Professional Development and Event Catalog

Ethical behavior continues to be a problem in society and even in the CPA ranks. "Ethics - A Line in the Sand" looks at the behavioral issues that influence how CPA's act. The course will address why individuals make ethical blunders, the state of ethical conduct in business organizations, the relationship between strong cultures, policy and procedures and successful ethical work environments. In addition, the course will highlight the one behavior to watch for as an indicator of potential ethical violations.

As reported in the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Occupational Fraud 2022:  A Report to the Nations, on average, small businesses lose 5% of their revenue due to fraud.  Can the average small business owner afford to lose 5% of their revenue due to fraud?  I think not.  This presentation is designed to illustrate the numerous ways employees commit fraud in small businesses, how to detect it, and most importantly, how to prevent it.  Both auditors and small business owners would both benefit from this presentation.

Are you ready to expand your practice and offer comprehensive retirement planning services? Look no further! Delve deeper into the realm of IRAs and qualified retirement plans with this comprehensive eight-hour course tailored for financial practitioners. Understanding the intricate tax implications, design options, and strategic considerations of these plans is essential for meeting your clients' diverse retirement needs effectively. By the end of the program, practitioners will emerge equipped to confidently advise clients on a myriad of retirement planning strategies, enhancing their expertise and credibility in the field. Explore the intricacies of different IRAs, ranging from traditional to Roth, and gain valuable insights into SEPs, qualified plans, and contribution plans. Navigate through the complexities of 401(k) plans, including Roth 401(k)s, and master the art of seamlessly navigating minimum distribution rules. Through practical highlights, case studies, and real-world scenarios, this course empowers practitioners to not only select the optimal retirement plans for their clients' unique financial goals but also to provide personalized retirement solutions tailored to individual needs. Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your practice and establish yourself as a trusted advisor in retirement planning. Enroll today and embark on a journey towards maximizing your clients' financial future! **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.

Attracting and retaining staff is critical to an organization's success, especially in the age of the millennial worker who will change jobs multiple times in the course of a career. This course will focus on best practices for nurturing the human element of your organization, especially millennial workers who comprise a growing percentage or the workforce. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Seismic changes in tax legislation is currently taking place, and the well-informed tax practitioner will want to attend this two hour monthly program in order to stay abreast of these developments! Approximately one-half of the program is devoted to individual tax issues, and the remaining time is spend on business entity taxation, IRS procedure, tax legislation and other issues. Due to the changing nature of the topic, learning objectives, course descriptions and program content will vary and will be provided in more specificity closer to presentation time. This course provides a concise look at the hottest topics affecting every tax practitioner. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

CPAs today face greater challenges than ever to maintain the high ethical standards of their profession. It is vitally important that all CPAs understand their professional responsibilities related to all aspects of their job. This course, which focuses on key components of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, reviews a history of the CPA profession and focuses on ethical requirements that CPAs must adhere to in their everyday practice, including practical examples of potential ethical dilemmas that practitioners may encounter, particularly those related to objectivity and independence. PLEASE NOTE: THIS COURSE COVERS GENERAL ETHICS AND IS APPLICABLE IN STATES IN WHICH STATE-SPECIFIC ETHICS IS NOT REQUIRED. This course does not qualify for IRS credit.

Communication is the glue that connects people, but it doesn’t come easy for many of us. If you want to quickly and effectively handle problems with co-workers or clients, and you want people to do what you want without a lot of hassle, this seminar is for you. The bottom line will be better client and co-worker relationships, leading to increased enjoyment and productivity at work.

Just about every company, no matter its size or the types of activities it undertakes, is at greater risk because of all the types of fraud that can be be carried out electronically. Potential perpetrators can be operating internally or externally and the scope of the damage that occurs is almost never limited to cyber-assets. While threat awareness is improving, there are still too many owners or top level executives that underestimate the scale of the issue. In this session, we delve into the types and the nature of many electronic defalcation schemes. The material then explores measures that organizations can implement to help stop these activities and add additional layers of security. 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 cost effective methods for storing your files safely and economically in the cloud is with Microsoft 365 OneDrive and SharePoint apps. If you use either or both of these cloud storage apps, this course is a "must take." There are often times when you want or need cloud based files to be stored on your local laptop or desktop PC. With the OneDrive Sync app, you can have the best of both worlds. You can have copies of a file stored locally and in the cloud simultaneously. The Synch app will update both copies of the file in real time for any changes that are made in the local or cloud copy of the file. A classic example is if you have a QuickBooks Desktop data file that you need to store locally to work with the files in QuickBooks. However, you also want the file stored in the cloud for anytime, anywhere access and enhanced security. The Sync app facilitates this scenario effortlessly. Nationally recognized accounting technology advisor and thought leader, John Higgins, will take you through the step-by-step process of setting up and using the Sync app. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Whether you are responsible for managing 1 employee or 20, your leadership can make or break your team. Learn practical leadership strategies that you can implement when you return to your office. In today’s competitive market, it’s more imperative than ever that as leaders we are inspiring and motivating our teams to success.  

