Professional Development and Event Catalog

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners says that there is fraud lurking in all businesses, including not-for-profit organizations. It often goes undetected for years and when uncovered, management and the board may question why an auditor did not identify it. The auditor's responsibility in a financial statement audit is to assess risk and perform sufficient procedures to obtain reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement due to fraud or error. However, failure to perform an adequate fraud risk assessment and report deficiencies in internal control, such as a lack of segregation of duties, can leave a firm vulnerable. This course will discuss the audit procedures that should be performed in accordance with AU-C 240 as recently amended, best practices in performing fraud risk assessment procedures, when and how to report control deficiencies noted in an audit, and the most frequent types of fraud found in small to mid-sized entities along with internal controls that could be implemented to help prevent and detect them. We will look at various cyber fraud schemes and how they might be prevented or detected, the use of analytics as fraud risk procedures, and assessments of fraud risk in a Single Audit. This course features case studies.

A clear and concise set of proper financial statement disclosures can make or break an entity's financial statements. Such disclosures are no longer simply additional information provided by a business; they can be complex in nature and difficult to both prepare and understand, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. Oftentimes financial statement users will first turn to the notes in the financial statements in order to get a feel for where the business and its numbers might be heading, so these disclosures need to be well-written and follow applicable standards. This course will focus on key balance sheet and income statement disclosure as well as accounting standards related to revenue (ASC 606) and leases (ASC 842), accounting policies, changes in accounting estimates and errors, subsequent events, going concern, and related party disclosures. The course will use illustrations, examples based on private company financial statements disclosures, and real-world excerpts from financial statements to provide you with a hands-on feel for the disclosure requirements across a number of accounting standards.

The Inflation Reduction Act increased the IRS budget. As a result, the IRS continues to replenish its audit workforce. The IRS trains its audit workforce by examining the tax returns of individuals and small businesses. Now, more than ever, Accounting, Tax and Financial Professionals need clients to understand the need for documentation and procedures to substantiate what IRS examiners are pursuing. Learn the high audit risk areas and ways to help clients survive an IRS audit with little or no change. It is critical for Accounting, Tax, and Financial Professionals in public accounting to understand the risk to clients and to themselves in tax return preparation and planning since the IRS continues to increase its audit coverage and is examining more taxpayers than it has in the recent past.

Forensic accounting has been a rapidly growing part of the accounting profession for some time. The rapid expansion of technology, growth in various sectors of business and industry, and the rise and increase in complexity of white-collar crimes contribute to this growth. A diverse range of clients as well as cases involving all types of fraud make this an attractive profession, and one that is always in high demand. This course is designed to elevate your expertise and skills, regardless of whether you come from an audit background, work in the public sector, or are aspiring to become a forensic accountant. This comprehensive course will equip you with the fundamental knowledge to identify, investigate, and effectively communicate your findings. As an added resource, you will receive a copy of the AICPA's Forensic & Litigation Service's Forensic Accounting - Fraud Investigations practice aid, which serves as valuable guidance for future reference.

Answering clients' tax questions accurately and on time is a key challenge for tax practitioners. Through simple, plain language explanations and examples, this course will help practitioners perform tax research more efficiently by describing the structure of the primary sources, highlighting the differences between primary and secondary sources, and detailing the steps in the tax research process.

Forensic accounting encompasses fraud investigation and prevention, as well as a wide variety of functions in litigation. Forensic accountants provide services ranging from serving as an expert witness, to litigation consultant and bankruptcy trustee. As our economy grows more complex, the need for forensic accountants grows as well. One critical role of the forensic accountant is exposing and examining financial fraud. Technology expands the way companies conduct business; however, technology also provides greater opportunities for those willing to commit fraud. Forensic accountants rely on their skills in accounting, coupled with their investigative skills, to explain to clients, courts, and jurors how fraudulent schemes occur and the effect caused by fraud. Forensic accountants also provide expert opinions in calculating damages in litigation and administering bankruptcy estates, as well as a host of other services.

Estate planning, financial strategizing, and asset protection are deeply interconnected, with each influencing the others in significant ways. This course explores the intricate relationships between these key planning areas and provides a comprehensive sequence for orchestrating successful planning efforts. By addressing complex scenarios such as single-parent considerations, the course equips practitioners with the tools to offer holistic planning services that benefit their clients across estate, financial, and asset protection needs. Participants will gain an understanding of how to manage risk, maximize tax benefits, and address unique planning challenges, from disability to qualified plan distributions. This course is an indispensable addition for professionals seeking to provide integrated planning services to their clients.

Recent AICPA standards, SAS 142 and SAS 145, have expanded and clarified audit evidence and documentation standards. The role of the reviewer has expanded, and auditors need to know how to respond. Audit documentation provides the principal support for the independent auditor's report. Therefore, it is important that workpapers meet professional standards. Anything less could result in peer or regulatory review deficiencies - or, as a worst-case scenario, lawsuits when fraud occurs at a company. Effective workpaper review is an important part of meeting professional standards at the engagement level as well as the overall firm level. In addition, the workpaper review process should be used as a tool for professional development and promoting efficient audits. During a financial statement audit, the auditor also obtains an understanding of the entity and its environment (including its internal control), performs a risk assessment, and from that work designs substantive procedures that will be responsive to the level of risk assessed. At the end of the audit, the auditor assesses the sufficiency and appropriateness of the audit evidence obtained to ensure that he or she has considered everything necessary to provide an opinion on the financial statements. This course addresses the characteristics of audit evidence and how the auditor evaluates the sufficiency and appropriateness of the evidence throughout the audit.

