The SEC has reinstated CPA Benedict P. Rybicki, who has been a director at Doeren Mayhew since 1998. Although Rybicki had been suspended from practicing before the agency for only a year, he had not sought reinstatement since the SEC took its action on Aug. 5, 2004 over his role as sole engagement manager in the audit of MCA Financial Corp's. 1998 financial statements. The audit was performed jointly by Doeren Mayhew and Grant Thornton.

H&R Block reported this week that the number of returns it had prepared through February 15 had risen by 2.5 percent with retail returns rising only a half a percent over the same period in 2011, Meanwhile, market's strong trend towards online preparation continued. Online returns rose by 28 percent while all digitally prepared returns, including those prepared via H&R Block's tax software, rose by 7.3 percent.