CPE Catalog & Events

Do you get bored with similar rubrics’ cube COSO risk model courses?  They are important and great, but this course is intended to offer a fresh approach on the view of risk using the dynamic landscape of modern business; CFOs are charged with navigating an array of external and internal risks that can impact organizational performance and sustainability. This seminar will empower finance professionals with the foresight and practical tools needed to understand, anticipate, and mitigate both external and internal risks. We must be aware and anticipate. If we do not adequately prepare, we will be exposed to avoidable and onerous risk. Essential for leaders and organizations that want to survive and thrive. This seminar stands on its own but is also part of the Common Sense CFO series.

Freelance work and other non-permanent employment arrangements are becoming increasingly popular ways for people to earn a living. Although these non-traditional activities offer novel, flexible ways to earn income from diverse sources, they also introduce nuanced recordkeeping, reporting, and attestation issues. We investigate characteristics of the gig economy, employee-versus-contractor considerations, bookkeeping, regulatory compliance, and external reporting considerations. We also explore best practices for CPAs who fulfill the role of trusted advisor for gig economy clients.

Seismic changes in tax legislation is currently taking place, and the well-informed tax practitioner will want to attend this two hour monthly program in order to stay abreast of these developments! Approximately one-half of the program is devoted to individual tax issues, and the remaining time is spend on business entity taxation, IRS procedure, tax legislation and other issues. Due to the changing nature of the topic, learning objectives, course descriptions and program content will vary and will be provided in more specificity closer to presentation time. This course provides a concise look at the hottest topics affecting every tax practitioner. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event. 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 is a refresher of the more significant SSARS requirements for preparation, compilation and review engagements. Includes discussion of SSARS 26 and SSARS 27.

This course introduces CPAs, financial auditors as well as technology auditors to the foundational concepts of IT auditing. Participants will learn how IT systems support financial reporting, how to assess risk in IT environments, and how IT General Controls (ITGCs) and application controls impact audit procedures. The course also introduces IT audit planning and scoping to help auditors determine what systems and controls to evaluate.

Financial managers at all levels produce volumes of reports every year. Unfortunately, not all these reports generate an equivalent degree of action! Learn how to plan, process and effectively present financial information. This seminar provides answers for accountants who want to become better catalysts for action. Learn directly from professionals who know how to generate actionable responses to their reports. If you wish to have a greater impact on your organization and your career, you cannot afford to miss this critically important and interactive program.

Enhance your career with an invaluable skill set in this two-part series, where you'll explore the cost system of a real company from the ground up. Learn how to link variable and base costs, identify fluctuating and semi-fixed direct costs, and accurately trace direct materials, labor, and labor burden to products. Gain practical tools for budgeting, setting standard costs, and seamlessly embedding Activity-Based Costing (ABC) into a comprehensive cost system. Be sure to also register for Part 2: World Class Cost Accounting: A Practical Application - Part 2

Have you ever wanted to reduce the number of financial statement review points you receive? Are you curious about a reviewer's thought process? This hands-on session will answer these questions by helping you understand the role of an engagement quality control reviewer. Not only will you develop an appreciation for the role of an engagement quality control reviewer, but this interactive session will allow you to step into the reviewer's shoes by performing a quality control review during the class session. You will leave with an understanding of best practices for minimizing your exposure to critique by reviewers.

This case-driven training is designed to get the inexperienced accountant up to speed quickly in the most common areas of S-corporation taxation. The cornerstone of this course is the preparation of the Form 1120S using a fairly complex trial balance common to most S corporation income tax returns.   *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    

Elevate your Excel expertise with K2's Advanced Excel program! This laptop-friendly course is designed for experienced Excel users who are ready to take their skills to the next level. In this session, you will master critical advanced Excel skills in six key areas:  1.    Collaborating seamlessly with other users and securing your workbooks 2.    Utilizing tables to analyze and report data efficiently 3.    Integrating and manipulating data from external sources with ease 4.    Creating and auditing complex formulas 5.    Harnessing advanced data analysis tools for deeper insights 6.    Employing visualization techniques to communicate information effectively Drawing from over thirty years of experience in delivering Excel training to accountants and business professionals, this program is packed with relevant, real-world examples that reinforce the topics presented. Don't miss this opportunity to become more efficient and proficient in Microsoft Excel, the go-to tool for accounting and financial professionals. This course covers advanced Excel topics that are essential for business success. Participate in this session to elevate and transform your Excel skills!   