CPAs in public practice are required to maintain independence. In this course, we will discuss concepts associated with independence and review the rules from the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct with a focus on their practical application.  We will also review the recently issued ethics interpretations from the Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC), which impact independence, and discuss practical methods of implementation. 

What actions can financial professionals take to increase the odds of a successful system implementation? This session will show you how to be a key player on the team by focusing on specific areas in the project planning and delivery process that improve results. Learn how to use components of a project plan to transparently manage a project from the planning phase through embedment. These actions can be applied to small system changes, system upgrades, or large ERP systems. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

In order not to perform an excessive number of audit procedures (over audit) auditors must perform procedures in order to determine in what areas are there weak internal controls that could result in a risk that the financial statements would be materially misstated and not be detected.  SAS No. 122, AU 300 – 499, Measuring Audit Risk provides guidance as well as required procedures that must be performed in every audit in order to determine the risk of material misstatement.  No longer can the auditor state that they assess the risk of material misstatement at maximum without having a basis for making such assessment.  As a result, the standards now require that the auditor make such an assessment of a material misstatement of the financial statement on every audit in order to have a basis for such assessment.  This program is an overview of the statement documentation requirements in assessing such a risk.

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 start with the Accounting Standard Updates effective in 2024 for public entities, private entities, and nonprofits. We'll then switch our attention to the items coming down the pike, including a look at the projects identified by the FASB's Invitation to Comment: Agenda Consultation. We'll also review year 2 considerations for leases including modification accounting. Then we will switch gears, switching to the audit side of the house. We'll review the impact of the changes to auditing  group audits as well as the status of the AICPA's quality management project management. This course will keep auditors up to date on the work of the ASB.

Learn the inner workings of a government investigation from people who've gone through them. In 2019, the U.S. Attorney's office in Boston brought charges against more than 50 people in a single case. Those people did not have any idea that law-enforcement officers would have an interest in them. They were movie stars, business owners, CEOs, and professionals. Yet each of those people retained Rick Singer, a man who claimed that he could help their children get accepted into elite colleges. Although the parents thought they were making a donation to a nonprofit, they unintentionally implicated themselves in serious criminal charges that would expose them to the possibility of many years in federal prison. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Excel has long been included in the accountant's toolbox. Even though Microsoft Power BI and other big data tools such as Qlik and Tableau are becoming more important, Excel is still a "must have" tool. We cover what the accountants of today should know about Excel to improve their efficiency, access data, and gain insights into the company, industry, and economy.

Practitioners need to exercise caution to ensure they maintain independence as they assist their clients with reviews, audits, and compilation engagements. This course provides a roadmap to best practices and guidance provided by the AICPA's Code of Professional Conduct and analyzes and applies it to actual scenario-based case studies, providing accounting professionals with ethical standards to integrate into their practices. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available for questions during the event.

Whether your employees report in every day to the floor or from an off-site network, the success of your organization depends a great deal on the motivation they bring to the job. This program helps identify specific methods you can use to improve employee motivation. You'll learn how to use observation tools to find out what motivates your employees and you'll study classic motivational theories. The results will help you influence the behaviors of others and tweak your own behavior to improve your bottom line.

This is not your average CPE course--Part 2! In this second part course (which is equally fun and engaging), you will learn how to feel confident--even in highly stressful situations. You will learn new secrets to great health that take under 10 minutes per week, and you will learn how to know what is most important to you--so you can be happier and healthier in the long run. Tune in for techniques to relieve stress and tips on incorpating meditation into your daily routine. All of which will help improve your memory and overall mental health and wellbeing. In addition, you'll learn an unsurpassed method for making sure you stay consistent with actually implementing these methods in your daily life.