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A friend of mine put together an awesome handwritten sign outlining why she's voting for President Obama this year, I think it says almost everything you need to know:Many Americans take it for granted that President Obama has been one of the most effective Presidents since FDR. It's important to remember just how bad things were when he took office and how much he's accomplished since he's been in office.We were hemorrhaging jobs when this President took office and now we've gone from 10% unemployment down to around 8.5%. If the recovery continues on this path, we'll be back to around 5% unemployment by 2016.It's not just about jobs though, President Obama has also worked to restore America's image around the world. When President Bush was in office we were invading countries for no reason, now we've left Iraq and are in the process of leaving Afghanistan.In case you needed a few other examples of what President Obama has accomplished I put together a list below:Extended child tax credits and marriage-penalty fixesCreated an Advanced Manufacturing Fund to invest in peer-reviewed manufacturing processesRequired economic justification for tax changesImplemented "Women Owned Business" contracting programChanged standards for determining broadband accessEstablished a credit card bill of rightsExpanded loan programs for small businessesExtended the Bush tax cuts for lower incomesExtended the 2007 Alternative MinimumTax patchClosed the "doughnut hole" in Medicare prescription drug planExpanded the Senior Corps volunteer programRequired insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditionsGave tax credits to those who need help to pay health premiumsRequired large employers to contribute to a national health planRequired children to have health insurance coverageExpanded eligibility for MedicaidExpanded eligibility for State Children's Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP)Required health plans to disclose how much of the premium goes to patient careEstablished an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective informationIn non-competitive markets, forced insurers to pay out a reasonable share of their premiums for patient careEliminated the higher subsidies to Medicare Advantage plansExpanded funding to train primary care providers and public health practitionersIncreased funding to expand community based prevention programsReinstated executive order to hire an additional 100,000 federal employees with disabilities within five years.Increased the Veterans Administration budget to recruit and retain more mental health professionalsExpanded the Veterans Administration's number of "centers of excellence" in specialty careAppointed a special adviser to the president on violence against womenFully funded the Violence Against Women ActDirected military leaders to end war in IraqBegan removing combat brigades from IraqCreated a military families advisory boardEnded the abuse of supplemental budgets for warMade U.S. military aid to Pakistan conditional on anti-terror effortsOpened "America Houses" in Islamic cities around the globeAllocated Homeland Security funding according to riskCreated a real National Infrastructure Protection PlanIncreased funding for local emergency planningExtended monitoring and verification provisions of the START I TreatyAppointed a White House Coordinator for Nuclear SecurityInitiated a grant and training program for law enforcement to deter cyber crimeImproved relations with Turkey, and its relations with Iraqi KurdsLaunched an international Add Value to Agriculture Initiative (AVTA)Created a rapid response fund for emerging democraciesGranted Americans unrestricted rights to visit family and send money to CubaRestored funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne/JAG) programEstablished an Energy Partnership for the AmericasExpanded the Nurse-Family Partnership to all low-income, first-time mothersRequired new hires to sign a form affirming their hiring was not due to political affiliation or contributions.Provided affordable, high-quality child careRecruited math and science degree graduates to the teaching professionReduced subsidies to private student lenders and protect student borrowersEncouraged water-conservation efforts in the WestIncreased funding for national parks and forestsIncreased funding for the Land and Water Conservation FundEncouraged farmers to use more renewable energy and be more energy efficientExpanded Pell grants for low-income studentsPursued a wildfire management planRemoved more brush, small trees and vegetation that fuel wildfiresExpanded access to places to hunt and fishPushed for enactment of Matthew Shepard Act, which expands hate crime law to include sexual orientation and other factorsRepealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policyRestored funding to the EEOC and the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance ProgramsReformed mandatory minimum sentencesCreated a White House Office on Urban PolicyFully funded the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)Established program to convert manufacturing centers into clean technology leadersEstablished 'Promise Neighborhoods' for areas of concentrated povertyWorked toward deploying a global climate change research and monitoring systemFunded a major expansion of AmeriCorpsCreated a Social Investment Fund NetworkBolstered the military's ability to speak differentlanguagesAppointed the nation's first Chief Technology OfficerProvided grants to early-career researchersWorked to overturn Ledbetter vs. GoodyearCreated a national declassification centerAppointed an American Indian policy adviserCreated new financial regulationsIncreased funding for land-grant collegesBanned lobbyist gifts to executive employeesSigned a "universal" health care billCreated new criminal penalties for mortgage fraudRequired 10 percent renewable energy by 2012Released oil from Strategic Petroleum ReserveRaised fuel economy standardsInvested in all types of alternative energyEnacted tax credit for consumers for plug-in hybrid carsAsked people and businesses to conserve