CPE Catalog & Events

This course empowers accountants with the knowledge and skills needed to strategically implement generative AI within their firms, positioning them at the forefront of innovation and operational efficiency. As generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini transform business practices, accountants will learn to harness these tools to drive value, streamline processes, and enhance decision-making. Through examination of the current AI landscape, practical frameworks, and real-world applications, participants will learn how to leverage AI technologies to enhance accounting operations while maintaining professional standards and ethical considerations. The course emphasizes a balanced approach to AI adoption that focuses on augmenting human capabilities rather than replacement. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Almost every business and individual has to file tax returns, which can be a great treasure trove of information for forensic accountants. Whether in a divorce, partnership dispute, recreating books and records, or bankruptcy proceeding, analyzing tax return information should be an initial step in uncovering income and assets. The IRS retains a large amount of information, both from taxpayers and 3rd parties who report financial transactions. This course will be your guide in gathering, analyzing, and evaluating tax return information, so that you have a full picture of the financial investigation. Your presenter is a 20 year veteran with IRS-Criminal Investigation, who used this information as a basis for his federal criminal investigations. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Business leaders often view an internal control system as a security measure. However, a well-designed system can also drive entity objectives. Learn to design a robust and well-supported system, leveraging years of experience and key concepts from authoritative pronouncements and frameworks. Explore strategies to address new business challenges, including evolving markets, rapid changes in business, and increasing governmental and industry-based regulation. This course is for anyone working with internal controls.

In this comprehensive course, practitioners gain a deep understanding of strategic planning considerations and potential hurdles encountered when clients face difficult circumstances. Delving into an array of scenarios often classified as "challenging," the course offers tax insights. From divorce and personal bankruptcy to intricate personal relationship matters, participants will equip themselves to adeptly guide clients through these challenging scenarios by understanding the tax implications. **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 examines actual fraud circumstances through the lens of potential prevention. We will examine how selected frauds were accomplished and consider what internal controls may have prevented fraudsters' ability to accomplish their nefarious acts. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

You have more to do than time to do it. When you finally find the time, distractions steal it away again. As a leader with multiple layers of demands on your time, how can you possibly get it all done? In this course, I will help you learn practical productivity strategies so you can tame your to do list and multiply your time. It’s just wrong for a to-do list to rule your life. Learn how to take back your time…and your life.

This course covers recently issued accounting and financial statement reporting standards from the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Key implementation challenges and experiences from public company filings will be identified. 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 begins with a look at the GASB standards effective this year, including GASB 100, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections and GASB 101, Compensated Absences. We'll include practical application of the topics in the form of case studies. 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 addresses the most recent legislative developments impacting individual taxpayers, with a focus on important provisions, rules and concepts to apply when preparing client 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 kori.herrera@acpen.com

A discussion of the latest 2021/222 tax developments impacting individual taxpayers, with a focus on important provisions, rules and concepts. 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 provide a general understanding of the new reporting and disclosure requirements for employee benefit plans under the now effective SAS 136, the AICPA's new employee benefit plan auditing standard. Participants will be provided with an insight into the common errors and mistakes made by auditors and plan administrators, as well as the new requirements of both groups under the new SAS. The course will discuss the results from the Department of Labor's ("DOL") Criminal Enforcement initiative and audit quality study, and focus on the causes of the recent increase in the number of deficient engagements identified by the peer review process. This course will provide auditors and plan administrators with up-to-date information regarding defined contribution plans auditing, reporting and disclosure requirements, including those related to the new ERISA Section 103(A)(3)(c) audits under SAS 136.

When putting together a financial plan, it is important to remember that the tax situation of the business and the individual are often intertwined. Therefore, decisions about entity type are vitally important. Practitioners need to understand not only how different entities are taxed, but also which taxes will have the greatest impact on the individual owner. In this course, we will explore when self-employment taxes apply to business income, as well as some of the lesser-known taxes that apply to flow-through entities. We will even explore when a PTE election could be helpful to a small business owner.

The control and compliance requirements for single audits differ from the requirements for GAAS audits. As a result, sometimes it's difficult to tell where the auditor's responsibilities start and stop in a single audit. This course is designed to help you proceed and succeed in applying the single audit control and compliance requirements contained in the 2024 revision to the Uniform Guidance for Federal Awards. Over 15 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the most critical challenges in single auditing today.

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.

This comprehensive course covers the most common aspects and tax implications of S Corporations, providing a deep dive into their structure, tax treatment, and compliance requirements. Participants will learn the mechanics of electing Subchapter S status, with discussions on Form 2553 and relief options for late filings. The course also explores the application of Rev. Proc. 2022-19 and Rev. Proc. 2023-3, analyzing their differences and implications under I.R.C. §1361 and §1362. Key topics include corporate formalities, shareholder stock and debt basis, and highlights of Form 1120S and its schedules (K-1, K-2, and K-3). Additionally, participants will gain insights into officer reasonable compensation requirements, audit strategies, and corrective measures for eligibility errors. *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 Inflation Reduction Act increased the IRS budget. As a result, the IRS continues to replenish its audit workforce. The IRS trains its audit workforce by examining the tax returns of individuals and small businesses. Now, more than ever, Accounting, Tax and Financial Professionals need clients to understand the need for documentation and procedures to substantiate what IRS examiners are pursuing. Learn the high audit risk areas and ways to help clients survive an IRS audit with little or no change. It is critical for Accounting, Tax, and Financial Professionals in public accounting to understand the risk to clients and to themselves in tax return preparation and planning since the IRS continues to increase its audit coverage and is examining more taxpayers than it has in the recent past.

Cash flow management is often the most important task of any CFO or financial leader. Regardless of whether one works in start-ups or established companies, non-profit or for-profit entities, cash flow makes our organizations run. Have you ever wondered whether you are optimizing your company's cash flow? In this course, we will explore how to improve your company's cash flow using analysis and financial theories in the context of real-world situations. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Most productivity planners could have been made in 1975. However, we have learned more about the brain in the last 5 years than in the last 500!  If productivity involves filtering out distractions, focusing, and executing on what is most important, shouldn’t there be a brain-based approach that incorporates the new science to help your organization fight distractions and find time?  Yes, there should be, and now there is!  It is time for a new productivity for the new world. In this course, you will learn science-based whole brain approach to help people across your organization boost focus, energy, and motivation toward what matters most so they can increase their opportunity to achieve your organizations most important goals.

As financial and tax professionals well know, information overload is a constant struggle we face because things change quickly, and the sheer number of changes being made on a daily basis is enormous. Of great importance to small and medium tax and advisory firms is differentiating between changes that are relevant to our practice and our clients and changes that are new but totally irrelevant. Distinguishing between the two is difficult and time-consuming. Mike Tucker and a team of experts are pleased to present a weekly series designed to eliminate the clutter and get you what you need to stay up-to-date and perform for your clients. Mike and his co-presenters will dispense news on current events impacting taxes, finance, and industry. The subject matter will differ each week and intermittently include topics such as Social Security and Medicare. The panelists will discuss personal and corporate tax matters as well as other late-breaking news related to practitioners' personal finances and those of their clients. Every financial professional will benefit from this series. This is a cost-effective way for accountants to fulfill their compulsory continuing education because this weekly series will include almost 40 one-hour presentations. Sign up today - your clients and your bottom line will thank you.

In this FutureReady course, Tom Hood explains how Strategic Foresight is crucial to preparing your organization for a future of exponential change. First, he defines Strategic Foresight and shares different ways of applying it. Then, he demonstrates how to prepare for a future that you can't yet see. And finally, Tom covers different types of innovation and how to apply them to your career and organization.