CPE Catalog & Events

Breaking the Wall of blind acceptance; avoiding habitual complacency and Yoking the dots between cause and effect.

Seismic changes in tax legislation is currently taking place, and the well-informed tax practitioner will want to attend this four hour program in order to stay abreast of these developments.  This program will cover new court decisions, recent IRS publications, and the latest tax legislation that will impact businesses and individuals.  The remaining time will be spent on IRS procedure and other issues. This course will provide a concise look at the hottest topics affecting every tax practitioner.  **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 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

Fraud has not been conquered.  Although most organizations like to think, “it can’t happen to us,” the fact of the matter is that fraud can happen to any organization and its impact can be catastrophic.  Accountability professionals are the first line of defense against fraud. When fraud happens, management always turns to the accountability professional and either says (a) “this must be your fault,” or (b) “you were right; you warned us; help us make sure this cannot happen again.” Consequently, accountants, internal auditors, external auditors, fraud examiners, and risk management professionals need to develop the skills needed to prevent, detect, and deter fraud and need to be proactive in promoting and effecting organizational change. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ (ACFE) 2024 Report to the Nations: The median loss per fraud case is $145,000; the average loss per fraud case is $1.7 million. 43% of frauds are discovered by tips, usually from employees. Asset misappropriation schemes are the most common (89%) but least costly ($120,000 median loss). Financial statement fraud schemes are the least common (5%) but most costly ($766,000 median loss). Corruption is the most common scheme in all global regions. Median losses for frauds by owners/executives ($459,000) were more than 7X GREATER than those carried out by employees ($60,000). 84% of fraudsters exhibited at least one behavioral red flag. Organizations that have implemented anti-fraud measures suffer significantly lower losses and find fraud much more quickly. These conclusions are alarming and should be a wake-up call for all business and government professionals. The impact of fraud is always devastating and can be catastrophic.  The 2025 Business Fraud Update is another fast-moving seminar that will provide a comprehensive look at the latest developments about fraud from the technical, legal, and operational perspectives and update participants on the most recent legal and regulatory developments in this important area of professional responsibility.   In addition, our panel of legal, accountability, and forensic experts will explain key steps and methods in conducting a successful fraud investigation: Establishing predicate for an investigation Gathering and preserving evidence Conducting interviews and obtaining confessions When to involve law enforcement professionals and regulators The CPA's Role Preparing an expert report Providing expert testimony Implementing corrective action plans

Financial statement disclosures are important to provide the information necessary for financial statement users to make economic decisions. Disclosures further explain and clarify information provided in the basic financial statements, but also provide critical information about subsequent events, litigation risk, and other concerns. This course focuses on the most common financial statement disclosures for small- or medium-sized nonpublic entities. 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 complement to our series on Becoming a Forensic Accountant and the focus of the course is on steganography techniques. Steganography is the art and science of embedding secret messages in a cover message in such a way that no one, apart from the sender and intended recipient, suspects the existence of the message. The first use of steganography can be traced to 440 BC when ancient Greece, people wrote messages on wood and covered it with wax, that acted as a covering medium Romans used forms of Invisible Inks, to decipher those hidden messages light or heat were used. During World War II the Germans introduced microdots, which were complete documents, pictures, and plans reduced in size to the size of a dot and were attached to normal paperwork. Null Ciphers were also used to hide unencrypted secret messages in an innocent looking message. Given the amount of data being generated and transmitted electronically, it’s no surprise that numerous methods of protecting that data have evolved. There are various types of steganography: Text Steganography - Hiding information inside the text files. This involves changing format of existing text, changing words in a text, generating random character sequences or using context-free grammars to generate readable texts. Image Steganography - Process of hiding text in an image without distorting the picture. Video Steganography - Technique to hide any kind of files into a cover video file. Audio Steganography - The secret message is embedded into an audio signal which alters the binary sequence of the corresponding audio file. Network Steganography - The process of utilizing active network protocols as carriers to transmit a covert message, undetectable by an uninformed party, from a host to its destination. This session will review these methods and also discuss relevant software.  

Numbers and especially the digits within those numbers can conceal a lot of information.  Benford's Law and other digital analysis techniques can be the keys to unlocking that information.  This session will explain what Benford's Law is, how it works, and how it can be used to reveal bogus information and made-up data.  Accountants and auditors should understand how to use this valuable audit tool as well as other digital analysis techniques.  But, if you attend this session, you must promise not to reveal the secret behind these techniques to any fraud perpetrators.

Balancing financial responsibilities with ethical leadership and governance practices can often seem daunting, particularly in smaller organizations. In this session we will discuss practical skills needed to lead with accountability, set high ethical standards, how to engage with the Board effectively, and drive true governance practices that go beyond buzzwords. Numerous organizations have embraced better governance because it is needed and is effective. We will discuss why better governance is imperative and how to implement the best governance practices.

