CPE Catalog & Events

It is imperative that audit staff understand the fundamentals of expenses & payables. This course will cover the basics of auditing expenses, accrued liabilities, and other payables, including the related audit assertions, risks, & threats to the expenses & payables balances. During this course, we will also highlight the various substantive auditing procedures that staff should perform, and also walk through some real-world examples. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Many leaders in business organizations of all sizes view the system of Internal Control almost purely as a protective security measure. A well-designed internal control system can and will drive all entity objectives which includes successful operations. This session uses information gathered from years of creating internal control systems as well as concepts from well-respected authoritative pronouncements and frameworks to illustrate the power of a strong and well supported control system as well as actions that can help establish such a system. Those that work with internal controls who are tasked with developing ways to improve operation level capabilities should strongly consider this session. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This comprehensive program equips CPAs with the knowledge and practical tools to handle clients who have failed to file tax returns for multiple years. The course covers every stage of the process-from client onboarding and transcript analysis to risk assessment, ethical considerations, and resolution strategies. Participants will learn how to manage cases involving individuals, married couples, businesses, payroll taxes, and S corporations, including situations with missing records and potential criminal exposure. Real-world examples, IRS references, and best practices are integrated throughout to ensure confidence and compliance. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Have you ever found yourself wondering why people won't just listen to you? Or maybe you have found yourself surrounded by people that make your jaw clench...you know the people...the challenging people.  HR Professionals walk a tight rope of being strong, but not aggressive, polite, but not a push over. It is exhausting! In this session, you will uncover the secrets to working with (and overcoming) challenging people derived from the decades of experience Summer brings from her time on the frontlines and as an HR Professional working with companies such as Walt Disney World, H-E-B and even a dude ranch.  

Successfully leading change requires more than a great idea—it demands strategy, alignment, and execution. This session will provide practical frameworks and proven tactics to help you drive impactful change from initial vision to measurable results.

Technology has given us many new writing tools, but they may just allow an inexperienced novice to turn out poor communications more quickly.  Whatever your expertise level, this webinar will help you take your writing skills to another level, saving your time and making it far more likely your reader will read and understand your message.  

This session takes a unique review of the fundamental budget issues faced by all and walks through a detailed modeling process intended to generate discussion and best practices to improve your organization’s financial modeling.  From the beginning of the accounting process – ‘the chart of accounts’ to the end of the process – ‘the valuation of the company’, the budgeting cycle via a live case model to learn best practices common to successful companies.   This course stands on its own but is part two of a four part budget mastery series.

Microsoft Teams is designed to be the foundation of your Microsoft 365 ecosystem deployment. When deployed effectively, Teams can serve as a powerful platform for communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across your firm or business. Unfortunately, most organizations are substantially underutilizing the capabilities of Teams. This course provides a review and demonstration of the key features of Microsoft Teams that you can harness to optimize the return on your Microsoft 365 investment. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This seminar provides a comprehensive overview of Schedule K-1, which taxpayers may receive from pass-through entities such as Partnerships, Subchapter S Corporations, or Estates/Trusts. The course will cover the most common characteristics of Schedule K-1, including how to report the information on Form 1040. Attendees will also learn about the Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction and its reporting criteria. Additionally, relevant topics such as basis and loss limitations, material participation, and integration with the QBI deduction will be addressed, along with a discussion of proposed changes to Schedules K-2 and K-3. *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 designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of charitable gifting strategies and their implications for individual taxpayers. Participants will explore the fundamentals of charitable giving, including the tax benefits, legal considerations, and planning opportunities available under current tax law. The course will cover the types of organizations that qualify for charitable contributions, the income and estate tax treatment of gifts, and the various methods of structuring charitable donations to maximize tax efficiency. Attendees will learn about specific charitable gifting techniques such as donor-advised funds, charitable remainder trusts, and qualified charitable distributions from retirement accounts. The course will also examine tax deduction limits, substantiation requirements, and the impact of state tax credits on charitable giving. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to guide clients in implementing effective charitable giving strategies that align with their financial and philanthropic goals.

