CPE Catalog
Note
AICPA On-Demand & Self-Study courses take up to 24 hours to process.
Surgent's Project Management: Tips, Tricks, and Traps
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Online
4.00 Credits
This past year has shown us the need for numerous projects and the need to manage those projects in a unique way. Project management is a way of thinking highly recognized and practiced by large organizations, but often neglected by the smallest companies and entrepreneurs. This course quickly discusses the basics of project management thought and practice and then spends the majority of the time exploring some of the greatest mistakes that can be made, the ways to avoid them, and some of the tricks that have been introduced into the discipline. In the program we will explore some of the specific types of project management as well as some of the available software programs to make the task of project management easier. In an effort to avoid talking theory without concrete examples, we will often use examples born from projects needed as a result of our experiences with COVID-19.
Surgent's Excel Budgeting Ideas
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Online
2.00 Credits
Budget methods are the key to allowing department managers to efficiently prepare their budget in Excel. For example, a budget method may be to spread prior year actuals or match prior year actuals, or match prior year actuals less 10%. In this webinar, we will explore how to allow users to pick a budget method from a drop-down list for each account and then have Excel perform different calculations depending on the budget method selected. We use several features and functions at the same time to pull this off. Even if you are not involved in the budgeting process, the underlying features and functions discussed have a wide range of uses.
Surgent's Individual Charitable Planning: Philanthropy for Income Tax Return Reporting
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Online
2.00 Credits
Many individuals make contributions to religious, educational, scientific, literary, or other 501(c)(3) charities. For the purposes of tax savings, some forms of giving are more tax advantageous than others. Learn the tax implications on various types of donations and the tax strategies to minimize the tax. Gifts of appreciated non-cash assets may involve tax analysis and proactive planning. Learn how to help navigate charitable giving and properly report noncash charitable contributions on Form 8283. Other strategies involving QCDs (qualified charitable distributions) and donor advised funds will also be discussed.
Surgent's Understanding Partnership Taxation: Debt Allocations
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Online
2.00 Credits
How debt is allocated to the partners in a partnership is important. It dictates how much money may be taken tax-free as a distribution, the losses that flow down to the partners, and the gain or loss on the sale of a partnership interest. However, the allocation of debt can differ depending on the type of debt it is and the type of partner we are talking about. Furthermore, 704(c) can complicate things. And what in the world is a constructive liquidation scenario? In this course, we will tackle the concept of debt allocations - how you do it, what it means, and why you do it.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's A Complete Guide to Offers in Compromise
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Online
2.00 Credits
This course is designed to assist practitioners in preparing Offers in Compromise (OIC). After this course, you should have an understanding of how proper planning can make a significant difference in the amount eventually paid to the IRS and the resulting financial well-being of your client. This program covers the basics, from choosing the proper forms to utilize through the filing of an appeal if necessary. We will also explain how to increase your chances of having your OIC approved by the IRS by going over the complexities involved.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's Annual Update for Defined Contribution Plans
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Online
2.00 Credits
This course will provide a general understanding of the new reporting and disclosure requirements for employee benefit plans under the now effective SAS 136, the AICPA's new employee benefit plan auditing standard. Participants will be provided with an insight into the common errors and mistakes made by auditors and plan administrators, as well as the new requirements of both groups under the new SAS. The course will discuss the results from the Department of Labor's ("DOL") Criminal Enforcement initiative and audit quality study, and focus on the causes of the recent increase in the number of deficient engagements identified by the peer review process. This course will provide auditors and plan administrators with up-to-date information regarding defined contribution plans auditing, reporting and disclosure requirements, including those related to the new ERISA Section 103(A)(3)(c) audits under SAS 136.
Surgent's Excel: Mastering PivotTables
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Online
2.00 Credits
PivotTable is a fancy term for an Excel report that summarizes data. If you have not yet had the good fortune of exploring PivotTables, it is about time. In this session, we'll dig into PivotTables, understand the report layout options, and examine PivotTable formulas.
