CPE Catalog & Events

Arguably the most discussed topics to come out of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) are the taxation of tips and overtime. Practitioners need to understand these provisions now, as they are effective for 2025 tax returns. This program provides practitioners with the background currently available to advise clients regarding these two important tax developments. Both employers and employees need to understand these timely changes to taxation.

The objective of this course is to train new staff accountants, data processing employees, paraprofessionals, and bookkeepers to prepare a moderately complex federal individual income tax return (Form 1040). Over the years, thousands of new staff have received practical, hands-on experience to become familiar with tax forms. This course covers the latest tax law changes, making it essential for your new staff.

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.

Taxation of real estate and homebuilding activities has been subject to IRS scrutiny, primarily regarding compliance with cost capitalization issues and revenue recognition, including the costing out of units sold. This course provides an in-depth analysis of tax accounting methods for various real estate and homebuilding activities, including the application of IRC Section 263A (capitalization and inclusion in inventory costs of certain expenses) and IRC Section 461 (the general rule for the taxable year of deduction). This program will provide clear insights into approaching compliance with costing rules, avoiding IRS audit adjustments, and obtaining the most beneficial tax results for the home builder/developer.

Tax credit and incentive programs offer significant but rarely utilized savings. This presentation will introduce the most important federal and California tax credits and incentives available to business taxpayers. Attendees will hear an overview of these benefits and learn how to identify these opportunities for their clients.

Microsoft Excel is perhaps the most used business application today. Yet, many Excel users remain bogged down in yesterday's spreadsheet practices. Participate in this session to master ten terrific features you should use to enhance your productivity with Excel.

This professional development course equips you with practical strategies to manage challenging interactions in the workplace. Although difficult individuals may represent a small segment of the workforce, their impact can be significant, often leading to time lost and decreased productivity. In this course, you will gain essential skills to address and navigate these situations effectively. Additionally, you'll identify specific challenges and develop a personalized action plan for implementing the strategies learned back in your workplace.

Accounting and finance professionals often receive questions concerning all facets of Medicare. How does Medicare work? How do I apply? How much does it cost? Is Medicare optional or required? This program provides a basic introduction to the Medicare program and covers many of the areas of the Medicare program that clients are most interested in. If you, or some of your clients, have questions relating to Medicare, this program is a must for you.

Companies often offer stock options as an additional form of compensation to attract and retain the best talent. Used appropriately, stock options can generate significant wealth, yet many employees are unfamiliar with how stock options work and why options serve as a valuable opportunity for employees to establish and grow their wealth. Unfortunately, employees who receive stock options are often unaware of their inherent risks. Research has shown that over 76% of employees have never exercised their stock options. Almost half of these individuals (48%), say they held off on selling their options due to fear of making a mistake. This course provides accounting and finance professionals with a broad overview of employee stock options. The webinar is designed to help participants better understand the fundamentals behind these investments and, in turn, better advise their clients.

There are numerous federal laws that restrict what businesses can do in terms of hiring and firing employees. Many of these laws impose significant penalties if employers violate them. Accordingly, it is crucial that all employers and their professional advisors understand these laws and apply them to their employment practices.

This course is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of charitable gifting strategies and their implications for individual taxpayers. Participants will explore the fundamentals of charitable giving, including the tax benefits, legal considerations, and planning opportunities available under current tax law. The course will cover the types of organizations that qualify for charitable contributions, the income and estate tax treatment of gifts, and the various methods of structuring charitable donations to maximize tax efficiency. Attendees will learn about specific charitable gifting techniques such as donor-advised funds, charitable remainder trusts, and qualified charitable distributions from retirement accounts. The course will also examine tax deduction limits, substantiation requirements, and the impact of state tax credits on charitable giving. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to guide clients in implementing effective charitable giving strategies that align with their financial and philanthropic goals.

Today's workforce looks a lot different than it used to. With more people working from home and across state lines, employers must examine withholding and unemployment laws in a new light. In this course, we will examine tried and true rules in this area and examine statutes that are still developing. Using real-life examples and discussion, we will examine state laws on reciprocity and residency requirements. We will also look at what to do when state laws are silent or conflict on a particular issue so you can keep your clients in compliance and be well-prepared for the questions that will come your way in these ever-changing times.

