Summer Vacation Cluster (SVC)
Pricing Varies
Overview
The Summer Vacation Cluster (SVC) is designed around your interests, schedule, and staycation. Earn up to 20 hours of CPE by mixing and matching your choice of sessions from morning and afternoon options. Stay up to date while enjoying three days at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
Everyone knows that the FICPA does not hold back when hand-picking speakers for its conferences, and the SVC roster is as impressive as it gets. This unique event offers morning and afternoon sessions on Thursday and Friday on a variety of topics, and an Ethics session on Saturday morning.
In between learning and earning CPE you can explore the resort’s amenities and the famous fun to be had at the nearby theme parks including EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the other parks within Walt Disney World.
The SVC is an event that FICPA members and their families look forward to – and because of the destination, it is guaranteed to reach capacity – so register soon!
This conference qualifies for up to 20 hours of CPE credit including a variety of AA, TB and BH, and is subject to change. CPE credit is subject to approval by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The type of credit earned depends on which sessions you register for.
Social Media
Follow the FICPA on Linked in, Facebook, Instagram and X and share news about this conference using the hashtag #FICPASVC.Highlights
- Federal and State Tax Updates
- Change Management and Asset Protectin
- The Digital CPA including Cryptocurrency
Prerequisites
None
Designed For
CPAs and accounting professionals.
Objectives
- Explore Changes in Audit Standards
- Gain insight into Fraud in the Current Environment
- Discover the Dynamic World of Data Analytics and AI
- Receive the Asset Protection Update
Preparation
None
Notice
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Conference Site:Disney's Contemporary Resort
4600 World Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32836
407-939-5277
FICPA Room Rate:
$339.00++ Single/Double
Hotel Cutoff Deadline: Monday, July 7, 2025
(Reservations made after the cutoff date will be subject to availability and current room rate. Please note that the conference accommodation rate is subject to sell out prior to the advertised reservation cut off date.)
*** Upon completion of your registration for the conference, you will receive an email confirmation with additional information to book your accommodations***
Thursday, August 7th
General Session
- Registration & Breakfast
This session is available to registrants only.
Breakout Session
- 4 Shades of Gray - This Past Tax Season’s 4 Tax Confusions, Perplexities, Aggravations, and Sheer Joys.
Raymond Cross, Fraud lecturer, Author, and Counselor, Account 417, LLCRaymond Cross
If the old adage "it takes one to know one" has an ounce of truth, then the insights gained from our speaker will hold some valuable lessons for your practice.
Just as the FBI utilizes the knowledge of former criminals, this is your opportunity to glean from a convicted fraudster.
Thirty years ago he was the mastermind behind a large embezzlement scheme from the Broward County sheriff's department where he worked as an accountant for the notorious Cuban cop Sheriff Nick Navarro.
As chronicled in his book "Embezzlement, a True Crime Story", Kevin Cross learned the error of his ways and became a CPA, the only CPA in the state of Florida and Georgia with such a background. He started, lead and sold a successful accounting practice after 17 years.
Today Kevin is a licensed CPA, author and financial counselor who uses his wit, wisdom and unique insight to lecture on fraud, mentor, advise, and teach on the ethical use of money.
This session will include four rapid-fire sessions convering:
I. Is the S Corp still the choice of entity or is it becoming more confusing?
II. Are celebrations the new meals and entertainment? And as such 100% tax deductible (Code Section 162) or a perplexity?
III. This tax year’s biggest tax aggravation for the practitioner and surprising tax court decision.?
IV. Is the Florida practitioner losing revenue or financial sheer joy by not knowing how to advise on the pass through entity tax?
Credits: 4 - Technical Business
This session is available to registrants only.
- Registrant Price
- $259.00
Session Pricing:
- GPT and Prompt Engineering for CPAs / Excel Copilot for Financial Automation and Reporting
Marc Hamilton, Chief Financial Officer, CDGMarc Hamilton
Marc Hamilton is a strategy-oriented finance executive with proven successes in change management. Mr. Hamilton has over 30 years of extensive practical experiences with data analytics, process design and technology implementation. His roles have provided broad exposure to functional, operational and management challenges facing organizations in the era of systems intelligence.
