MFA NEWS & RESOURCES

Published Articles

• Dealing wtih the Code
  Craig Eaton, TheDeal.com
  
• Management Over Myth
  Interview with Carl Famiglietti, WebCPA
  
• How Small Businesses Benefit from the Economic Stimulus Act
  Douglas Sweazey, Sum News (MSCPA)
• Staffing Realities Compel Structured Shift
  Carl Famiglietti, Practical Accountant
• The Evolving CPA & Consulting World ... Leaders Take Notice
  Q&A with Carl Famiglietti, Directors & Boards Reader Profile
• Be Proactive in Tackling Fair Value Accounting
  Will Andronico, Financial Executive Magazine
• States Must Seek Same Page on E-Sales Tax Issue
  Rosanna DiFilippo, Mass High Tech
  • Read a MFA Perspective: Four Questions Online Sellers Need to Ask About E-Commerce Sales Tax
  • Listen to a MFA audiocast: E-Commerce Sales Tax (7 minute webcast)
    
• How CFOs Can Control Rising Audit Costs
  Carl Famiglietti, Financial Executive Magazine
  
• Control Frameworks, Internal Audit, 404
  Travis Drouin, Compliance Week

Original Insights

Webcasts

• In July 2009, MFA Cornerstone Consulting held a web seminar entitled, "Update on the Massachusetts Personal Data Security Law". MFA Cornerstone Consulting presenter, Matthew Pettine, provided a brief refresher on what is required in order to achieve compliance with the Massachusetts Privacy Law as well as outlined the modifications being proposed under Senate Bill 173 and how they could affect an organization’s compliance efforts. The presentation from this event is available via the following links:

Update on the Massachusetts Privacy Law (presentation slides)

Recording of the MFA Webinar: Update on the Massachusetts Personal Data Security Law (50 minute webcast)

• In June 2009, MFA held a web seminar entitled, "Preparing for FASB Accounting Standards Codification", to help interested parties jump-start the process to the new codification. MFA presenters Michael Piessens and Robert Busch, discussed the purpose, meaning and structure of the codification, highlighted some of its key benefits and explained how to use the codification. The presentation from this event is available via the following links:

  Preparing for FASB Accounting Standards Codification (presentation slides)
  
  Recording of the MFA Webinar: Preparing for FASB Accounting Standards Codification (50 minute webcast)
  
  

• In April 2009, MFA Cornerstone Consulting presented a discussion on what your company will need to do in order to achieve compliance of the New Massachusetts Massachusetts Privacy Law by January 1, 2010. The presentation from this event is available via the following links:

  New Massachusetts Privacy Law (presentation slides)
  Recording of the MFA Webinar: New Massachusetts Standards for the Protection of Personal Information (1 hour webcast)



• In November 2008, MFA covered a broad range of important topics in our annual day-long tax seminar. Below are two short presentations that capture a couple of urgent issues:

Massachusetts State Tax Changes - 2009 (7 minute webcast)
Fair Value Accounting - Definitions and Techniques (9 minute webcast)



• On September 25, 2008, MFA Cornerstone Consulting, presented a thought provoking discussion on how to develop a proactive approach toward fraud prevention.  In this 2-hour seminar, they discussed how to minimize the risk of fraudulent activities through the creation of effective fraud prevention and deterrence programs.  The presentation from this event is available via the following webcast:
  

  "Who's watching the Hen House? Effective Fraud Prevention Strategies"
  (9 minute webcast)
  
  

• On February 7, 2008 MFA brought together New Wealth Advisors, an investment affiliate of MFA, and Covington Associates, a Boston-based specialty investment banking firm, for a panel discussion on the importance of developing a business exit strategy – sooner rather than later – and why it’s equally important to establish a plan for maximizing shareholder wealth.  The presentation from this thought provoking event is available via the following webcast.

  "Begin With the End in Mind" - Preparing for a Successful Exit Strategy
  (12 minute webcast)
  
  

• In November 2007, MFA examined several pressing tax topics as part of our annual seminar. Our related insights are available in these short webcasts:

  State and Local Income and Sales Tax (8 minute webcast)

  Transfer Pricing (8 minute webcast)

• Perspective: Consolidating Variable Interest Entities - Six Steps to Prepare for the New Rules (October 2009)
• Perspective: Obtaining a SAS 70 Report (June 2009)
• Perspective: Employee Benefit Plan Sponsors and Service Providers - Are you Ready for FAS 157? (April 2009)
• Perspective: The New Massachusetts Standards for the Protection of Personal Information (February 2009)
• Perspective: Giving Stock Options A Second Look: The Benefits of New Grants at Low Values (February 2009)
• Perspective: The Four Pillars of Fraud Prevention - How Leaders Can Safeguard Their Organization (October 2008)
• Audiocast: Staying Aggressive Amid Market Turbulence (September 2008)
• Perspective "Smart Valuation for Smart M&A" - Why New M&A Accounting Standards won't Hurt Your Deal" (September 2008)
• International Financial Reporting Standards (August 2008)
  • MFA Perspective: Three Steps Financial Executives Should Take Towards IFRS
  • MFA Audiocast: Travis Drouin on IFRS (8 minute webcast)
• Introduction to SAS 70 (June 2008)
• E-Commerce Sales Tax (May 2008)
  • MFA Perspective: Four Questions Online Sellers Need to Ask About E-Commerce Sales Tax
  • Audiocast: E-Commerce Sales Tax (7 minute webcast)
  • Read a related article published in Mass High Tech: States Must Seek Same Page on E-Sales Tax Issue
• J-SOX Perspective (August 2007)
• Audiocast: J-SOX (July 2007)
• Audiocast: The Fraud Factor
• SOX Perspective (September 2006)
  

• SEC Year in Review - April 2007
• SAB 108 Implementation - March 2007
• Backdating of Stock Options - December 2006
• FASB Statement No. 123(R), Share-Based Payment - October 2006