AZ CPA Oct 17

AZ CPA October 2017

Are You Ready for Blockchain?

Is Quill Dead?

Cybersecurity Tools

Manners Matter — Business Etiquette Training

The Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants y www.ascpa.com

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AZ CPA The Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants President & CEO

Cindie Hubiak

Editor

Patricia Gannon

Advertising

Heidi Frei

Board of Directors Chair Chair-Elect Secretary/Treasurer Directors

Molly Montgomery Mike Allen Jared Van Arsdale Michael Chesin Virginia DeSanto Tom Duensing Marcus Feder Kristen French Alan Gold Aaron Grant Julia Miessner Alice Pope Jeffrey Quick Nikki Vogt Char Woodall

Immediate Past Chair Greg Nelson AICPA Council Members

Don Farmer’s Tax Update Live and on Webcast – Oct. 27

New Location:Phoenix Convention Center First-time Ever Offered as a Webcast!

Will major Federal tax legislation be enacted in 2017? If so, will there be a retroactive reduction in tax rates? Will the estate tax be repealed? Will the taxes and penalties under the Affordable Care Act be modified or repealed? These are just a few of the questions Don Farmer will address during his 2017 Federal Tax Update presentation on Oct. 27. Farmer will bring you up to date on the latest developments in federal income taxation including planning in light of these developments.

Register today - www.ascpa.com 4

AZ CPA OCTOBER 2017

Karen Abraham Armando Roman

Chapter Presidents Southern Chapter Northern Chapter

Cathy Poore Bethany de Alva Southwest Chapter Helen Greenwell North-Central Chapter Ellen Carpenter AZ CPA is published by the Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants (ASCPA) to provide information, news and trends in the profession of accounting. It is distributed 10 times a year as a regular service to members of the Society. The ASCPA, its members, board of directors and administrative staff assume no responsibility for advertisements herein. The ASCPA and the above people also assume no liability for business decisions made by readers in reference to statements and/or claims in articles or advertisements within this publication.

Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the ASCPA. Arizona Society of CPAs 4801 E. Washington St., Suite 180 Phoenix, AZ 85034-2040 Telephone (602) 252-4144 AZ Toll-Free (888) 237-0700 www.ascpa.com

AZ CPA Volume 33 Number 8

October 2017

Features

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A Sweet Symphony CPA Joy Partridge was instrumental in creating the Scottsdale Philharmonic.

by Patty Gannon

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Learn more about the future of Blockchain.

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Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Are you Safe?

In “celebration” of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we bring you the latest tools to fight fraud.

Are You Ready for Blockchain?

by Dr. Robert K. Minniti, DBA, CPA, CFE, CVA, CFF, MAFF, CGMA, CrFA, PI

by Patrick X. Fowler

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Columns & Departments

States Look to Put Pressure on Remote Sellers: Is Quill Dead?

The ongoing debate around sales tax collection in the internet economy.

Chair’s Message by Molly E. Montgomery, CPA 6 Member News

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A Dash of SALT by James G. Busby, Jr., CPA

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Quick Quiz

25

by Edward K. Zollars, CPA

21

Bankruptcy Preference Lawsuits and How to Avoid Them

Find out how you might be subject to a preference lawsuit and how to avoid it.

Classifieds 26

by Lamar Hawkins

Matter — Business 23 Manners Etiquette Training

Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants 4801 E. Washington St., Suite 180 Phoenix, Arizona 85034-2040 www.ascpa.com

Knowing which bread plate to use just might help you advance your career.

by SueAnn Brown

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ASCPA Chair’s Message

Reconnecting to the Core

by Molly E. Montgomery, CPA

Technology is simply a toolbox for us to leverage while we continually find ways to recreate the immense value our profession has to offer.

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AZ CPA OCTOBER 2017

My company experienced the ultimate technological disaster last month. I hired someone to move our email from Outlook to Gmail. The project started off seemingly well. The IT consultant and I had several calls before anything was done to make sure he had what was needed for a smooth transition.

Unfortunately, it did not go well. Several days went by of emails getting stuck in a black hole somewhere. The email challenges became only a small blip in the process once he began moving our calendars. The calendar transition was a disaster. Appointments disappeared. Some came through in different time zones. My assistant and I immediately defaulted to doing everything manually while they fixed the issues that “rarely happen” with a transition like this. Then, just as our email was back up and running and the calendar was back online, my PC died. No warning. It was barely three years old.

The timing could not have been worse. (Although, I can’t say there ever is a good time for a computer to unexpectedly die considering how much we rely on them to keep business moving.)

I was born right on the cusp between Generation X and the Millennial generation.

I partially grew up without computers, without cell phones and without the internet. I must have been in sixth or seventh grade when we got our first family computer and dial-up modem soon after. I remember how excited I was to get my own computer when I went away to college. This was right around the time when AOL, Google, eBay and Paypal were making their way into our lives. I was fascinated by Google. The final presentation I did for one of my business management classes in college was on Google and the potential impact they could make in the way we do business. This was before Google went public, before they hired their CEO Eric Schmidt, before September 11 and before the dot-com bubble collapsed.

I find it fascinating to reflect on the advances in technology we’ve seen over the past 20 years and how it continues to impact the way we live our lives.

The momentum created by the never-ending injection of tools that enable us to perform and produce bigger, better and faster can cause far more harm than good if we allow it to. I have seen firms rely too heavily on technology and automation, to the point of very painfully missing the mark when it comes to providing service beyond automation. And, I have seen firms excel in client connection and communication in the midst of intense pressure and chaos behind the scenes of a rapidly changing service model. I imagine I am not alone in feeling as though time and the rate of change speed up exponentially with each day that passes. Yet, the greatest impact I’ve made while working with several of my entrepreneurial clients has been in teaching them how to slow down,

how to disconnect, how to focus and how to leverage technology rather than being controlled by it. I only know this through the small glimpse of life I had before the tidal wave of the internet hit.

The “technological disaster” I went through last month was hardly a disaster.

It became an opportunity to stress test the reliability of a cloud-based business model. Business carried on as usual.

Technological advances impacting our profession can be overwhelming to keep up with at times and may even create an underlying fear that our role will soon be replaced by automation and robots.

Disconnecting from it all is where we are able to reconnect to the core of who we are as professionals. Technology is simply a toolbox for us to leverage while we continually find ways to recreate the immense value our profession has to offer. n

Member News Nearly 50 Henry+Horne employees recently stepped out for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s One Walk to help cure Type 1 Diabetes.