electricityRequired more energy-efficient appliancesCreated a 'Green Vet Initiative' to promote environmental jobs for veteransCreated job training programs for clean technologiesRequired states to provide incentives for utilities to reduce energy consumptionSupported high-speed railSupported airline service in small townsInvested in public transportationEqualized tax breaks for driving and public transitConsidered "smart growth" in transportation fundingShared environmental technology with other countriesDoubled federal spending for research on clean fuelsProvided grants to encourage energy-efficient building codesIncreased funding for the Environmental Protection AgencyRaised the small business investment expensing limit to $250,000 through the end of 2009Extended unemployment insurance benefits andtemporarily suspend taxes on these benefitsSupported network neutrality on the InternetReversed restrictions on stem cell researchKilled Osama bin LadenDoubled funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a program that encourages manufacturing efficiencyIncluded environmental and labor standards in trade agreementsCreated an international tax haven watch listMade permanent the Research & Development tax creditRequired automatic enrollment in 401(k) plansRequired automatic enrollment in IRA plansCreated a consumer-friendly credit card rating systemCreated a $60 billion bank to fund roads and bridgesRequired full disclosure of company pension investments to employeesProvided easy-to-understand comparisons of the Medicare prescription drug plansInvested in electronic health information systemsPhased in requirements for health information technologyRequired that health plans utilize disease management programsRequired providers to report measures of health care costs and qualityHeld hospitals and health plans accountable for disparities in careImplemented and funded proven health intervention programsPrevented drug companies from blocking generic drugsAllowed Medicare to negotiate for cheaper drug pricesWorked with schools to create more healthful environments for childrenImproved recruitment of public health workersMandated insurance coverage of autism treatmentFully funded the Combating Autism Act and Federal Autism Research InitiativesDoubled federal funding for cancer researchIncreased participation in cancer-related clinical trialsFully funded the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)Set a national goal to provide re-screening for all 2-year-olds for developmental disordersCommissioned a study on students with disabilities and their transition to jobs or higher educationSet goals and timetables for implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation ActCreated a best practices list for private businesses in accommodating workers with disabilitiesLaunched educational initiative for employers on tax benefits of hiring employees with disabilitiesReduced the threshhold for the Family and Medical Leave Act from companies with 50 employees to companies with 25 employeesProvided a $1.5 billion fund to help states launch programs for paid family and medical leaveRequired employers to provide seven paid sick days per yearStreamlined the Social Security disability approval processExpanded Veterans Centers in rural areasEstablished standards of care for traumatic brain injury treatmentMade the Veterans Administration a national leader in health reformReduced the Veterans Benefits Administration claims backlogInstituted electronic record-keeping for the Veterans Benefits AdministrationExpanded housing vouchers program for homeless veteransLaunched a supportive services-housing program for veterans to prevent homelessnessExpanded the Family Medical Leave Act to include leave for domestic violence or sexual assaultFully funded debt cancellation for heavily indebted poor countriesCreated a fund for international small and medium enterprises (SME)Launched robust diplomatic effort with Iraq and its neighborsProvided $30 billion over 10 years to IsraelLimited Guard and Reserve deployments to one year for every six yearsEnded the "Stop-Loss" program of forcing troops to stay in service beyond their expected commitmentsFully and properly equipped troopsCreated a Civilian Assistance Corps that would organize private sector professionals to help in times of needIncluded humanitarian international missions in long-term budgetingReviewed weapons programsModernized ships and invested more in small vesselsSet standards for when the government should hire defense contractorsRestored the government's ability to manage contracts by rebuilding our contract officer corpsCreated a system of incentives and penalties for defense contractsEstablish a Global Education FundStrengthened the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) aimed at stopping spread of weapons of mass destructionOrganized successful Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in 2010Expanded federal bioforensics program for tracking biological weaponsDeveloped a comprehensive cyber security and response strategyMandated standards for securing personal dataRequired companies to disclose personal information data breachesWorked to persuade the European Union to end credit guarantees to IranSeek to negotiate a political agreement on CyprusRestructured and streamlined USAIDIncreased the size of the foreign serviceUrged China to stop manipulation of its currency valuePressed China to end its support for regimes in Sudan, Burma, Iran and ZimbabweCreated a public "Contracts and Influence" databaseRequired Cabinet officials to host Internet town hall meetingsConducted regulatory agency business in publicPromoted more pre-school educationExpanded Early Head Start and Head StartReformed No Child Left BehindDoubled funding for Federal Charter School Program and require more accountabilityAddressed the dropout crisis by giving schools incentives for more dropout preventionCreated Teacher Residency Programs that will send teachers to high-need schoolsExpanded teacher mentoring programs and provide incentives for more planning timePromoted innovative ways to reward good teachersSimplified the