With the increasing complexity and ever-changing nature of tax laws and issues, today’s accountant needs a one-day update course focusing on individual income tax issues with an emphasis of newly enacted income tax legislation. This comprehensive class will not only review the current Federal individual income tax laws but will also update tax return preparers of new tax forms, changes to existing tax forms, as well as tax planning opportunities and pitfalls. This is a “must-attend” course for all tax practitioners who want to be up to speed quickly and have a successful Federal individual income tax filing season. **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

Innovate or die is more than a catchphrase, it is a fact. The tsunami of innovation relentlessly coming to our businesses, teams, markets and to accounting will not stop. Innovation is one of the most desirable traits, but how do we innovate? We will discuss how your company can foster, nurture, encourage and sustain innovation - and give you an action plan. Technology has significantly changed what we do and how, and this will not stop. What are the negative consequences of failing to innovate? To remain relevant, we must re-think accounting's role and how our organization innovates - or not. The status quo will go - we must embrace innovation so you and your company can thrive. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Preparing Form 1041 is essential for tax professionals working with estates and trusts. This course provides a practical, step- by-step approach to completing the U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts, covering key issues such as distributable net income (DNI), income in respect of a decedent (IRD), and tax compliance for fiduciary entities. Participants will gain a clear understanding of Subchapter J of the Internal Revenue Code and learn how to apply tax rules to real world situations. Through case studies and line-by-line instruction, this course equips professionals with the skills needed to prepare Form 1041 accurately and efficiently. Additionally, it will include updates on any new legislation or IRS guidance introduced by the current administration and its impact on fiduciary taxation. *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

Manage distractions, decrease stress and improve productivity. This training is designed to help business professionals improve their productivity and work performance by learning how to prioritize time, decrease distractions and lower stress. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Charts and graphs are nothing new. However, many professionals struggle with building compelling visualizations. If that statement describes you, participate in this session to improve your skills in creating Excel charts and other visualizations. As a result, you will create visualizations to enhance your communication skills. This session is much more than just a seminar on fundamental charts. Instead, in this session, you will learn how to create advanced charts that are interactive, dynamic, and aesthetically pleasing – three qualities that will help to ensure that your readers and audience will understand the data you are presenting. This seminar is a must if you want to improve your communication skills.

The mad scramble to remote work and utilize apps like Teams has been trying for most organizations over the past couple of years. With a rush to install and no time to plan, most team members did their best, prioritizing remote meetings as the primary concern. Therefore, as a result, Teams is vastly misunderstood and underutilized in most organizations. Join us in this session to go beyond the remote meetings aspect of Teams and to learn how to optimize efficiency, communication, and workflow with Teams.

Do you use Microsoft (Office) 365? Are you satisfied that you are getting the most that you can from it? If you answered yes then no, this course will provide a really high return on your investment of time and money in this application suite. John Higgins, one of the profession's leading experts on the integration of Microsoft 365 into business, will explain and demonstrate the depth and breadth of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. The course is designed to raise your awareness of all that you can do with Microsoft 365 and substantially increase your monthly subscription ROI. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The Art of Accountability is a dynamic training session tailored for leaders seeking to cultivate a culture of accountability while fostering respect and trust within their teams. High morale is intrinsically linked to high accountability in todays fast-paced work environment. 

Governmental Accounting 101, is a 2 hour webcast that takes the participant of a whirlwind tour of governmental accounting basics, focusing on wetting the participant’s appetite for more.  This session will be the first of a series of webcasts, with each subsequent webcast delving deeper and deeper into the governmental accounting basics. 

This course provides a focused and practical overview of the Generation Skipping Transfer (GST) Tax, designed specifically for professionals involved in estate and gift tax planning. As Part 4 of the Form 706 and 709 series, this session zeroes in on the rules, definitions, and application of GST tax, including the mechanics of calculating the inclusion ratio and how the GST exemption operates in real-world planning scenarios. Participants will gain clarity on how to identify skip persons, the types of transfers subject to the GST tax, and the proper treatment of direct skips, taxable terminations, and taxable distributions. Through clear examples and practical instruction, this course walks participants through voluntary, timely, late, and retroactive GST exemption allocations. With increasing regulatory complexity and heightened exemption limits, understanding the GST tax is critical for practitioners assisting clients in multigenerational wealth transfers. This course supports more accurate return preparation and strategic allocation of exemptions to minimize tax exposure. *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