ASCPA Hiring New COO/CFO

Kate E. Franklin, CPA, was promoted to tax manager, Quynh T. Le, CPA was promoted to manager and John D. Morse, CPA, became a partner at Tull, Forsberg & Olson, PLC.

her resignation to the ASCPA. We

Debra A. Hunter, CPA, was elected to the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, Sage Foundation Board of Directors.

Ar mando G. Roman, CPA, presented a program on personal financial planning to an audience of 400 FBI Special Agents and Forensic Accountants, all CPAs.

After 11 years of contributions and dedication to the ASCPA, Adela E. Jiménez, CPA, CGMA, has submitted

thank her for everything she has done for the CPA profession and the Society. We are using a search firm to fill the Chief Operating Officer & CFO position. If you are interested in the position or know of a candidate who would be a great fit, please review the job description at www.ascpa.com/cfo and contact hr@ ascpa.com.

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OCTOBER 2017 AZ CPA

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AZ CPA OCTOBER 2017

A Dash of SALT

Upcoming Changes to Select Arizona Tax Incentives: Part 1 In this month’s state and local tax (SALT) column, Busby highlights important changes that will affect Arizona income tax credits for creating quality jobs, investing in facilities and conducting research in the state. In the second part of this two-part series, Busby will highlight related changes to the state’s property tax incentives and its mechanism for funding the cost of public infrastructure improvements that benefit manufacturing facilities.

As a result of S.B. 1416, which Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signed into law on May 22, several important changes that will benefit individuals or businesses that make qualifying investments in new jobs, facilities and research in Arizona will go into effect on January 1, 2018.

Credits for Creating Jobs Arizona allows individual and corporate income tax credits, as well as an insurance premium tax credit, of up to $9,000 for each net qualified employment position created, subject to minimum requirements for capital investment and job creation. S.B. 1416 extended the credit to qualifying businesses that locate in the state before July 2025 (the previous requirement was before July 2017).

Until January 1, 2018, to qualify for this credit in an urban area, one must make at least a $5 million capital investment and create at least 25 jobs that pay at least the county median wage. For purposes of these credits, an urban area is one located in a city or town with a population of 50,000 or more that is located in a county with a population of 800,000 or more. In other areas, until January 1, 2018, one must make at least a $1 million capital investment and create at least five jobs that pay at least the county median wage.

Effective January 1, 2018, businesses in urban areas that create at least 25 net new jobs may qualify for one of these credits by making minimum investments and paying wages at the following percentages of the county median wage:

by James G. Busby, Jr., CPA

James G. Busby, Jr., CPA, is a state and local tax attorney at The Cavanagh Law Firm. Busby previously worked in the SALT departments at Arthur Andersen and Deloitte & Touche. Before entering private practice, Busby was in charge of all transaction privilege (sales) tax audits at the Arizona Department of Revenue.

If you have any questions, please contact the author. He can be reached at (602) 322-4146 or JBusby@CavanaghLaw.com.

Investment Wage $5,000,000 100% $2,500,000 125% $1,000,000 150% $ 500,000 200% Likewise, effective January 1, 2018, businesses in rural locations that create at least five net new jobs may qualify for one of these credits by making minimum investments and paying wages at the following percentages of the county median wage:

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Investment Wage $1,000,000 100% $ 500,000 125% $ 100,000 150%

More ASCPA Poll Results

the business’s credit, the business may claim all five annual installments of the credit even if the credit is subsequently repealed or terminated.

Arizona’s Research Credits S.B. defined “rural location” as a location within tribal boundaries or in a city or town with a population of less than 50,000, or a county with a population of less than 800,000.

In the Arizona Society of CPAs’ recent poll of Arizona registered voters on professional services taxes, we also asked the voters: When it comes to preparing your own taxes, which of the following best describes how you handle them?

Credits for Investments in Facilities Effective January 1, 2013, Arizona established individual and corporate income tax credits for expanding or locating qualified manufacturing, research, or headquarters facilities in Arizona. These credits are worth as much as $150 million per taxpayer over five years. Any portion of these credits that cannot be used to offset income taxes is refundable.

S.B. 1416 added a provision to protect businesses that invest in qualified facilities such that, as long as the Arizona Commerce Authority preapproves

56% Use a professional, such as an accountant to prepare them 38% Prepare them myself 6% Varies or did not answer

Arizona offers individual and corporate income tax credits for increased investments in qualified research expenses over base amounts as determined under IRC section 41. Under S.B. 1416, for tax years 2018 through 2021, the amount of this credit is increased from 20 percent to 24 percent for increased expenditures of $2.5 million or less. For increased expenditures of over $2.5 million, the credit is increased from $500,000 plus 11 percent of any amount exceeding $2.5 million to $600,000 plus 15 percent of any amount exceeding $2.5 million.

Beginning with tax year 2022, the amount of the credit will revert to the pre-2018 levels. n

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A Sweet Symphony Scottsdale CPA Joy Partridge Instrumental in Forming Successful Orchestra “If there is something you love, reach out and do it, because life is kind of short,” advises Joy Partridge, CPA. “Follow your passions and share them.” Partridge sets an excellent example of sharing her passions and dreams. Donating initially about $80,000 and five years of hard work, Partridge has cofounded (along with music director Carl Reiter) the Scottsdale Philharmonic – a symphony with more than 65-70 musicians who play six concerts a year to crowds ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 people.

Partridge, who plays the viola, has always loved music. In addition to running her busy CPA practice, Accounting World CPA & Consulting, PLC, she has played in orchestras and served on their boards for more than 30 years. She decided that she had the management skills, the musical background and more importantly, the desire, to start an orchestra in 2012.

“Scottsdale needed a true symphony orchestra, and we developed a plan.” Putting up an initial $50,000 in seed money to help the symphony get started, Partridge made her dream come to fruition.

“I knew we needed three things: we needed to honor and play the classics, lock down the name (Scottsdale Philharmonic) and it had to be free – so everyone can experience classical music. We created

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a business plan and hoped the donors and benefactors would come. And it happened, it was just magical.”

“I never questioned spending the funds and time that I put in,” says Partridge. “It is important to keep classical music alive. We created a synergism of success when something was needed; something or someone came forth to provide it. It was just like magic.”

“It has been an amazing ride for the last five years. I committed to it as almost a full-time job for the first two years. In 2012, due to the recession, I had a lot more time on my hands to do the work.” Partridge still spends a minimum of 20 hours a week working on the symphony. Others in her firm also donate their time to the cause.

