Professional Development and Event Catalog

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.

Financial statement auditors are engaged to provide reasonable assurance that financial statements are not materially misstated, whether due to fraud or error. Professional standards require auditors to obtain sufficient and appropriate evidence to support that opinion. It is critical for effective and efficient auditors to have a clear understanding of all the important elements and concepts related to a financial statement audit. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 1.)

Most of our clients are pass-through entities for which many of the general business strategies are subject to additional limitations. To provide the tax planning strategies for closely held business clients that will bring more revenue, this course focuses on the special concerns and techniques the practitioner needs to thrive in this market.

Most of our clients are pass-through entities for which many of the general business strategies are subject to additional limitations. To provide the tax planning strategies for closely held business clients that will bring more revenue, this course focuses on the special concerns and techniques the practitioner needs to thrive in this market.

This is indeed another year of significant change in the world of government and nonprofit accounting and auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort with this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in government and nonprofit accounting and auditing.

This is indeed another year of significant change in the world of government and nonprofit accounting and auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort with this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in government and nonprofit accounting and auditing.

This year is indeed another year of significant change in the world of governmental accounting and auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort in staying current through this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in governmental accounting and auditing.

This is another year of significant change in the world of nonprofit accounting and auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort with this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in nonprofit accounting and auditing.

With the effective date of Topic 842 now here, now is the time to get your hands around the details of the FASB's new leases standard. Designed for accounting and auditing practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides a thorough overview of the FASB's new lease accounting standard (ASU No. 2016-02) that was released in February 2016 and all subsequent changes that have been made to ASC 842. You will learn about the long-awaited lease accounting standard for lessors and lessees, including transition accounting, as well as recent updates to the new lease accounting guidance. Plenty of practical application illustrations are used, including journal entries, to help in understanding this complex area of accounting.

The effective date for ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) is finally here. The new standard eliminates one of the largest forms of off-balance sheet accounting and requires most leases to be brought onto the balance sheet irrespective of their classification as either financing or operating. The new guidance in ASC 842 also makes other changes in lease accounting for both lessees and lessors. This course will discuss the impact of these changing standards on both lessees and lessors and discusses recently issued updates to ASC 842. Now is time to get up to date on all that is going on with regard to lease accounting.

Recent economic volatility has created added stress on accounting and finance professionals and their clients. When individuals or businesses lose money, they often blame others for their misfortune. Business disputes can sometimes lead to accounting malpractice claims. Understanding the most common types of accounting malpractice claims provides a roadmap of what not to do. This course provides a current overview of accounting malpractice litigation throughout the United States. The goal is to learn about the types of claims asserted against CPA firms and strategies to employ to avoid such claims. Reviewing malpractice claims allows us to identify patterns of behavior that may reduce litigation risk.

Why do some companies fail while others grow and succeed for generations? Common perceptions often attribute organizational success to great leadership, timing, or unique ideas. Although these traits certainly play a role in helping companies grow, research shows that corporate success often hinges on whether a company is value driven. Such companies have core ideologies that drive almost every major decision. In this course, we look at empirical data on why some companies succeed while others fail. By looking at companies that were created prior to 1950 (e.g., Disney, Marriott, or 3M), we can understand why certain organizations have been able to grow and achieve exceptional success through many different eras in the American economy. The lessons learned from these visionary companies can be broadly applied to organizations of all sizes, including accounting and financial service firms.

This course will take an in-depth look at the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history. What red flags did the auditors miss? What red flags did the bank miss? This course includes a conversation with former U.S. Marshal Jason Wojdylo, who was an integral part of this case. This is the fourth of five 2-hour courses in Surgent's Fraud Certificate Program. This program includes a combination of lectures, animated videos, and live interviews with white-collar offenders and whistle-blowers. Each course is designed to be engaging and informative and will enhance your understanding of fraud.

