CPE Catalog & Events

Successful organizations understand the importance of effective internal controls and develop a system to stay on the intended course. Those who design policies and procedures benefit by knowing why control measures are necessary. First, we'll examine critical concepts and the importance of strong internal control policies. Then, we'll look at why standards are needed and control creation methods. Finally, discuss strategies to implement policies and procedures.

This session provides an overview of compilation, review, and audit engagements. We will explore major considerations regarding each type of engagement in addition to contrasting and comparing these three major professional services provided by certified public accountants. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Embark on a journey to master Power BI, a powerful tool for data analysis and business intelligence, in our comprehensive course, "Get Started with Power BI." This course is meticulously designed for professionals who seek to understand the full spectrum of Power BI capabilities, including its integration with Excel's Power BI features like Power Pivot and Power Query, and its comparison with standalone Power BI tools such as Power BI Desktop, Power BI Service, and Power BI Report Server. In the first part of the course, participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of Power BI. This includes an overview of Power BI's interface, key features, and its seamless integration with Excel. The course will cover Excel's Power BI tools - Power Pivot, for advanced data modeling, and Power Query, for efficient data transformation and preparation. This segment is essential for understanding how Power BI extends and enhances the data processing and analytical capabilities of Excel. The second section of the course delves into the standalone Power BI tools. Here, participants will explore Power BI Desktop for creating complex data models and sophisticated reports, Power BI Service for cloud-based collaboration and sharing, and Power BI Report Server for on-premises report deployment. This part of the course will focus on the unique features and strengths of these standalone tools, providing attendees with the skills to leverage Power BI in a variety of business contexts. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

With the bull market in real estate, securities, and even cryptocurrencies since the enactment of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, the ability for individuals to take Section 165 losses has been more academic than practical. With the bear market, these limitation provisions have come back to haunt many taxpayers. This program will examine the limitations in the code, the Treasury Regulations, and case law that provide a fuller understanding of when exactly an individual can deduct a section 165 loss.

Cash does not manage itself.  It is up to the CFO to establish practices and procedures for the short-term, mid-term, and long-term management of cash.  Every organization needs to control the availability of the right amount of cash, at the right time, at the right place.   This webcast will help you gain insights in cash management that will allow you to function at the highest level.

The course provides a concise overview of how accountants can instantly and dramatically improve their Google search skills. Discover how to use the search service to spot opportunities and threats in your enterprise landscape earlier and faster, improve your research tactics as a trusted business advisor, slice through the endless online static and distractions, and interpret search results related to accounting in their proper context. You'll walk away with scores of practical and proven online discovery lessons that can be immediately applied, deliver instant results and serve you forever in both your professional and personal life. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This course highlights significant updates that affect financial reporting and related attestation services. We will explore novel FASB pronouncements while examining the enduring impact of lease accounting and revenue recognition standards. This course will provide reminders regarding both GAAP and non-GAAP financial reporting alternatives for closely held entities. We will also explore selected guidance regarding audit, review, and compilation engagements.

In this five part master series, class participants will gain a comprehensive view into the world of forensic data analytics (FDA). From understanding practical use cases of FDA in the audit, internal audit, investigations and proactive monitoring to understanding necessary data sources, validation proceudres, success factors and pitfalls to avoid. We will also explore hundreds of leading anti-fraud tests around corruption, conflicts of interest, fake vendor schemes, segregation of duties, revenue recognition and sales abuse, among dozens of other schemes.  Participants will develop their own library of anti-fraud tests from various open source locations and apply them in relevant contexts such as the COSO Fraud Risk Management Guide. Finally, participants will also peek into future innovations in FDA and how technologies such as ChatGPT, data visualization, machine learning, AI and cryptocurrencies are all impacting the discipline.  We can't promise you'll be a programmer after this course, but you will certainly be armed with the information needed to project manage an FDA project and "direct" the programmers to accomplish your fraud risk / FDA objectives.  