“Even though the time commitment is now less than in the beginning, it is still pretty demanding. We put on six concerts a year. I am in charge of 120 volunteers. We have about 65-70 musicians who are professionals donate their time and just want to play with this quality of an orchestra.”

“I originally thought it would take about $20,000 to start the symphony, but it surpassed that and hit $50,000 and then at $80,000 I said, I’m only prepared to invest $50,000 and over time, $30,000 was paid back. The orchestra is now debt-free.” The Scottsdale Philharmonic is not supported financially by the City of Scottsdale and is entirely run by donations and sponsorships.

“The bottom-line is that I had a calling – I had a vision when I was writing those checks. I thought it was going to make a difference,” says Partridge enthusiastically.

The Symphony quickly outgrew their first venue at Scottsdale Center for the Arts, and they now perform at Scottsdale Bible Church, one of the only places in Scottsdale large enough to accommodate their audiences of 1,900+.

“This would not have happened without our business plan, and that is where my background as a CPA has come in handy. It does cost money to run the organization, and we do need to pay our bills on time. We pay for our locations, advertisements, programs

and other expenses involved with the production. You have to understand how nonprofits work – it’s a whole different business plan than a for-profit.

I have had experience with both.”

Partridge also plays viola in the symphony. “I like the creative side of playing a musical instrument and the creative side of being a CPA. I am a tax specialist, and I love the strategy of taking all the rules and regulations and applying them to business. I ask myself, ‘what can I do to make people’s lives better? What talents or abilities do I have to put a smile on someone’s face or how can I make a difference?’ I listen to people’s stories and try to help.”

“I’ve always said, no matter what, always stay true to your passion and yourself,” explains Partridge. “Don’t just follow the dollars. When you are taking care of a client, make sure you are taking care of them with compassion.”

“I love being a CPA — I cannot get into this office fast enough every day!” says Partridge. n – Patty Gannon

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AZ CPA OCTOBER 2017

Are You Ready for Blockchain?

by Dr. Robert K. Minniti, DBA, CPA, CFE, CVA, CFF, MAFF, CGMA, CrFA, PI Blockchain technology was claimed to have been invented by Satoshi Nakamoto, which turned out to be a pseudonym, so no one knows who actually invented the technology. Blockchain uses cryptography to secure an evergrowing list of records, which are referred to as blocks. Each new block in the chain contains a timestamp to document when it was created and a hashtag that links back to the previous block in the chain. The blockchain is part of an open source distributed ledger that documents a transaction between two parties. This documentation is permanent and resides on a peerto-peer computer network. Once a blockchain transaction is documented, it cannot be altered without altering all subsequent transactions on the chain, which would require collusion between all of the blockchain’s users, a highly unlikely event. Because of the difficulty in altering the information, many people consider it to be fraud proof.

The first use of blockchain technology was for Bitcoin, a type of virtual currency that resides on the internet. As of September 1, 2017, a single Bitcoin had a value of $4,856.87. This is remarkable because on September 1, 2016, a single Bitcoin was worth $571.69, so if you purchased a Bitcoin last year, you had a gain of

$4,285.18 or a 749 percent return on your investment. I’m sure all our PFP holders will validate that is a pretty good ROI. The current cryptocurrency market, including Bitcoins, now tops $175 Billion.

Cryptocurrencies were the beginning, but there are many other uses for blockchain technology, and new patents are being filed on a daily basis. The state of Illinois is exploring blockchain technology to digitize birth certificates.

In the future, much of our personal information such as driver’s licenses, medical identification cards, employee identification cards, Social Security Numbers, etc. could all be secured using blockchain technology. This would help keep our information safe and reduce the risk of identity theft.

International currency transactions will also be affected by blockchain technology. Several of the world’s largest banks revealed a series of steps to advance a project aimed at making it easier for central banks to issue currencies on a blockchain. Called Utility Settlement Coin (USC), the project is designed to help prepare the way for central bank

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cryptocurrencies by making it easier for global banks to conduct a wide variety of transactions with each other using collateralized assets on a custom-built blockchain.1 Another potential use for blockchain technology is to secure credit card transactions. Imagine a world where instead of having to carry a credit card, you had a VISAcoin or AMEXcoin. You would use blockchain technology to make purchases and to make payments on your account. This would decrease the risk of stolen credit cards and credit card fraud. Blockchain technology could also be used to purchase, track and sell investment securities. You would no longer need a broker to facilitate transactions in your portfolio; you would just need access to the internet.

In addition to making it easier to buy and sell investment securities, think of all the broker fees that would eliminate and the additional investment returns that would stay in your pocket.

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Another use for blockchain technology that could affect the accounting profession is the ability to track payments using blockchains. Consider A/R, A/P, and payroll all being done using blockchain technology. There would be no way to alter or divert the payments reducing the risk of occupational fraud. It would also increase corporate financial statement transparency because it will be easy for the auditors to validate all of the company’s financial transactions.

Banks in China are already experimenting with using blockchain technology to access cash out of ATMs. Bank of America has filed for over 30 U.S. patents to use blockchain technology for payment processing.2 Blockchain technology could also be used to document the terms of a contract, purchase orders, legal documents and other documents that require security. There have even been articles on the internet of companies develop-

ing chips that are inserted under your skin in your wrist or hand that would hold all of your personal and financial information in an electronic blockchain wallet. n Dr. Robert K. Minniti, DBA, CPA, CFE, CVA, CFF, MAFF, CGMA, CrFA, PI is president of Minniti CPA LLC. He can be reached at minniti.cpa@cox.net.

Endnotes 1. https://www.coindesk.com/hsbcbarclays-join-utility-settlement-coin-asbank-blockchain-test-enters-final-phase 2. https://www.coindesk.com/bank-ofamerica-files-9-more-blockchain-patentapplications

Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Are you Safe?

by Patrick X. Fowler Since it was first announced by Presidential Proclamation in 2013, we mark each October as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The Department of Homeland Security explains that, in 2017, designation is “designed to engage and educate public and private sector partners through events and initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity, provide them with tools and resources needed to stay safe online and increase the resiliency of the nation in the event of a cyber incident.” To that end, let’s briefly address cybersecurity in 2017.

