Professional Development and Event Catalog
Class Pass 2024-25
Purchase your professional development program credits in advance (as either a 40-hour Class Pass or 80-hour Class Pass) and enjoy significant savings! This year’s pass applies to seminars, CTCPA developed conferences, webinars, and livestream programs now through March 31, 2025. Class Pass is also a great way to get your staff the training they need at a discounted price. Note: Class Pass is for individuals - credits are not transferable to other employees within a firm or company.
Ethics: IRS Behavioral Insights for Accountants
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
This course provides a concise overview of how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) thinks. The session reviews how the agency uses behavioral insights -- the study of how people reflect and behave -- to drive compliance, positively impact taxpayer engagement, and reduce taxpayer burden. While the IRS is governed by federal tax law, it's also shaped by social norms. As part of their mission to collect taxes and administer the Internal Revenue Code, the agency utilizes human psychology to achieve their goals. These activities include public identity (using the IRS logo, seal, and symbol), voluntary compliance (using public shaming and the "Wesley Snipes" effect), trust building (using a Taxpayer Bill of Rights), and error reductions (using alerts and reminders to nudge behaviors). The session reveals how to "get into the head" of the agency and better understand the key psychological factors (individual, environmental, social) that drive leading IRS operations and decisions. The course also spotlights the leading issues and pain-points that are currently "top of mind" for the agency and how practitioners can be more mindful in their interactions with the IRS to improve outcomes. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Payroll Essentials: Getting to Know Payroll Taxes
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
Payroll is among the most common tasks an employer undertakes in the course of running their business. At its most basic level, payroll consists of an agreement between an employer and employee related to compensation for services. Once you look under the hood, there is so much more to payroll, including various kinds of compensation, payroll taxes and required reporting on government forms. This course will provide a general introduction to the inner workings of payroll and payroll taxes. We will introduce you to the various types of payroll statutory and withholding taxes, under what conditions and which employees these various types of taxes apply, how to calculate, withhold and deposit those taxes and the related due dates requirements that apply to payroll taxes. This course will include real-life examples of how to process payroll, the withholding and payroll tax deposit regime, familiar payroll forms, and tips and tricks for tying it all together. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Assessing the Real Ethics of an Organization?, featuring Joe Oringel, MBA, CPA, CIA and Don Minges, MBA
3:00pm - 3:50pm
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $39
Every organization claims to be ethical, but words and deeds do not always jibe. How do you assess the real Ethics of an organization? What are the key factors and behaviors to be aware of? Many organizations lack prescriptive policies, but is that an excuse to deviate from the spirit of doing the right thing? How can professionals abuse ‘what is right’ and circumvent policies for their personal benefit. What are some egregious examples of violating policies? How allowing exceptions invites abuse. This seminar outlines steps to gauge the ethics of an organization.
Everyday Ethics, featuring Richard A. Karwic and Don Minges
3:00pm - 3:50pm
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $39
Ethical situations occur more often than many realize. We must stay vigilant. Sometimes a seemingly simple situation may seem innocuous at first, but it can lead to large complications in the near future. In today’s competitive environment, one error posted on social media can damage a reputation forever. Social media posts can cause havoc.
Sticky Ethical Choices, featuring Bob Mims and Don Minges
3:00pm - 3:50pm
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $39
If ethics were easy, then why do so many professionals have a Code of Conduct? Some Ethical decisions are easy, others are not. We will discuss several thorny ethical issues and the ramifications. What are the considerations and evaluation criteria to use? The need to carefully deliberate alternatives – is paramount. Be aware.
The Ethical Side of Trust, featuring Richard A. Karwic and Don Minges
3:00pm - 3:50pm
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $39
You and I have a responsibility to our organizations and to the public to be ethical. We cannot forget this responsibility and this responsibility is constant. One lapse can cause profound issues that last. Ethics and trust are intertwined, no one follows a ‘leader’ who is not trusted. We will not focus on the negative and show the problems caused – rather, we focus on what and how to set the example for others to follow. This seminar outlines the seven components of trust, and how we should use these components daily.
There is NO Such Thing as `Business Ethics'?, featuring John Levy and Don Minges
3:00pm - 3:50pm
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $39
What happens when businesspeople think they can lie and cheat at work, as long as it makes a profit? Some believe that business is like war, and there are no rules! Do you really want to behave differently in business than in your personal life? Can, or should, ethics be ‘switched on’ or off?