As a technologist CPA, Mr. Hamilton frequently speaks from his experiences on big data, data science, artificial intelligence and the developing Blockchain infrastructure.? He also frequently presents AICPA cybersecurity content.
Mr. Hamilton holds a Masters in Tax Accounting from the University of Alabama and practiced with both Deloitte & KPMG before moving into a business and industry roles including VP of Taxation, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer.
This 100-minute session introduces CPAs to the transformative potential of GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) in their professional workflows. Designed to address the needs of CPAs across public accounting, business and industry, government, and non-profits, the presentation explores GPT’s capabilities, practical applications, and the art of prompt engineering. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how to leverage GPT for efficiency, decision-making, and communication. With hands-on demonstrations, relatable use cases, and strategies to overcome adoption barriers, this session equips CPAs to confidently integrate GPT into their work.
Excel Copilot for Financial Automation and Reporting
This session explores how Microsoft Excel's Copilot feature revolutionizes financial automation and reporting for professionals across sectors, including business and industry, government, non-profits, and public accounting. Attendees will learn how to leverage Copilot's AI capabilities to streamline repetitive tasks, automate data analysis, and produce dynamic reports with minimal manual effort. The presentation includes live demonstrations and hands-on guidance on using Copilot to transform raw data into actionable insights. By focusing on practical examples, this session ensures participants leave with a clear understanding of Copilot's functionality and its applications in financial workflows.
This session is available to registrants only.
- Registrant Price
- $259.00
Session Pricing:
- No Thursday Morning Session
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Registration
This session is available to registrants only.
Breakout Session
- Asset Protection and SCOTUS Update
Gary Forster, Managing Partner, ForsterBoughmanGary Forster
Gary's practice includes domestic and international corporate law, asset protection, tax, and estate planning. Gary handles a wide variety of corporate and personal planning matters.
Gary spent the first decade of his career structuring and closing some of the largest corporate transactions in the region. The mergers and acquisitions Gary consummated range from the national consolidation of regional US construction and transportation interests to real estate investment trusts, hospitals and surgical centers. Gary is one of the few attorneys in Central Florida with experience in cross-border corporate transactions, including a variety of industries ranging from intellectual property concerns to international distribution and manufacturing interests.
Gary's corporate work, with some of the most prominent companies and entrepreneurs in Florida and abroad, led him to expand his practice ?fteen years ago. Successful clients require substantial tax, estate and asset protection planning. Gary recognized that certain wealthy clients require a single partner contact, familiar with both business law and tax planning and structuring. Gary serves that purpose. Gary has designed and drafted hundreds of corporate documents and asset protection plans.
Gary is the author of two books. In 2013, he wrote Asset Protection for Professionals, Entrepreneurs and Investors, a guide to asset protection strategies for clients and their ?nancial advisors, now in its second edition. In 2016, Gary finished the ?rst edition of The U.S. Estate and Gift Tax and the Non-Citizen, which explains how resident and non-resident foreign nationals are impacted by the U.S. Estate and Gift Tax.
Gary writes and lectures nationally to state bar and CPA groups on the topics of asset protection, international tax and corporate law. He has also instructed classes at the University of Florida (Levin College of Law) and Rollins College (Crummer Graduate School of Business). Gary's articles can be found in such publications as the Florida Bar Journal and the American Bar Association's Probate and Property Magazine. For a listing of Gary's recent speaking engagements, see below.
Gary's legislative amendments were adopted as Section 43A of the Nevis LLC Ordinance - Nevis Limited Liability Company (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015.
This seminar covers the full array of domestic and international asset protection strategies and structuring and associated tax planning. We will cover modern conglomerates, foreign tax considerations and recent Supreme Court decisions. Attendees will learn practical approaches to insulate both client business and personal assets, for maximum creditor protection and tax savings.