The Cyber Threat Environment: You and Your Clients Are Targets As grimly noted by the IRS in its “Protect Your Clients; Protect Yourself” cybersecurity campaign: Every tax practitioner in the United States – whether a member of a major accounting firm or an owner of a one-person storefront – is a potential target for highly sophisticated, well-funded and technologically adept cybercriminals around the world. Their objective: to steal your clients’ data so they can file fraudulent tax returns that better impersonate their victims. Their tactics are: to trick you into giving up computer passwords, e-Services passwords, to steal your EFINs or CAF numbers or even to take remote control of your entire computer system.

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The IRS, state tax agencies and tax industries – working in partnership with the Security Summit – currently are conducting an awareness campaign called, “Don’t Take the Bait,” that includes warning tax professionals about the various types of phishing scams, including ransomware.

In late August, the IRS issued an “urgent warning” about a new phishing scheme that uses IRS and FBI emblems on emails to impersonate those agencies in order to get unsuspecting victims to click on a link and download ransomware onto their computers. The IRS also re-published an earlier alert for payroll and human resource personnel regarding the renewed threat of “email spoofing” attacks designed to steal W-2 information. Clearly, the threat from hackers and other bad actors on the Internet is not going away anytime soon.

Ransomware attacks, often facilitated through email phishing, remain the malware du jour of many hackers in 2017. As described by the FBI, “hospitals, school districts, state and local governments, law enforcement agencies, small businesses, large businesses—these are just some of the entities impacted by ransomware, an insidious type of malware that encrypts, or locks, valuable digital files and demands a ransom to release them.”

Cybersecurity Regulations Continue to Emerge and Evolve Despite the rising threat, regulating cybersecurity remains a relatively new and evolving area. There is no single, uniform, all-encompassing set of mandatory cybersecurity regulations to govern all industries and organizations in the United States. In February 2014, the federal government released an initial, voluntary “framework” for how to improve cybersecurity for critical infrastructure in our country; a draft update to that framework was released in January 2017 and is still under review. Organizations can use the framework as a reference point to evaluate and improve their current cybersecurity posture.

In the last several years, different

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Companies should create a strategy that is designed to prevent, detect and respond to cybersecurity threats.

industries and governmental agencies have taken different approaches in developing more specific cybersecurity policies, recommended practices and even some mandatory regulations. In some industries, there are hints of an early, still-developing standard of care.

Earlier this year, the AICPA unveiled its “Cybersecurity Risk Management Reporting Framework.” As described by the AICPA, “the framework is a key component of a new System and Organization Controls for Cybersecurity engagement, through which a CPA reports on an organization’s enterprisewide cybersecurity risk management program.”

In the financial and banking areas, there have been significant regulatory developments. For example, at the end of August, the first set of state-enacted cybersecurity regulations for financial institutions took effect in New York, promulgated by the New York Department of Financial Services.

The state of Colorado’s Division of Securities also recently adopted new rules that add cybersecurity requirements for certain entities with Colorado securities licenses.

On the federal level, a veritable cornucopia of agencies has issued policy statements, guidance and recommendations dealing with cybersecurity.

In April 2015, the U.S. Securities and

Exchange Commission’s Division of Investment Management (the “Division”) issued a Guidance Update to investment and fund advisers on the topic of improving cybersecurity. The Update includes the following measures, all of which are applicable today, and are part of an emerging cybersecurity “standard of care” for organizations to meet:

Conduct Periodic Assessments to Identify Threats and Vulnerabilities Businesses should conduct a periodic assessment of: 1. The nature, sensitivity and location of information that the firm collects, processes and/or stores, and the technology systems it uses; 2. Internal and external cybersecurity threats to and vulnerabilities of the firm’s information and technology systems; 3. Security controls and processes currently in place; 4. The impact, should the information or technology systems become compromised; and 5. The effectiveness of the governance structure for the management of cybersecurity risk.

The point of these assessments is to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities to allow a firm to better prioritize and mitigate those risks.

Develop a Cybersecurity Strategy to Prevent, Detect and Respond to Threats Companies should create a strategy that is designed to prevent, detect and respond to cybersecurity threats. Such a strategy could include: 1. Controlling access to various systems and data via user credentials, authentication and authorization methods, firewalls and/or perimeter defenses, tiered access to sensitive information and network resources, network segregation and system hardening; 2. Data encryption; 3. Protecting against the loss or exfiltration of sensitive data by restricting the use of removable storage media and deploying software that monitors technology systems for unauthorized intrusions, the loss or exfiltration of sensitive data, or other unusual events; 4. Data backup and retrieval; and 5. Development of an incident response plan.

As with any strategies or plans, regular testing can enhance their effectiveness.

Implement the Strategy Through Written Policies and Procedures and Training Businesses should implement the strategy through written policies and procedures and training that provide guidance to officers and employees concerning applicable threats and measures to prevent, detect and respond to such threats, and that monitor compliance with cybersecurity policies and procedures.

The FDIC has issued its own set of cybersecurity recommendations, as has the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (which includes the Federal Reserve Board and the Comptroller of the Currency).

Non-governmental entities, such as FINRA, have also published guidance on cybersecurity.

Technology for Accounting Conference Dec. 6, 2017 Black Canyon Conference Center Now Also Offered as a Webcast Learn about these topics and more at this year’s conference: The Best Tech Investments and Bets Rob West, RSM US LLP Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Regulations: Adapting to the New Normal Patrick Fowler, Snell & Wilmer LLP Understanding the Internal Controls at Your Service and Cloud Providers Michael Nyman, CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP Tools and Apps for Small Business Accounting Tanya Luken, Luken CPA You’ve Fallen Victim to a Cyberattack. Now What?

Michael Cocanower, itSynergy Big Data Panacea! Big Hype?

Dennis Waldron, Northern Trust Corporation Increase Productivity with Excel Tips n’ Tricks Catherine Jennings, The Focus Group Consulting, LLC

Learn more at www.ascpa.com/conferences

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Consequences Cyberattacks can be costly, if not terminal events for organizations unprepared to quickly discover, defend and recover from them. According to the Ponemon Institute’s 2017 Cost of Data Breach Study, the average per record cost of a data breach was $225 in the United States, with the overall organizational cost (cost per record x the number of records breached) was $7.35 million. Some key takeaways from the Ponemon Study include the following: • The faster the data breach can be discovered and contained, the lower the costs; • Incident response teams and the extensive use of encryption reduce costs; • Hackers and malicious insiders cause the most data breaches; • The inability to retain customers has serious financial consequences.