Using e-Signature Software to Process Forms & Agreements
4:00pm - 5:30pm
Online
1.50 Credits
Member Price: $69
Transforming your practice or business to a digital model is a journey, rather than a destination. There are some digital initiatives that require a great deal of time and money to deploy. There are also many "low hanging fruit" initiatives that are relatively easy and inexpensive to deploy. E-signature software is a perfect example of the latter. John Higgins, a nationally recognized leader in accounting technology, will guide you through the process of evaluating, selecting and implementing e-signature software to streamline and secure your document signing processes. You will be surprised to discover how easy it is to take your engagement letter and contract signing workflows digital. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Upholding Independence While Holding Your Client's Hand
4:00pm - 5:49pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $79
Many entities look to their CPA as a trusted advisor when tackling complex accounting topics. This is more relevant now than ever. The FASB's big three accounting pronouncements involving revenue recognition, leasing and credit losses have placed a magnifying glass on this reality. Practitioners need to exercise caution to ensure they maintain independence as they assist their review and audit clients with such matters, as well as with compilation engagements. This course addresses these issues and explores best practices and guidance provided by the AICPA's Code of Professional Conduct.
Critical Thinking for Financial Professionals
9:00am - 10:00am
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $55
What were they thinking? Why do business leaders sometimes make horrible decisions that severely damage themselves and their organizations? It is tempting to assume that poor choices must be due to someone's incompetence, inexperience, bad character, or low intelligence. Yet, when we make a mistake ourselves, we someone rationalize it as a choice other people would make under the same circumstances. This session will discuss the common decision-making errors people make and to help you avoid making these blunders yourself. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Ethics Case Studies: Remaining Ethical in the Age of Oversharing
9:00am - 11:00am
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
In an era when sharing a photo of lunch can be considered an "update," the ethical standards that define the CPA profession are not always as intuitive as they once were. Our expert helps you navigate this new realm by using real-world examples to help illustrate the dos and don'ts in ethical social situations. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Surgent's U.S. Taxation of Foreign Corporations: A Case Study Approach
9:00am - 12:00pm
Online
3.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
This course is a case study designed to provide a comprehensive overview of U.S. taxation of a foreign corporation. Using a specific example, the course will walk through step-by-step mechanics on how to calculate the income inclusions and foreign tax credits under GILTI (Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income), Subpart F, and PFIC (Passive Foreign Investment Company) regimes. The case study will further evaluate tax impact of subsequent distributions from the foreign corporation and sales of its stock. A compare-and-contrast approach will highlight the different outcomes of these regimes for individuals and for C corporations, empowering participants to advise their clients on the most tax efficient way to structure their international investments.
Power BI - Use Advanced Calculations with DAX Formulas
9:00am - 1:00pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
* This course is #7 in the Microsoft Power BI series of webinars. Click button in Program Content section below to see suggested viewing order. * This course focuses on using DAX (Data Analysis eXpressions) to create advanced calculations in Power Pivot data models. We will review what you learned in "Power BI - Go Beyond PivotTables with Power Pivot" and take your calculations to the next level using advanced DAX formulas. You will learn over 20 DAX functions that will allow you to perform calculations that were not possible with standard Excel. We will also review the use of a date or calendar table that allows us to perform date analysis that was never possible before. This will allow us to use the new time-intelligent functions to perform complex calculations on our data like: month-to-date, quarter-to-date, year-to-date, last year same period, last year-to-date, etc. You will also learn the DAX calculation process in order to proof and validate your calculations. We will be using Power Pivot to create our DAX calculations, however, the process is very similar in Power BI Desktop and the functions and formulas are identical. If you are using Power BI Desktop, you should be able to follow along and learn how to create advanced calculations. This session is presented using Excel 2019/Office 365. Regardless of the version you are using, most concepts covered in this course apply to all versions of Excel. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Your Guide to Quality Account Reconciliations
9:30am - 11:30am
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
