Features

IMA 2008 Salary Survey
By David L. Schroeder and Karl E. Reichardt, CMA
As you would expect in the current economic conditions, the 20th Annual Salary Survey finds that IMA members in 2008 didn’t see a statistically significant increase in average salary and total compensation compared to 2007. Overall, the average salary for respondents is $104,092. Once again, the impact of certification on earnings is significant. Members with a certification have an average salary 30% greater than those without a certification.

Does Your Costing System Need a Tune-up?
By Bobby E. Waldrup, CPA; John B. MacArthur, FCCA; and Jeffrey E. Michelman, CMA, CPA
The effort used to maintain a relevant, effective ABC system should match the effort that went into creating and implementing it. The authors examine how a municipal utility company managed to revive its ABC system with help from an unexpected source. They provide details on how you can diagnose the problems with the ABC initiative at your own company and suggest possible remedies to revitalize it.

Fraud in the Nonprofit Sector? You Bet
By Thomas Buckhoff, CPA, and Abbie Gail Parham, CMA, CFM, CPA
If you’re entrusted to maintain the books for a charity or a nonprofit, don’t assume that every “do-gooder” is doing right by your organization. Embezzlement is perhaps as commonplace at nonprofits as it is at for-profit firms. This article endeavors to help management accountants and auditors head off fraud at the pass.

Producing Reliable Forecasts
By Bijan Tabatabai
Business forecasts are used to make better decisions. There are three primary factors that make a forecast reliable—it must be actionable, unbiased, and realistically measure the risk it carries. It’s important to remember that a forecast will never be entirely accurate. The key issue is how much it is off and in what way. Supporting tools, such as the Forecast Scorecard and Range Forecast, can help measure the bias and risk attached to forecasts, improving their reliability.

Columns

PERSPECTIVES
The Only Way Up

BEST PRACTICES
The Start of a Beautiful Friendship

ETHICS
Different Actions Needed on Credit Rating Agencies

TAXES
Plug-in Electric Vehicles Tax Credits

FINANCIAL REPORTING
Looking Back, Looking Ahead

CAREERS
Simple Secrets of Power Presenters

IMA LIFE
CMA Is Essential to a Career Path

Departments

SF BULLETIN
• Have you tried IMA’s staff enrollment program?
• SOX rules still coming
• Bill increases SEC enforcement funds and justice department prosecutors
• Sharing your story
• Letters: What about effective enforcement of existing regulations?
• Books: Using COSO’s ERM Framework

EXCEL
Building a Fill-In Form in Excel

ACCESS
Entering Data into Tables

TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Sony VAIO JS, Clickfree™ Traveler, FileMaker Pro, Kindle DX

TECH FORUM
Plastic Newsprint, Digital Ink