CPE Catalog
Note
AICPA On-Demand & Self-Study courses take up to 24 hours to process.
Surgent's Working Remotely: Best Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities
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Online
2.00 Credits
Working from home presents both benefits and challenges for professionals. For employees, working from home provides opportunities to be more productive and gain time that would otherwise be spent commuting to and from the office. Employers who utilize remote work enjoy fewer fixed costs, more efficiency, and greater employee satisfaction. Without proper planning, professionals who work remotely may experience increased anxiety and disorganization. They may also jeopardize data privacy. However, when executed properly, working remotely can help organizations become more efficient and profitable, while at the same time improving employee morale. This course looks at how firms and companies have successfully implemented work from home programs and discusses mistakes that can be avoided through proper planning.
Surgent's Audit Skills Training Level 2: Preparing for Increasing Responsibilities in Public Accounting
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Online
8.00 Credits
As you rapidly gain experience in the auditing profession, the responsibilities of the staff accountant grow exponentially. Progressing from the base-line audit skills covered in Level 1 training that allow a new auditor to perform their roles, Level 2 training covers those skills that are required for experienced staff accountants who need to audit more complex and subjective areas, such as accounts receivable and investments, and to plan and appropriately perform sampling and analytical procedures. Redesigned to provide the relevant content to staff accountants when they need it, the Level 2 reviews the underlying accounting concepts of these often-complex areas and, through examples and exercises, discusses the relevant audit procedures required by professional standards. The course is designed to allow the staff auditor to capitalize on their prior experiences and apply them in new areas, as they continue their career advancement. IMPORTANT NOTE: This course takes place over two consecutive days. Registration for both days is required.
Surgent's Tax Research - Intermediate Concepts
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Online
2.00 Credits
Answering clients' tax questions accurately and on time is a key challenge for tax practitioners. Through simple, plain language explanations and examples, this course will help practitioners perform tax research more efficiently by describing the structure of the primary sources, highlighting the difference between primary and secondary sources, and describing the steps in the tax research process.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's Fraud In Single Audits
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Online
4.00 Credits
With all the planning, procedures, and reporting involved in a single audit, sometimes things can slip through the cracks. But what if the thing that slips through is fraud? Compiled from news releases, court records, and the thrilling annals of the Federal Audit Clearinghouse, this course tells the tale of six real-world frauds which seemingly dodged detection in the single audit process. Leveraging the incredible gift of hindsight, this course is designed to raise your awareness and sharpen your focus on the potential for fraud in single audits!This course qualifies for yellow book credit.
Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour
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Online
1.00 Credits
As financial and tax professionals well know, information overload is a constant struggle we face because things change quickly, and the sheer number of changes being made on a daily basis is enormous. Of great importance to small and medium tax and advisory firms is differentiating between changes that are relevant to our practice and our clients and changes that are new but totally irrelevant. Distinguishing between the two is difficult and time-consuming. Mike Tucker and a team of experts are pleased to present a weekly series designed to eliminate the clutter and get you what you need to stay up-to-date and perform for your clients. Mike and his co-presenters will dispense news on current events impacting taxes, finance, and industry. The subject matter will differ each week and intermittently include topics such as Social Security and Medicare. The panelists will discuss personal and corporate tax matters as well as other late-breaking news related to practitioners' personal finances and those of their clients. Every financial professional will benefit from this series. This is a cost-effective way for accountants to fulfill their compulsory continuing education because this weekly series will include almost 40 one-hour presentations. Sign up today - your clients and your bottom line will thank you.
Surgent's Data Security: Best Practices to Protect Your Business and Yourself
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Online
1.00 Credits
Data security is a front-of-mind topic for most businesses because the risk and cost statistics are sobering. Each of us is in the crosshairs because a typical internet-connected computer faces a cyberattack every 39 seconds. Businesses of all sizes should be cognizant of the ethical issues that must be considered when planning their approach to privacy and data security. In this webinar, we will explore both the risks we have traditionally faced in the workplace personally, as well as the novel set of data privacy threats and compliance challenge issues employers face with a remote and mobile workforce.
Surgent's Federal Tax Update
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Online
4.00 Credits
Both businesses and individual clients face major changes as a result of new legislation, and tax professionals face the considerable challenge of delivering effective planning advice and services to address this myriad of recent developments. This course addresses this challenge and also encompasses the latest cases and rulings applicable to individual and business clients. Continually updated to reflect enacted legislation. Please Note: Due to content overlap, it is recommended that this course NOT be taken together with BIT4.
Surgent's Guide and Update to Compilations, Reviews, and Preparations
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Online
4.00 Credits
Specifically designed for preparation, compilation, and review practitioners, this course provides a comprehensive review and hands-on application for performing financial statement preparation, compilation, and review engagements. You will learn the ins and outs of applying SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification, as well as additional guidance related to SSARS engagements through the issuance of SSARS Nos. 22-27 by the AICPA's Accounting and Review Services Committee (ARSC). The course also reviews recent peer review feedback on SSARS engagements, providing insights on how to successfully apply this guidance. Not only will this course bring you up to date on SSARSs requirements and guidance, but more importantly, it will provide you with practical examples and illustrations to help you effectively and efficiently perform compilation, preparation, and review engagements.
Surgent's Single Auditing Made Simple
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Online
8.00 Credits
Single auditing can seem complex. With thousands of pages of potential AICPA, GAO, and OMB literature coming together for the audit of one client, auditors can easily lose focus and confidence in what they are supposed to do; however, it does not have to be that way. This course is designed to sharpen your skills and knowledge in performing single audits and eliminate wasted efforts under the 2024 Uniform Guidance for Federal Awards revision.This course qualifies for yellow book credit.
