A disastrous year with a rewritten tax preparation package turned out to be the last for TaxWorks, the software line marketed by RedGear Technologies. Thomson Reuters said its Tax & Accounting business has acquired select assets of the TaxWorks software line. TaxWorks customers will receive information about converting to Thomson's UltraTax software.

Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farr, has named Emilio Escandon as principal-in-charge of its Northeast Region's Tax Practice. Escandon, who joined the firm in May 2005, was previously in charge of its Fort Lauderdale, Fla., practice. He will run the practice from New York City office of MBAF.

Rapidly growing accounting firm Armanino has adopted Xero, the low-end online software from New Zealand, for providing outsourced accounting services to its clients. It's a big win for the rapidly growing application company, which is still very small compared to its competitors.