News

CCH Small Firm Services, whose locations incorporate the facilities of the ATX and TaxWise lines before their purchase by CCH, has decided to consolidate operations in a new headquarters in Kennesaw, Ga. More than 600 employees working in four sites in three states are being offered the chance to work at the new location, which is scheduled to open in the September quarter.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – H&R Block saw a 6.3 percent drop in the number of tax returns prepared through February as total returns prepared year-to-date fell 8.2 percent and average retail fee per tax return prepared increased by 1.8 percent. Meanwhile, returns prepared online or via Block's desktop software dropped by 1.8 percent from the prior year.

Although revenue and net income dropped for 2009, Morningstar has begun restoring benefits that were suspended last year as the company ended the year with an upturn in results in the fourth quarter. It had suspended 100-percent matching contributions to employee 401(k) plans, but is now matching 50 percent of the employee money. It also expects to provide some moderate pay increases in 2010 after keeping most compensation flat last year and is filling some vacant job positions.

The American Institute of CPAs plans to replace its annual Top Ten Technologies list with two lists, one for CPAs in public practice, and the other for accountants industry, according to the chair of the task force that has decided on the change. However, Chairman Ron Box said the committee immediately plans to work on the 2011 list so that this year's delay in publishing the list won't be repeated.