This session is available to registrants only.
- Registrant Price
- $259.00
Session Pricing:
- Elevating CPA Practices: Integrated Financial & Tax Planning Strategies for Real-World Impact
Shawn McCabe, Managing Partner, McCabe Gunn, CPA, PAShawn McCabe
Shawn J. McCabe is the Managing Partner of McCabe Gunn, CPA, PA. Shawn provides business advisory, financial planning, and tax-compliance & planning services to individuals, businesses, retirement plans, and trusts.
After serving ten years of active military service and completing a combat tour in Afghanistan, Shawn started his career in financial planning and investments in 2007. Joining the industry at the beginning of the "Great Recession" allowed him to quickly learn that the stock market can be unpredictably cruel, and at the same time, extremely rewarding to those who stayed the course. Also, during that time, he and his clients became an invaluable part of each other's lives. They relied on him to get them through the worst markets in years. He learned more about life, trust, perseverance, and the undeniable need for clients to have genuine and executable plans.
Shawn's ability to understand and breakdown the most complex problems, along with his broad professional experience, uniquely equips him to be the perfect coach, mentor, and advisor to his clients on how to achieve and protect their tax-advantaged financial independence.
When he's not helping his clients plan and execute, he can be found spending time in the gym or traveling with his wife Amy, playing guitar, and singing worship tunes with his daughters Emma and Bella, while rooting his son Ethan on as he works his way through college at FSU. Shawn earned a Bachelor and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Saint Leo University. He earned a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) from Purdue University. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional (CFP®).
In today’s ever-evolving financial landscape, CPAs must go beyond traditional accounting services to deliver comprehensive, impactful strategies for their clients. This dynamic 4-hour CPE session will provide CPAs with actionable insights into integrating financial and tax planning strategies that enhance client outcomes and drive real-world impact.
Throughout the session, participants will explore advanced approaches for balancing tax minimization with long-term wealth planning, uncover opportunities for tax-efficient investment strategies, and learn how to align financial goals with tax regulations to maximize both immediate and future benefits for clients. By the end of the course, CPAs will have a clear understanding of how to seamlessly blend financial and tax planning, ensuring they can offer holistic solutions that meet the needs of their diverse client base.
Key Takeaways:
• Mastering the integration of financial planning with tax strategies
• Identifying tax-efficient investment opportunities and strategies
• Enhancing your client advisory services with a comprehensive approach to financial planning
• Developing personalized plans that account for both tax savings and long-term wealth building
• Navigating the latest trends and regulations in financial and tax planning
This session is designed for experienced CPAs who are looking to elevate their practice by offering more integrated, strategic advice to their clients. Whether you’re advising individuals, families, or businesses, this course will provide you with the tools and knowledge necessary to drive meaningful financial outcomes.
Credits: 4 - Technical Business
This session is available to registrants only.
- Registrant Price
- $259.00
Session Pricing:
- No Thursday Afternoon Session
This session is available to registrants only.
Friday, August 8th
General Session
- Registration & Breakfast
This session is available to registrants only.
Breakout Session
- A CPA's Tax Knowledge Will Never Be Complete - The Federal Tax Update for 2025
Nathan Wadlinger, Lecturer of Accounting, University of Central FloridaNathan Wadlinger
Nate Wadlinger is a Lecturer at the University of Central Florida where he teaches accounting and tax courses in the Bachelors and Masters of Accountancy programs. He also works part-time in the tax services group of Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs. Further, he teaches as an adjunct at various law schools and accounting programs. He also is the Lead Instructor for the EA Exam at Gleim Exam Prep. He received his Bachelors of Science in Accounting, Masters of Accounting, and Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. He also received his LL.M. in Taxation from Boston University. In addition, he has an Enrolled Agent certification, has a Certified Public Accountant license issued by the State of Florida, and is a member of the Florida Bar. Prior to joining to UCF he worked at Ernst and Young LLP and in law practice, and he taught at other institutions.
