CPE Catalog & Events

This comprehensive training is designed to get the accountant up to speed quickly with the different types of individual retirement accounts (IRAs). The cornerstone of the course is an in-depth coverage of the contribution and distribution rules to the Traditional, Roth, Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) and Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) IRAs. The course will also discuss the basics of the health savings account (HSA) as well as any newly enacted tax legislation related to IRAs. **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 this five part master series, class participants will gain a comprehensive view into the world of forensic data analytics (FDA). From understanding practical use cases of FDA in the audit, internal audit, investigations and proactive monitoring to understanding necessary data sources, validation proceudres, success factors and pitfalls to avoid. We will also explore hundreds of leading anti-fraud tests around corruption, conflicts of interest, fake vendor schemes, segregation of duties, revenue recognition and sales abuse, among dozens of other schemes.  Participants will develop their own library of anti-fraud tests from various open source locations and apply them in relevant contexts such as the COSO Fraud Risk Management Guide. Finally, participants will also peek into future innovations in FDA and how technologies such as ChatGPT, data visualization, machine learning, AI and cryptocurrencies are all impacting the discipline.  We can't promise you'll be a programmer after this course, but you will certainly be armed with the information needed to project manage an FDA project and "direct" the programmers to accomplish your fraud risk / FDA objectives.  

Get ready to elevate your tax game with the 2025 Business Tax Update, designed exclusively for tax practitioners looking to sharpen their skills in business income taxation. This course doesn't just scratch the surface – it thoroughly explores the complexities of the tax code, ensuring you're equipped to navigate the ever-evolving tax landscape with confidence. From recent legislative updates to complex tax considerations like COVID-19-related subsidies, this course covers it all. Gain practical strategies and insights that you can immediately apply to assist your clients in optimizing their business income tax planning. Don't miss this opportunity to stay ahead in business taxation and enhance your expertise in a rapidly changing regulatory environment. With a focus on real-world application and comprehensive exploration of essential topics, the 2025 Business Tax Update promises to be a game-changer for your tax practice. Whether you're dealing with partnership, corporation, or LLC taxation issues, this course provides precise guidance tailored to diverse business clients. Plus, you'll gain invaluable insights into recent legislative changes, including their implications on tax code sections like Section 199A. Stay at the forefront of business taxation and ensure you're delivering top-notch advice to your clients by enrolling in this essential course today. **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.

LLCs and partnerships continue to present some of the greatest challenges for return preparers and advisors.  This program will address the latest developments: New IRS audit initiatives An SE tax update for LLCs and partnerships Disregarded entity rules and transactions Common allocation problems Identifying various types of partnership debt properly for basis purposes The 754 election in the sale of interests and at death Reporting LLC and partnership interests on gift and estate tax returns and valuation of closely held businesses and minority interests **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 addition to the many challenges faced by small businesses in today’s Post-COVID world, with labor shortages, serious inflation and “supply-chain” issues, small businesses face a variety of tax challenges from the time of formation of the business until sale.  There are numerous special rules in the Code.  And the IRS plans on increasing its small business audit emphasis. **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.

The Paperless Office is not a myth! With today’s technology, you have many fantastic options for “going paperless,” In this session, you will learn how to leverage these technologies for better document management and storage practices.

*** CPE SAVINGS CODES DO NOT APPLY TO STAFF TRAININGS ***Develop your soft skills in training courses that benefit both the person attending and their organization. This course, the final course of the five-course series, is applicable for various accounting departments (i.e. audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services) but because these are universal leadership concepts, they are equally applicable to other professional business leaders. The Level V course highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers of organizations. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people. Per NASBA's rules effective January 1, 2024, participants are required to be on camera and participate in the full and small group discussions to earn CPE credits for this Group Live - Virtual course. As such, please make sure you are set up properly with reliable internet (hard wired is best), a working camera, and a working microphone.

What happens when businesspeople think they can lie and cheat at work, as long as it makes a profit? Some believe that business is like war, and there are no rules!  Do you really want to behave differently in business than in your personal life? Can, or should, ethics be ‘switched on’ or off?

These are uncertain times. With constant economic fluctuation, geopolitical uncertainty and inflation pressures, corporations and their professionals are facing challenges at every turn. The Controllership function is accustomed to dealing with changing variables but when the change is constant and every evolving, even the simplest of tasks like cash flow and cash forecasting can become difficult.  This webinar is to focus on what methods the controller can elicit to attempt to address the current uncertainty when working with their cash flow issues and forecasting. Of course, there are basic measures that can be employed such as: Proactively managing receivables and payables Automate your accounts payable and receivables process Keep business expenses at a minimum Work with digital methods of payment from vendors Use credit wisely However, this webinar will explore methods used to create and manage your cash flow and forecasting processes. These methods go one-step past your typical forecasting to enable management to explore various alternatives and scenarios for the business.

