Posted By Mark Scarp

From the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants:

CPAs scrutinize financial statements with an auditor’s eye, and now journalists can benefit from this perspective.

What’s the difference between an 8-K and a 10-Q? Even business reporters who know the basics of companies’ financial statements will find value in the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants’ free breakfast seminar, “Understanding Financial Statements for Journalists,” 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 26, at the NYSSCPA’s offices, 3 Park Ave. (at 34th Street), 19th floor, classroom C, New York City, or via webcast.

Ronald Huefner, University at Buffalo Distinguished Teaching Professor of Accounting and Law, will lead the discussion on balance sheets, income statements, statements of cash flows, ratio analysis, red flags and proxy statements.  Huefner will also discuss footnotes, which often contain essential information that is not found elsewhere.

To make a reservation for the live or webcast presentation of Understanding Financial Statements, contact Cara Patterson, NYSSCPA public relations associate, at cpatterson@nysscpa.org.

Bring your questions! From beginner-level to advanced, any questions about financial statements are appropriate during this three-hour seminar.

BACKGROUND: Ronald Huefner has served on the University at Buffalo faculty for 42 years and chaired its MBA program for 10 years. He is the recipient of the NYSSCPA’s 2010 Distinguished Service Award and has previously received its Emanuel Saxe Outstanding CPA in Education Award and its Max Block Distinguished Article Award for his contribution to The CPA Journal, the NYSSCPA’s peer-reviewed monthly academic journal. Huefner has also served as chair and vice chair of the NYSSCPA’s Higher Education Committee, has served on the NYSSPCA’s board of directors and as a trustee of its Foundation for Accounting Education.