CPE + Events Catalog

In today’s real estate market, IRC §1031 tax-deferred exchanges can be one of the most important planning tools available to the real estate investor. The use of this technique is filled with pitfalls and traps. This new course will assist the practitioner in understanding the mechanics of a tax-deferred exchange and the value of a tax-deferred exchange in both tax and financial planning. Updated August 2022

You don’t need an accounting degree to harness the power of Microsoft Excel. This course shows how Excel makes sense beyond dollars and cents. We will focus on fundamental concepts for creating, editing, and utilizing Excel content. Participants will learn how to use Excel’s menus and other functions to craft Excel workbooks. Because this course is designed for newer users, we intentionally offer a broad overview of Excel’s numerous capabilities with in-depth coverage of selected resources tailored for non-accounting applications.

The AICPA's Auditing Standards Board has several large projects that will be impacting entities in the near future. We'll take a deep dive into the changes related quality management as well as group audits. We'll also review common audit deficiencies. This course will keep auditors up to date on the work of the ASB. 

Small businesses have better options now than ever before in the market of accounting solutions. Participate in this session to learn more about these options and which might be best for you or your clients.

These are uncertain times. With constant economic fluctuation, geopolitical uncertainty and inflation pressures, corporations and their professionals are facing challenges at every turn. The Controllership function is accustomed to dealing with changing variables but when the change is constant and every evolving, even the simplest of tasks like cash flow and cash forecasting can become difficult.  This webinar is to focus on what methods the controller can elicit to attempt to address the current uncertainty when working with their cash flow issues and forecasting. Of course, there are basic measures that can be employed such as: Proactively managing receivables and payables Automate your accounts payable and receivables process Keep business expenses at a minimum Work with digital methods of payment from vendors Use credit wisely However, this webinar will explore methods used to create and manage your cash flow and forecasting processes. These methods go one-step past your typical forecasting to enable management to explore various alternatives and scenarios for the business.

A significant amount of information is electronically initiated, recorded, processed, or reported, and information to be used as audit evidence may be available only in electronic form. During this session we will look at different types of information commonly presented to an auditor during the audit of an employee benefit plan, and identify considerations for auditors when evaluating information to be used as audit evidence.

Based on an AICPA Enhancing Audit Quality study, 23% of all single audits subject to enhanced oversight were materially non-conforming with professional standards due to failure to properly test controls over compliance.  This course will provide an overview of internal controls over compliance specifically related to Single Audits. We will discuss how to apply the concept of internal controls to various compliance requirements. Additionally, a common finding in the audits of governmental entities receiving federal grants is misidentifying controls and mistaking compliance for a control. That's why this course will also focus on identifying compliance versus controls over compliance.

This course corresponds to our Controllership series. This course is dedicated to exploring the traditional controller role and stepping out of the box to identify areas where the controller can continue to add strategic value to their organizations. Within this segment of our controllership series, we discuss the area of cash and investments and explore how the controller can move these responsibilities into more of a strategic role. In today’s world, the role of cash management is often a pivotal role in the organization. In economically difficult times, controllers may find that they spend a great deal of their time on understanding and managing the organizations' cash position. This is certainly important and, in some areas, can be seen as a staple of the lifeblood of the organization’s ongoing viability. This course takes a look at some of the typical objectives involved in Cash management and then evaluates how those objectives can be further stretched into strategic pillars of the organization.   

This course explores the tests used to determine whether a worker is properly characterized as an employee or an independent contractor for tax purposes, with a focus on the cost of getting it wrong and possible Section 530 relief.  The game changing impact of the Dynamex case and AB5 will also be discussed.  **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.

PowerPoint is a widely available resource that is potentially underutilized by accountants because many accountants do not stray beyond Excel and Word in the Microsoft Office suite. You will learn how to create and edit a professional PowerPoint slide deck. This session places particular emphasis on efficiency tips and tricks that will allow you to develop creative, professional visual aids while minimizing time and effort. The course’s author will share personal insights he has cultivated throughout more than two decades of public speaking. Although the session will focus on creating and editing slides, we will illustrate best practices for presentation delivery. We will also explain how PowerPoint can be used for purposes other than delivering presentations.

