CPE Catalog & Events

A detailed analysis of the calculations related to determining a shareholder's tax basis for S corporation shares and loans. How to use the Form 1120S, Schedule K-1 information for basis determination, as well as an update on Schedules K-2 and K-3. An illustrative example demonstrates how the process works, as well as the many potential pitfalls. *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 session explores the importance of internal controls with an emphasis on best practices for small- and medium-sized entities.  We will examine the roles of both preventive and detective controls and practical, cost-effective suggestions for implementing effective internal controls will be addressed.

Developments in the Management Commentary and MD&A Narrative reporting is entering a new era-one that moves beyond compliance checklists to focus on cohesive, decision-useful communication. This seminar examines the evolution of corporate narrative reporting through the revised 2025 IFRS Practice Statement 1: Management Commentary and the U.S. GAAP-based MD&A under SEC Regulation S-K, with key comparisons to help practitioners understand how each framework supports investor-focused disclosure. Using real-world examples and excerpts from the actual annual report of an IFRS reporting company, this seminar highlights how the revised Management Commentary guidance aims to improve the quality, relevance, and connectivity of narrative insights. Participants will explore its emphasis on strategy, risks, sustainability factors (ESG), key performance indicators (KPIs), and the integration of financial and non-financial information. The session also analyzes the modernization efforts in U.S. MD&A, including principles-based guidance, reduction of boilerplate disclosures, and expanded expectations for entity-specific analysis and trend-based insights. Through a comparative approach, participants learn how both frameworks are converging around common principles: enhanced connectivity, balanced presentation, entity-specific content, and alignment of strategy, performance, risk, and value creation. This practical seminar provides accounting, finance, and business professionals with the knowledge needed for better understanding the management commentary and MD&A. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Join us for an in-depth webcast on Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs) and the essential aspects of preparing Form 5227.  This course will provide a comprehensive overview of CRTs, including their purpose, benefits, and practical considerations. Moreover, we will delve into the intricacies of Form 5227, the informational return for charitable remainder trusts, ensuring you have the necessary knowledge to accurately complete and file this crucial document. During this webcast, Art Werner will guide you through the fundamental concepts of Charitable Remainder Trusts, illustrating how they can be utilized as a strategic tool for tax planning. We will explore various types of CRTs, their formation, and the different scenarios in which they are most beneficial.  A significant portion of the webcast will be dedicated to Form 5227, the reporting requirement for charitable remainder trusts. We will provide an in-depth analysis of the form's components, line by line, ensuring you gain a comprehensive understanding of the information it requires. From trust assets and income to distributions and charitable beneficiaries, we will cover each section, discussing common pitfalls and best practices for accurate reporting. Mr. Werner will address the recent updates and changes to Form 5227, enabling you to stay up to date with the latest compliance requirements.   **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.

Many organizations struggle to keep budgets current in an ever-changing business climate.  Twenty-first century performance metrics focus on determining what budgets should be rather than what they were in the past.  Using performance metrics effectively reduces work, reduces politics, provides flexibility and substantially improves the performance management process.  This session will show you powerful techniques to drive your organization’s performance.

Accurately identifying and testing controls over compliance is critical, yet it remains a common deficiency highlighted in peer reviews. This course offers a comprehensive overview of internal controls over compliance, with a focus on their application to Single Audits. Participants will learn how to effectively align internal controls with specific compliance requirements. Additionally, we will address one of the most frequent findings in audits of governmental entities receiving federal grants: the misidentification of controls and the confusion between compliance and control processes. This course will help clarify the distinction, equipping you with the tools to enhance audit quality and ensure compliance effectiveness. 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 met an accountant who exhibits solid technical prowess but possesses lackluster communication skills? It is not unusual to meet a savvy accountant who is a technical expert, but could enhance the delivery of written and spoken words. This course is designed to help CPAs improve their written and verbal communication skills. Participants will learn how to tailor communication to their audience, with particular emphasis on techniques for crafting a message that effectively conveys technical information in an engaging manner. The course's author will share personal success tips gleaned from more than two decades of experience communicating myriad topics to a variety of audiences.

This course provides a comprehensive analysis of the taxation issues affecting the cannabis industry. It covers the historical context of U.S. taxation, the distinctions between industrial hemp and marijuana, and the specific tax codes and regulations that apply to the cannabis business. Participants will gain insights into state marijuana laws, the unique challenges of a cash-intensive industry, and pertinent federal court cases. *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

Performing engagements in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), commonly referred to as the "Yellow Book," involves additional reporting, ethics, and performance requirements that go beyond those outlined in AICPA Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS). This course provides an overview of the guidance found in the Yellow Book and explores its relationship with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. Participants will gain an understanding of the unique CPE requirements for GAGAS engagements and review the Yellow Book standards for financial statement audits, with a focus on ethical principles and independence. This course is designed to equip professionals with the foundational knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of Yellow Book engagements effectively.  

