United States: Accounting and Audit

The SEC has established a specialized Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit within its Division of Enforcement to investigate accounting fraud, financial reporting misconduct, and failures by auditing professionals. Led by experienced enforcement personnel, this unit signals intensified scrutiny of public company financial statements, audit quality, and gatekeeper accountability across high-risk accounting areas.

Organizations preparing to scale through hiring, market expansion, or capital investments must establish strong financial controls and tax processes to support sustainable growth. This comprehensive checklist outlines critical steps to strengthen payroll infrastructure, map multi-state tax exposure, align capital expenditures with tax strategy, enhance internal controls, and integrate proactive tax planning into growth initiatives.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered a comprehensive verification audit of data center projects in ERCOT's interconnection process, fundamentally altering the regulatory landscape for the industry. The directive introduces new "community impact" requirements covering tax incentives, water usage, noise controls, and ownership disclosure, while state legislators threaten to repeal sales tax exemptions.

The SEC has established a specialized Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit within its Division of Enforcement to investigate accounting fraud, financial reporting misconduct, and failures by auditing professionals. Led by experienced enforcement personnel, this unit signals intensified scrutiny of public company financial statements, audit quality, and gatekeeper accountability across high-risk accounting areas.

Bringing clarity, consistency, and financial discipline to one of the most negotiated elements of a transaction. Mergers and acquisitions are built around agreed expectations. A buyer agrees to pay a particular price based on its understanding of the business being acquired, while the seller expects to deliver that business under an agreed set of financial and operational conditions. Working capital is naturally an important part of that equation.

On August 18, 2026, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued a proposed accounting standards update (“ASU”) titled Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Cash Equivalents—Disclosure Enhancement and Evaluation of Certain Digital Assets. The proposed ASU seeks to clarify whether certain digital assets meet the definition of “cash equivalents” on the balance sheet, and to increase the transparency of the significant components of “cash equivalents.”

Divorce proceedings involving significant or complex assets are rarely straightforward. Beyond the emotional and legal dimensions, these cases often hinge on a clear and defensible understanding of financial reality.

For years, revenue recognition was the primary issue cited in allegations of accounting fraud, whether in enforcement investigations or securities litigation.

Consider a court case in which one side presents a chart, report, or a video reconstruction that was created entirely by artificial intelligence (AI).

Ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families face a valuation environment that is far more complex than simply determining the worth of an asset. In the context of trust, gift, and estate tax planning, valuation becomes a foundational discipline that affects wealth transfer strategy, tax efficiency, compliance, and long-term family outcomes.

In recent years, the accounting profession has been grappling with a concerning trend: a shortage of skilled workers. According to the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA)...

Cybersecurity breaches concerning workers' personal information and retirement savings have increased liability risks for benefit plans and third-party administrators under federal benefits laws.