Hackers and other bad actors are persistent and creative, and they cannot be ignored. Maintaining proper cybersecurity controls is essential to the viability of any organization that touches protected personal, financial or health data. Keeping track of, and complying with voluntary standards and recommended practices, as well as any applicable mandatory regulations is now part of the cost of doing business. Companies that invest the time to enhance their cybersecurity competence can find that it creates a competitive advantage. n

Patrick X. Fowler is an attorney

Patrick Fowler will present the program, Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Regulations: Adapting to the New Normal, at the ASCPA Technology Conference on Dec. 6.

with Snell &Wilmer, LLP. He will be presenting the program, Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Regulations: Adapting to the New Normal, at the ASCPA Technology Conference on Dec. 6.

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Visit our web site at www.ableta.com Gary W. Hankins, CPA* hankins@ableta.com (817) 738-3287 *Licensed in Texas

Visit our web site at www.ableta.com for further discussion of the process of buying and selling accounting and tax practices plus review our success story, principles of operation and how our customers appreciated our services.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS OF YOUR CAREER! We can answer all your questions.

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AZ CPA OCTOBER 2017

States Look to Put Pressure on Remote Sellers: Is Quill Dead?

by Edward K. Zollars, CPA A recent panel at the annual meeting of the Midwestern State Association of Tax Administrators pointed out that the average state collects 46 percent of its revenue via taxes on sales and gross receipts.1 In 1992, the Supreme Court in the Quill case outlined requirements that made it difficult to force out-of-state sellers to collect this tax.2 The states have been acting to increase revenue by getting out-of-state sellers to collect this tax. Some states are looking to get the Supreme Court to reconsider the Quill decision based on technological changes since 1992, while others are using a method to work around Quill to motivate sellers to voluntarily collect the tax.

Direct Challenge to Quill The legislature of the state of South Dakota took on the task of attempting to provide the Supreme Court with a case that it could use to overturn Quill, passing into law in 2016 a remote sales tax the legislature concedes is directly contrary to Quill. Under South Dakota’s law, any seller with South Dakota sales more than $100,000 or more than 200 sales into the state must collect and remit sales tax even if they have no physical presence in the state. Enforcement of the law was put on hold by the legislature until the court challenge is settled.

Currently, the South Dakota Supreme Court is considering a challenge to that law (South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc.). Regardless of whether the South Dakota Supreme Court upholds or overturns the law, the losing party is expected to file a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.

Many other states have decided to join the fight, with Alabama, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont and Wyoming having enacted similar “economic nexus” laws to force the collection of sales and use taxes by out of state vendors.3 States that don’t want to directly challenge Quill are approaching the matter indirectly, via “click through” or similar methods to establish a tenuous physical presence, and then invoking similar sales level rules as the pure economic nexus states to require collecting the tax.

“Tattletale” Laws – Turn in Your Customer or Else Colorado decided to approach the matter in a less direct fashion—rather than require out of state sellers to collect the use tax, the state simply requires out of state sellers to provide a detailed report on each sale made to a Colorado resident, inform each Colorado buyer of their use tax obligation and send that buyer a report on how much they purchased potentially subject to use tax at the end of each year.

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that this requirement was enforceable, as it did not conflict with the Quill decision, since it did not require the collection of a tax.4 The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of this decision,5 thus the state of Colorado has begun to implement this program.

Any retailer who does not collect Colorado sales or use tax and has more than $100,000 in sales into Colorado in a calendar year must:

• Provide a notice at the time of each purchase made by a Colorado resident of their use tax obligations to the state; • Send a summary of such purchases for the prior year by January 31 of the following year to those purchasers; and • Provide an annual report on sales by Colorado customers to the Colorado Department of Revenue by January 31 of the year following the year of the sales.6 Those who fail to do so face fines which can add up if the seller makes many Colorado sales — $5 for each buyer that does not receive the pre-sale notice, $10 for each annual purchase summary not issued timely and $10 times the number of customers for cases where a report is not timely filed with the state.

Washington state has enacted a more onerous version of a tattletale law this year which takes effect in 2018.7 The reporting requirement is triggered by only $10,000 worth of sales into Washington state. Like Colorado’s rule, it requires a presale notice, an annual notice issued to each Washington customer, and a report to the state of Washington giving information on each Washington customer who purchased from the seller.

But the penalties are far more significant in the case of Washington.

The law imposes a flat $20,000 penalty for failing to give the presale notice to Washington customers, a penalty beginning at $5,000 for failing to provide the annual customer notice and a penalty equal to the greater of $25,000 or $25 times the number of Washington customers for failure to file the annual report with the state of Washington.

For both states, this detailed reporting regime (which includes the customer’s name, address and other contact information, and purchases made) is not required if a seller voluntarily collects the use tax and remits it to the state. As should be clear, given the administrative burden in complying with the notice requirements, the states are hoping that most sellers will opt to simply collect the tax.

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The Impact

Arizona Federal Tax Institute Conference Oct. 31 – Nov. 1 Tempe Center for the Arts Learn about these topics and more at this year’s two-day conference.

Ethics: A Year in Review Marianne Jennings, Arizona State University 2017 Representation Update Bob McKenzie, Arnstein & Lehr LLP “But I did it For Free”: Preparer Responsibilities and Compliance for Nonprofits Brenda Blunt, Eide Bailly LLP The Quill Decision and Main Street Retail — Are Their Days Numbered?

Frank Julian, Consultant Serving Your New Economy Clients Annette Nellen, San José State University The Year in Review in Estate Planning Tom Murphy, Murphy Law Firm Tax Reform: Trick or Treat Annette Nellen, Burgess Raby, Tom Murphy, moderated by Bob Wyndelts Arizona Taxes, New and Exciting Developments James Busby, The Cavanagh Law Firm Arizona’s Economy and How We Can Influence Growth Jim Rounds, Rounds Consulting Current Issues in Partnership Taxation Jim Hamill, Reynolds, Hix & Co., P.A. Federal Tax Update Ed Zollars, Thomas, Zollars & Lynch, Ltd.

Learn more at www.ascpa.com/conferences 20

AZ CPA OCTOBER 2017

Clients who in the past believed they were protected by Quill should not be so sure today. Many states have either enacted one of the two types of laws discussed here or are considering such legislation. Clients who haven’t kept up with these developments may be in for a rude shock.

These clients may also discover that once they start collecting the sales or use tax, the states may next turn to applying other state level taxes to their operations. n Edward K. Zollars, CPA, is a partner with the firm of Thomas, Zollars & Lynch, Ltd. He is a Life Member of the ASCPA. Zollars presents courses for Loscalzo Associates and has been professionally involved with both tax and technology issues, combining the two disciplines in producing the Current Federal Tax Development Update Podcast and website, dealing with current tax issues. He has been a member of the AICPA Tax Division Committees and was the Tax Section’s representative on three occasions to the AICPA’s Top Ten Technologies project.