application process for financial aidIncreased the number of high school students taking college-level coursesCreated incentives for tree planting and promote carbon sequestrationImproved water qualityRegulated pollution from major livestock operationsStrengthened federal environmental justice programsIncreased funding for organic and sustainable agriculturePartnered with landowners to conserve private landsCreated a community college partnership programIncreased funding for progams that conserve lands and habitat for select species such as the Osceola turkeySupported wetlands protectionPromoted economic development in MexicoSupported repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)Vigorously pursued hate crimes and civil rights abusesSigned the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act into lawSupported regional innovation clustersHelped low-income areas get phone and Internet serviceCreated a Homeowner Obligation Made Explicit (HOME) score for mortgage comparisonsIncreased the supply of affordable housing throughout metropolitan regionsInvested in transitional jobs and career pathway programsFully funded the COPS programImproved emergency response plansCapped interest rates on payday loans and improve disclosureExpanded public/private partnerships between schools and arts organizationsImproved climate change data recordsSupported improved weather prediction programOffered prizes for advances in consumer technologyEncouraged contests and programs to interest students in scienceIncreased research opportunities for college studentsStrengthened the levees in New OrleansDirected revenues from offshore oil and gas drilling to increased coastal hurricane protectionShook loose federal money for rebuilding the Gulf Coast

This is a pivotal time for the auditors tasked with scrutinizing public company financial data. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges at a time when businesses, regulators, investors and other capital markets stakeholders are already asking more of them than ever before. The profession has also been fundamentally transformed by new technologies that can automate many of the tasks auditors have traditionally performed, and that give them access to powerful data analysis tools. Meanwhile, they face increasing demands for assurance on nonfinancial matters that have not previously been part of their remit.As its name suggests, the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) is dedicated to confronting and advancing these issues in close coordination with the public company auditing profession. The CAQ is an autonomous, nonpartisan and non-profit public policy advocacy organization based in Washington, DC. It works with audit firms, audit committees, issuers and standard setters to help ensure that auditors meet the expectations of their stakeholders, and that the necessary standards and policies are in place to enable them to perform their vital public role.“I often comment that the auditing profession has a greater positive impact on the capital markets system than many people realize,” says Julie Bell Lindsay, who became Executive Director of the CAQ in May 2019. “But if you think about it, a key reason why the capital markets are as efficient as they are today is that investors and other stakeholders can trust the information released by public companies.”In a wide-ranging interview, Lindsay shared her views on issues including the response of the audit profession to COVID-19, the increased use of audit quality indicators (AQIs) and the role of technology in shaping the audit – and the auditor – of the future.How is the auditing profession responding to COVID-19 while maintaining audit quality?A: As a side effect of the COVID-19 health crisis, we’re also facing the worst economic crisis in decades. For our part, the auditing profession plays an important role in the capital markets system that provides an essential component of our national response to, and recovery from, the pandemic.As with nearly all professions, auditors face significant challenges and uncertainties that are making their jobs more difficult during this crisis. However, auditors are well suited to operate in a virtual environment. As this crisis continues, I have confidence that they will continue to adapt and find ways to operate that enable them to maintain their high standards of audit quality.As audit firms adapt to the challenging conditions presented by COVID-19, they are also stepping up with additional commitments to address the crisis. Several firms have made financial pledges, taken steps to mitigate layoffs and developed resources for people and businesses to navigate the crisis.byAbout Julie Bell Lindsay· Graduates from The Ohio State University in 1993 with a BA in Political Science· Receives her Juris Doctor degree from Vanderbilt School of Law in 1996· Associate at law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto, California, 1996-2002· Counsel to Commissioner Cynthia Glassman at the US Securities and Exchange Commission, 2002-05· Counsel at law firm Hogan Lovells in Washington, DC, 2006-09· Joins Citigroup in February 2009 as General Counsel of Capital Markets and Corporate Reporting· Promoted to Managing Director and Deputy Head of Global Regulatory Affairs at Citigroup, February 2017· Becomes Executive Director of the Center for Audit Quality in May 2019Also currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Securities and Exchange Commission Alumni; as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health; and as a Member of the Advisory Board of the Department of Political Science at The Ohio State University.SEC.gov | Statement on the Vital Role of Audit Quality and Regulatory Access to Audit and Other Information Internationally-Discussion of Current Information Access Challenges with Respect to U.S.-listed Companies with Significant Operations in China