Walt Disney said his parks will never be complete as long as there is imagination. Likewise, a CPA's tax knowledge will never be complete as long as we have the U.S. government! To develop your tax knowledge further we will revisit federal tax events over the last year and even look to the future where some wish for tax dreams to come true!
Credits: 4 - Technical Business
This session is available to registrants only.
- Registrant Price
- $259.00
Session Pricing:
- Cybersecurity for CPAs: Protecting Data in Public and Industry Accounting
Roberto Valdez, Product Owner and Director of Business Intelligence, Novogradac & Company LLPRoberto Valdez
In his current role, he is a member of a CPA firm’s innovation team, responsible for supporting the development of effective software solutions and analytics reports and dashboards that provide value for internal and external stakeholders.
A Past President of ISACA South Florida, Rob is a motivated advocate for building trust in technology. He is an adjunct professor with Florida Atlantic University, and he has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, TechRepublic, and the South Florida Business Journal.
In 2025, CPAs face an evolving cybersecurity landscape where AI-driven fraud, ransomware attacks, and data breaches pose increasing risks to financial data and organizations. Whether you work in public practice or industry, protecting sensitive information is a critical business responsibility, and new threats emerge constantly. Join us to learn how to stay ahead of cybercriminals, navigate compliance challenges, and protect the security of your firm or organization.
Credits: 4 - Technical Business
This session is available to registrants only.
- Registrant Price
- $259.00
Session Pricing:
- No Friday Morning Session
This session is available to registrants only.
- No Saturday Morning Session
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Registration
This session is available to registrants only.
Breakout Session
- Current Fraud Developments and the Effect on Financial Statement Audits
Steven Morrison, Partner, National Director of Audit, CohnReznick LLPSteven Morrison
Whether it is fraud perpetuated by management, an employee, or a third party, there can be a noticeable effect on the financial statements and on the audit. In an up-tempo presentation, learn some core concepts as well as some of the latest frauds being perpetuated
Credits: 4 - Accounting and Auditing
This session is available to registrants only.
- Registrant Price
- $259.00
Session Pricing:
- No Friday Afternoon Session
This session is available to registrants only.
- The Only Constant is Change – Change Management Applications in Strategic Finance
Tracy Hancock, Principal Consultant and Owner, G Hancock Advisory, LLCTracy Hancock
Genevieve Hancock, CPA is a highly-skilled technical accountant, currently employed with one of the largest public insurance brokerages for U.S. GAAP and ICFR compliance specifically supporting the largest accounting change in modern history around Revenue Recognition, with extensive experience in technical accounting research, contract structuring, accounting policy creation, and implementation of operational functions, controls, documentation, and processes for large accounting changes. Her background includes industry experience in Controllership for a Fortune 50 company, Big 4 and Big 6 assurance and audit experience across industries, mainly concentrating on complex financial markets, media and entertainment, technology, and consumer and industrial products and services.
In today's dynamic financial landscape, change is not just inevitable – it's constant. To thrive in this environment, finance professionals must not only understand change but master the art of managing it. This comprehensive four-hour training is designed to equip finance professionals with the essential skills and strategies needed to navigate change effectively.
Through a blend of insightful discussion, interactive exercises, and real-world case studies, participants will delve into the core principles of change management tailored specifically to the finance sector. From technological advancements and regulatory shifts to market disruptions, this session will provide actionable insights on how to anticipate, plan for, and implement change initiatives that drive organizational success.
Credits: 4 - Technical Business
This session is available to registrants only.
- Registrant Price
- $259.00
Session Pricing:
Saturday, August 9th
General Session
- Registration & Breakfast
This session is available to registrants only.
Optional Session
- Ethics: Protecting the Integrity of Florida CPAs (0004980)
Credits: 4 - Ethics
This session is available to registrants only.
- Registrant Price
- $259.00
Session Pricing:
Pricing varies based on selections