online. The six Sections have member teams involved in a range of projects including Web site content development, review of exposure drafts, marketing, listserv discussion support and more. Project opportunities of varying scopes and lengths are available to suit individual member interests.

By signing up for one or more teams, members get the chance to influence Section’s activities and growth while furthering their own professional development. View detailed volunteer descriptions and sign up online here.  After logging in with last name and FICPA member number, members can choose “Volunteer for Member Teams.” 

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Business Technology Survey Available Soon

Attention Business Technology Section members - Your Section leaders need your feedback. To better meet your information technology needs, a short online member survey is being developed. By taking the 10-minute survey, members will help leaders improve the Business Technology Section in the coming year.

Members are asked to look for their personalized survey invitation to arrive via e-mail next week. For more information, please send an e-mail to sections@ficpa.org.

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FLORIDA CPA NETLINK^TM

Florida CPA NetLink Hosts Online Library

You may not have realized this, but the FICPA has a loaning library of free resources just for members. The library includes A&A manuals, the MAP Handbook, practice-development publications and more. Many of these resources are downloadable in PDF format through the FICPA Web site.

Other non-downloadable videos and publications listed on the Web site are loaned upon request by e-mailing the FICPA at communications@ficpa.org. Please include your name and address along with details of the item(s) you would like to borrow. Questions about the library may be directed to the Communications Department at (800) 342-3197 (within Florida only) or (850) 224-2727.

To view the FICPA Library’s Web page, please click here.

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'Tech Tip':  New Year, New Computer

For those who received a new computer over the holidays, or who are considering taking advantage of a post-holiday computer sale, there are a number of things to do to protect your investment. You probably already know that anti-virus and firewall protection are “must haves” for today's computers. However, there are a few other steps you can take now to ensure your computer has a long and productive life.

Step 1: Engraving

To secure against theft, labeling all computer components with a unique identifier is crucial. Computer equipment already is marked with a serial number. Be sure to record and save all these numbers.

Engraving a computer with your unique mark (driver's license or a personal number) is another option, yet it may not be necessary, since each serial number is unique. Check with local police first. If they recommend you inscribe serialized items, engrave this information just above the manufacturer's serial number. Engraving pens are readily available for $15 or less. Frequently, local law enforcement agencies will loan engraving pens to citizens free of charge, or offer other anti-theft identification program services. 

Step 2: Surge Protection

A good surge protector or uninterruptible power supply protects your computer from fluctuations in voltage, especially in lightning-prone Florida. To ensure you have a high-quality surge protector, look for the term “transient voltage surge suppressor,” identified on the packaging. Another indication that a surge protector is up to standard is the Underwriters Laboratory rating (the UL sticker). The minimum rating for surge protectors is UL 1449. Make sure your surge protector offers protection for both electrical and telephone lines.

Step 3: Save All Software Manuals and Installation Codes

Many programs require a serial number or authentication code to finish the installation. If you lose these codes, there may be no way to install the software. Create a file area to store this material and save a lot of time and heartache in the future when you inevitably need to reinstall some of your programs. 

Step 4: Schedule and Perform Regular System Back-Ups

Computer owners should regularly back up all important data. If you happen to be on a home network with two or more computers, you can simply create a duplicate copy of important data on another computer. If you are not on a home network, consider burning copies of your important data to a CD or DVD. 

Step 5: New Computer Location Is Important

The final step is proper placement of the central processing unit (CPU) itself. Very often, computers are placed on the floor beneath a desk. While this may create more desk space, placing computer equipment on the floor can cause serious performance troubles. Dust, even in the cleanest homes, always settles toward the floor. Computer cooling fans draw in the dust, which can create problems including overheating and, in some cases, a short-circuit. When considering placement, be sure to give your computer a minimum of 3 to 4 inches of breathing room on all sides. The extra space also will help to prevent your computer from overheating.

This "Tech Tip" is brought to you by the FICPA Business Technology Section ... IT Solutions for Today's CPAs. Click here to view an archive of previous "Tech Tips".

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Look for the next issue of FICPA NewsFlash to come Friday morning, Jan. 14, 2004.