With accountants ready to enter the busiest part of busy season, it's always good to check your oil and air, so to speak, to make sure the vehicle is ready to run the distance. Some of these involve technology and disaster planning, other process and people issues that can make the tax preparation process a lot less painful.

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.