Professional Development and Event Catalog

This session will explore the ethical considerations CPAs and CPA firms should be cognizant of when considering services to the state legal, regulated cannabis industry. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This program addresses the most recent developments impacting taxpayers incurring research and experimentation costs. Emphasis will be placed on compliance with the 2022 change in Section 174 Amortization of research and experimental expenditures. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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.

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.

Please join us for a discussion on Treasury Circular 230 and other ethical issues faced by enrolled agents and other tax preparers.  In addition to covering the practice standards espoused by Treasury Circular 230, there will also be an overview of the applicable provisions in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and common law which will affect tax preparers.  The discussion will conclude with other ethical issues, such as avoiding conflicts of interest, proper fee structure and maintaining competency.  Also included will be case studies illustrating dilemmas faced by tax practitioners.   **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 is a 'deep dive' into many aspects involving the taxation of real estate for the mid-level practitioner moving into this complex area. You will deepen your understanding of the complex considerations and strategies that individuals must navigate in acquiring, operating, and selling real estate. You will leave the course able to navigate critical issues associated with the relevant returns and plan strategically for your company or clients. We will discuss in detail the impact that recent tax changes have had on the real estate industry, as well as new credits that are available after the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

If you perform Yellow Book audits and/or single audits, it is a given that a peer reviewer will be looking at your work on those engagements! Why fret and sweat about what peer reviewers are going to be looking for? In this course, we will explore the key audit requirements that peer reviewers focus on, how the auditor complies with those requirements, and common pitfalls seen in Yellow Book and single audits. This course will help you proceed and succeed in your Yellow Book and single audits!

Surveys show that the average North American company completes its monthly financial statement closing in six days. However, some companies can close their books in one day or less. You don't have to sacrifice accuracy for speed. This session will show you how to close month-end faster, better and cheaper. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This program compares and contrasts the financial and tax accounting differences of partnerships, LLCs, and S corporations, as well as discuss the tax accounting for these entities. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This Masterclass is a one-hour training to show accountants how they can grow their practice this year through CFO and business advisory services. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The course provides general information on how to identify money laundering activities during the conduct of normal tax audits. Discover key resources and tools available for effective detection and deterrence. Explore the impact of money laundering on ethical decision-making, and how examiners and auditors can assist criminal investigators in countering money laundering. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The AICPA issued new Quality Management Standards that require all accounting firms that perform audit, review, compilation, attestation, and agreed-upon procedures engagements to comply with the enhanced Quality Management Standards by December 15, 2025. The most significant change in the new Quality Management Standards is the requirement that firms identify and assess quality risks specific to their practices and then design and implement responses to each identified quality risk. This program will help you understand the new Quality Management Standards, provide practical guidance for adoption, and respond to the requirements of the new Quality Management Standards.

Forensic accounting, forensic accountancy or financial forensics is the specialty practice area of accounting that investigates whether firms engage in financial reporting misconduct. Forensic accountants apply a range of skills and methods to determine whether there has been financial reporting misconduct. Financial forensic engagements may fall into several categories.  Economic damages calculations, whether suffered through tort or breach of contract. Post-acquisition disputes such as earnouts or breaches of warranties Bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization Securities and tax fraud Money laundering Business valuation Computer forensics/e-discovery This session is designed to delve a bit deeper into the world of forensic accounting and identify some of the specific areas of expertise required to become a forensic accountant. We will then first delve deeper into the art of document analysis and handwriting analysis.  

This course will dive into the fundamentals of fiduciary accounting and provide a reporting guide for determining whether receipts and expenditures are assigned to income or principal/corpus. 

Many finance departments spend considerable time managing cash, particularly if the organization is highly leveraged or cash rich.  Many opportunities exist to reduce your financing costs or increase short-term cash returns if you manage cash effectively.  This session will cover a wide variety of day-to-day cash management tools.  

Good writing is good business. Studies show that the average business worker receives 121 emails per day. That's a lot of emails. Are your emails effective? Are they being read? Are they professional and tone-smart? In this course, you will learn techniques and skills to get your emails to stand out and improve their effectiveness and professionalism.

The phrase "time management" is misleading. No one manages time. Instead, we manage events in our lives which consume time. Like money, time is both finite and valuable; it should be budgeted and used wisely. Those individuals who "manage" or budget their time wisely often are more productive, less stressed, and able to achieve their goals more effectively than others. Professionals by nature place a high value on their time. Still, successful time management strategies vary based upon the personality, motivation, and discipline of each individual. This course provides simple, practical, and powerful techniques that help professionals work efficiently and achieve better balance in their lives. Successful time management skills also reduce the risk of burnout, which in turn improves the likelihood of achieving success in any endeavor.

Gear up for tax season with Steve Dilley's annual update!  This program provides an update to the latest tax developments, rules and regulations affecting both business and individual taxpayers, including a review and integration of 2023-2024 legislation.    **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.

The Accounting and Auditing Update is designed to provide its participants with a comprehensive, in-depth review of what’s happening at the FASB, AICPA, and other professional bodies who may impact accounting and auditing this year, including FASB Statements and Interpretations, Statements on Auditing Standards, Statements of Position, Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services, Ethics Interpretations, exposure drafts and projects in progress, with emphasis on the practical application and impact on practitioners in small to medium sized firms and members in industry. Special attention this year will be focused on the emerging use of data analytics related to audit evidence. **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.

Recently issued accounting standard updates provide important clarifications for determining whether a not-for-profit (NFP) organization's transactions are an exchange transaction or a contribution. This course will provide those responsible for preparing financial statements for NFPs examples of the proper accounting for exchange transactions covered by ASU No. 2014-09 versus contributions covered by ASU No. 2018-08. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.