Free tax programs, such as Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), allow recipients of the earned income tax credit (EITC) to have their returns filed for free. VITA and other free tax programs are nationwide. However, each program is distinct, and the services provided by these programs differ. This article discusses a successful and unique…

A phenomenon with far-reaching effects on nonprofit investment management and governance has become a little-noticed yet powerful force in boardrooms over the past decade. Despite its wide-ranging implications, this development has largely gone undocumented. This paper seeks to draw attention to this change and its implications, and to trace a…

The accounting curriculum (in fact business colleges in general) often is accused of operating in silos. As a result, it is claimed that students fail to see the connections among the assignments in their separate course work and the necessity to have an integrated understanding to function effectively in the real-world. As a response to the…

This instructional tool presents pension accounting using a worksheet approach where debits equal credits for both the employer and for the plan. Transactions associated with the initiation of the plan through the end of the second year of the plan are presented, including their impact on accumulated other comprehensive income and deferred taxes.…

Having returned to teaching the basics of pricing fixed-income securities after several years, the author recalls the difficulty students have in understanding the total return provided by fixed-income securities that are purchased at either a discount or premium from face value. This teaching note attempts to clarify the concept by suggesting…

A child care center's financial health depends on collecting and processing payments. It is one of the most time-consuming and unpleasant administrative tasks. Fortunately, it's an area where the smart use of technology can provide dramatic benefits. This article discusses various tools and technologies that can be used by child care centers to…

Both the Financial Services Authority and the Basic Skills Agency are committed to supporting those individuals and organisations working to improve the financial capability of themselves and others. The development of the National Strategy for Financial Capability, coordinated by the Financial Services Authority, and the commissioning of a…

The insurance premium rates that guaranty agencies charge student borrowers under the Guaranteed Student Loan program were analyzed by the U.S. General Accounting Office. The Higher Education Amendments of 1986 established a maximum rate (3% of the principal loan amount) that all agencies could charge student borrowers. Comparisons were made of…

This document was prepared in response to the 1973 Minnesota legislature request to "prepare a detailed plan for a fiscal accounting and reporting system of program expenditures for elementary, secondary, and area vocational schools." The plan addresses the organizational and procedural changes, financial resources, and time necessary to…

The California Guaranteed Student Loan Program is described, and information is provided on the characteristics of student borrowers. Attention is also directed to: the effect of students' total accumulated indebtedness on their education and careers; California's default rates compared with those of other states; differences among institutions in…