While the effective date of Topic 606 has passed for most entities, there will always be a need for a comprehensive review of the accounting related to revenue recognition. Also, if you are taking advantage of the FASB deferral of Topic 606's effective date, you are still completing your implementation plan. Whether you are looking to improve your revenue recognition processes, benchmark your financial statement disclosures against your peer group, or assess the impact of changes to your revenue recognition processes due to COVID-19, this course will provide you with the information you need to apply Topic 606 in this current environment. This course will both provide the detailed review of the Topic 606 guidance, including identifying and discussing those areas of Topic 606 implementation which were the most challenging for many entities. We will review the Topic 606 five-step revenue recognition model, highlighting areas of nuance and significant judgment, and focus on disclosure requirements under the new standard. Then we'll focus on lessons learned from companies' ongoing implementation of the new guidance, focusing on ways to continue to enhance the recording of revenue, the relevancy of the financial statement disclosures related to revenue, and addressing common operational issues which arose with the adoption of Topic 606. Plus, the course will point out the accounting impact of changes that many companies made to their revenue recognition approaches as a result of COVID-19. As public companies have already found out, the application of Topic 606 is an evolving exercise, with great opportunity to improve your original efforts by learning from the results of others. This course will provide the forum to do so.

While the effective date of Topic 606 has passed for most entities, there will always be a need for a comprehensive review of the accounting related to revenue recognition. Also, if you are taking advantage of the FASB deferral of Topic 606's effective date, you are still completing your implementation plan. Whether you are looking to improve your revenue recognition processes, benchmark your financial statement disclosures against your peer group, or assess the impact of changes to your revenue recognition processes due to COVID-19, this course will provide you with the information you need to apply Topic 606 in this current environment. This course will both provide the detailed review of the Topic 606 guidance, including identifying and discussing those areas of Topic 606 implementation which were the most challenging for many entities. We will review the Topic 606 five-step revenue recognition model, highlighting areas of nuance and significant judgment, and focus on disclosure requirements under the new standard. Then we'll focus on lessons learned from companies' ongoing implementation of the new guidance, focusing on ways to continue to enhance the recording of revenue, the relevancy of the financial statement disclosures related to revenue, and addressing common operational issues which arose with the adoption of Topic 606. Plus, the course will point out the accounting impact of changes that many companies made to their revenue recognition approaches as a result of COVID-19. As public companies have already found out, the application of Topic 606 is an evolving exercise, with great opportunity to improve your original efforts by learning from the results of others. This course will provide the forum to do so.

The purpose of this course is to provide an in-depth discussion of selected advanced-level issues affecting LLCs and LLPs.

Part of the technical competence of most experienced tax practitioners is the ability to advise owners of S corporations and partnerships or multiple-member LLCs treated as partnerships regarding the tax rules that apply when these entities liquidate. Entity liquidations do not occur every day; but they do occur, and often at very critical times in the business life of the entity and its owners. All tax practitioners should be able to advise their clients about the tax issues associated with client businesses that go out of existence and liquidate. This program explains the tax consequences associated with liquidating S corporations, partnerships, and multiple-member limited liability companies treated as partnerships.

Owners of S corporations and partnerships are subject to various limitations on pass-through losses, each with unique rules, applications, and complexities. As many businesses are reporting losses as a result of COVID-19, it is essential for tax practitioners to understand the mechanical aspects of each limitation and how they coordinate to provide effective planning for loss utilization in future periods.

Professional conduct and ethical behavior are really the backbone of the entire accounting and auditing profession. These components form the foundation upon which our creditability with the general public is built, without which, there is no profession. Whether you are a practitioner in public accounting or business and industry, you must always act in accordance with the requirements that define professional conduct and ethical behavior. This course fulfills the Maine Board of Accountancy requirement that each CPA and public accountant (PA) license holder must complete four hours in professional ethics every three years. The course includes a brief look at the principles and concepts which form the foundation of ethical behavior; an overview of the core principles of professional conduct -- integrity, objectivity, and independence; recent changes to the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct; and a review of Maine accountancy laws and rules. The primary objective of this course is to provide a formal program of learning which contributes directly to the professional competence of an individual licensed to practice public accountancy in Maine.

As you advance in your public accounting careers, your responsibilities significantly increase. The skills required for continued success go beyond your technical skills but also include others that you may not have had a chance to develop earlier in your careers. Several of these new responsibilities involve engagement management and managing your team. Mastering these skills is key to your long-term success in public accounting. In this session, we'll review the keys to successful management, including ways to best develop your team, how to successfully engage your team and build their trust and how best to present information for retention. Lastly, we'll review the critically important skill of delegation, focusing on what the best tasks are to delegate and how to empower your team without micromanaging them. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 4.)