CPE Catalog & Events

Each event is a rebroadcast of the live Town Hall webcast from the previous week. The AICPA Town Hall Series delivers: Timely & Critical Information Interpretation & Analysis Firm and Business Strategies Practitioner Capabilities **Free for AICPA members Not an AICPA or CIMA member? Become one today.

More and more entities need Yellow Book engagements, including a growing number of for-profit entities. In this course, we will review the unique independence requirements in GAGAS. We'll also review the recent changes to quality management in Yellow Book. We'll close with a reminder of common deficiencies found in Yellow Book engagements. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Headline after headline points out how pervasive improper revenue recognition has become. Through lecture and short case write-ups, this program will identify improper revenue recognition techniques. In addition, the program will address quality of earnings, which is in the forefront of this scandal-ridden environment.

Penalty abatement is a technique that tax practitioners can utilize to help their clients reduce penalties and interest they owe to the IRS if the taxpayer can prove “reasonable cause.” This informative and insightful webinar will provide you with some insider tips, practical steps and effective strategies to help your client manage IRS tax penalties and interest. Learn about various types of penalties that you may face and the various forms and procedures used for requesting penalty and interest abatement, including First Time and Reasonable Cause abatement. Plus, learn about the procedure to follow when requesting refund of paid penalties. **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 past year has shown us the need for numerous projects and the need to manage those projects in a unique way. Project management is a way of thinking highly recognized and practiced by large organizations, but often neglected by the smallest companies and entrepreneurs. This course quickly discusses the basics of project management thought and practice and then spends the majority of the time exploring some of the greatest mistakes that can be made, the ways to avoid them, and some of the tricks that have been introduced into the discipline. In the program we will explore some of the specific types of project management as well as some of the available software programs to make the task of project management easier. In an effort to avoid talking theory without concrete examples, we will often use examples born from projects needed as a result of our experiences with COVID-19.

Data security is a front-of-mind topic for most businesses because the risk and cost statistics are sobering. Each of us is in the crosshairs because a typical internet-connected computer faces a cyberattack every 39 seconds. Businesses of all sizes should be cognizant of the ethical issues that must be considered when planning their approach to privacy and data security. In this webinar, we will explore both the risks we have traditionally faced in the workplace personally, as well as the novel set of data privacy threats and compliance challenge issues employers face with a remote and mobile workforce.

The Teams app is designed to be the foundation for all that you do in Office 365. If you understand and embrace that tenet you will maximize the ROI of your Microsoft 365 subscriptions. The course will explain and demonstrate how Teams can be implemented to central hub for accessing all your M365 applications and data. John Higgins, a strategic advisor to the profession on Microsoft 365 deployment, will share a number of "best practices" for deploying teams to increase communication, collaboration and knowledge sharing within your organization, as well as externally. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Are you  looking to fortify your practice against the ever-growing threats in the digital landscape? Join us for the second installment of our exclusive webinar series, "Mastering Cybersecurity," brought to you by Practice Protect. In today's digitally connected world, the need for comprehensive cybersecurity is paramount. With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, it's crucial to stay ahead of the curve in protecting your sensitive client data.  This webinar series is designed to equip CPAs with the knowledge and tools needed to secure their practices and client information effectively.

This Masterclass is a one-hour training exclusively for employed accountants and bookkeepers. Start a business on the side offering CFO Advisory services to small businesses! Designed exclusively for accountants and CPAs, this class focuses on how you can use your knowledge and experience to start an advisory service in your spare time. By providing a service that your clients really want, you can supplement your income by upwards of $6k per month working only 4 hours per client - with only 3 clients. We'll cover the systems you need to start your own advisory service including how to package, price and market your business. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Please join us for a discussion on Treasury Circular 230 and other ethical issues faced by enrolled agents and other tax preparers.  In addition to covering the practice standards espoused by Treasury Circular 230, there will also be an overview of the applicable provisions in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and common law which will affect tax preparers.  The discussion will conclude with other ethical issues, such as avoiding conflicts of interest, proper fee structure and maintaining competency.  Also included will be case studies illustrating dilemmas faced by tax practitioners.   **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.  

