202008.03
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COVID-19 Has Slowed Mergers, But Market is Still Active | Robert Fligel, The Trusted Professional

By: Chris Gaetano Published Date: Jul 9, 2020 Robert Fligel, a consultant specializing in CPA firms who spoke at a recent NYSSCPA CPE event, said that while the global pandemic has slowed merger-and-acquisition activity among CPA firms, it has by no means stopped, and there remain many opportunities for owners looking to sell or merge their practices. Speaking on July 8 before members of the Society’s Small Firms Practice Committee, Fligel said that since the middle of March, he has had “a lot of meetings with buyers and sellers.” While the process is slower, as “the in-person meetings haven’t happened yet and timetables may be stretched out a little bit,”…

201912.07
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NCCPAP Honors Two With Gold Award | Accounting Today

The National Conference of CPA Practitioners announced that Karen Giunta and Sanford (Sandy) Zinman are the recipients of its 2019 Gold Awards. The lifetime achievement award recognizes CPAs with successful careers who are also “contributors, advocates, and selfless volunteers” to NCCPAP. Giunta has previously served as membership chair, treasurer, and president of the NCCPAP at the national level, as well as serving as a vice president and president at the chapter level. She has also served on the Long Island Tax Professionals Symposium Committee for over 17 years since its inception. She is a self-employed sole practitioner who was introduced to both accounting and the NCCPAP through her late husband….

201911.07
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Voices Art of Accounting: A day in Manhattan | Accounting Today

By Edward Mendlowitz November 04, 2019, 12:12 p.m. EST Last Wednesday I spent the day in Manhattan and some things occurred that I would like to share here. My primary reason was to attend a lunch meeting of the Accountants Club of America with a speaker I thought would be interesting. I also arranged to drop into the office of a new client with whom I was doing some valuation and succession planning consulting. I also planned the “route” so I could walk everywhere and allow time to do some window shopping. The day ended up far better than I could ever have hoped for. I was early so I decided…

201909.20
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Memorializing Donation in honor of Stu Kessler and George Foundotos

For those who wish to contribute in honor of two of our profession’s luminaries including roles as past Presidents of the Accountants Club and the New York State Society of CPAs, please see below: Stu Kessler Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation 383 Main Avenue, 5th Floor Norwalk CT 06851 Please have the gift acknowledge to: Isabel Kessler and family George Foundotos American Cancer Society P.O. Box 22478 Oklahoma City, OK 73123 Please have the gift acknowledge to: Georgia Foundotos and family

201908.07
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Accounting Profession Leader Stuart Kessler Has Died

Stuart Kessler, CPA, PFS, a former president of the New York State Society of CPAs and the Accountants Club of America, chairman of the American Institute of CPAs, founding partner of Goldstein Golub Kessler and senior tax director at CohnReznick, has died. Stuart Kessler Kessler was frequently named among Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in the profession. He was known as one of the top personal financial planning professionals in the U.S. and was the first living member of the New York State Society of CPAs’ Hall of Fame. In addition to being a past NYSSCPA president, he also presided over the NYSSCPA’s Foundation for Accounting Education Committee, and…

201906.25
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Stuart Kessler Receives American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’s PFP Lifetime Achievement Award

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, June 11 — The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants issued the following news release: Stuart Kessler, CPA/PFS, has received the American Institute of CPA’s(AICPA) Stanley H. Breitbard Lifetime Achievement in Personal Financial Planning Award. This is only the third lifetime achievement award in personal financial planning ever given by the AICPA. The presentation took place at the AICPA’s Advanced Personal Financial Planning (PFP) Conference in Las Vegas. Kessler, a Senior Tax Director specializing in estate and financial planning at CohnReznick in New York, NY is being honored for the key role he played in launching the AICPA’s Personal Financial Planning Division over 30 years ago as well as his continued contributions advancing the profession today. He led the…

201901.14
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A Short Conversation with J. Michael Kirkland, CPA, CGMA, Accountants Club of America President for 2018 – 2019

A Short Conversation with J. Michael Kirkland, CPA, CGMA, Accountants Club of America President for 2018 – 2019 What is your vision for ACA in the coming year? I hope to grow this organization.  As someone in the press said a few years ago, ACA is one of New York’s best kept secrets.  I want to keep the “best” part and eliminate the “secret.” How is ACA different from other professional organizations? We are certainly not trying to emulate NYSSCPA or AICPA.   Our role is different.  We are here to create personal contact, which breeds mutual and trust among individuals who can then be resources to each other. ACA provides…

201809.24
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Wealthy Must Do Careful Assessment Before Moving To Lower-Tax State | Financial Advisor

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 • JEFF STIMPSON Some high-net-worth clients are being hit hard in high-tax states by added burdens from reform — some even to the point of packing up for supposedly lower-tax states. Many clients are impacted chiefly by the new $10,000 state and local tax and property deduction cap of $10,000, especially in the nation’s wealthiest states. Three potentially hard-hit states: New Jersey, New York and California. “There has been an uptick in discussions surrounding relocating [but] we haven’t seen a lot of actual movement,” said Barry Kleiman, CPA and principal with Untracht Early in Florham Park, N.J. “My clients would likely not relocate unless they were already considering a…

201809.17
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ACA Members – The Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting | Accounting Today

Joanne Barry Executive director and CEO, NYSSCPA As head of one of the largest and most influential state societies, Barry is a major voice for strong professional education, vigilance in maintaining accounting’s integrity in its public service role, and more inclusion for women and minorities. Career Highlights: Executive director and CEO, New York State Society of CPAs, 2010-present; executive director, Foundation for Accounting Education, 2010-present; executive director, Moynihan Scholarship Fund, 2017; publisher, “The CPA Journal;” deputy executive director, 2008-2009; managing director of communications, 2006-2008; director, Communications Division, 1986-1989; assistant director of PR, 1981-1986. … Assistant director of public information and publications editor, Hackensack Medical Center, 1980-1981 … PR, New York…