He is also a member of the Phoenix Tax Workshop’s Advisory Committee and currently serves on the Tax Legislation Liaison Committee for the Arizona Society of CPAs. He can be reached at edzollars@ thomaszollarslynch.com.

Endnotes 1. Maria Koklanaris, “Remote Sales Experts Weigh In on South Dakota’s Supreme Court Chances,” Tax Notes: State Tax Today, 2017 STT 164-4, August 25, 2017.

2. Quill Corp. v. North Dakota, 504 U.S. 298 (1992).

3. “What Economic Nexus Means for Your Remote Sales”, Avalara Blog, https:// www.avalara.com/blog/2017/05/15/whateconomic-nexus-means-for-your-remote-sales/, May 15, 2017.

4. Direct Marketing Association v. Brohl, CA10, 814 F.3d 1129, 1139 (2016).

5. Direct Marketing Association v. Brohl, 137 S.Ct. 591 (2016).6. Colorado Rule 3921-112(3.5) (1).

7. Washington state H.B. 2163.

Bankruptcy Preference Lawsuits and How to Avoid Them

by Lamar Hawkins Worst phone call ever: your client calls to say that they are filing bankruptcy.

They have some very important accounting work that they need to get done or they have some tax returns that need to be brought current immediately.

Thankfully, as your client’s CPA, you are usually in the inner circle to be aware of which of your clients are in a troubled position. But every CPA is at times caught off guard with this terrible telephone call. Sometimes the first time we learn of the bankruptcy is when we receive a copy of the client’s notice of filing bankruptcy.

So when this happens, you may think to yourself – “my client loves me so much that they are turning to me in their time of need to get their accounting work in order and get their tax returns brought current.” You are temporarily flattered. But don’t let your ego drive this moment and your next decision.

You should immediately determine if your client has paid your monthly bills in a timely fashion. If not, your client is going to subject you to the worst downside of the bankruptcy process – the dreaded preference lawsuit. Payments received within 90 days (and sometimes one year if you are designated as an “insider”) of the bankruptcy filing are scrutinized and potentially must be paid back to the bankruptcy estate. If the payment was not for “new value” or “paid in the ordinary course of business” you may have the extreme misfortune of getting to pay it back.

Those are a lot of defined words and phrases, and the interpretations of those words and phrases are usually not as obvious as you would like.

11 U.S.C. Section 547 governs what constitutes a preference. Providing present services and being paid outside of the ordinary course of business within 90 days of the bankruptcy filing, is by definition a preference.

The theory behind preference payments is that it is not fair for the debtor to pay certain of its creditors on the eve of bankruptcy leaving the rest to share what is likely to be a small recovery from whatever is left over from the debtor’s remaining “pot” of assets after bankruptcy. Instead, bankruptcy law is designed to “fix” this problem by requiring anyone paid within 90 days of bankruptcy to return those payments to the “pot” and share equally with other similarly situated creditors. That may sound fair, but it hurts to receive a demand to return payments received from a client within 90 days of bankruptcy, especially if the client was already delinquent in payments and only paid after much reminding on your part.

So, when your client asks you to do just a little bit of accounting work, with a promise to pay you soon, do you do the work? If you know your client will be hitting the bankruptcy court steps soon, the answer is “NO” unless you have a marketing reason to do the work,

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Construction Industry Conference - Oct. 26 Desert Willow Conference Center

Now Also offered as a Webcast Cash Management: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There — Steve Lords, Arizona Pipeline Co. Company Growth & Associated HR Risks — Jennifer Ward, Mountain States Employers Council (MSEC), Michelle Walker, Specialized Services Company (SSC), and Marian Enriquez, Sundt Construction, Inc. Lien-a-Palooza: The Amazing Power of Arizona’s Lien and Stop Notice Statutes — Michael J. Holden, Holden Willits PLC Cost Reduction by Eliminating Risks — John Holt and Craig Carson, Southwest Risk Management, LLC Business Transition Strategies — John M. Murdough, Henry+Horne Greater Phoenix: 2017 Trends and Activity Report — Darryn Jones, Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) Red Flag Warning: Is the IRS Turning Up the Heat in its Enforcement of Tax Laws? — Christine Ulibarri and Evan Feldhausen, BeachFleischman PC

Learn more at www.ascpa.com/conferences

IT Support for Accountants -Remote & Onsite IT Support Services -Drake, Lacerte, CS Professional Suite, QuickBooks, ProSeries, etc.

-Cloud Services, Office 365 -Secure Data Backup -Networking & Secure Remote Access

480-730-0100 www.TAKTechnology.com 22

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or a burning desire to keep this client, because chances are high you won’t get paid. Or if you do get paid, it will likely be recoverable by the bankruptcy estate as a preference.

There can be lots of gray areas about what is a payment in the ordinary course of business and what constitutes an insider. But the safer approach is to make sure that your clients pay you for the work up front and you bill against the payment. If the tax returns will cost a flat rate of $4,000 to prepare, get the money up front and then do the work.

If bringing the accounting current will cost $2,000, get the money up front. At a minimum, get a portion of the payment up front and then make sure that the client pays your bill as you go on a very timely basis.

You never wanted to be a bankruptcy creditor; you never wanted to work for clients that did not pay your bill. But every CPA faces a situation where a client gets behind in making payments, and the client getting behind in payments is an indication that the client is having troubles elsewhere which could lead to bankruptcy. Stay on top of your accounts receivable, and you will be happy. Fall behind, and you will get to perform accounting services and potentially be subjected to a preference lawsuit and get to pay the money back.

Keep a connection with a good bankruptcy attorney so you can ask the tough questions when problems arise. n Lamar Hawkins is a bankruptcy attorney at, and shareholder of, Aiken Schenk Hawkins & Ricciardi P.C. in Phoenix. He can be reached at (602) 248-8203.

Business Etiquette Training Can Impact Your Bottom Line

by SueAnn Brown

The way a professional presents themselves is a direct reflection on the company they work for and its products and services. By acting professionally, it sends the message that the business is credible and trustworthy. Personalized care may very well be your edge against the competition.

In today’s world, practicing the rules of proper business etiquette and protocol is essential. If the necessary protocol is overlooked or misunderstood, a misstep may jeopardize business relationships.