Companies operating in today's business climate are weathering a storm of major FASB updates. Companies and their advisors may want to consider non-GAAP options as they develop strategies involving revenue recognition, leasing, credit losses, and other FASB pronouncements. This session will provide an overview of special purpose frameworks that may present salient alternatives to U.S. GAAP for certain entities. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Overview of the most important labor and employment policies and practices that every business should have. The review will go over confidentiality agreements, arbitration agreements, restrictive covenants, training, and severance agreements, as well as compliance issues related to each of them. 

This session will expand on methodologies to employ when owner-employee compensation is at issue. The session will focus on determinations of reasonable replacement compensation for individuals who both provide services to a closely held business or professional practice and also have an ownership stake in the enterprise. Executive Compensation in the form of options and restricted stock will also be covered in the context of marital dissolution proceedings. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

For many business professionals, accessing and managing data in Excel is one of the biggest stumbling blocks when creating reports and analyses. Common practices include far too many manual processes and formulas, including never-ending manual processes needed to update your data and related reports. Make plans now to join us in this session to learn best practices for accessing and managing data using Excel. In this session, you will learn how you can use Power Query and other Excel tools to quickly access and manipulate your data and generate reports in record time! This is a “must-see” session for any business professional working with Excel!    

Automating the tax practice is – or should be – a major initiative of almost all public accounting firms today. From ingesting data, processing returns, distributing draft and final copies, and billing and collecting fees, practitioners have outstanding opportunities to automate their tax practice. Those that choose to automate will experience the benefits of reduced staff turnover, increased productivity and efficiency, fewer errors, and improved cash flow. Participate in this session to learn the “how’s and why’s” of automating your tax practice. This session includes critical topics such as hardware and software options, workflows, and security and privacy issues. Plan to join us in this session to position your tax practice for greater success! 

This course provides an update of the recent changes that have occurred in the financial reporting frameworks commonly used by small and medium-sized entities (SMEs). Troublesome areas in these financial reporting frameworks as identified in peer reviews and litigation will be highlighted. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Excel remains a staple tool for virtually all accounting and financial professionals. In this session learn about many of the newer features in Excel, along with some you may have overlooked in the past…truly “must-see CPE!”

In order not to perform an excessive number of audit procedures (over audit) auditors must perform procedures in order to determine in what areas are there weak internal controls that could result in a risk that the financial statements would be materially misstated and not be detected.  SAS No. 122, AU 300 – 499, Measuring Audit Risk provides guidance as well as required procedures that must be performed in every audit in order to determine the risk of material misstatement.  No longer can the auditor state that they assess the risk of material misstatement at maximum without having a basis for making such assessment.  As a result, the standards now require that the auditor make such an assessment of a material misstatement of the financial statement on every audit in order to have a basis for such assessment.  This program is an overview of the statement documentation requirements in assessing such a risk.

This course will start with the Accounting Standard Updates effective in 2024 for public entities, private entities, and nonprofits. We'll then switch our attention to the items coming down the pike, including a look at the projects identified by the FASB's Invitation to Comment: Agenda Consultation. We'll also review year 2 considerations for leases including modification accounting. Then we will switch gears, switching to the audit side of the house. We'll review the impact of the changes to auditing  group audits as well as the status of the AICPA's quality management project management. This course will keep auditors up to date on the work of the ASB.

Today's CPAs can expect their prospects, clients, referral partners, and candidates to research them on LinkedIn. The good news is that you can leverage LinkedIn to craft a digital presence that demonstrates your expertise, showcases your personal brand, and aligns with your values. Learn how to create a LinkedIn profile that is not just a resume but a valuable marketing tool for your CPA business. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.