June 2008 | San Francisco Chapter Bulletin

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CHAPTER EVENTS

Fourth Annual Chapter Luncheon—Wednesday, June 11

If you haven’t attended one of our annual chapter lunches before, please join us this month for a special occasion—a time to socialize with fellow members and guests, enjoy a delicious lunch and hear an entertaining talk from Vic Lee, ABC 7 news reporter, together with the installation of our 2008–09 chapter board. New chapter members are particularly welcome. Reservations are being accepted now, and we encourage you to come and bring a guest. Register online.

Attention Golfers: Tuesday, Sept. 23

Please save the date! We’re going back to Harding Park again for our sixth annual Golf Tournament, which is the major annual fundraiser for our chapter scholarship fund, as well as the most fun day in our calendar year! Sponsors are needed to make this a success: If you are interested, download our sponsorship flier.

Congratulations!

To Henry Angerbauer who celebrated his 50th year of CalCPA membership last month.
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COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Litigation/Accounting Principles and Auditing Standards

Topic: The Impact of the New Business Valuation Standards on Auditing & Accounting
Speaker: Donald A. Glenn, CPA/ABV, CVA, CFE, partner, Glenn & Dawson, LLP, Walnut Creek
Date: Wednesday, June 4
Time: Noon–2 p.m.
Location: Bankers Club; 555 California St.; San Francisco
Cost: $40/members with reservation; $45/members without reservation; $50/nonmembers
CPE: 1.5 hours
RSVP: Online

Young Professionals

Joint meeting with the Bar Association Barristers Club
Topic: Real Estate: Tips for the First Time Buyer
Speaker: Doug Burrows, MLS Corp., and Matt Hughes, Hughes Estates
Date: Wednesday, June 11
Time: 6–7:30 p.m.
Location: KPMG (10th floor training room); 55 Second St.; San Francisco
Cost: $10/members, $15/nonmembers; free/student members (light refreshments included)
RSVP: Online

International Tax Committee

Topic: IRS Update
Speaker: Rita Palacios-Rader, IRS revenue agent
Date: Thursday, June 19
Time: 8:30–9:30 a.m.
Location: 601 Montgomery St., Suite 405 (Community conference room)
CPE: 1 hour
RSVP: Online

Pension Audit Committee

Topic: Form 5500 Highlights
Speaker: Virginia Chaloeicheep, Milliman
Date: Wednesday, June 18
Time: Noon–2 p.m.
Location: Burr, Pilger & Mayer LLP; 600 California St., #1300; San Francisco
CPE: 2 hours
Cost: $15 (includes sandwich lunch)
RSVP: Online

Marin Discussion Group

Topic: CPAs and Nonprofit Opportunities
Speaker: Linda Davis
Date: Friday, June 27
Time: Noon–1:30 p.m.
Location: Marin Nonprofit Resource Center; 555 Northgate Dr.; San Rafael
CPE: 1 hour
RSVP: Online

Humboldt Discussion Group

Topic: Practice Management/Fees for Service––A Panel Discussion
Date: Wednesday, June 4
Time: 5:30 p.m. registration.; 6 p.m. program; 7 p.m. dinner
Location: Sea Grill; Eureka
CPE: 1 hour
Cost: $30/person (checks payable to the Sea Grill Restaurant)
RSVP: Stephen Kiewel, (707) 444-8242 or Stephen@aalfsevans.com by Friday, May 30
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Greater Than the Sum of the Parts

By Jerry Sample

This is my first message as president. I am humbled and excited by the opportunity. I am humbled because I am part of a continuum that is greater than the sum of its parts. I am excited because I know the positive effect that professionals working together has on the development of their profession.
   As CalCPA approaches its 100th anniversary, and the profession approaches the second decade of the 21st century, changes, both good and bad, are coming at us with the speed and intensity of a winter storm surge pounding the coast. No individual CPA or firm can monitor the changes, separate the wheat from the chaff and organize opposition to those changes that could harm the public or the profession. However, CalCPA does all of the above daily. CalCPA serves as a breakwater against the surge of change. It filters out debris and smoothes the surge so it raises rather than swamps our boats.
   We work in a time when we have to constantly retrain ourselves and retool our methodologies just to keep even. Future success will come to those firms and individuals who are able to reinvent themselves regularly. Bob Dylan’s line, “Those of us not busy being born are busy dying” is emblematic of the transition of the profession. If you or your firm is not the former, it is surely the latter. Just doing things the old way is not an option. It’s not what you don’t know, but what you think you know that leads to malpractice.
   As a CalCPA member , you have access to the knowledge base of 32,000 CPAs throughout the state, various chapter and state committees that provide updates and CPE, and calcpa.org, our website, where you can get answers to your questions from experts in the field and information and analysis of the latest developments affecting CPAs.
   Enough of my bloviating, don’t you think? I want these messages to be interactive. Please send your e-mail feedback by clicking on Jane Dunbar’s link at the bottom of the page. I hope to have a listserve set up by next month.
   What can CalCPA and the San Francisco Chapter do to help you help your clients?
—Jerry Sample
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OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST

Ascend™ Leadership Conference: Saturday, June 7

“Inspiring Across Generations” is the theme for this second-annual conference hosted by the San Francisco Bay Area Ascend/NAASA Chapter and sponsored by CalCPA, to be held at the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco. For program details and registration, please check out their website.

