CPE Catalog & Events

This course is an updated overview of the single audit of state and local governments and not-for-profit organizations under the OMB Unified Circular, as well as the applicable AICPA standards for compliance audits. 

If you have been a practitioner for any length of time, you know that there is often a difference between what clients should do and what they actually do. Have you ever wondered why that is? In this course, we will explore how we make decisions with less-than-perfect information. Through real-life examples and case studies, we will examine common behavioral biases and how to deal with them. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Understanding the principles and practices of compensation is essential for creating a motivated and satisfied workforce. In this webinar, we'll learn how to perform market pay research, key compensation concepts, discuss the pay transparency movement and explore how these crucial elements drive fairness and engagement in HR practices.

In May 2023, the IIA released a draft of the new Global Internal Audit Standards. The intent was to provide more effective standards for Internal Audit globally. The new Global Internal Audit Standards were released on January 9, 2024, and will become effective January 9, 2025. The previous version, the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, released in 2017, remains approved for use during a one-year transition period. The Global Internal Audit Standards guide the worldwide professional practice of internal audit. They serve as a basis for evaluating and elevating the quality of the internal audit function. The Standards use 15 guiding principles with five separate domains that enable effective internal audit implementation and examples of evidence of conformance. The Global Standards are organized into five domains. Domain I: Purpose of Internal Auditing Domain II: Ethics and Professionalism Domain III: Governing the Internal Audit Function Domain IV: Managing the Internal Audit Function Domain V: Performing Internal Audit Service

Audit Risk Assessment in Plain English, is a 2 hour webcast highlighting the AICPA’s clarified risk assessment standards, along with a new Statement on Auditing Standard (SAS 145) related to understanding the entity, the entity’s environment, the entity’s internal controls, and assessing the risks of material misstatement.  This session will attempt to simplify the requirements using common sense examples and language.

This session provides insights for enhancing the preparation and utilization of budgets. Seasoned accountants will benefit from a refreshed awareness of popular techniques.  Budding financial professionals will obtain novel insight regarding fundamental budgeting concepts. All participants will develop an appreciation for the holistic nature of budgeting as an integral tool for planning and control. 

The ACFE/COSO Fraud Risk Management Guide (FRMG) was published in 2016 (and updated in 2023).  It has quickly gained acceptance as the set of best practices for preventing, detecting, and thus deterring fraud. The fraud landscape is constantly changing and evolving. The FRMG sets out a rigorous set of principles and leading practices for managing fraud risk for forward-thinking organizations to follow.  It covers: How to establish fraud risk management governance. How to conduct rigorous fraud risk assessments. How to design and implement fraud control activities. How to establish reporting mechanisms and investigative procedures. How to monitor the overall fraud risk management program. Fraud risk can be managed.  All anti-fraud and accountability professionals will benefit from this session's focus on effective fraud risk management.

Some companies are "born" great; others change and become great along the way. This seminar will discuss how both new and established companies become great. This seminar benchmarks world class companies to understand the underlying principles that made them great. The seminar begins with key lessons about business start-ups from Paul Hawken, author of Growing a Business, and Guy Kawasaki, author of Art of the Start and Enchantment. Next, the seminar looks at research on existing businesses, beginning with the management classic In Search of Excellence and then focusing on Jim Collins" research presented in Built to Last, Good to Great, How the Mighty Fall and Great by Choice.

Welcome to a management course that helps CFOs and Controllers lead the Accounting Department. It is essential that the Accounting Department have a Vision which is aligned with the Business goals. Controllers must also be comfortable with wearing multiple 'hats' in the business. The head of the Accounting Department must be skilled in a variety of leadership skills, technical skills, managerial skills and current management techniquest.

Navigating the complexities of business transactions requires a deep understanding of tax and estate planning strategies. In this comprehensive course tailored for financial professionals, participants will explore the intricacies of creative approaches to buying, selling, or gifting a business. Through real-world scenarios and practical insights, attendees will gain invaluable expertise in identifying tax risks, minimizing liabilities, and safeguarding assets. From evaluating valuation methods to exploring the details of stock versus asset purchases, this course equips you with the essential tools to provide informed counsel to clients. Discover the potential for strategic success as you master topics including estate transfer and tax implications, gifting strategies, and the utilization of various trusts and partnerships. Whether you're a CPA, EA, attorney, or financial planner, this course offers indispensable knowledge to elevate your practice. With a recommended 8 credit hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE), this intermediate-level course is designed for professionals with a foundational understanding of business tax and estate planning. Join us and immerse yourself in a journey towards mastery in the vibrant landscape of business transactions. **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.

