ACCOUNTING & AUDITING
www.fasb.org
At FASB's site, you can order statements and publications, review exposure drafts and get news updates.
www.auditnet.org
AuditNet, including Kaplan's AuditNet Resource List (KARL), features free auditing resources, a Q&A forum, links, audit programs and discussions. accounting.rutgers.edu Billed as "The Largest Accounting Site on the Internet," Rutgers Accounting Web is heavy on links to just about every accounting-related site you can imagine.
ACCOUNTING REFORM
www.sec.gov
The SEC homepage is the connection to information on implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 as well as many other regulations impacting publicly held companies.
www.aicpa.org/info/index.htm
The AICPA has covered recent corporate collapses and the subsequent fallout extensively. If you can't find answers to your questions on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act here, they offer a toll-free number to help!
www.calcpa.org/members/GR
CalCPA also has focused tremendous energy on California accounting legislation. Here you can find details of new laws and pending bills, plus contact information for key legislators.
BUSINESS VALUATION
www.bvupdate.com
Shannon Pratt's website has valuation resources for the business appraiser and legal professional. It isn't all free, but what is? Here you'll also find www.bvmarketdata.com and www.bvlibrary.com.
www.1stresearch.com
First Research provides (for a fee) more than 125 industry profiles, plus (for free) a huge listing of business-related links (click Financial Link).
CONTINUING EDUCATION
www.educationfoundation.org
The California CPA Education Foundation has courses and conferences-online, on-site and resort offerings-and pretty much every course you could need to meet your 80-hour CPE requirement.
CPA PORTALS
www.myaccountingportal.com
My Accounting Portal is a major clearinghouse of technical accounting information, practice management ideas, chat forums, business and lifestyle news.
www.accountingweb.com
AccountingWEB provides news and information about the CPA profession as well as career, practice, CPE and other resources.
www.accountantsworld.com
Accountants' World bills itself as the "community for accountants who think ahead" and provides easy links to just about everything: the Big Four, IRS, FTB, state societies and accounting firm networks. It also provides daily accounting news updates.
www.smartpros.com
SmartPros has something for everyone: accounting and auditing, personal financial planning, HR, tax, technology and more. News from around the globe is presented daily.
CPA ORGANIZATIONS
www.calcpa.org
Check out the online version of California CPA. While you're there, seek out professional knowledge, renew your membership or find a calendar of events for your local chapter.
www.aicpa.org
Lots of CPA-specific information, including national job classifieds and updates on AICPA products, services and accreditations. Also full of valuable information for members is www.cpa2biz.com.
www.dca.ca.gov/cba
The California Board of Accountancy's site offers the latest in licensing requirements, including changes to continuing education requirements, renewal information and more.
ELDERCARE
www.elderweb.com
ElderWeb is a compendium of information on the issues confronting the elderly, from recent tax legislation to news, finance, law and associations. An ElderCare locator lists agencies throughout the world that assist older adults.
www.aarp.org
Learn about the issues important to your elderly clients at the AARP website, with links to legislative, research and money pages.
FINANCIAL PLANNING
www.djnr.com
Dow Jones Interactive is a customizable business news and research site that integrates content from newspapers (including www.wsj.com), newswires, research reports and websites. It isn't free, but you get what you pay for!
www.financial-planning.com
Financial Planning Interactive, a website for professionals, offers industry buzz, practice management tips, surveys, software, live chat forums and educational opportunities.
http://finance.yahoo.com
Yahoo Finance offers customizable features to keep track of business and finance. Another great resource for market news and information on just about everything finance-related.
www.socialfunds.com
A complete resource for socially responsible money planning. Social Funds.com has daily news, investment advice and social and environmental information on more than 1,000 companies.
www.fool.com
The Motley Fool is set up "to educate, amuse and enrich," giving easily digested, in-depth information on personal finance, with an emphasis on investing.
www.savingforcollege.com
Savingforcollege.com offers just about everything you need to know about Sec. 529 college savings plans. A special section for professionals provides information on courses, tax resources and a newsletter.