Are you or your team responsible for creating, reviewing or auditing balance sheet account reconciliations? In this webinar, Shana Cooper, CEO of The AccountAbility Team, will walk through the characteristics of quality account reconciliations and how they could improve your experience with the financial close and audit. No matter what role you play in the account reconciliation process, you'll benefit from gaining more confidence on this topic. Practice aids will be made available to all attendees. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Ethics: Giving Thanks - How to Master the Art of Gratitude
10:00am - 12:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
How grateful are you? In this critically important webinar, we will explore exactly what gratitude is and why it is a crucial component of your work as a CPA. Even if you believe you're already a deeply grateful person, you'll still learn some new strategies for expressing gratitude effectively. Forbes Contributor Bruce Weinstein, The Ethics Guy, will show you how to use LinkedIn in a novel way to say "thank you." You'll also find better and worse ways of letting clients, team members, family members and friends know that you care about them. You'll understand why gratitude is a matter of ethics and not merely etiquette. Finally, you'll discover how to use questions about gratitude in job interviews and performance reviews. Why not hire and promote people who are not only knowledgeable and skilled but also grateful? You will be thankful for having taken this valuable webinar! This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
A Practical Guide to Trusts
10:00am - 5:47pm
Online
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $225
This course provides in-depth information to enable the practitioner to make a well-informed decision as to whether a trust is the appropriate vehicle for a client’s financial, estate, and/or asset protection plan, and, if so, how the trust can best be implemented and operated. Participants will learn about the many different types of trusts that can be harnessed to save clients income, estate, generation-skipping, and other taxes, at both the federal and state level.
ACPEN Signature 2023: Business Fraud Update and Managing the Risk of Fraud
10:00am - 6:01pm
Online
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $250
Fraud continues to be a pervasive problem for organizations of all sizes and in all industries. And it can happen to your organization. Accountability professionals are the first line of defense against fraud. Accordingly, accountants, internal auditors, external auditors, and risk management professionals need to develop the skills needed to prevent, detect, and deter fraud. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ (ACFE) 2022 Report to the Nations: Certified Fraud Examiners estimate that the typical organization loses about 5% of its revenues each year due to fraud. The median loss per fraud case is $117,000; the average loss per fraud case is $1,783,000. 42% of frauds are discovered by tips, usually from employees. Asset misappropriation schemes are the most common (86%) but least costly ($100,000 median loss). Financial statement fraud schemes are the least common (9%) but most costly ($593,000 median loss). Corruption is the most common scheme in all global regions. These statistics are alarming and should be a wake-up call for all business and government professionals. The impact of fraud is almost always devastating and can be catastrophic. The 2023 Business Fraud Update is another fast-moving seminar that will provide a comprehensive look at the latest developments about fraud from the technical, legal, and operational perspectives and update participants on the most recent legal and regulatory developments in this important area of professional responsibility. In addition, attendees will watch a unique and specially designed simulated case of fraud in a corporate setting and watch as the panelists, in their roles as characters in the simulation, respond to the emerging situation and deal with it as a corporate and legal matter to determine the fraud, identify the perpetrators, respond as an organization and deal with criminal and corporate fallout. Following each stage of the fact situation the entire panel will discuss the developments and consider how damage to the company could have been avoided and how it can be mitigated!
Office 365 OneDrive App - Managing and Storing Your Files
10:30am - 1:30pm
Online
3.00 Credits
Member Price: $99
If you plan to or currently use Office 365, learning how to leverage the full breadth of features and functions of the OneDrive app for storing your files in the cloud is imperative. Leveraging OneDrive and SharePoint for your file storage platform maximizes your ROI in Office 365 because of the deep integration with other Office 365 apps. This course provides a thorough understanding of how to use OneDrive to maximize efficiency and security of your documents and files. Whether you have a OneDrive account as part of your Office 365 subscription, or as a stand-alone application, taking this course will be an invaluable learning experience. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Assessing the Real Ethics of an Organization?, featuring Joe Oringel, MBA, CPA, CIA and Don Minges, MBA
11:00am - 11:50am
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $39
Every organization claims to be ethical, but words and deeds do not always jibe. How do you assess the real Ethics of an organization? What are the key factors and behaviors to be aware of? Many organizations lack prescriptive policies, but is that an excuse to deviate from the spirit of doing the right thing? How can professionals abuse ‘what is right’ and circumvent policies for their personal benefit. What are some egregious examples of violating policies? How allowing exceptions invites abuse. This seminar outlines steps to gauge the ethics of an organization.