We live in a new age. Times have changed, and the personal and professional demands placed on business professionals today surpass any experienced in the past. It is crucial to know how to make the best credible first impressions and effectively manage relationships.

Professional social situations can be awkward and are different from the standard social skills. Business etiquette has its own set of skills that professionals need to understand when presenting themselves in a business setting.

They start from your handshake, how you introduce yourself, your table manners and dining etiquette at a business meal; these are the social rules a professional needs to know when establishing relationships.

Ignite the Leader in You 2017-18 Emerging Leaders Series Learn more about professional etiquette skills at Art of the Business Meal on Nov. 8.

Learn more at www.ascpa.com/lead

Living in a world of technology sometimes takes away the personal face-to-face interactions we need to develop relationships with others. We have become complacent in our engagement because technology has given us an excuse not to use our social skills and a tool to work faster and become more productive.

There is a real need for business etiquette training. As long as there is a human factor, we still need to improve our social skills in order to connect with others successfully.

It’s not enough to just do your job.

You need to stand out in a positive way. You want others to see you as a confident, credible and responsive professional.

What this all comes down to is the need to have a polished professional image. The ability to work well with others, to exhibit good manners and respect, project a positive image, and to make others feel comfortable are the key components of an individual’s success.

Displaying business etiquette often translates to competence, and not using it can send the opposite message.

Decision makers will choose to do business with people with whom they are confident around.

When management and workers treat one another with respect, it creates a positive working environment. When employees feel comfortable, they are more likely to be more productive, maintain positive attitudes and work better together, which can help sell products and services while increasing the bottom line.

Business etiquette should be stressed throughout an entire company.

In today’s competitive global arena, practicing proper business etiquette is essential and could give you the advantage over competitors. n

SueAnn Brown is owner/certified etiquette instructor at It’s All About Etiquette.

You can reach her at www.itsallaboutetiquette.com. She will be presenting “Art of the Business Meal” at the Leadership Summit on Nov. 8.

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Every child in Arizona deserves high-quality education.

By donating to IBE, you provide scholarship funds with a dollar-for-dollar tax credit.

Less than 5% of Arizona tax payers utilize

this credit. Every student deserves the best, so make your taxes matter to the children of Arizona.

ibescholarships.org Notice (A.R.S 43-1603): A school tuition organization cannot award, restrict, or reserve scholarships based soley on a donor’s recommendation.

A taxpayer may not claim a tax credit if the taxpayer agrees to swap donations with another taxpayer to benefit either taxpayer’s own dependent.

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AZ CPA OCTOBER 2017

AZ CPA Quick Quiz You’ve Read It, Now Get Credit Take this quiz online or submit this hard copy on AZ CPA content.

Receive a score of 70 percent or more and earn one hour of CPE credit in specialized knowledge. It’s that easy!

Fees: Members: $25 Nonmembers: $40 Online Access Go to www.ascpa.com/QuickQuiz to access links to all active quizzes. Purchase quiz and the quiz link and password will be emailed to you. Your results will be sent immediately after completing, and certificates are emailed within two business days.

Hard Copy Please select one answer for each question. Fill out registration/payment information below and mail or fax to the Society office. Quiz results and certificates will be emailed to the address provided on the registration form. *This quiz will be available until October, 2018. Please note that users have three attempts to pass the quiz with at least a 70 percent score.

October 2017 Issue of AZ CPA* 1. In the Chair’s message, Montgomery mentions the greatest impact she had while working with her clients has been teaching them: m How to keep up with technology m How to handle a technical disaster m How to leverage technology rather than be controlled by it 2. S.B. 1416 will benefit individuals or businesses that make qualifying investments in new jobs, facilities and research. True or False? m True m False 3. Blockchain is part of an open source distributed ledger that documents a transaction between: m Two Parties m Three to Five Parties m Five or more parties 4. Blockchain technology and new patents are being filed on a daily basis to use it for: m Digitizing birth certificates m Issuing currencies from

central banks m All of the above

5. Malware that encrypts, or locks, valuable digital files and demands payment to release them is called: m Ransomware m Adware m Spyware 6. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued a Guidance Update to improve cybersecurity which includes these “standards of care,” except: m Conduct periodic assessments

to identify threats and vulnerabilities m Develop a Cybersecurity strategy to capture hackers in the act m Implement the strategy through written policies and procedures, and training 7. According to Ponemon Institute’s 2017 study, the organizational cost of a data breach was: m $7 Million m $7.15 Million m $7.35 Million 8. Ed Zollars mentions two states that have created “Tattletale” Laws in response to the Supreme Court’s Quill decision. They are: m Colorado and Washington m Washington and South Dakota m Colorado and South Dakota 9. The law requires anyone paid within 90 days of bankruptcy to: m Spend the money immediately m Return the payment to the person filing bankruptcy m Return the payment to the “pot” to share with similarly situated creditors 10. Which is not a social rule a professional needs to know when establishing relationships: m How to introduce yourself m Matching shoes to your attire m Table manners

Quick Quiz Registration Name: ____________________________________________________ Email:_____________________________________________________ Telephone: _________________________________________________

Payment

m Member: $25 m Nonmember: $40 Checks: Please make payable to: The Arizona Society of CPAs Credit Card:

m Visa m MasterCard m American Express

Credit Card #: _______________________________________________ Expiration Date: _____________________________________________ Name on Card. _____________________________________________ Mail to: ASCPA, 4801 E. Washington St. Suite 180, Phoenix, AZ 85034-2040; fax to (602) 324-6045 scan and send to ASCPACPE@ascpa.com.

OCTOBER 2017 AZ CPA

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Classifieds Business Opportunities/ Practices for Sale N. ARIZONA PRACTICE FOR SALE — Sole practitioner in Page, Arizona looking to retire. Good growth opportunity for right firm. Solid client base. Situated on the shores of Lake Powell, center of the Grand Circle.

Great recreation opportunities. Call (928) 645-9478 for more information.

PHOENIX CPA TAX PRACTICE — Phoenix CPA, in practice for over 45 years hoping to retire over the next three to four years, seeks succession plan for his practice concentrated in Business and Individual Tax Preparation and Consulting. Please contact aibs@msn.com.

TUCSON CPA TAX PRACTICE seeks succession plan with new partner — A two partner firm of over $1 million revenue seeks a tax partner or manager to buy out partners over time. Beneficial if interested person has an existing practice to merge in. Established over 30 years, the practice is highly profitable with a strong concentration in business and individual tax preparation and consulting. Please contact CPAfirm3@gmail.com.