In today's fast-paced business environment, internal controls are more crucial than ever, especially for small organizations. However, many small businesses face significant challenges in implementing effective internal control structures. Our comprehensive program is designed to help you evaluate, develop, and implement a robust internal control system tailored to the unique needs of small businesses. Join us to learn how to assess risks and implement preventive, detective, deterrent, and compensating controls to mitigate these risks, even in the absence of proper segregation of duties. Our program also covers technology-focused techniques for preventing and detecting fraud, securing information systems, and protecting sensitive data. Don't let the complexities of internal controls overwhelm you. Our expert-led sessions will provide you with the insights and tools necessary to design, implement, and monitor effective internal controls, security measures, and anti-fraud strategies. Ensure your small business is safeguarded against risks and positioned for success.

One of the top concerns of any organization's leadership is how to mitigate the risk of cybersecurity threats, along with the prevention and detection of fraud. This course will focus on the most common cybersecurity vulnerabilities and fraud trends, and best practices for managing them. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Your client database is more than a record of past engagements-it's a goldmine of untapped opportunity. In this practical and forward-thinking session, accounting professionals will learn how to strategically analyze and segment their existing client data to uncover new service opportunities, deepen relationships, and drive sustainable revenue growth. From identifying cross-selling potential to leveraging automation tools for proactive outreach, this webinar will equip firm leaders and client managers with actionable strategies to turn dormant data into dynamic business development. Whether you're a solo practitioner or part of a larger firm, you'll walk away with a roadmap for transforming your client list into a revenue-generating engine. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This session explores tools and techniques that can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of client engagements and business processes using data analysis tools. We will introduce some of today's popular and software tools and examine the AICPA's Five-step approach to incorporating data analytics into public accounting engagements.

Every business will be sold eventually. When you have built a great business and decide to move on – you want the most you can get for that terrific organization! What are the steps to take to maximize the value realized? What do buyers really want? What are the three levers to achieve maximum value? If you want top dollar, preparing to sell takes years of planning. This seminar helps CEOs, entrepreneurs, CFOs, Board members, controllers, and their advisors prepare for a successful sale of the organization to maximize shareholder value. We will outline the process to get the most bang for the buck. Proper exit planning demands planning and time.

Tax rates, personal liability, operations - these are all factors to be weighed when advising clients about their choice of entity decision. This session provides a comparison of the multiple entity choices to start the discussion with clients and selecting the best tax efficient option for them. *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

Taking money from ones retirement plan before age 59-1/2 or failing to withdraw funds after age 73 leads to penalties. Plan beneficiaries have a separate set of rules for withdrawals. There are penalty exceptions and waivers, but some issues have no possible resolution. A withdrawal from a retirement plan is taxable unless it's returned to a plan within 60 days. Some withdrawals cannot be returned and there are some ways to make a late rollover tax-free. Early and late distribution penalties and 60-day rollover failures are prevalent issues that tax preparers must handle despite the size of the firm or the wealth of their clients. Learn the rules of the road in this class. Note: This class presents an in-depth discussion of issues presented in the instructor's class Retirement Distributions: Planning Options.

When real property is sold for a gain, we always try to find ways to defer recognizing income so that it won't be necessary to send a check to Uncle Sam. There is a provision within the Internal Revenue Code that allows the taxpayer to defer recognition of immediate taxable gain in the year of sale known as an "installment sale." Knowing how and when to utilize this provision makes the Accounting and Finance Professionals very valuable to either their client or the entity they work for. We will also discuss recent proposals that could impact the future of this provision. Please Note: due to overlap with the ISL4 course, customers should not take both.

Working in accounting and finance offers strong earnings and growth, yet chronic overwork remains the top driver of anxiety and attrition in the profession. Evidence shows that long hours and poor recovery harm both health and output: large studies link greater than 55-hour weeks to higher cardiovascular risk, specific-hour thresholds to productivity drops, and insufficient sleep to eroded performance. At the same time, well-designed flexibility works. A recent randomized trial of a two-days-from-home hybrid schedule improved satisfaction and cut quits without hurting results, and multi-firm pilots of shorter workweeks report lower burnout and stable revenue. This webinar translates that research — along with sector-specific findings on accountants' work-life priorities — into practical tools for financial professionals and their firms. We'll cover how to set evidence-based workload and availability norms (e.g., hybrid cadence, meeting discipline, focused work blocks), build manager habits that reduce stress without sacrificing delivery, and document simple recovery practices (sleep, boundaries, and time off) to sustain peak periods. We'll also address policy design: aligning work styles and responsibilities within teams, metrics that reward outcomes over hours, and how to pilot changes safely. Participants will leave with a concise checklist and templates they can implement immediately.

Difficult conversations tend to be avoided because professionals shy away from the uncomfortable, and the fear of polarizing their relationships. Participants will learn strategies and tactics to engage in productive conversations which address challenges and deepen relationships. They will understand where and why they are avoiding having difficult conversations. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.