Professional credibility is communicated, not assumed. In this 1-CPE session (Professional Development), participants examine structured approaches to articulating their professional identity. Drawing directly from the course framework, the session covers development of an elevator pitch, a professional value proposition, and a concise executive biography. Participants will analyze how credibility is established through clarity, relevance, and alignment with audience needs. The course emphasizes service-centered communication rather than self-promotion and provides structured guidance for refining professional messaging in leadership and client-facing contexts. 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 offers insight for tax practitioners beyond merely checking a box to satisfy accounting and auditing requirements for license renewal. We devote significant attention to extracting utility from financial statements to support decision needs of both external financial statement users and internal stakeholders. We explore best practices for cross-functional support within firms that perform tax, accounting solutions, financial statement, and consulting services. We also highlight similarities and differences between U.S. GAAP and tax-basis accounting. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The accounting profession is at a crossroads — not because of a new generation, but because the entire architecture of work is being rewritten. Smaller firms are feeling it most: recruiting has become harder, AI is changing client expectations overnight, and leadership succession looms large. In this fast-moving and practical session, global future-of-work strategist Steve Cadigan (LinkedIn’s first CHRO and author of Workquake) unpacks how small and mid-sized firms can reimagine how they attract, develop, and lead talent in a world where certainty is gone and adaptability is gold. Through real-world examples from progressive firms like Bookminders, Prestige Accounting, LedgerWise, Nova Accounting, and Insights CPAs, Steve shows how leaders are reshaping work models, leveraging AI as a time- creator, and making accounting a magnet for modern talent again. 

This 2-hour course gives tax professionals the tools to understand, interpret, and respond appropriately to IRS correspondence. Whether the letter involves audits, collection notices, missing information, or discrepancies, participants will walk away with practical tips for communication, compliance, and resolution. Using real-world examples, the session covers common notices like CP2000, CP14, CP75, CP504, and audit letters, as well as IRS timelines and what they expect in a reply. We’ll also talk about avoiding missed deadlines, maintaining documentation, and using AI tools where appropriate to manage responses efficiently and accurately. *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 course explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in accounting and auditing, highlighting its vast potential while addressing the associated risks and ethical considerations. Participants will discover how to harness AI tools to enhance efficiency and innovation, while mitigating challenges such as overreliance, data security vulnerabilities, and ethical dilemmas. Through case studies and interactive discussions, you'll gain practical skills to navigate AI complexities, ensure trustworthy outputs, and uphold ethical standards in today's fast-paced digital environment. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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

There is always too much to do and too little time to do it all.  Fortunately, if you know the right ways to manage people, projects and your time, you can get on top of everything by working smarter.  In this seminar you'll learn the best ways to get more done in less time, how to stay sane with all you have to do, and how to get other people to do some of "your" work by building great relationships.

In today's fast-paced business world, staying ahead of the competition means leveraging every advantage. Business Intelligence (BI) is the game-changer that can transform your organization. Imagine uncovering hidden insights and gaining a competitive edge with data that was once out of reach. With tools ranging from Excel add-ins to the revolutionary Power BI, you can now harness your existing skills to create dynamic, interactive dashboards and analyses that were unimaginable just a few years ago. This program will empower you with the skills to implement "yourself business intelligence" using a variety of techniques and tools. You'll start by mastering advanced Excel data query and summarization features to create stunning Excel-based dashboards. Then, you'll take your knowledge to the next level by building even more powerful BI objects using Microsoft's Power BI tools. If you're passionate about gaining better insights into your data to make smarter decisions, this fast-paced program is for you.

This course provides financial professionals with a comprehensive understanding of trusts and their role in estate planning. Participants will learn how to determine whether a trust aligns with a client's financial goals and explore strategies to maximize tax efficiency. The course covers various trust structures and their potential to reduce income, estate, and generation-skipping taxes at both federal and state levels. Additionally, it delves into trustee responsibilities and the benefits of irrevocable life insurance trusts and dynasty trusts. With a focus on practical applications and real-world scenarios, this course equips CPAs, EAs, attorneys, bankers, and financial planners with the expertise to navigate probate avoidance, streamline asset distribution, and manage complex tax considerations. Whether working with revocable or irrevocable trusts, participants will gain the tools to enhance their clients' financial well-being across generations. *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 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.