CPE Catalog
Note
AICPA On-Demand & Self-Study courses take up to 24 hours to process.
Retirement Planning: Next Stage for You or Your Client
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Online
2.00 Credits
If you or your clients are facing that stage of life where careers are passing into the background, and a new "to be determined" life is emerging, then you are entering what is called "retirement". Some people are excited, some are scared, and most are both. There are many issues and questions people face at this time - what to do with time, financial, relationships, health, identity and more. This program summarizes the key research studies, provides stories from those who have made this work, and offers thoughtful, practical exercises from my award winning book NEXT STAGE. It will help you (or your clients) address key issues and develop a Master Plan for the transition. If not now, when? This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
ACPEN: CPAs and Addictions: Finding Hope and Healing
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Online
2.50 Credits
Substance abuse and mental health issues among CPAs has become of great concern among many state boards and the AICPA in recent years. This program will cover the factors that push CPAs to unhealthy behaviors, the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse, and possible options in addressing the situation. We will also discuss steps that friends and family can take to support their struggling CPA find hope and healing. Presented by: Allison McLeodType: Live Webcast Replay
Surgent's Construction Contractors: Accounting and Financial Reporting Issues
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Online
4.00 Credits
Accounting and financial reporting for construction contractors may be the most difficult area to comply with the various standards. Construction engagements are, in many instances, more complicated than most lines of business due to the many users of the financial statements. In this course, we will discuss why construction accounting and financial reporting is so complex and examine the relationship between the contractor and the surety, both from an underwriting and a claims perspective. We will also explore what the surety looks for to maximize potential bond credit.
Surgent's Managing People Through Motivation
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Online
4.00 Credits
Whether your employees report in every day to the floor or from an off-site network, the success of your organization depends a great deal on the motivation they bring to the job. This program helps identify specific methods you can use to improve employee motivation. You'll learn how to use observation tools to find out what motivates your employees and you'll study classic motivational theories. The results will help you influence the behaviors of others and tweak your own behavior to improve your bottom line.
ACPEN: Are You Up For the Challenge? Test Your Skills as a Quality Control Reviewer
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Online
4.00 Credits
Have you ever wanted to reduce the number of financial statement review points you receive? Are you curious about a reviewer's thought process? This hands-on session will answer these questions by helping you understand the role of an engagement quality control reviewer. Not only will you develop an appreciation for the role of an engagement quality control reviewer, but this interactive session will allow you to step into the reviewer's shoes by performing a quality control review during the class session. You will leave with an understanding of best practices for minimizing your exposure to critique by reviewers. Presented by: Dr. Chris HarperType: Live Webcast Replay
Forensic Accounting: Crafting Expert Reports
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Online
4.00 Credits
When forensic accountants are hired to conduct an analysis and investigations, they are commonly expected to write a report. This report can be short or long, depending on the circumstances. This presentation is how to write an effective expert report that will withstand scrutiny of both parties of litigation and the court. The presentation will also include best practices, ethics, and components of an effective report. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
ACPEN: K2’s Excel PivotTables For Accountants
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Online
8.00 Credits
Many business professionals consider PivotTables the most powerful feature in Excel, yet most accounting and financial professionals do not use them in their day-to-day activities. If you are ready to learn how to take advantage of PivotTables or extend your existing knowledge, then this course is for you! In this dynamic and engaging session, you'll master how to: • Build PivotTables from scratch • Group data inside PivotTables, including options for fiscal periods • Create user-defined calculations in your PivotTables We start with the fundamentals and quickly move to advanced techniques, including: • Building PivotTables that consolidate data from multiple ranges • Connecting PivotTables dynamically to external databases and financial accounting systems • Leveraging other Excel features associated with PivotTables, such as Slicers, Power Query, and Power Pivot This seminar is a must for anyone eager to enhance their Excel skills and transform their workflow. With guidance and coaching from your K2 instructor, you'll be ready to use PivotTables to analyze and report on extensive data sets in a fraction of the time you spend completing such tasks. Presented by: Thomas StephensType: Live Webcast Replay
Avoiding the Most Misapplied Audit Concepts
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Online
8.00 Credits
Recent new auditing standards are designed to improve overall audit quality. The course will address the most common misapplied audit concepts in planning and performing effective and efficient financial statement audits. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Surgent's Compilations, Reviews, and Preparations: Engagement Performance and Annual Update
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Online
8.00 Credits
Specifically designed for preparation, compilation, and review practitioners, this course will provide you with 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 the additional guidance related to SSARS engagements through the issuance of SSARS Nos. 22-26 by the ARSC. In addition to SSARS 26, the entire suite of quality management standards is discussed. However, knowing the standards is not enough. You need to be able to effectively apply them. To support this, the course will review 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 SSARS requirements and guidance, but more importantly, it will provide you with practical examples and illustrations to help you effectively and efficiently perform these types of engagements. This course is intended to be your go-to reference for training your staff and managing your SSARS No. 21-26 services in compliance with professional, ethical, and technical requirements.
Surgent's Technical Business Practice Issues and Tax Forms for Experienced Practitioners
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Online
8.00 Credits
Don't let the title frighten you. It is critical that staff be trained on the increasingly complex forms-related issues that challenge them each busy season. This course will help experienced staff focus on the essential amidst the cacophony of IRS and legislative changes and avoid costly mistakes. This course brings to the forefront advanced preparation issues, from individual returns to flow-through entities such as S corporations, LLCs, and partnerships.