What were they thinking?  Why do some people make horrible decisions that severely damage themselves and their organizations?  It is tempting to assume that a poor choice must be due to a leader’s incompetence, inexperience, bad character, or low intelligence – but such easily attributed factors generally aren’t the true cause when leaders blunder.  In such situations, many turn to finance and accounting professionals for evaluation, answers, remedies, and solutions for improved decision-making.

Inventory observations are often a right of passage for audit staff. This course will cover the basics of auditing inventory, including the related audit assertions, risks, & threats to inventory. During this course, we will also highlight the various substantive auditing procedures that staff should perform, and also walk through how to conduct a physical inventory observation. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Small to medium-sized companies often fail to address fraud-related risks adequately. Often, organizations lack the resources needed to mitigate this risk. In other cases, owners or senior management underestimate the scope of the issue. Regardless of size, all organizations must be aware of the risks associated with intentional fraud. We'll explore why fraud occurs, examining defalcations often used against smaller entities. Then, review measures that organizations can implement to increase security and stop fraud.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.  The same theory applies to departmental performance—the overall result is only as strong as its weakest contributor.  Leave our interactive and entertaining session with insight for developing and sustaining the best team you can possibly assemble.  The four elements in this process are (1) development, (2) leadership, (3) hiring and (4) environment.  Discuss how to effectively use these elements in your creation of an outstanding organization. Discover the power of the 10 Attributes for Leadership Success and the negative impact of Leadership’s Fatal 13. Above all, learn how to combine these four elements as a successful catalyst for sustained high-quality output and results.  

Discover the communication edge that will take your CPA career to the next level. This comprehensive course empowers CPAs with the tools to enhance clarity, build trust, and drive decisions. Learn to transform complex jargon into actionable insights and develop powerful persuasion techniques that resonate with clients and stakeholders. Join me to sharpen your communication skills and elevate your professional impact. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This program addresses the critical issues and special opportunities facing S-corporations, with a focus on reporting shareholder basis and distributions. **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.

Quality management is important.  Every CPA firm that provides audit and other attest services must undergo a third-party quality control review.  This session will provide you with the tips on how to avoid common quality control deficiencies in all services that are subject to peer review.

Automation and standardization are two of the keys to productivity, but most people who are not programmers are unsure where to start. Microsoft’s Power Platform is a comprehensive platform for creating automated workflows, integrations, and data-driven reports. Components include Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, and Power Virtual Agents. Attend this session to learn about this platform and how everyone can use its low-code, no-code environment to solve process challenges.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of AU-C 240, Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statements Audit. Participants will gain practical insights into identifying, assessing, and responding to fraud risks within the context of financial statement audits. Through engaging lectures, real-world examples, and case studies, the course examines the nature and characteristics of fraud, including fraudulent financial reporting and misappropriation of assets. It also delves into the auditor's responsibilities under AU-C 240 for planning and performing audits with fraud considerations, techniques for identifying fraud risk factors and assessing risks of material misstatement, and methods for designing and implementing effective audit procedures. Additionally, participants will explore best practices for communicating and documenting findings related to potential or identified fraud. Ideal for auditors at all experience levels, this course equips attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate fraud-related complexities and maintain audit integrity.

This course is designed for financial professionals looking to understand Form 1120S. It covers the essential aspects of S corporation taxation, including the preparation of Form 1120S, determining taxable income, and accurately reporting and allocating income, deductions, and credits. Participants will also learn how to calculate shareholder basis and understand the strategic advantages and limitations of an S corporation.

Schedules K-2 and K-3 are promulgated by the IRS in order to standardize the reporting of foreign-related tax information for pass-through entities. Even pass-through entities that have no foreign activities, investments, or partners may have a reporting requirement. Schedules K-2 and K-3 for reporting partners' income, deductions, and credits from foreign activity are now required for passthrough returns (Form 1065, 1120-S and 8858). This requirement starts with returns with a tax year that ends in 2021. This course discusses each part of these schedules and explain these new reporting obligations in detail. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Unlock the full potential of Microsoft Excel PivotTables with this comprehensive course. This training is designed to equip participants with the skills to effectively analyze and summarize data, transforming raw numbers into actionable insights. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to data analysis, this course provides an in-depth understanding of PivotTables and their capabilities, helping you uncover patterns, compare data, and make informed decisions. The program includes a step-by-step approach to creating and customizing PivotTables, focusing on how to use them to analyze data efficiently. Participants will learn how to group and filter data, identify trends, and apply advanced features to solve real-world business challenges. Beyond technical knowledge, this course introduces data visualization through PivotCharts, teaching participants how to present their analysis effectively to stakeholders. By the end of the course, you'll not only master PivotTable fundamentals but also gain advanced techniques to streamline data analysis and support strategic decision-making in any context. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.