CPE Catalog & Events

This course will enable practitioners to understand and apply the AICPA "clarification" auditing standards to audits of Small- and Medium-Sized Entities (SMEs). Further, this course will provide guidance on how to perform an effective, efficient and profitable audit engagement. The course is loaded with practical practice aids to help enable participants to comply with the standards. Troublesome areas as identified in peer reviews and litigation will be covered. Participants who take this course will enjoy smooth sailing in their peer reviews, guaranteed! 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 allows you to get reacquainted with the statement of cash flows. We will refresh your skills regarding both the preparation and utilization of the statement of cash flows. Significant emphasis will be placed on the informational role of the statement of cash flows and insights that can be obtained using the statement of cash flows in concert with the other elements of a company's accrual-basis 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.

When asked the question, “What would you like to improve about your leadership and communication style?” more than 65% of leaders say they want to be more confident and assertive in their communication. Confidence and clarity communicate leadership. If you are responsible for growing a profitable company or a productive team, you want team members who have the ability to reach goals, make sales, finish projects, and serve customers. Being a confident, compelling leader helps to inspire better relationships, promotes trust, and reduces stress in the workplace. Lack of confidence and assertiveness can lead to resentment, depression, low self-esteem, and loss of respect from colleagues and employers. Confident communication cultivates cooperation, goal achievement, and a more respectful work environment. Clear and compelling leaders are better equipped to move projects forward and make things happen while improving cooperation and respect from partners and subordinates.  

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.

Getting ready for busy season involves not only knowing the tax rules for 2024, but also knowing how those rules are incorporated into the IRS tax forms practitioners will be using to prepare 2024 tax returns. This course provides tax return preparer attendees with an up-to-date review of important new tax forms, key tax developments, and tax law changes as they are reflected in IRS forms for 2024 and IRS filing issues and deadlines as they relate to 2024.

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.

This course uses the lives of the rich and famous as a template to better understand the realm of estate planning. With stories ripped from the headlines, we will examine pitfalls and best practices. Did you know that Prince died without a will, opening the door for 45 people claiming to be his beneficiaries? Or that Michael Jackson was not careful in properly funding his trust, leading to delays and legal battles in the administration of his estate? Even Abraham Lincoln, it turns out, did not have a will. In discussing an array of celebrities, from Jackie Kennedy, Joan Rivers, Jimi Hendrix, and Whitney Houston to Aretha Franklin, Barry White, Leona Helmsley, and Florence Griffith Joyner, the course is designed as an enjoyable learning experience with tips for all levels of expertise. We may not have their fame or fortune, but we can certainly walk the red carpet when it comes to estate planning.

Practitioners that provide non-audit services must strike the right balance between complying with relevant professional and regulatory standards, providing value-added client service, and mitigating litigation and other practice management risks. This course contains many case studies to reinforce best practices for managing the accounting, reporting, and performance issues associated with the attest services of compilations and reviews where reports are issued, as well as the SSARS  preparation of financial statements service and other nonattest engagements.

Business intelligence efforts continue to grow, and Microsoft’s Power BI platform is central to many of these efforts. Participate in this session to learn more about business intelligence and how to create dashboards using Power BI.

This session features the latest behavioral science, demonstrations of experiments, and compelling real-life stories to disrupt everything you thought you knew about fraud. It will spur you to challenge "sacred cows" of the industry and help you develop better thinking approaches to detect, deter, or investigate fraud, waste and abuse. Learn why many of our basic assumptions about fraud are flawed, why some widely accepted investigative practices are more harmful than helpful, and how auditors and investigators sometimes unwittingly assist fraud schemes. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

When asked the question, “What would you like to improve about your leadership and communication style?” more than 65% of leaders say they want to be more confident and assertive in their communication. Confidence and clarity communicates leadership. If you are responsible for growing a profitable company or a productive team, you want team members who have the ability to reach goals, make sales, finish projects, and serve customers. Being a confident compelling leader helps to inspire better relationships, promotes trust and reduces stress in the workplace.

Sampling - Avoiding Common Mistakes on Financial Statement and Compliance Audits will describe the proper process for both attribute testing and variable sampling in financial statement and compliance audits. Sampling is an important method for determining the extent of testing controls, testing compliance, and tests of substantive details. It allows the auditor to apply procedures to less than 100% of the population yet extend results to project likely conclusions about the entire population. Note: This course is recommended as a part of a 16-hour audit skills curriculum for experienced staff auditors, while it is also appropriate for anyone who has sampling responsibilities. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has issued a new accounting standard for leases. This new standard-ASC Topic 842-replaces the existing ASC Topic 840, changes the accounting for operating leases (requiring capitalization in the financial statements), and upgrades many other lease accounting and reporting aspects.

External auditors only detect 3-5% of all fraud incidences. Get pragmatic guidance on detecting fraud. Discuss where fraud is most likely to occur. Learn to conduct inquiries and direct the audit in the areas of greatest concern, those most likely to be abused by perpetrators.

Recent generally accepted auditing standards were written to improve the quality of risk-based financial statement audits, audit reporting, and required by-product communications. This course will discuss the important clarifications and enhancements intended to improve audit quality to ensure better compliance with requirements contained in SAS Nos. 134-145. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Many professionals, including corporate management, loan officers, investors, suppliers, customers and auditors, use financial statement analysis to perform their daily responsibilities. This program focuses on financial statements and the analysis of financial statements utilizing cases to assess profitability, liquidity, and resource management efficiency. We conclude with discussions of non-GAAP performance measurements, forecasting, and valuation.

Join our course on Multistate Taxation – Issues and Planning Opportunities designed for financial professionals. Learn about crucial topics like nexus implications, state taxable income calculations, and audit defense strategies. Gain practical insights to integrate these considerations into client financial plans effectively. From deciphering complex formulas to understanding state-specific regulations, this course equips you with actionable knowledge to excel in finance. Explore multistate business activities, choice of business entity, and interstate commerce clauses. By course completion, you'll be ready to identify common pitfalls, mitigate risks, and ensure compliance with multistate taxation. Join us and navigate the complexities of finance confidently. **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 will introduce you the different types of business entities and the tax implications of contributions, distributions and earnings, among other topics. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

With over 4.3 employees leaving their jobs as of early 2022, The Great Resignation presents a huge challenge for companies as they attract and retain talent. During this course, you'll learn practical strategies you can implement immediately to ensure you have the right tools in your toolbox to win the war on talent. 

Unhealthy behavior in the workplace can create a drama-laden, hostile work environment, negatively impact productivity and increase turnover. When team members are focused on how they can one-up their counterparts or are fearful of their co-workers/leaders actions towards them – they are NOT focused on reaching your company’s goals.