CPE Catalog & Events

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.  

Trust is the glue that binds all relationships. Regardless, humans tell lies, a cruel fact. Every lie undermines trust and damages productivity. What signals indicate lies? How are the cues properly interpreted? How can you protect yourself from lies? Learn how to discern lies effectively. Do not be taken advantage of. Learn an established and proven process to uncover the truth.

Data security is a top-of-mind concern for almost all business professionals, yet most struggle to achieve this objective. Make plans to participate in this session to learn about many practical tools you can use to protect your data and enhance cybersecurity.

GAAP has become too complex for many small and private entities. As an alternative, many entities have adopted special purpose frameworks (formerly called OCBOA). This program guides entities through the acceptable methods of non-GAAP financial statements, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and presentation of the statements and disclosures.

This program examines the critical issues, rules, and special opportunities when preparing your clients' Form 1041 US Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts. Learn what is considered taxable income; filing requirements and deadlines; impact of the 3.8 percent Medicare surtax on net investment income; and the 10 principles of tax accounting for trust income.   *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 terri.storer@acpen.com  

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was a major overhaul of our tax system that lowered the income tax rates for individual and corporate taxpayers and introduced the new 20% qualified business income (QBI) deduction for sole proprietors and pass-through entities. The cornerstone of this course is the comprehensive discussion of the 20% QBI deduction final regulations under IRC §199A.      *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 terri.storer@acpen.com    

*** This is not a Florida-approved Ethics course*** Two college graduates built impressive careers: One worked in sales, the other in technology and investing. Both of those people made decisions in the course of their business that led to government investigations. They had to hire attorneys, go through judicial processes, face charges, and plead guilty. Each of those people are on their way to prison. Learn from the lessons they offer. We interview both financial professionals, and they tell us more about how their decisions influenced the consequences that followed. 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 will review common deficiencies identified by the AICPA and state boards of accountancy. It features discussion on a variety of topics, including analytical procedures, sampling, group audits and risk assessment. We will review the areas of concern and how you can overcome them by employing best practices. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Leaders have the right to exercise customary management functions. Employees have the right to be kept free from discrimination. Neither employer rights nor employee rights are absolute. The courts are equally protective of the rights of employees and employers. A courtroom is the wrong place for anyone to find this out. This course provides practical knowledge on how to effectively balancing these two sets of rights, such that employees and leaders stay out of court. Employers avoid lawsuits, rather than win lawsuits.

Finance technology decisions (ERP, FP&A, AP/expense automation, close/consolidation, bank integrations, and AI-enabled tools) can dramatically improve close speed, forecasting, and control execution-but vendor demos and "AI" marketing often hide integration complexity, data readiness gaps, governance risk, and long-term total cost. This course provides a practical, vendor-neutral approach for CPAs and finance leaders to evaluate and implement corporate finance technology with an audit-ready mindset. Participants learn how to cut through AI claims using an AI capability framework, apply a weighted vendor evaluation scorecard focused on controls and assurance, build a five-year total cost model that captures hidden and ongoing costs, and follow an implementation roadmap with checkpoints and red flags to reduce failure risk and improve ROI realization. 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 will explore the many complex rules of installment sales, with a focus on the tax treatment and strategies to maximize the benefits. *Please Note:  If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Handout Tab and submit to kori.herrera@acpen.com

The AICPA issued the new Quality Management Standards as a part of its overall quality improvement initiative.  This course will highlight the foundational principles within the new approach that everyone in the CPA firm should know. 

