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Recently Published
Alerts
- New proposed electronic deposit mandates for most federal business taxes effective January 1, 2011.
- Illinois EFT deposit requirements effective October 1, 2010
- Illinois Tax Amnesty
Articles
- 加快并购美国公司的步伐
- IVCA Profile Q&A: Mark J. Blumenthal, Partner at Blackman Kallick
- Excess Capacity - Tax Advantage or Disadvantage?
Business Surveys
- Survey of Chicago Area Business Leaders, September 2009
- Survey of Advisors to Family-Owned Businesses
- Survey of Chicago Area Business Leaders, February 2009
Construction Edge
- Managing Indirect Costs Calls for a Keen Eye ... and a Plan
- An Escalation Clause Can Help Curtail Materials Cost Woes
- Four Ways Dishonest Employees Can Steal Your Money
Insurance Edge
- Senator Dodd's Financial Reform Bill Includes Provisions for Regulation of Reinsurance and Surplus Lines
- Preparing Your Organization for Risk, Threats and Opportunities: The Importance of Enterprise-Wide Risk Management (ERM) Education
- Benefits of Membership in the Federal Home Loan Bank System
Legal Talent
- Varying Rates for Contract Attorneys: Caveat Emptor!
- Top 10 Reasons to Hire Temporary Help in a Down Economy
- Five Organizational Tips for Staffing a Document Review Project
Manufacturing Edge
- Lean, Six Sigma and ERP - Working Together
- How Much Is Your Business Worth?
- Capital Spending: Treat It Like An Investment, Because It Is
Not-for-Profit Edge
- Effective Dashboards for Not-for-Profit Boards
- Nonprofits Need Innovative Thinking to Survive the “New Normal”
- Online Donation Portals Ease Contributions, Receipt Process
Insurance Edge
Senator Dodd's Financial Reform Bill Includes Provisions for Regulation of Reinsurance and Surplus Lines
The following article summarizes the current activity surrounding possible regulation of Reinsurance and Surplus Lines Insurance as contained in Senator Dodd’s bill. In an environment where federal regulation to avoid future bail outs is the order of the day, it’s...
read morePreparing Your Organization for Risk, Threats and Opportunities: The Importance of Enterprise-Wide Risk Management (ERM) Education
This article points out how ERM can address both strategic and operational issues. While ERM is often thought of as a different way to look at risk management, the author elaborates on how ERM enhances overall decision making, improves acceptance...
read moreBenefits of Membership in the Federal Home Loan Bank System
We often read articles that are interesting, but have little practical application related to the problems our clients face. This article however, has both. For insurance companies that are experiencing cash flow issues, the following article may provide valuable assistance....
read moreRisk-Focused Exams for Reinsurance: What's Going On?
Beginning in 2010, state insurance examiners will be conducting “Risk-Focused Examinations” per the new Financial Condition Examiners Handbook. This is a revised approach to the exam as examiners will be concentrating on reviewing a company’s procedures and internal controls over...
read moreSSAP 43R-Revised Loan-Backed and Structured Securities
On September 14, 2009, the Statutory Accounting Principles Working Group adopted SSAP 43R, which provides guidance on recording other-than temporary impairments (OTTIs) on loan-backed and structured securities. The new pronouncementwill supersede SSAP 98, “Treatment of Cash Flows When Quantifying Changes...
read moreInsurance SAS 70: A Move Toward Action in Governance
In this era of heightened compliance and governance, an insurance organization’s ongoing assessment of its internal control structure and effectiveness is a critical business initiative. Many leaders within the insurance industry have concluded that setting the proper tone at the...
read moreFDIC Policy Changes Offer Insurers Added Protection
Katherine Duckworth, Vice PresidentCitibank, N.A. Commercial Business Groupkathy.duckworth@citi.com, 312-627-5024 With today’s economic conditions, everyone is worried about the safety and soundness of their financial assets. This concern has made commercial and consumer banking customers nationwide increasingly aware of the significant...
read moreCorporate Bonds: Can Default History Predict the Future?
Elizabeth Henderson, CFA Director of Corporate Credit AAM Insurance Investment Management ehenderson@aamcompany.com, 312-263-2900 The rating agencies are predicting that defaults for speculative-grade bonds will peak somewhere between 14% and 16% in 2009. Many analysts and pundits are quick to point...
read moreMaximizing Tax Benefits of P&C Insurers’ Capital Losses
Douglas J. Youngren, JD, CPA Tax Partner dyoungren@BlackmanKallick.com, 312-980-2944In a year fraught with so many losses, is there anything in the current tax code that allows realized capital losses to offset underwriting income? Can those losses be carried back to offset...
read moreACH: The New Wave of Bank Fraud
Jeffery A. Dertz, CPAPartner, Insurance Practice jdertz@BlackmanKallick.com, 312-980-3224This Blackman Kallick article was published some time ago, but it has taken on new relevance in light of the changes in the U.S. economy and the corresponding increase in online fraud. The Automated...
read moreWinning the Pricing War Against Industry Giants: Offensive Strategies for Regional Insurers
Chris Hurst Towers Perrin chris.hurst@towersperrin.com, 314-719-5846 Klayton Southwood Towers Perrin klayton.southwood@towersperrin.com, 309-828-8351 Gone are the days of pricing personal auto insurance using only "traditional" rating variables such as driver age, gender, marital status and vehicle use. More than a decade...
read moreWhat Is the Value of Financial Planning to an Insurance Enterprise?
In some respects, financial planning for an insurance company is like running a manufacturing assembly line. As long as people work ahead of themselves, things tend to go smoothly. Assembly line workers run into trouble when they try to manage...
read moreFAS 157 Changes Fair Value Definition, Measurement and Disclosure
Jeffery A. Dertz, CPAPartner, Insurance Practicejdertz@BlackmanKallick.com, 312-980-3224In September 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157, "Fair Value Measurements" (FAS 157). This new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after Nov. 15,...
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