CPE + Events Catalog

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.

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.

Financial skills needed in many situations are constantly changing.  It is prudent to routinely look into your toolbox to restock or revise your tool set.  In this course we will examine three tool categories that form the foundation for many analytical processes.

Storytelling makes wisdom stick.

Breaking the Wall of blind acceptance; avoiding habitual complacency and Yoking the dots between cause and effect.

How good are you with the technology you use daily?  What new technology tools are available that could save you time and make you more effective?  Technology continues to accelerate rapidly, and the need to keep pace is essential. If you are not an information technology (IT) expert but need a technology update to maintain and improve your skills to serve your companies or clients more efficiently and effectively, this course is for you! In this fast-paced, update-style course, you will survey today’s IT environment, learning about computer hardware, software (including Microsoft Office), operating systems (including Windows 10), and what they mean for you, and peripheral devices. You will also learn about significant trends in information technology and how to take advantage of the opportunities presented by these trends.  Examples include the latest Excel features, working with PDF files, and security and privacy issues. Additionally, you will learn how to improve the overall performance of your IT investment, thereby increasing your return on investment. Throughout this program, you will learn from real-time demonstrations of practical applications of the latest tools, which can provide you with the knowledge you need to harness the power of technology, both now and in the future. Register now for this “don’t miss” opportunity to get the skills required to enhance the value of your IT investment.  

You are likely familiar with strategies for removing the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (TFRP) or brokering an installment agreement with a Revenue Officer or ACS Representative, but what should you do and when? What happens when things break down? Who should you contact and when? This topic will help guide practitioners on getting around certain obstacles or roadblocks while working cases with the IRS. This includes best practices for contesting the TFRP, who to contact and how to prepare when negotiating installment agreements, and steps to elevate cases that are seemingly going nowhere. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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.

A detailed analysis of the calculations related to determining a shareholder's tax basis for S corporation shares and loans. How to use the Form 1120S, Schedule K-1 information for basis determination. An illustrative example demonstrates how the process works, as well as the many 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.  

This session explores tools and techniques that can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of client engagements and business processes using data analysis tools. We will introduce some of today's popular and software tools and examine the AICPA's Five-step approach to incorporating data analytics into public accounting engagements. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

A challenge for many small business owners is choosing the `right' type of retirement plan for their businesses. Many hesitate to make a choice because they are intimidated by the governing rules. In those cases, an IRA-based retirement plan is an easy, effective, and efficient way to start a retirement plan. These IRA-based plans - SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs - have low maintenance costs and are easy to communicate to employees. In some cases, employer contributions are discretionary, providing the business owners with the choice of whether to fund every year.

Understanding unconscious bias is key to creating an inclusive workplace and to making the best business decisions. This course explores the concept of unconscious bias, the science behind it, and how it can affect the way employers hire, evaluate, and treat employees. We will also discuss strategies employers can use to reduce unconscious bias and create a more inclusive workplace.

Owners of S corporations and partnerships are subject to numerous limitations on pass-through losses, each with unique rules, applications, and complexities. With the increase in popularity of pass-through business entities, it is essential for CPAs to understand the complexities and interactions of these pass-through loss limitations.

Since its inception nearly 30 years ago, many have continued to struggle with applying the current model for accounting for income taxes, ASC 740. But this does not have to be you. This course will provide you with the basic knowledge necessary to understand the complexities of this challenging topic. Through discussions and use of exercises, this course will analyze the authoritative literature to provide a thorough understanding of such topics as deferred taxes, income tax expense, uncertain tax positions and other classification and disclosure requirements related to income taxes. We will also explore some specialized areas of income tax accounting, such as intra-period allocations of income tax expense and accounting for changes in tax laws and rates, and we will review proposed updates to ASC 740 disclosures on which the FASB is contemplating. In summary, this course is the place to be to enhance your accounting for income taxes IQ.

Strategic Planning for SMEs

The GASB has been working on some big projects lately. We kick off this course with a look at the GASB standards that are effective this year including GASB 100, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections and GASB 101, Compensated Absences. We will then switch gears to the GASB standards coming down the pike, including the major projects of the GASB. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

A beginner's guide or a refresher on the essential elements of partnership and LLC taxation.

QuickBooks Desktop has been the go-to solution for companies since 1984 (Intuit originally created Quicken for bank reconciliations) and has grown into a powerful tool to track business finances. QuickBooks Online is one of the fastest growing applications in the accounting market today. With its ability to be an "on-the-go" solution, many service providers, entrepreneurs, and other industries prefer to keep it simple and use QuickBooks Online. Understanding the pros and cons of QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online will help you advise your client on the best solution for their business. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Form 1065 is the tax return filed by partnerships, which is one of the most common forms of business organizations in the United States. This course provides an in-depth understanding of the preparation and filing of Form 1065. The course will cover the basics of partnership taxation, including how partnerships are taxed, the different types of partnerships, and the tax obligations of partners. It will also discuss the importance of keeping accurate financial records, the role of the partnership agreement in tax reporting, and the filing deadlines for Form 1065. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the various sections of Form 1065, including the Schedule K-1, which reports each partner's share of the partnership's income, deductions, and credits. The course will also cover how to report partnership income, expenses, and deductions, as well as the tax implications of buying and selling partnership interests. In addition, the course will provide an overview of common errors and omissions made when preparing Form 1065, and how to avoid them. It will also cover recent changes in tax laws that affect partnership taxation. Overall, this course is designed for tax professionals, accountants, business owners, and individuals who need to understand the intricacies of partnership taxation and the preparation and filing of Form 1065. Upon completion of the course, participants will have a solid understanding of partnership taxation and will be able to prepare and file Form 1065 with confidence. **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.

Building on Part 1, this course will review the application of sampling in financial statement audits with a focus on sampling for tests of controls. We'll also review the requirements for sampling in Single Audits with a focus on tests of controls and tests of compliance.