Surgent's Understanding S Corporation Taxation: Compensation Issues and Entity-Level Taxes
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Online
2.00 Credits
Even though they have been around for several years, the tax laws pertaining to S corporations remain some of the more difficult areas of the Internal Revenue Code. In this course, we will examine how S corporations break away from the normal tax rules for flow-through entities. We will explore which employee benefits are disallowed for S corporation shareholders, as well as which taxes are assessed at the entity level. Finally, we will discuss how state level taxation may have changed permanently with the addition of PTE elections.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's Work-Life Balance: Maximizing Productivity and Understanding Related Tax Issues
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Online
2.00 Credits
Working as a financial professional is an accomplishment that offers the potential for a good salary with long-term growth. Despite being a sought-after career, studies show that being overworked is the greatest source of anxiety and dissatisfaction among financial professionals. Left unchecked, a life centered exclusively around the demands of work can be both physically and emotionally detrimental. Establishing a work-life balance is difficult in any profession, yet financial professionals confront unique challenges that make this goal seem even more elusive. Technology results in being "always on," with no true time to disconnect and genuinely enjoy family, exercise, or hobbies. Lack of balance comes with costs, including poor health and lower productivity. Why are some professionals able to establish a successful balance between career demands and family while others are not? How are some firms able to achieve both high employee satisfaction and strong productivity? This webinar looks at research, surveys, and simple anecdotal information to provide a better understanding of how to achieve a realistic work-life balance in the modern world. We also discuss the tax consequences that arise when professionals seek balance by working from home in one state while their employer is located in a different state.
Surgent's Implementing Subscription Pricing to Your Practice
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Online
2.00 Credits
This course is designed to provide accountants with a comprehensive understanding of the subscription pricing model. As the business world increasingly shifts toward subscription-based models, it's crucial for accountants to understand the financial implications and strategies associated with this pricing approach. This course will cover the basics of subscription pricing, how to set prices, and how to analyze the financial impacts of these decisions, as well as the specific impacts to your business. By the end of this course, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage the implementation of subscription pricing to their practice.
Surgent's International Tax Challenges and Opportunities for U.S. Filers
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Online
3.00 Credits
Globalization continues to make it easier for taxpayers to live abroad, do business in other countries, or invest in foreign enterprises. This creates significant complications and tax planning opportunities when it comes to filing U.S. tax returns. This course provides an overview of the unique tax challenges and solutions presented to U.S. expats or investors living or investing abroad. It examines how foreign-source income is taxed in the U.S. and how the tax consequences could be mitigated by applying the tax treaties, claiming credit for foreign taxes paid, or excluding foreign-earned income. Additionally, the course discusses the numerous foreign informational form reporting requirements and the significant penalties that could be imposed by the IRS. Examples from real-life client scenarios are included.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's The Risks and Benefits of ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence
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Online
2.00 Credits
We see multiple stories about the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and its entry into our lives in the form of AI tools, including ChatGPT. They seem to be everywhere. It is difficult to overstate how much things will change with the rise of these new technologies, or how important it is that companies embrace the opportunity to execute them correctly. Having conversations regarding the proper adoption of these technologies and tools is a crucial first step, including drafting policies to assist companies with their beneficial and thoughtful implementation and use. This course will define the state of AI tools, what benefits and risks exist, and which steps to take to begin adopting these technologies with appropriate guardrails, policies, and training. It is less likely that AI will destroy industries, and more likely that companies that embrace AI will overtake those companies that do not.
Surgent's Best Practices in Not-for-Profit Accounting and Reporting
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Online
4.00 Credits
Don't just wing it when you can soar! To catch the eye of resource providers and fulfill the needs of leadership, it is essential that not-for-profits prepare financial statements which excel. This course will empower you with the knowledge of not-for-profit accounting and reporting to surpass the expectations of financial statement users. Over 15 focused exercises are included to illustrate and refine today's best practices in not-for-profit accounting and reporting.This course qualifies for yellow book credit.