Surgent's Reducing a Business Owner Client's Exposure to Social Security and Self-Employment Taxes
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Online
2.00 Credits
Many business owner clients wish to minimize their Social Security and self-employment tax liabilities. This course provides tax practitioners with the background to understand what kinds of income constitute self-employment income and earned income. It covers strategies that can be used to reduce clients' exposure to the self-employment tax and Social Security tax.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's Successfully Completing a Gift Tax Return -- Form 709
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Online
2.00 Credits
Since the early 2000s, the estate tax burden on taxpayers has gradually decreased along with the number of practitioners specializing in the field. Nevertheless, some of your most wealthy clients will have a taxable estate. For these select clients, making large gifts before death can be extremely tax efficient for the client and profitable for the practitioner filing the gift tax return. Learning how to file a basic gift tax return can help you attract and retain clients, increase your value-add, and generate revenue.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's Shades Of Gray - Practicing Before The Internal Revenue Service - Circular 230 -Current State
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Online
2.00 Credits
Karen L. Hawkins, the former Director of the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility, will discuss key Circular 230 provisions and how some have been changed through litigation. Since the current version of Circular 230 has not been rewritten to incorporate the results of IRS litigation losses since 2014, this is the only seminar where you will hear what the current law says (and does not say) about tax professionals' ethical obligations in federal tax practice. The presentation will draw not only on the six years Ms. Hawkins spent as Director, OPR but her more than 30 years practicing as a nationally recognized tax controversy lawyer in California.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's Taking Advantage of Installment Sales and Like-Kind Exchanges
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Online
4.00 Credits
When real property is sold for a gain, we always try to find ways to defer recognizing income so it won't be necessary to send a check to Uncle Sam. There are two provisions within the Internal Revenue Code that allow the taxpayer to defer recognition of immediate taxable gain in the year of sale: installment sales and like-kind exchanges. Knowing how and when to utilize these provisions makes the Accounting and Finance Professionals very valuable to either their client or the entity they work for. We will also discuss recent proposals which could impact the future of these two provisions.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's Critical Conversations
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Online
2.00 Credits
As uncomfortable as some conversations are, keeping your silence won't resolve the issue and may in fact add to it. No matter which side of the table you find yourself at in a "hard to have" talk, you can learn to benefit from the conversation. In the workshop, you'll learn how to recognize when a conversation becomes critical, how to plan effectively for the conversation, and which communications strategies can help you create a win/win outcome.
Surgent's U.S. Taxation of Foreign Corporations: A Case Study Approach
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Online
3.00 Credits
This course is a case study designed to provide a comprehensive overview of U.S. taxation of a foreign corporation. Using a specific example, the course will walk through step-by-step mechanics on how to calculate the income inclusions and foreign tax credits under GILTI (Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income), Subpart F, and PFIC (Passive Foreign Investment Company) regimes. The case study will further evaluate tax impact of subsequent distributions from the foreign corporation and sales of its stock. A compare-and-contrast approach will highlight the different outcomes of these regimes for individuals and for C corporations, empowering participants to advise their clients on the most tax efficient way to structure their international investments.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's Applying the Yellow Book to a Financial Statement Audit
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Online
4.00 Credits
Knowing just a little about the Yellow Book can hurt you! It is important to have a thorough understanding of the standards. This course covers the Yellow Book financial auditing requirements and prepares you to excel in applying the standards. You will learn precisely what the Yellow Book does and does not require auditors to do. Updated for the 2024 Yellow Book revision, the course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 15 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced knowledge of the Yellow Book.This course qualifies for yellow book credit.
Surgent's Employee vs. Independent Contractor: Achieving Success in a Worker Classification Audit
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Online
2.00 Credits
The IRS believes, perhaps with some justification, that many workers classified as independent contractors are actually employees and should be treated as such for tax purposes. The result is that worker classification audits are frequent and often costly for business clients, both in terms of time as well as money expended. This program prepares tax practitioners to assist their clients with worker classification audits, and to avoid them if possible, by discussing and explaining the circumstances under which workers will most likely be characterized as employees or as independent contractors. The program also deals with the first line of defense against the IRS in worker classification audits - Section 530, as well as the common law factors distinguishing an employee from an independent contractor. This program also explores the IRS Voluntary Classification Settlement Program and discusses whether a practitioner should advise a client to request admission into this program.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's Managing Millennials
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Online
2.00 Credits
By 2025, millennials will represent 75% of the workforce. Whether you are an owner of a small practice or manager in a multinational corporation, it is important to understand characteristics and expectations of this large segment of the workforce. Research reveals that many of the common stereotypes surrounding millennials are unfounded and counterproductive. This course provides an understanding of who millennials are in comparison to their predecessors, the Gen-Xers and baby boomers. Equally important, the presentation will look at common myths regarding millennials and why understanding this class of employees provides opportunities for your organization to grow and succeed.
Surgent's Strategies for Maximizing Social Security Benefits
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Online
2.00 Credits
As the population of the United States ages, tax practitioners will be asked to advise their individual clients with respect to when they should begin to take Social Security benefits. This program will provide you with the background to knowledgeably discuss the benefit options available to Social Security beneficiaries and the alternative payment options available to married couples, dependents, a surviving spouse, and a divorced individual.
Surgent's Business Law for Small Business Owners
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Online
4.00 Credits
One of the most intimidating aspects of going into business for yourself is compliance. Tax, employment, and regulatory laws are difficult to navigate, so it often falls on the CPA to know the basics in these areas to help their clients avoid costly litigation. In this course, we will cover basic compliance areas for small business owners. We will look at the main elements of a contract, taxation of entity types, worker classification, property law, and many of the other areas that are often overwhelming for small business owners. By being able to speak to these issues, practitioners will be able to add value and help their small business owner clients grow and thrive.