GOVERNMENT
www.irs.gov
The IRS website is not just for downloading tax forms; the recently revamped site features a special link with breaking news and information for tax professionals.
www.ftb.ca.gov
The California Franchise Tax Board's website provides a plethora of state tax links; External Links takes users to California government sites, inclung the EDD, Board of Equalization and the state Controller's Office.
www.federal reserve.gov
When Alan Greenspan talks, the world listens. Find the Federal Reserve chairman's speeches, along with breaking news, monetary policy, reporting forms and everything else to do with the central bank.
www.gasb.org
The source for information on state and local government reporting standards.
INTERNATIONAL
www.ifac.org
The International Federation of Accountants' website features the latest news and information on international accounting standards, guidance and resources for CPAs in the global marketplace.
www.calcpa.org/global
CalCPAs Global Opportunities Committee offers a Global Resource Directory designed to help people do business around the world. (From the first page, click on Resources, then Global Resource Directory.)
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
www.calcpa.org/MAP
CalCPA's Management of an Accounting Practice Committee has sample letters and memos, a comprehensive disaster recovery planning guide and the MAP Doctor Hotline.
www.calcpa.org/HR
CalCPA's Human Resources Committee site has links to articles and sites that help in hiring, retaining and managing staff.
www.camico.com
CAMICO provides professional liability insurance to CPAs. Policyholders get access to risk management tools, a loss-prevention hotline and even tax advice.
www.cpaprotectplus.com
The Group Insurance Trust of the California Society of CPAs offers quality, cost-effective insurance to the owners and employees of CalCPA member firms. Their site offers quotes, enrollment forms and plan information.
www.shrm.org
This homepage for the Society of Human Resource Management is a clearinghouse of information on workforce studies, regulations, management ideas, conferences and seminars. www.paycheckcity.com A collection of online payroll tools useful for employees and employers alike that helps calculate paychecks, deductions, stock options, 401(K) plans and bonuses. Links to a number of HR sites.
TAX
www.tax.cch.com/network
The CCH Internet Tax Research Network is the online component of the company's publications that provide subscribers with in-depth tax law information.
www.caltax.com
Spidell Publishing's site is devoted to California tax information. Offers breaking news, notice alerts, seminar schedules and product information.
www.taxsites.com
This well-organized tax and accounting website gives links to everything imaginable, from academia and news to software, rates and tables. www.willyancey.com also offers a vast collection of no-frills, every-topicunder-the-sun links. Both sites are maintained by CPAs.
TECH SITES
www.calcpa.org/tech
Software, hardware, training-CalCPA's Technology Committee has the goods on just about anything you can do with a computer, including links to a number of sites we couldn't fit in this article!
www.xbrl.org
Pay attention! Ease of access to financial reports for investors gains importance daily and XBRL is what will make this happen.
www.as411.com Accounting Software 411 has quick references to software and software consultants, plus discussion boards and news. Product news is prominent, as are links to upcoming events.
www.cnet.com
CNet is a techie's dream: product reviews and comparisons, technology news and advice-with a focus on personal technology.
FOR YOUR CLIENTS
www.sbaonline.sba.gov/starting
The Small Business Administration offers help on developing a business plan, getting a business license and establishing patents and trademarks.
www.taxweb.com
Tax Web is where non-CPAs can get general tax information with links to various tax organizations, FAQs, filing information, discussion groups and more.
www.funwithtaxes.com/ValuationTable.htm
Your clients might not think taxes are fun, but this Donation Valuation Table is at least handy and makes estimating easier.
www.findlaw.com
FindLaw is a clearinghouse of law resources that appears to cover everything-from traffic tickets to intellectual property.
A to Z
www.google.com
Tired of search engines that only include paying sites? Google indexes the entire World Wide Web. You can't get more comprehensive than that!
http://home.earthlink.net/-badduck/bookmark.html
Bookmarks from Education Foundation instructor Danny Santucci-Check it out! Calculators, California legal references, stock indexes, eldercare, bankruptcy resources and more.
OK, it's a link to a book, "The Best Websites for Business Appraisers, Accountants, and Financial Professionals." But Fresno CPA and tech wizard Susan Bradley highly recommends it. www.calcpa.org/community/resources/reading/best.html.