What do you think of when you hear the word "fraud?" Are you concerned for your clients or your organization? Through a comprehensive learning approach using informative case studies, you will learn about real-world government and not-for-profit fraud and your responsibilities when dealing with fraud. This course will cover a range of fraud types including management override, cyber fraud, procurement and contracting fraud, external financial reporting, and personnel fraud. Recognizing fraudulent activity is not always straightforward, but this course will equip you with the knowledge required to identify potential fraud indicators.

Two of the most complex ASUs released in the last decade updated revenue recognition and leases. Auditing these complex accounts has never been more difficult. Revenue is often one of the largest and most significant line items in a company's financial statements. It is also the line item that is most susceptible to fraud. Further, all companies reporting under U.S. GAAP have recently completed adoption of ASC 606. In this course, we will review the key elements of ASC 606, including key disclosure requirements for private companies under the standard. Then, we'll focus on how to audit revenue, including the elements of an effective risk assessment related to revenue, key controls over the revenue process, and substantive procedures. For leases under ASC 842, we will review the accounting model for lessees and review in detail the key considerations in accounting for operating leases under ASC 842 and the other key guidance in the standard. Then, we'll review common audit procedures related to auditing the lease liability and the related right-of-use asset, including reviewing the enhanced lease disclosure requirements under ASC 842. When you complete this course, you will be prepared to tackle both ASC 606 and 842.

The construction industry stands out in its need to adhere to diverse accounting standards. This course explores the essential knowledge required for success in construction accounting, and the key issues influencing this field. You'll discover the implications of recent developments for yourself, your business, or your clients. In addition, you'll examine the relationship between contractors and sureties. Given the construction industry's significant and ever-expanding share of the economy, staying up to date with the latest accounting updates in this sector is critical. Note: This course does not address FASB ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, or FASB ASC 842, Leases. The AICPA offers a companion course that focuses on revenue and lease accounting for construction contractors.

GAAP has become too complex for many small and private entities. As an alternative, many entities have adopted special purpose frameworks (formerly called OCBOA). This program guides entities through the acceptable methods of non-GAAP financial statements, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and presentation of the statements and disclosures. Emphasis is placed on the following frameworks:

Part of one's duty as a CPA working in industry is to safeguard the assets of the organization. Cost cutting is one way to preserve assets and maintain a company's competitive position in the industry. However, what keeps us from ridding our organizations of unnecessary costs? In this course, we will look at the factors that prevent our companies from being as streamlined as they could be. By using statistics and survey data, we will attempt to show how to better negotiate and navigate budgeting and contracting decisions. We will also discuss financial statement analysis techniques, benchmarking, and cash flow management in an effort to better cut costs and maintain the long-run viability of an organization.

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.

Estate planning is rapidly evolving, with new trends and strategies emerging that require professionals to stay informed and adaptable. This comprehensive course provides an in-depth look at the most significant developments shaping estate planning as we move into 2025 and beyond. It covers legislative updates, innovative techniques, and the latest industry insights to equip participants with the tools they need to create effective and lasting estate plans. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to incorporate advanced tax strategies, handle complex family dynamics, and integrate digital assets into their planning frameworks. By staying ahead of the curve, attendees will be better prepared to offer their clients customized solutions that safeguard wealth and honor legacies across generations.

It's crazy to try to audit not-for-profits in the same manner that you do for-profits! The sane approach to auditing not-for-profits is to incorporate what makes them unique into the planning and performance of the audit. This course is designed to help you do just that! Obtain a superior working knowledge of auditing not-for-profit entities effectively and efficiently.

This CTCPA conference discusses the most relevant issues facing the accounting profession today.

One of the major transactions CPA clients are faced with is the purchase or disposition of a business. To help tax professionals advise those clients, this course offers a comprehensive analysis of the business and tax aspects of buying and selling a business. It is a practical guide to help practitioners and industry CPAs understand structuring techniques. All CPAs, including controllers and executives in industry, should understand how difficult the process of buying and selling a business has become.

Business Intelligence (BI) is perhaps the hottest topic in most professional circles in today's business climate. Increasingly, organizations of all sizes seek to take advantage of the data available to them to identify previously undiscovered insights and gain competitive advantages thought to be out of reach just a few short years ago. A growing array of tools - from Excel add-ins to dedicated solutions such as Power BI - now allow you to leverage your existing knowledge and skills to create powerful, interactive dashboards and analyses unthinkable until recently. This program will teach you to implement "do-it-yourself business intelligence" using various techniques and tools. First, you will learn to use advanced Excel data query and summarization features to create Excel-based dashboards. You will then learn how to leverage that knowledge to build even more powerful BI objects using Microsoft's Power BI tools. If gaining better insights into your data to make better decisions interests you, then join us for a fast-paced look at how you can take advantage of these fantastic tools.

Important: This is a VIRTUAL program and is being offered in partnership with the Iowa Society of CPAs Discover fresh trends and top-notch practices shaping the insurance sector. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the field, this conference promises to arm you with valuable insights and expertise to level up your understanding of the insurance world. Please note that the Class Pass does not apply to this program.