According to the Gallup Organization, only 10% of employees believe that their organization does a good job onboarding new employees. This means most organizations are overlooking this crucial phase of the employee lifecycle, which not only includes the often-neglected pre-boarding stage but also the continuous efforts to reduce uncertainty, bolster excitement, and foster connections for their new recruits. By streamlining these processes and crafting impactful moments from pre-boarding through the initial weeks, HR and Business leaders can significantly enhance efficiency, foster trust, and establish a foundation of psychological safety for years to come. In this session, attendees will discover strategies and resources that craft a holistic onboarding experience, mitigating risks like employee ghosting, and paving the way for heightened engagement and retention.

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.  

Form 709 is filed by many tax practitioners but are frequently filed incorrectly. Especially troublesome is reporting the gift correctly on Schedule A, making the correct GST allocations and meeting the adequate disclosure requirements. This program will review common problems for preparers and provide examples of presentations for many of the frequently reported gifts in recent years.

It's an exciting time to manage a public practice accounting firm! In addition to technical knowledge in tax, auditing, and accounting, we need to understand data analytics and security options in an advisory context. Beyond that, we must manage the practice and people while profitably delivering excellent client service in a competitive environment for the owners. Further, portals, CAS stacks, PBC lists, electronic signatures, Cloud, and robotic process automation are technologies we need to understand beyond our tax, audit, practice management, document management, and workflow systems. This CPA Firm Update session independently covers significant trends and technologies for CPA firms, which will help you understand your current and future choices. With such rapid change, what will your firm do?

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.

In this session, we will underscore the significance of adopting a growth mindset, as conceptualized by Dr. Carol Dweck, as a cornerstone for achieving success in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. A common stumbling block in DEI efforts is the resistance to altering mindsets concerning the goals and objectives of DEI. Through interactive discussions, we will concentrate on dispelling fixed mindsets and cultivating an outlook of continuous growth in the realm of DEI. Achieving success in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) requires a blend of motivation, synergy, and energy. This session aims to dissect the often-overlooked role of motivation in the DEI landscape, demonstrating how it serves as a catalyst for individuals and leaders to surmount obstacles and attain success. Our model disrupts the conventional discourse by placing motivation at the forefront of DEI considerations, emphasizing the importance of understanding the underlying purpose as the true north. The ultimate aim of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is cultural integration. In the context of our 3M framework, the final "Memorization" component is strategically designed to imprint the necessity of prioritizing DEI and seamlessly weaving it into the organizational culture. This element is pivotal in fortifying our DEI endeavors.

Small business owners that want to diversify often lack the bandwidth and runway required to create and launch another business from scratch. In this session, explore the seven different ways franchising can bridge the gap with existing systems, training, ongoing support, semi-absentee options and more!  

Maximizing Analytic Procedure Evidence - Adding Value Through Useful Financial Statement Analysis will enhance an ability to read and interpret financial information as a critical audit skill. Financial statement auditors need to be able to analyze financial results to not only enhance audit quality, but to also improve client service through being a better business advisor. Note: This course is recommended as a part of a 16-hour audit skills curriculum for supervisory or managerial auditors, while it is also appropriate for anyone who has responsibilities for analyzing and interpreting financial statements. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

One of the most talked about emerging technologies that has the potential to significantly disrupt the accounting profession is blockchain. This course is designed to bring you up to speed on what this revolutionary technology is all about. You will learn about the concepts, nomenclature, technology and potential applications related to blockchain. This will prepare you to participate in conversations about blockchain technology with your colleagues, peers and others. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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.

Both businesses and individual clients face major changes as a result of new legislation, and tax professionals face the considerable challenge of delivering effective planning advice and services to address this myriad of recent developments. This course addresses this challenge and also encompasses the latest cases and rulings applicable to individual and business clients. Continually updated to reflect enacted legislation. Please Note: Due to content overlap, it is recommended that this course NOT be taken together with BIT4.

Due to IRS issue focused examinations, Accounting and Finance Professionals need to understand what types of returns are selected for examination and ways to help clients survive an IRS audit with little or no change. As a result of issue focused examinations, Accounting and Finance Professionals must understand what the high audit risk area issues are and what the IRS is focusing on when a return is examined. In addition, because tax-related identity theft is a common issue for many taxpayers, it is critical for Accounting and Finance Professionals to understand the procedures necessary to resolve this matter for their clients.