Employment AUDIT STAFF — Frost, PLLC is a leading public accounting firm with offices in Arkansas, Arizona, North Carolina, and Florida. Currently, Frost employs approximately 150 individuals. We are always looking for highly motivated and hardworking candidates to come work at our offices. We are offering you a full-time audit staff position in our Phoenix office. Where you will be a part of a top-tier independent accounting firm. At Frost, we take the same aggressive approach to serving our professionals as we take towards serving our clients. We offer you imaginative career planning, so come join us! Website: www.frostpllc.com.

CAREER OPPORTUNITY - MANAGER/ SENIOR — Sigrist, Cheek, Potter & Huyser, PLLC — Fast-track growth opportunity for bright, motivated CPA. We are a growing, mid-size Scottsdale firm looking for someone who can make an immediate impact

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AZ CPA OCTOBER 2017

by bringing strong client skills, tax and/or accounting background and a willingness to invest in their own and the firm’s success. Friendly environment that emphasizes team approach to a broad spectrum of client support. The successful candidate will have the willingness and ability to manage client relationships from a position of empathy and advocacy. We offer a highly competitive compensation/benefit package in addition to a supportive work environment. Please send your resume or contact information to howellcheek@azcpas.com.

CPA FIRM, TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED AND NONTRADITIONAL ADDS NEW TAX POSITION — R.C. Thornton & Associates is located in North Phoenix, Arizona. Our culture of top-notch team-collaboration produces excellence. We are rewarded by working fewer hours than most CPAs. Our efficient firm has streamlined technology utilizing a cloud environment and CCH systems. A dynamic mentor training program will ensure your success.

Qualified CPAs have 5+ years of recent tax experience. Preferably an MS degree in Taxation or candidate. Are we a good fit? Before applying go to http://www.rcthornton.com/ careers.html read about our culture, benefits, education and watch the career videos then email your resume to info@rcthornton.com.

NEW MEXICO GAS COMPANY is hiring a Forecasting and Planning Director (job ID 13724) in our Albuquerque business center.

The successful candidate has experience in financial forecasting, long-term planning, and business strategic analysis with broad knowledge and understanding of finance and accounting, as well as strong leadership skills. Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related discipline, or advanced degree, with a CPA, CMA, or CFA designation preferred. Apply by 10/8/2017 at www. nmgco.com and go to careers. New Mexico Gas Company is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. Minorities, women, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, CPA — RWC Group is a growing commercial truck sales and service dealership group operating in Arizona, Washington, California, and

Alaska. We are currently seeking a Senior Accountant, CPA for our 75th Avenue, Phoenix location. This position will provide leadership and coordination to produce timely and accurate financial statements, tax returns, comply with government tax requirements, and ensure company accounting procedures conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Qualified candidates will have 10+ years of accounting experience with multi location operations. Please visit our careers website: www. rwcgroup.com/careers for more information.

Submit your resume on our careers website to apply.

STAFF ACCOUNTANT WANTED — Priority Ambulance Holdings, LLC. This position will utilize Intacct accounting software to prepare Consolidated Financial Statements. Assists in accounting activities including by not limited to journal entry preparation, account analysis, balance sheet and intercompany reconciliations. RESPONSIBILITIES:• Assists in month-end and year-end close processes including preparation of journal entries and balance sheet reconciliations.• Performs moderately complex account roll forwards, analyzes the data and provides meaningful and accurate information to management.• Generates standard and non-standard reports, analyze general ledger activity to resolve outstanding issues.• Ensures compliance with company accounting policies and the application of GAAP. Send resumes to: cwoodall@priorityambulance.com.

TAX MANAGER AND TAX STAFF — CPAfirm3 — Eight-person Tucson CPA firm, has Tax Manager and Tax Staff positions open for CPAs with a minimum of five years of recent CPA firm experience with partnership potential. Proven sales and marketing skills are highly desirable. We offer highly competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including group health insurance, 401(k) with company 4% contribution, eight paid holidays, paid sick time and vacation, and complete reimbursement of all CPA related expenses. Please apply for the Tax Manager or Tax Staff opportunity today, by sending your resume and salary requirements to cpafirm3@gmail.com.

Office Space 16th STREET & GLENDALE AVE — 2,300-3000 SF Suite available, possibility of shared resources/services with 8 other professionals in the building. All of the amenities you will want and need. MOVE IN READY! Recently renovated in premiere professional location with great visibility.

Call Jason at (602) 850-5110 or email Jason@azcre.biz.

OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE WITH G R O U P O F T U C S O N C PA S — Share in costs with Tucson CPA group for a receptionist, conference rooms, a comprehensive library, copier/fax/scanner and other office services and facilities.

Become part of CPA’s who each own their own practices, but unite together in discussions and interpretations of tax and accounting issues through personal interaction or meetings. Options available to either lease your own office space from the group or pay a standard monthly fee to have use of the conference rooms, receptionist, mail services, copier/fax/scanner and other services. Located in the prestigious Plaza Palomino. Please contact David Lotz or Randy Livingston for more details. (520) 321-1334. Website: http://CPATUCSON. COM. TUCSON CPA OFFICE SHARE OR EXECUTIVE SUITES — Full service CPA office has 1-3 offices available for an office share arrangement or executive suites. Full service includes utilities, office support, telephone, copier, printer and fax. Lease rates depend on number of offices and services provided. Email garecpa@aol.com.

TUCSON OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE — Fort Lowell, Dodge, 4,500 SF remodeled building, 7 offices available. Gated parking with 25 parking spaces. Three conference rooms, three bathrooms. Kitchen with dining area. Two patios. Share space with long established CPA firm. Fred@fcscpa.net.

Networking Under the Stars

ABC Networking Event Oct. 25 5:30 – 8 p.m.

Free for ASCPA Members The Scott Resort The Arizona Society of CPAs is excited to invite you to expand your alphabet at our annual complimentary networking event. Get to know other Attorneys, Bankers and CPAs (ABC) while enjoying complimentary appetizers.

Members of the State Bar of Arizona and the Risk Management Association Arizona Chapter will be there to mingle with ASCPA members. A cash bar will be available.

The Scott Resort 4925 N. Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Register: www.ascpa.com/stars

OCTOBER 2017 AZ CPA

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Arizona Society of CPAs 4801 E. Washington St., Suite 180 Phoenix, AZ 85034-2040

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Phoenix, Arizona Permit No. 952 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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AZ CPA OCTOBER 2017