Criminal Tax: How CPAs Bring Value to Defense Attorneys
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Online
2.00 Credits
CPAs can be requested to assist attorneys in litigation support in criminal proceedings. For criminal tax cases, the IRS has recommended prosecution. However, the rules and stakes are different than a simple civil audit. This presentation will focus on how to assist defense attorneys in calculating tax loss, asking the right questions, and probe possible weaknesses in criminal tax investigations. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
How to Audit Accounting Estimates
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Online
2.00 Credits
When auditing management's accounting estimates, increased professional skepticism is necessary as there is always the potential for bias in areas of increased subjectivity & complexity. This course will demonstrate procedures to test the process used by management to develop estimates, as well as walk through common examples of accounting estimates that are included in the financial statements. It includes the updated requirements in SAS 143. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
How AI Is Automating Internal Control
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Online
4.00 Credits
The term "artificial intelligence" (AI) has become mainstream and while most have a layperson's understanding of AI, few know the depth and breadth of this technology's capability. AI is affecting just about everything in business and in people's personal lives. The operation of an internal control system is also changing because of this incredible advancement. This session explains what AI is and how it works and then goes into detail about how it can be applied to a system of internal control. The material speaks about changes occurring in today's world as well as what's coming in the not-too-distant future. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
ACPEN: The SECURE Act 2.0 – Planning Opportunities for Employers
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Online
1.00 Credits
The Secure Act 2.0 was passed in a flurry of year-end legislation. This one hour program will cover the important changes that employers need to know about company retirement plans. Employers will also need to consider how Secure Act 2.0 will the administration of existing plans or the creation of new ones. This course will provide a concise look at these hot topics. **Please Note: If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Course Materials Tab and submit to kori.herrera@acpen.com. Presented by: Allison McLeodType: Live Webcast Replay
ACPEN: An In-Depth Understanding of the Generation Skipping Transfer Tax
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Online
2.00 Credits
This course provides a focused and practical overview of the Generation Skipping Transfer (GST) Tax, designed specifically for professionals involved in estate and gift tax planning. As Part 4 of the Form 706 and 709 series, this session zeroes in on the rules, definitions, and application of GST tax, including the mechanics of calculating the inclusion ratio and how the GST exemption operates in real-world planning scenarios. Participants will gain clarity on how to identify skip persons, the types of transfers subject to the GST tax, and the proper treatment of direct skips, taxable terminations, and taxable distributions. Through clear examples and practical instruction, this course walks participants through voluntary, timely, late, and retroactive GST exemption allocations. With increasing regulatory complexity and heightened exemption limits, understanding the GST tax is critical for practitioners assisting clients in multigenerational wealth transfers. This course supports more accurate return preparation and strategic allocation of exemptions to minimize tax exposure. *Please Note: If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Course Materials Tab and submit to kori.herrera@acpen.com Presented by: Arthur WernerType: Live Webcast Replay
ACPEN: Global Internal Audit Standards (GIAS) Domain IV - Part 2
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Online
2.00 Credits
The new Global Internal Audit Standards were released on January 9, 2024, and will become effective January 9, 2025. The previous version, the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, released in 2017, remains approved for use during a one-year transition period. The Global Internal Audit Standards guide the worldwide professional practice of internal audit. They serve as a basis for evaluating and elevating the quality of the internal audit function. The Standards use 15 guiding principles with five separate domains that enable effective internal audit implementation and examples of evidence of conformance. The Global Standards are organized into five domains. Domain I: Purpose of Internal Auditing Domain II: Ethics and Professionalism Domain III: Governing the Internal Audit Function Domain IV: Managing the Internal Audit Function Domain V: Performing Internal Audit Service Presented by: Lynn FountainType: Live Webcast Replay
ACPEN: HR Investigations – Episode 2 – Interview Techniques
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Online
2.00 Credits
Human Resources professionals are often tasked with investigating allegations of employee misconduct, discrimination, and others. Investigation training is traditionally presented from the position of an outsider looking in, such as a governmental agency, law firm, or private investigator. HR investigations require similar skills, but the environment and the approach are quite different. This session provides best practices for interviewing to gather accurate information, such as creating and asking open ended questions, effective listening, and understanding verbal and non-verbal communication. Attendees will end the session with takeaways to immediately implement in future HR investigations. Two of three Episodes in the series. Presented by: Daniel PorterType: Live Webcast Replay
ACPEN: Navigating IRS Collections: Overview of Form 433 & Offer in Compromise
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Online
2.00 Credits
This two-hour course covers the IRS collection process, detailing each step from the initial notice to enforced collection actions and payment options. You'll gain a thorough understanding of how the IRS initiates collections, what taxpayers should expect as the process unfolds, and the various options for settling debts. We will review when Form 433-A or 433-B is required, and discuss the specific criteria for submitting an Offer in Compromise (OIC) to settle tax debt for less than the full amount owed. This session is designed to provide tax professionals with the tools to guide their clients through the IRS collection process, ensuring compliance and presenting the best possible payment solutions. We’ll also review key scenarios where Forms 433 and OIC are necessary, providing practical insight for resolving tax liabilities. *Please Note: If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Course Materials Tab and submit to terri.storer@acpen.com Presented by: Mary Jane HouraniType: Live Webcast Replay
Finding Errors in Excel Spreadsheets
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Online
2.00 Credits
This intensive two-hour course addresses the critical need for accuracy and efficiency when developing spreadsheets using Microsoft Excel. Recognizing that even minor errors can have significant implications, this course delves deep into strategies and skills required to detect and correct errors in Excel. By the end of this course, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of how to efficiently identify and correct errors in Excel spreadsheets, enhancing their overall productivity and accuracy in their professional roles. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Surgent's Adapting to OBBBA Changes: A Strategic Review
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Online
2.00 Credits
Accounting and finance practitioners are continually asked for strategic planning advice. In this course, we will cover topics that will make clients, and their advisors, tax smart and tax prepared for the coming year and beyond. This program is a two-hour review and analysis of what we consider some of the most important changes from the OBBBA impacting both individual and business clients.