Sales-tax services provider Avalara said this week it has raised $100 million in financing from an affiliate of Warburg Pincus. The Bainbridge, Island.-Wash.-based software company says its plans include international expansion and strategic acquisitions.

Thomson & Reuters Tax & Accounting is readying a web suite of products for accounting firms. As discussed by Jon Baron, managing director of the company's professional segment, new products will emphasize a "clean look" and ease of use that is going to significantly change the look and feel of its tax and accounting software products.

Xero has acquired Monchilla, a Seattle, Wash.-based payroll company. Xero says the move will help it expand its payroll service beyond the seven states it currently supports. Monchilla is an early stage start-up. Xero will pay roughly $7.74 million, $4.1 million in cash and 238,490 Xero shares.

Two Texas brothers, who are CPAs, have been sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission for running what the SEC calls a "shell-factory" scheme that defrauded business owners. The SEC also suspended trading in the stock of four companies controlled by Charles E. Smith and his brother, Mark Smith, that they have not yet sold to others. the two have agreed to disgorge gains, pay civil money penalties and be barred from serving as officers of publicly held companies.