Choose an area of interest:

GMAC Gives Up Some GM Car Financing in Bailout GMAC will no longer have exclusive rights to provide low-interest loans to people who buy General Motors Corp. vehicles, and it will stop financing leases under a complex deal to get federal aid for the troubled lender. Also in the News: Government to Get $5M Preferred GMAC Shares Madoff Lists Assets for SEC; Agency Mum on Details SmartPros: Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results More Weekly Newsletter Online CPE Investor Relations OP/ED By J. Edward Ketz Who Is Responsible for Auditing Madoff Fund? FREE WEBCAST Friday, Jan. 23 at 11 am ET College Financial Planning: Keeping Up with the Changes

News & Insights

This Week in the SmartPros News & Insights Newsletter GMAC Gives Up Some Financing ... Who Is Responsible for Madoff Audit ... College Financing Wedcast ... Audit Efficiency Through Automation SIPC, Trustee Issue Statement on Initial Recovery of Assets in Madoff Liquidation Proceedings Claim form mailing in Madoff liquidation to proceed on or before January 9, 2009 according to Trustee. Did Administration Drop the Ball on Wall Street Oversight? Federal officials are bringing far fewer prosecutions as a result of fraudulent stock schemes than they did eight years ago, according to new data, raising fresh questions about whether the Bush administration has been too lax in policing Wall Street. SEC's Enforcement Accountant to Leave Next Month The top accountant in the Securities and Exchange Commission's enforcement branch is leaving for a private sector job next month, in what could herald a wave of departures from the embattled agency. Alleged Scheme Targeted Haitians, Bilked $23M A man is accused of bilking thousands of Haitian- Americans of more than $23 million in an investment scheme where he promised to create a "nation of Haitian millionaires." SEC Approves New Rules for Oil Reserves The Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday approved updated rules for energy companies that will require them to provide more detailed information to investors when reporting oil and gas reserves. SEC Study Defends Fair Value Accounting There is no need to suspend a controversial accounting rule used to value hard-to-price assets such as the toxic debt underlying the U.S. housing crisis, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission study released on Tuesday. Consumer Confidence Falls to All-Time Low The Conference Board Consumer Confidence IndexTM, which had increased moderately in November, declined to a new all-time low in December. Appraisers React to Fannie and Freddie Home Valuation Code of Conduct New Appraisal Code not enough: nation's largest organizations of professional appraisers pledge to seek further action promoting appraisal quality. Making Donations Count As many residents pack up their holiday decorations, another type of giving is expected to ensue. Many will make a mad dash to beat the calendar in time to benefit their 2008 taxes, donating clothes, toys or something larger. Some Ideas Hidden in Plain Sight; Think Green and Take Advantage of Tax Credits The most valuable kind of tax reduction offered by the internal revenue code is tax credits. Now, think green: Not only has it become fashionable to go green, but it is tax wise to consider the type of purchases that qualify for tax credits.

Spotlight

Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) Opportunities The recently enacted Emergency Economic Stabilization Act may be the most significant economic intervention by the U.S. Government in the nation's financial services industry since the Great Depression. On this month's J.H. Cohn Accounting Report, Anthony Zecca assesses the corporate opportunities stemming from the new law's Troubled Asset Relief Program. SmartPros Price: Free! View online now. CPA Report Online Subscribe to the top online CPE program for public accountants. CPA Report Online covers the latest events impacting public practice. SmartPros Price: Courses: $59.98 - Subscriptions: $409 FMN Online Subscribe to the program that more than half of the Fortune 500 trust for CPE. Stay up to date on Sarbanes-Oxley and other key events impacting corporate finance. SmartPros Price: Courses: $59.98 - Subscriptions: $409

SmartPros Today

Introducing SmartPros Legal Professional Education SmartPros Legal features the Cognistar CLE library highlighting over 150 course titles in areas such as litigation, IP, corporate/securities law, tax, labor/employment law, bankruptcy, ethics, professionalism, substance abuse, bias, and many more.