CalCPA Co-Sponsors State Bar Annual Income Tax Seminar: Friday, June 20

This nine-hour CPE program will be held at Golden Gate University School of Law; 536 Mission St.; San Francisco; from 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Topics include: Property Taxes––Changes of Ownership; Handling Audits with Sensitive Issues; S Corporation Acquisitions; Tax Preparer Penalties; and the Credit Crunch/Real Estate Issues. For the program schedule and registration, go to www.calbar.ca.gov/taxation.

Tax-Aid Celebrates 20 Years of Service

Tax-Aid, a local nonprofit organization created to help low-income families prepare their tax returns, celebrated its 20th year by serving nearly 3,400 families at 21 locations in seven Bay Area counties.
   “Tax-Aid was started back in 1988 when there were no computers,” says Tax-Aid President Kenneth Lee, CPA. “The volunteers carried tax forms, carbon paper and adding machines in steamer trunks to the sites. If they did eight returns a night, it was considered a success.”
   Things have definitely changed. Tax-Aid now has a volunteer force of more than 815 CPAs, attorneys, financial professionals and students. In addition, the group uses state-of-the-art laptops (generously provided by KPMG, LLP) loaded with donated Lacerte software. Some sites prepare more than 100 returns in one session.
   “We’ve also gone beyond just tax preparation,” Lee is quick to add. “Now we help our families to open free or low-cost bank accounts, provide information on private and public benefit programs and refer them to other programs as necessary. We’re also piloting workshops on how self-employed workers can improve their record keeping, pay estimated taxes and minimize their tax burden.”
   Still, there’s plenty more to do, and volunteers are always needed.
   Chapter members interested in receiving more information on volunteering should contact Minnie Sage at msage@kpmg.com or (415) 963-5133. [back to top]

CHAPTER NEWS

New Members

On behalf of the San Francisco Chapter’s officers, directors and members, we extend our warmest of welcomes to our new members: Michael Centron, Yim Ping Cheng, Kevin Chow... [see all new members]

2008–09 Chapter Leadership

CalCPA gratefully acknowledges the members who step forward to volunteer their time, energy and enthusiasm for our chapter:

President: Jerry Sample, Paladin Accountancy
First Vice President: Jamshed B. Gandi, Bertorelli, Gandi, Won & Behti
Second Vice President: Karen Pfau-Martinez, Burr Pilger & Mayer LLP
Secretary: Laura L. Ross, Harb Levy & Weiland LLP
Treasurer: S. Scott Seamands, Lindquist Von Husen & Joyce LLP
Past President: Kathy Yu Liu, Louis Raphael

Directors:
Reynaldo E. Arrellano, Arrellano & Company
Margaret M. Fong, Wealth & Tax Advisory Services
John E. Kennedy, Harb Levy & Weiland LLP
Chisako Y. Ress, CPA
Jennifer A. Sawyer, Heller Ehrman LLP
Kathleen R. Schaum, KPMG LLP
Danuta Fitzsimmons, Burr Pilger & Mayer LLP
Charlotte D. Wall, Spott Lucey & Wall Inc. CPAs
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CalCPA NEWS

And the Winner Is ...

Congratulations to Jerry Butterfield of the San Joaquin Chapter, who won the free VP membership courtesy of the Education Foundation. And thank you to everyone who has renewed.
   If you haven’t already renewed—your dues were due May 1—now is the perfect time.
   It only takes a minute, www.calcpa.org/renew

2008 National MAP Survey: New and Improved

Find out how your firm stacks up against others by taking part in the PCPS/TSCPA National MAP Survey, which covers key practice management issues, from billing rates and salaries to services as a percentage of fees.
   Survey results will allow you to compare your firm’s management policies and financial results to other firms; gain strategic guidance to build a more profitable and rewarding practice; and help make core business decisions.
   Changes to this year’s survey include 40 percent fewer questions; targeted and “user-friendly” results; a free summary results report for all participants; and results made available months earlier than in previous years.
   The summary report will contain an extract of the survey’s key performance metrics, such as number of hours charged/compensated, major income statement statistics and more. The comprehensive report, available for purchase and free to PCPS members, will include all of the performance metrics crossed against many relevant comparison groups, as well as additional ratios and statistical analyses.
   The survey is open through July 11.
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