The TCJA made turning business losses into tax refunds far more difficult.  The CARES Act suspended and modified many of these changes.  This course will address the revised rules for deducting business losses and discuss planning ideas and potential pitfalls.  **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.

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.

Have you ever met an accountant who exhibits solid technical prowess but possesses lackluster communication skills? It is not unusual to meet a savvy accountant who is a technical expert, but could enhance the delivery of written and spoken words. This course is designed to help CPAs improve their written and verbal communication skills. Participants will learn how to tailor communication to their audience, with particular emphasis on techniques for crafting a message that effectively conveys technical information in an engaging manner. The course’s author will share personal success tips gleaned from more than two decades of experience communicating myriad topics to a variety of audiences.

Yellow Book and Single Audit engagements are considered must select engagements for Peer Review. This course will cover the Yellow Book independence requirements which are required any time an auditor is performing a Yellow Book or Single Audit even when the engagement is for a for-profit entity.  We'll take a look at the major changes in the 2024 Compliance Supplement as well as the changes to the Uniform Guidance. We'll close with major deficiencies identified by the federal agencies and peer reviewers. 

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.

This presentation will provide a detailed analysis of the Circular 230 rules for conduct of a tax practice, with a review of the political, legislative and regulatory rules impacting every accounting and tax professional. Best practices and guidance provided by the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct will be discussed. **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.

Many entities look to their CPA as a trusted advisor when tackling complex accounting topics. This is more relevant now than ever. The FASB's big three accounting pronouncements involving revenue recognition, leasing and credit losses have placed a magnifying glass on this reality. Practitioners need to exercise caution to ensure they maintain independence as they assist their review and audit clients with such matters, as well as with compilation engagements. This course addresses these issues and explores best practices and guidance provided by the AICPA's Code of Professional Conduct. **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.

Social media - it's a buzzword, but is it beneficial for your firm's brand? And more importantly, your bottom line? This course focuses on the latter and takes a deep dive into which social media platforms are best for accounting firm lead generation, recruitment, client retention and more. Attendees will take away a practical framework and actionable tactics for integrating social media into your firm's overall marketing and communications strategy to help you grow your revenue without having to spend hours on social media or even be on it personally if you don't wish to! This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available for questions during the event.

Signed by President Biden on December 29, 2022, as part of the Consolidation Appropriations Act, this program provides an explanation of the Secure Act 2.0 provisions impacting individuals and business taxpayers.  Learn what you need to know for this filing season and how to plan for future years for your clients. **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.

This course provides a concise overview of recent IRS criminal investigations and what practitioners can learn from these cases to help fight economic crime and even avoid personal criminal prosecution. While accountants are numbers people by training (not detectives per se with the exception of forensic accountants), practitioners are increasingly being called upon by governments and economic organizations at all levels to step up and help law enforcement battle financial impropriety. The stakes are huge. In the United States alone, the OECD estimates that 5% to 10% of the annual budget of the US health care programs, Medicare and Medicaid, is wasted as a result of corruption. Every dollar lost to monetary malfeasance has a crippling effect that ripples through countries, industries, companies, communities and individual lives. Government resources are wasted, public services are compromised, companies are financially destabilized, shareholders are cheated, employers are swindled, charities are undermined and much more. By increasing their awareness of what and how the IRS investigates and prosecutes, accountants can heighten their "spidey sense" of what doesn't look right in financial records. This includes honing skills to more readily notice -- and report -- ledger anomalies and irregularities, and even rethink a "silence is always safer" mindset. As technology disrupts and automates many fundamental accounting functions, practitioners can add value by more diligently scanning for "creative accounting" red flags on the frontlines. Prioritizing transparency and behaving ethically -- the core of the profession -- not only helps society and the economy as a whole, it can help accountants boost their reputation as highly trusted business advisors and even supercharge their bottom line. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.