The truth is no one built substantial wealth with the aid of a traditional financial planner. Never take financial advice who is not on the path or made it to financial freedom. Financial Planners get rich off the fees they tack on to what investments they sell you.The following are some legal and made up terms in the money management world:Financial advisor is one of the most common titles used by licensed financial professions. This title was commonly given to Paine Webber representatives on their business cards and marketing materials when I was at the firm in the early 2000s. This title has no legal or regulatory meaning. It is strictly used for marketing purposes. While it is commonly used by most Brokers and Advisors, anyone could legally use this to describe themselves, including attorneys, insurance agents, brokers, investment advisors, financial planners, accountants, even dentists. This is one of the most confusing terms as it does little to determine a person’s qualifications.Financial Consultant was commonly given to Smith Barney representatives on their business cards and marketing materials. Again this has no legal or regulatory meaning and is strictly used for marketing purposes. Anyone could legally use this to describe themselves and does not help you determine a person’s qualifications.Financial planner is one of the more commonly used and misused titles in the financial advisory industry. Many professionals use this title to describe their holistic services of providing individuals and families with a financial plan. Constructing a financial plan is the first step in any financial advisory relationship. Unfortunately, there is no legal or regulatory standard for calling oneself a financial planner. This has allowed people to use the title in order to project a professional image that the person is providing unbiased financial planning services, when in fact, they may not be. Some insurance agents who use this title to brand themselves as a financial planner in order to sell more insurance products to unsuspecting clients – not the Infinite Banking type. If someone calls themselves a financial planner, be sure to check their licenses and certifications to make sure you know what you are getting from that person as a professional. Do not confuse a Financial Planner with a Certified Financial Planner®.“Stockbroker”, is used to describe someone who buys and sell securities on behalf of their clients in exchange for commissions. This person works at a broker-dealer or “wirehouse” and most likely would have a license such as a series 7, series 66, series 63 or others. Many brokers don’t like the term “broker” and consider it a pejorative term.Investment Advisor Representative (IAR) has legal and regulatory meaning. This title is conferred to someone who has passed the series 65. This person would be required to use a fiduciary standard of care with their clients. A fiduciary standard of care is one of the highest standards of care from a legal and regulatory sense. This is one of the highest standards of care. Clients should seek to work with professionals who are bound to high standards of care. An IAR is either regulated by the SEC or the state’s securities agency. This license and title do not allow the professional to buy or sell securities for commissions. This is a fee-only license, where the professional can only get compensated directly by the client directly and cannot obtain commissions from product providers, or other related sources without disclosure to the client. This is the most transparent forms of compensation. Clients should consider an advisor who has this distinction if they want transparency. This title is not commonly used by advisors in marketing materials due to its length and better substitutes such as financial advisor, or even investment advisor which is a shorter version of this title. This license can be combined with the next one, Registered Representative, if the person has passed both certification tests.Registered Representative has legal and regulatory meaning. This title is conferred to someone who has been licensed by passing the series 7 test. The Registered Representative or “Rep” would be able to use the license at a broker-dealer to buy and sell securities for clients in exchange for commissions and would be regulated by FINRA. The standard of care for RRs in recommending securities is that they are “suitable” at the time of the transaction. The rep is not responsible for any of the securities sold to the client after the purchase or sale of them. There is no “fiduciary standard” of care requirement with this designation. This title is almost never used in any public or marketing manner. Trends in the financial service industry have shifted away from using this title in favor of titles such as financial advisor.Wealth manager does not have any legal or regulatory meaning. It is not a commonly used title. It is used to confer a holistic approach to working with clients inclusive of financial planning, investment management, and specialized services such as legal, tax or estate planning advice. It is frequently used in single or multi-family offices, Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firms, or private client groups at large firms. This is the title I choose to use to describe my services over the other alternatives.Insurance agent is a state-licensed professional who is licensed to sell insurance products in different lines of insurance. These products typically consist of life insurance, long-term care insurance, health insurance, property and casualty insurance, and annuities. This profession is closely related to financial advisors. Unfortunately, there is a lot of overlap from both financial advisors selling insurance products and insurance agents promoting themselves as financial advisors. This has obfuscated the line between the two professions. Some financial advisors are licensed to sell insurance, and some insurance agents have become licensed to sell financial service products through a broker-dealer. What is important to note is that while both professions are important in the financial planning process, it is more important to understand what value each can provide to you. I am planning on writing a future post to help differentiate the two and give you a better understanding of each profession when you work through the financial planning process.