Arbitration Lurks in the Fine Print

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized, Video Updates.

In this article, the New York Times found that arbitration rules tend to favor businesses, and judges and juries have been replaced by arbitrators who commonly consider the companies to be their clients. According to the authors, this has created an alternative justice system with conflicts of interest. Questions: 1. What types of claims are… Read more »

Paranoia or Internal Control?

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Red Star Operating System is North Korea’s homegrown computer operating system that mirrors its political one. The latest version (circa 2013) is based on a version of Linux called Fedora and has the feel of Apple’s OSX. Questions: 1. What are the two major challenges the article said that Pyongyang faces? From an international business… Read more »

Whistleblower in an Unusual Case

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According to Newsweek, David Danon, a former Vanguard tax lawyer, became a whistleblower two years ago when he filed formal complaints with the Internal Revenue Service and many state taxing agencies claiming that Vanguard’s low fees are an illegal tax dodge. Questions: 1. According to a 2006 law, how much could Danon stand to collect… Read more »

Security Chips and Bearing the Cost of Fraud

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New payment cards, issued over the last year, come with a small square security chip that can help make in-person transactions more secure. However, retailers complain that they have spent billions of dollars upgrading their payment terminals to accommodate a system that cuts down on the fraud shouldered by banks, but not merchants. Questions: 1…. Read more »

Avoid the crowds with Black Friday Apps

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Questions: 1. What are the benefits of Nifti? 2. What are the benefits of ShopSavvy? 3. Based on the information in this article and video, if you were a brick-and-mortar retailer, what would you do to counteract the convenience of these apps and get more traffic (that translate into higher sales)? 4. From an accounting… Read more »

Release Cards: Another High Interest Problem?

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As this article points out, unlike consumer debit cards, prison-issued cards are unregulated and subject to exorbitant fees. Questions: 1. What are the typical charges for these cards? 2. For the person that had $120 and was able to use only $70, calculate the percentage of fees. 3. Who is making the money on these… Read more »

Litigation Finance

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Fraud Accounting, IFRS, Intermediate Accounting, International Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

This article discusses the trend of litigation finance, where individuals and companies are turning to private companies to front the money for legal costs in expensive litigation. Despite having in-house counsel, even larger companies are selling off pieces of lawsuits to improve cash flow and reduce risk. Questions: 1. Between 2013 and 2014, how much… Read more »

Asset Forfeiture Followup

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During 2014, law enforcement officers took more property from American citizens than burglars did. This was a new record. Questions: 1. What was the source of these data? 2. Why aren’t the asset forfeiture deposit amounts necessarily good indicators of the rise in the use of forfeiture? 3. Why are the net assets of the… Read more »

Corporate Challenges to Workman’s Comp

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For quite a while, the state of Texas has allowed companies to opt out of workman’s comp and write their own benefit plans. As a result, benefits for the same body part can differ dramatically depending upon which company you work for. Questions 1. Who is Bill Minick and what corporate movement is his firm… Read more »

A Disturbing Trend

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Fraud Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Video Updates.

A controversial law enforcement known as civil asset forfeiture allows police to seize and keep cash and property from people, who are suspected of wrongdoing but may never be charged. Despite public outcries, the use of this procedure has increased in the past decade. Questions: 1. The figures in reports show “the size of the… Read more »