Surgent's Handbook for Mastering Basis, Distributions, and Loss Limitation Issues for S Corporations, LLCs, and Partnerships
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Online
8.00 Credits
The most difficult concepts to master when dealing with flow-through business entities are the basis and distribution concepts. Major error and malpractice issues occur if the CPA does not fully understand the impact of these rules. This course is designed to focus on the practical applications of these rules.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
The Best S Corporation, Limited Liability, and Partnership Update Course by Surgent
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Online
8.00 Credits
This year practitioners need to keep abreast of tax changes affecting pass-through entities used by their business clients and employers, and this enlightening course delivers that information. You will learn invaluable strategies, techniques, innovative tax-planning concepts, income-generating ideas, and other planning opportunities available to S corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and LLPs. In addition, this course will discuss current trends and emerging issues, helping practitioners stay informed about relevant and significant topics that may impact their clients. Continually updated to reflect enacted legislation.This course qualifies for IRS credit.
Surgent's Handling Difficult People
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Online
2.00 Credits
Learn to manage difficult colleagues with gloves - kid gloves, not boxing gloves. Having even one difficult person in your department can tax your restraint and deplete the time and energy you need to supervise your team. "Handling Difficult People" teaches you how to manage challenging colleagues without sacrificing everyone else to the process. This workshop is designed to help you learn to recognize difficult behavior before it gets out of hand and to understand why difficult people behave the way they do. You'll work with a three-part problem-solving model and study a five-step process for initiating the dialogue through to planned resolution. And you'll leave with an action plan to address specific situations in your workplace.
Surgent's Raising Financially Capable Children
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Online
2.00 Credits
This course focuses on the main elements of financial education and will help accounting and finance professionals guide their clients, and their clients' children, through a personalized teaching roadmap. Clients with wealth face questions about how to teach their children about money to raise financially capable children. Often, their first contact is to their accounting and financial professionals, so it is important to be able to provide a framework to help teach clients how to prepare their children for life with privilege. This course is designed for all practitioners who want to help their clients navigate the process of teaching the next generation about personal finances. Because every family and child are different, it is critical to develop a specific plan for each client, and likely each child and grandchild. By working with their clients' descendants, accounting and finance professionals not only build rapport and trust but also get to know the children and grandchildren, building firm value and long-term connection.
Surgent's Skills to Enhance Personal and Professional Networks
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Online
2.00 Credits
Managing a strong network is one of the most important things you can do to grow professionally. Yet despite its importance, maintaining an effective network is often not taught in undergraduate and graduate schools. The good news is that managing and growing a network is easier than it sounds. In fact, most professionals have some level of basic networking skills simply from helping someone find a job, attending an industry conference, or seeking professional connections through social media. Effective networking involves more than simply collecting contacts. Strong networks should be relevant to your career and consist of people you trust. Personal networks are just as important as professional networks and the two often overlap. In this course, we explore ways to strengthen and grow networks by examining proven strategies that have helped individuals meet their personal and professional goals.
Surgent's Top 20 Effective Strategies for Avoiding RMD Mistakes and Penalties: Updated for the Proposed RMD Regulations, SECURE Act 2.0
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Online
2.00 Credits
Required minimum distributions (RMDs) must begin for the year in which the account owner reaches age 72 - later if they were born in 1951. RMDs must also be taken from inherited accounts, and the process for determining RMDs for these accounts is more complex than those that apply to RMDs for non-inherited accounts. Failure to comply with the RMD rules will result in the account owner owing the IRS an excess accumulation penalty on any RMD shortfall. Interested parties must understand the compliance requirements that apply to RMDs to be able to assist in ensuring that penalties are avoided. Additionally, the recent changes that affect RMDs must be considered when advising clients about their RMD obligations.
Surgent's Building Your Personal Brand
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Online
1.00 Credits
A personal brand is your story. Having a well-defined personal brand can help you not only cultivate powerful connections but also set you apart. Explore the integral components to building a strong brand and gain strategies to help you create your own marketable personal brand.