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Dear Elizabeth:

Today marks my last day as your interim CEO. Thank you all for welcoming me as your leader over the past three months. I hope you will extend the same warm welcome to your new CEO, Amy Pitter, who starts on May 4. I am confident that under Amy’s leadership, the MSCPA will continue to grow and thrive.

As I return as your VP of Membership and Peer Review, I also want to remind you to renew your MSCPA membership, if you have not already done so. On Monday, we will suspend members who have not yet renewed, and they will not be able to access the discounts and benefits exclusively available to members. You can renew online here. Thank you to everyone who has already renewed!

I hope you will continue to support the MSCPA, and I look forward to an exciting 2015 membership year!

Beth Lyons, CAE
Interim President & CEO

MEMBERSHIP & NETWORKING:

NEW - Volunteer Opportunity
- East Boston Museum - CPA

MSCPA Auction: Save on Review Courses
Are you planning to sit for the CPA Exam? Participate in the MSCPA's online auction and save on review courses from accounting’s top providers – Becker CPA, ExamMatrix, Kaplan, Roger CPA and Surgent Kolar. Proceeds benefit the MSCPA Educational Foundation. Hurry, the auction is expected to sell out before the deadline (5/15). If you have any questions, please contact us.

CPE:

Staff Training - Now with More Tax Content!
Based on your feedback, we've injected more tax content into our Staff Training Programs.

Upcoming Conferences
• Business & Industry Virtual Conference (5/15)
• Accounting & Auditing (6/2)
• Regulated Investment Companies InfoShare (6/3)
• Western MA Conference - Choose Your Path (6/10)
• Alternative Investments InfoShare (6/11)
• Government Accounting & Auditing (6/12) 

NEWS & EVENTS:

CPAs Select Technology as Top Accounting Priority
Securing the information technology environment once again ranks as the top technology priority for accountants.

Ways to Deal with a Difficult Employee
Dealing with a troublesome employee is no fun, but it's a vital part of a leader's job. An effective strategy includes establishing a performance plan, setting consequences for failing to measure up and refusing to let the problem employee swallow up any more of your time.

How to Respond to 1099-K Notice Letters
The IRS has started using Form 1099-K information it receives from credit and debit card issuers and third-party networks, and sends notices when it finds discrepancies. Taxpayers and their tax advisers must be prepared to understand and respond to these notices.

The Leader's 13-Step Self-Improvement Checklist
Leaders need to get a grip on 13 small things -- such as using a smartphone effectively or learning to run routine meetings -- to have a chance to progress and become truly great.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:

MA House Passes $38 Billion Budget
The Massachusetts House of Representatives moved quickly to approve their version of the FY 16 budget. Lawmakers filed over 1,000 amendments to the bill which were debated over three days. Unlike the plan offered by Governor Baker in January, the plan includes no new tax-related provisions.

FASB Proposes Deferral of Revenue Recognition Standard
FASB issued Proposed Accounting Standards Update, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date, for public comment that would defer the effective date of its new revenue recognition standard by one year.  Comments are requested by May 29, 2015.