CPE + Events Catalog

This updated course offers an in-depth look at the FASB leases standard (ASC 842), which requires organizations to recognize lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet. This comprehensive course will cover recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure requirements, while also focusing on a critical area of change which is the proper identification of a lease using a principles-based approach. We will discuss implementation requirements from both the lessee and lessor accounting models.  In addition, we explore a variety of scenarios, including short-term leases, purchase options, variable lease payments, and remeasurement. This course offers practical journal entry examples, lessons learned from implementation, and explores recently issued amendments to the lease accounting guidance.

Business professionals can automate data collection processes by using today’s electronic forms. Learn about these tools and how to deploy them in this session.

The Secure Act 2.0 was passed in a flurry of year-end legislation. This one hour program will cover the important changes that individuals need to know about contributions to accounts and new ways of accessing these funds.  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.

In this cutting-edge course, participants will gain a deep understanding of how to leverage ChatGPT, OpenAI's powerful language model, to innovate and enhance business advisory services in the accounting sector. The course integrates theory and practice, demonstrating how various enterprise evaluation methodologies can be applied in conjunction with ChatGPT for increased business analysis efficiency, profitability, and growth. It also provides hands-on training for implementing these techniques in real-world scenarios. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This webinar presents a variety of time-saving ideas, shortcuts, and tips that are sure to boost personal productivity. We discuss better summing, address one of the biggest pitfalls that Excel users have faced over the past 25 years, present the most important keyboard shortcuts, demonstrate a better alternative to hiding rows or columns, illustrate how to quickly navigate to other workbooks and files, and demonstrate using Excel with styles.

This program discusses, in a practical way, how an S corporation shareholder calculates their stock and loan basis on Form 7203. Form 7203 is the IRS Form on which a shareholder is sometimes required to calculate their stock and loan basis. This topic is particularly important when an S corporation has a loss and the shareholders wish to know whether they are entitled to fully utilize the loss that has been allocated to them against their other income.

Some of your clients have estate plans that provide for testamentary trusts. Other clients make gifts to irrevocable trusts during their lifetime. And some will die with probate estates. Therefore, you should have a basic understanding of how the income tax applies uniquely to trusts and estates. For example, "distributable net income" (DNI) is a trust-only concept that is essential to understand. Plus, the deductions for fiduciary fees, charitable deductions and certain miscellaneous deductions (such as investment advisory fees, and attorney/accountant fees) are treated differently than for individual taxpayers. However, with a decent understanding of the basic income tax and net investment income tax (NIIT) rules, you can add significant value to your clients.

Calculating partnership basis is one of the most important things that we do as practitioners. However, it is also one of the most confusing. When we use the term "basis," we really could be referring to one of three different things. This course will explore the differences between inside basis, outside basis, and 704(b) basis. Through several examples and practice problems, we will show you how to easily distinguish among these terms. We will also explore the tax implications of initial contributions of property to a partnership as well as the different types of partnership distributions.

A case-based approach to learning about the common errors practitioners make on S corporation tax returns.

Organizations of all sizes often fail to successfully install needed foundational components of an internal control system. Whether large or small, entities must view policies, procedures, and all controls in a wholistic manner in order to develop a system of controls that will keep the entity on its intended course. Moreover, those that design policies and procedures benefit by knowing why control measures are necessary. This session sets forth internal control concepts and explains the importance of strong internal control policies. It provides an understanding of the interrelated nature of all controls created by any organization. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Audit Documentation - Creating Workpapers That Pass Review is an important foundational course. Proper documentation is essential to a high-quality audit and other assurance services, as auditors are required to prepare and maintain documentation to demonstrate that sufficient and appropriate audit evidence was obtained to support the auditor's opinion. It is critical for workpapers to provide a clear understanding of the nature, timing and extent of procedures applied, the results of those procedures, source of evidence obtained, and conclusions reached. Both audit effectiveness and efficiency are directly impacted by the nature and extent of audit documentation. Note: This course is a part of a recommended 16-hour audit skills curriculum for beginning staff. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Today's CPAs can expect their prospects, clients, referral partners, and candidates to research them on LinkedIn. The good news is that you can leverage LinkedIn to craft a digital presence that demonstrates your expertise, showcases your personal brand, and aligns with your values. Learn how to create a LinkedIn profile that is not just a resume but a valuable marketing tool for your CPA business. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Despite the fact that a client's tax matter may be taken directly to court, utilizing IRS Appeals usually results in saving your client both time and money. Join us as we discuss the misunderstood process of going to IRS Appeals.

Clients think that estate planning only applies to the very rich. In truth, there are many issues of critical concern for which the middle-income client needs to plan. This course is a must-attend for all Accounting and Financial Professionals who work with middle-income clients and are looking for ways to provide additional quality services. Updated for developments relative to estate tax changes.

Are you ready to maximize the utility of ChatGPT? If so, participate in this session so you can learn the best ways to leverage this tool.

This webcast opens with how to use Excel's lookup functions to perform list comparisons. And, how to perform multicolumn list comparisons without first combining several columns into a single lookup column.

CPA's are responsible for understanding (1) the presence of fraudulent activity, (2) that financial reports are complete and accurate, and (3) applying the going concern principle to a business. Appropriate cybersecurity controls, processes and oversight directly impact these three areas. Fraud Bad actors can exploit systems with weak security controls to perform fraud. The increasing prevalence of hacked systems reflect this. Bad actors are stealing data, intellectual property, financial assets, and other information. Digital fraud is becoming more prevalent and can be substantially more damaging than historical types of fraud. Not only can digital fraud result in financial loss, but it can subject companies to expensive lawsuits, damage reputations and can even put a company out of business. Complete & Accurate Financial Reports Having cybersecurity controls on systems and networks is critical to ensure information reported in financial statements is complete and accurate. Data residing in financial reports is processed, stored and transmitted using IT Systems. It is important for CPA's to understand the required cybersecurity controls to prevent or detect inaccurate data in financial reports. Going Concern With an increasing volume of system hacks (e.g. Target, Experian, Sony, and most recently the US Government), it is no longer "if" you're going to get hacked, it is "When." If organizations do not have appropriate cybersecurity controls in place to protect against an attack, then a malicious hack can put them out of business. An organization's cybersecurity posture should be a factor in evaluating the Principle of Going Concern. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The Not-for-Profit Advisory Committee (NAC) has been meeting with FASB to discuss the impact of various standards on the nonprofit community. In this course, we will explore the work of the NAC and the impact they've had. We then transition to the Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs) issued by the FASB that are impacting nonprofit entities, including a review of year 2 issues with respect to the leases standard including modification accounting. We will close with a look at common deficiencies found in nonprofit financials.

Accountants in public practice face ethical conflicts almost daily. This workshop (re-)introduces the revised AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and walks through the eleven rules of conduct applicable to accountants in public practice, emphasizing the management of objectivity and competence. We end with discussions of a real-world case involving a CPA whose objectivity and competence is questioned. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

AI is an extremely popular topic these days, and for good reason! However, does AI present yet another threat to your privacy? Get answers to this question and more in this session.