This practical program provides accounting professionals with actionable strategies for evaluating and implementing technology solutions that drive firm growth and efficiency. Participants will examine case studies showcasing different organizational approaches to hardware, software, cloud, and on-premises solutions while addressing the unique needs of remote workers and in-office teams. The program focuses on immediate implementation techniques rather than theoretical frameworks, ensuring attendees can apply concepts directly within their practice environments. Through examination of diverse organizational examples, participants will identify practical technology assessment methods and implementation approaches suited to various firm sizes and client service models. The program addresses common technology adoption challenges while providing concrete strategies for managing organizational change and measuring technology investment outcomes. Attendees will gain ready-to-use tools for building technology roadmaps that enhance both operational efficiency and client service delivery capabilities.

Two seemingly similar products can have very different costs, yet many companies are completely oblivious to these differences causing them to lose money or competitive bids.  When companies compete, those with good information win the “gravy” contracts and those with bad information lose money on “dog” jobs.  Attend this session to gain insights on how to win bids for the best opportunities and give the money-losers to your competitors.  Achieve your target profitability in the process.  

This course investigates actual real-world fraud schemes and discusses what controls could have prevented the fraud from occurring, and what controls could detect and curtail the fraud scheme. The instructor speaks from experience, finding multiple frauds very early in her career leading to a career-long focus on fraud prevention and detection. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Good managers know how to delegate, but it can be a challenge to manage employees who are more interested in passing the buck than being responsible. Lack of ownership and responsibility can bog down processes and shut down projects. This workshop will help you create a game plan for building a culture of accountability with your team.

This program focuses on two parts of Subchapter K, partnership distributions and sales of partnership interests - topics that accounting and finance professionals are often asked about by clients. Accounting and finance professionals are called upon to advise both the partnership which makes distributions and the partners receiving the distributions regarding the tax consequences of these transactions. Additionally, accounting and finance professionals will be deeply involved in decisions regarding the sale and purchase of a partnership interest. These topics are thoroughly covered in this program. The presenters also discuss several types of partnership distributions and the tax rules relating to them, as well as analyze the tax rules relating to the sale of a partnership interest. Accounting and finance professionals will be given an in-depth analysis of these complex topics, so that they can effectively answer their clients' questions.

With over 50% of marriages ending in divorce, forensic accountants are frequently used in uncovering hidden income and assets. It is not uncommon for one spouse to hide money from another, sometimes for nefarious reasons. As a CPA, your services are valued by high-net-worth individuals who hire attorneys in their divorce proceedings. In this course, you will learn the art of financial investigations and how to uncover the truth in divorce cases, whether from offshore accounts to lifestyle analysis. Step by step, the course will teach you the valuable skills necessary in finding, analyzing, evaluating, and presenting your findings to your client and if needed, ultimately in divorce court. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Many organizations are successful as they create a system of internal controls, however some fail to properly implement the measures that are established. Moreover, entities regularly neglect the important process of testing, monitoring, and updating control procedures, which weakens the entire internal control structure. This session provides an overview of control creation methods and discusses ways to successfully implement policies and procedures. Additionally, it includes an array of control maintenance checklists that participants can take and adapt to their organization as they work to improve policies and procedures. Finally, it provides an understanding of the need for dynamic, fluid controls that adapt to changes in business tools and methods. Participants that take this course will have a strengthened ability to implement and maintain an internal control system. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This course offers a comprehensive exploration of the cannabis industry, delving into essential topics such as cannabis regulations, business models, financial management, and ethical considerations. A key focus is on distinguishing between Marijuana and Industrial Hemp, including their respective tax treatments. Participants will gain a thorough understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within the cannabis sector, covering federal and state tax implications, licensing requirements, and market trends. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Many small to medium sized companies do not properly address the risk that arises related to fraud because these organizations do not have the resources needed to mitigate this risk or because owners or those in top level management underestimate the scope of the issue. All organizations, regardless of size, must be aware of the risks associated with intentional fraudulent acts and know that a significant and effective fraud scheme could even create going concern issues for some entities. In this session, we delve into the reasons that fraud takes place. The material discusses the types of defalcations that are often executed against smaller entities and then explores measures that organizations can implement to help stop fraud activities and add security. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This course corresponds to our Controllership series. This course is dedicated to exploring the traditional controller role and stepping out of the box to identify areas where the controller can continue to add strategic value to their organizations. Within this segment of our controllership series, we discuss the area of cash and investments and explore how the controller can move these responsibilities into more of a strategic role. In today’s world, the role of cash management is often a pivotal role in the organization. In economically difficult times, controllers may find that they spend a great deal of their time on understanding and managing the organizations' cash position. This is certainly important and, in some areas, can be seen as a staple of the lifeblood of the organization’s ongoing viability. This course takes a look at some of the typical objectives involved in cash management and then evaluates how those objectives can be further stretched into strategic pillars of the organization.  

Strong analytical procedures are critical for evaluating the fair presentation of financial statements. In addition, Financial statements are only as good as the information and trends that they produce for operational, strategic, or compliance purposes. This course will provide insights into how to determine the strength and efficiency of nonprofits in achieving objectives and knowledge to improve the analysis of the fair presentation of a nonprofit's financial statements.