Internal controls (IC) are critical to the effective functioning of all processes. The importance of proper and relevant documentation can be viewed as a burden. Strong, relevant documentation is critical to ensure organizations can adequately monitor, manage, and adjust their processes in line with business objectives. This requirement extends far beyond internal controls over financial reporting.  Management must first establish appropriate responsibilities for IC.   Personnel must have a strong understanding of the types and methods of IC and how they relate to their jobs.  Controls should be well documented. Documentation methods must meet organizational needs and be sufficient for personnel to understand. This course will further evaluate the responsibilities of employees, management, and auditors in understanding their role in internal control as well as evaluating documentation methods.

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 course explores issues related to allegations of malpractice committed by tax professionals and reviews risk management techniques. Inherent in the services of a tax professional is the risk that a client may assert practitioner malpractice. Clients may also accuse an adviser of being unethical or incompetent. Explore why clients make such claims and learn techniques and procedures to minimize the risk. Review practical client communication skills and tools to protect yourself from malpractice exposure.

Seniors face issues that complicate return preparation and planning. For example, when should they apply for social security? How is it taxed? What if they continue to work? Will an increased standard deduction affect charitable planning? What about downsizing? How can they help children or grandchildren pay for a home or a college education? This course will help you advise your clients on these topics and more.

Unlike technologies we use every day, many currently emerging technologies can change how we work in the future. This session covers an assortment of technologies nearing mainstream adoption and helps you understand what they do, how they work, and some of the potential risks and rewards they offer. Attend this course, and learn the basics of blockchain, cryptocurrencies, big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learn.

This program addresses the role of client internal controls for balancing efficiency and effectiveness in a risk-based audit. Practical insights regarding an auditor's assessment of the risk of material misstatement when auditing financial statements of non-issuers will be explored, with particular emphasis on internal controls of small-to-medium clients. 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 for your questions during the event.

This program is structured to provide an update of relevant standards for the CPA practitioner or management personnel to consider when preparing and/or auditing financial statements or other associated attestation activities of financial information, concentrating on those standards that mostly impact private entities.

Taxation of partnerships continues to become more complex every year. This course highlights the significant areas of concern for tax advisors and their clients in compliance and planning for partnership operations, distributions and transactions. Topics covered include unique and targeted allocations, proper calculation of outside and inside tax basis, tax consequences of distributions, the impact of "hot assets" on distributions, transfer of partnership interests, and issuance of partnership interests to service partners. This course will also help you add immediate value to your partnership clients by correctly calculating and reporting critical partnership tax items that generate most IRS audit adjustments.

Pass-throughs (S corporations and Partnerships) are the most popular choice of newly formed business entities. However, for years, taxpayers and their preparers have struggled to calculate, update, and maintain the pass-through entity owners' tax basis information in each investment correctly. Calculating and accounting for tax basis and adequately reporting the impact of operating and liquidating distributions for these entities are among the most frequently cited audit deficiencies. Taxpayers have also misapplied the tax rules when calculating the gain or loss from the sale of the interest. Recently, the IRS initiated enforcement initiatives designed to audit owners of pass-through entities regarding their calculations of tax basis and their tax treatment of distributions. This course will teach you how to properly account for both items for your clients who own an interest in a partnership or an S-corporation. Learn to identify the most common mistakes and errors and report these items correctly before your client is audited.

Fraud continues to plague businesses at epidemic levels, and technology control failures are a significant reason fraud occurs. Using a case study approach, in this session, you will learn about the pervasiveness of fraud, the control failures that contribute to fraud, and what you can do to mitigate fraud risk. A specific focus of this course is the application of information technology general controls and information technology application controls. In this course, you will examine numerous reported fraud cases and identify the general control and application control failures that contributed to each of these frauds. By learning through these real-world case studies, you will be positioned better to reduce fraud risk.  

Auditing Accounts Receivable - Focusing Procedures for Testing Existence and Valuation will explain tips and best practice techniques for auditing common accounts receivable risks, primarily focusing on existence and valuation. Accounts receivable tends to carry higher risk of material misstatement due to the complexity and subjectivity involved with initial recognition, subsequent measurement, and valuation. In addition, revenue recognition is presumed to be a significant fraud risk. Note: This course is recommended as a part of a 16-hour audit skills curriculum for experienced staff auditors, while it is also appropriate for anyone who has responsibilities for auditing accounts receivable. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.