Balancing the demands of a career and family life is a challenge faced by many working parents. The pressure to excel at work while being fully present at home can leave little room for self-care, often leading to burnout and mental fatigue. This course is designed to address these challenges head-on by providing actionable strategies to prioritize your mental health and overall well-being. The course emphasizes practical, easy-to-implement techniques tailored for busy working parents. From setting boundaries to prioritizing sleep and physical activity, you'll learn how to create sustainable habits that enhance your well-being. You'll also explore how to recognize the signs that additional support -whether from friends, family, therapy, or other resources- is necessary, and how to seek help without guilt or hesitation. Ultimately, this course will help you regain a sense of balance and control in your life by equipping you with tools to manage stress, build resilience, and rediscover joy in both your professional and personal roles. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Join our course on Multistate Taxation – Issues and Planning Opportunities designed for financial professionals. Learn about crucial topics like nexus implications, state taxable income calculations, and audit defense strategies. Gain practical insights to integrate these considerations into client financial plans effectively. From deciphering complex formulas to understanding state-specific regulations, this course equips you with actionable knowledge to excel in finance. Explore multistate business activities, choice of business entity, and interstate commerce clauses. By course completion, you'll be ready to identify common pitfalls, mitigate risks, and ensure compliance with multistate taxation. Join us and navigate the complexities of finance confidently. **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.

For the past two decades the trend has been to move away from brick and mortar offices and have a greater number of people work or telecommute from home. Because of the upheaval caused by recent events, the rate of this move has been accelerated. This has and will continue to create control challenges and organizations must work to address these. Such things as moving from time based employee value to task completion based measurement and the ability to drive needed inter-company communication are just a sample of the issues with which entities must contend. This session looks at the benefits and pitfalls of workers that telecommute. It then discusses important risks and controls to consider as this trend continues and evolves in the business world. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

In today's fast-paced world, automation is like having a time machine at your fingertips. By implementing strategic automation solutions, you can transform an eight-hour workday into twelve hours of productivity without working longer hours. This course explores how automation can save time, improve accuracy, promote effectiveness, and maximize the value of your workday. When you invest time in automating routine tasks, you create permanent time savings that compound over time, reducing daily stress and providing better mental clarity for more important activities. This hands-on course will equip you with practical knowledge of various automation tools, methods, apps, and technologies that can revolutionize both your personal and professional life. From home automation systems to iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) tools and the Elgato Streamdeck, you'll discover how to create a seamlessly automated environment. Join us to learn how to reclaim hours or even weeks of time through smart automation strategies that will transform your daily routine.

In today's challenging talent market, accounting firms face unprecedented pressure to retain their best performers. This course provides actionable, research-backed strategies to help firms keep their top talent from leaving. Based on comprehensive surveys of both current accounting professionals and those who have recently left the profession, participants will learn the real reasons employees stay or go-and what firms can do about it. The course goes beyond simple solutions like "pay more, expect less" to explore comprehensive retention strategies including whole-person compensation, work-life balance improvements, career development pathways, and necessary business model transformations. Participants will discover why 73% of surveyed professionals want to stay with their current firm, yet many still leave-and how to bridge that gap. Key topics include understanding the true cost of turnover versus retention, implementing flexible work arrangements that actually work, creating meaningful career paths for non-partner track professionals, and transforming firm operations to support both profitability and employee satisfaction. Special attention is given to retaining diverse talent and adapting to the expectations of younger professionals who will comprise 27% of the workforce by 2025. Whether you're a firm leader, HR professional, or manager responsible for team retention, this course provides the insights and tools needed to build a sustainable talent strategy in an evolving profession. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Building on Part 1, this course will review the application of sampling in financial statement audits with a focus on sampling for tests of controls. We'll also review the requirements for sampling in Single Audits with a focus on tests of controls and tests of compliance. 

Periodic FASB checkups are critical for accountants who deal with financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. This course introduces recent FASB pronouncements and revisits selected existing standards that are likely to be salient for private entities. This session also offers a preview of coming attractions by examining significant elements of the FASB's technical agenda.

This program reviews the statutory and regulatory guidance as they relate to fringe benefits. There will be an emphasis on entertainment, meals and business transportation expenses, including qualified employer-provided parking, with a focus on planning opportunities. Recent federal tax legislation, cases and rulings will also be addressed. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.