Designed as an all-you-need-to-know update for accounting, auditing, and attestation practitioners at all levels in public accounting and industry, this course provides a comprehensive review of recent standard-setting and rulemaking activities of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). On the financial accounting front, we will cover the FASB's Post-Implementation Review (PIR) report released in late 2025 for lease accounting under ASC 842 and discuss the best practices in applying the standard and identifying any ongoing issues practitioners are experiencing with applying the standard. We will also discuss the more than a dozen ASUs the FASB has issued since the beginning of 2024 and into 2026 covering government grants, derivatives and financial instruments, practical expedients for credit losses under ASC 326, and expense disaggregation on the income statement. Our focus on AICPA standards includes a detailed discussion of revamped AICPA quality management standards. The AICPA updated and modernized the standards by issuing Statement on Quality Management Standards 1, 2, and 3 (SQMS 1, SQMS 2, and SQMS 3, respectively), SSARS No. 26, and SAS 146, Quality Management for an Engagement Conducted in Accordance with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (SAS 146). These standards, now effective as of December 15, 2025, modernize quality management standards to reflect an increased focus on risk assessment, technology use, and the presence of outside experts on engagements. We will also discuss AICPA's proposed SAS, The Auditor's Responsibilities Relating to Fraud in an Audit of Financial Statements, intended to supersede AU-C section 240. We will also cover new rules impacting public company audits and present case studies on recent fraudulent accounting stories and best practices for detecting and preventing such frauds. In summary, the course is your go-to source for all things A&A and will prepare you for your upcoming engagements throughout the rest of the year.

Each year brings its own set of tax planning challenges, and this year is no exception. This course aims to arm tax planners with planning strategies and ideas that all clients, but in particular, wealthy clients, middle-income clients, and closely held business owners need to consider right now to take advantage of present opportunities and plan for future tax advantages. Learn strategies that can really have an impact on client lives, while also bringing value to you and your firm. Please Note: 2026 returns are not covered in this course. They will be covered after their issuance, as part of our spring 2027 course release.

With the AICPA's heightened focus on enhancing audit quality, increased oversight of the peer review process and the auditor's overall responsibility to provide high quality services, the focus on compliance with professional standards has never been greater. Add to that the requirement to implement the revised risk assessment standards (SAS 145) and it's easy to see why it's more important than ever to ensure that auditors have a good understanding of the requirements and comply with documentation standards. Recent peer reviews have indicated that auditors are often failing to perform and/or document certain critical components of an audit such as the auditor's assessment of risk and linking the results of the assessment to substantive procedures performed. In addition, auditors are not adequately documenting their consideration of fraud, expectations in analytical procedures and the appropriate level of work needed to understand an entity's internal control. Firms were required to implement the AICPA's Revised Quality Management Standards by December 15, 2025. And the firm's evaluation of the System of Quality Management is required within one year after that. This is not just a matter of tweaking the firm's existing QM document, the standard requires a risk assessment process to identify risk and there are new quality objectives that are specified in SQMS 1-3. The AICPA further issued a SAS, SSARS and SSAE that set forth requirements for quality at the engagement level. The objective of the course is to provide the insights necessary to help auditors and accountants improve not just the quality of their work but also the perception of the accounting profession as a whole. We will focus on the most significant items resulting in deficiencies identified in the peer review process. We will also discuss the applicable audit standards, documentation requirements, and best practices. We will address the new QM standards.

This highly informative course comprehensively covers all the latest tax law developments. The focus is on individual taxation and discussion of the planning opportunities practitioners need to understand to help clients respond effectively. You will come away from the course with the up-to-date knowledge to educate your individual tax clients and implement tax-saving ideas that will serve their ever-evolving needs. This course is continually updated to reflect enacted legislation. Please Note: Due to content overlap, it is recommended that this course NOT be taken together with BFTU.

The IRS has issued final regulations regarding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act's (TCJA) elimination of the deduction for expenditures related to entertainment, amusement, or recreational activities and provided guidance to determine whether an activity is considered to be entertainment. The final regulations also address the 50% limitation on the deduction of food and beverage expenses and when the 50% limitation does not apply. To effectively advise clients, it is imperative for tax practitioners to understand these rules and be updated on the latest IRS guidance related to meals and entertainment.

How much can clients contribute to a Roth IRA, Roth 401(k), Roth SEP IRA, or Roth SIMPLE IRA? When do enhanced (super) catch-up contributions apply, and when must those catch-up contributions be made on a Roth basis? How does a Roth distribution qualify as tax-free? How did SECURE Act 1.0 and SECURE Act 2.0 fundamentally change Roth funding and distribution rules? These are among the core Roth questions advisors must be able to answer with confidence. As Roth accounts continue to play an increasingly central role in retirement savings strategies — and as contribution rules become more layered and complex — Roth proficiency is no longer optional. In addition, new rules governing age-based enhanced catch-up contributions and the Roth mandate for certain higher-income participants have added a new level of coordination between tax planning, payroll, and retirement plan design. In this course, Denise Appleby simplifies the critical rules that govern Roth funding and Roth distributions across Roth IRAs, Roth 401(k)s, and related employer plans. Emphasis is placed on understanding how the rules interact, where advisors commonly make mistakes, and how recent legislative changes affect real-world planning.

How debt is allocated to the partners in a partnership is important. It dictates how much money may be taken tax-free as a distribution, the losses that flow down to the partners, and the gain or loss on the sale of a partnership interest. However, the allocation of debt can differ depending on the type of debt it is and the type of partner we are talking about. Furthermore, 704(c) can complicate things. And what in the world is a constructive liquidation scenario? In this course, we will tackle the concept of debt allocations - how you do it, what it means, and why you do it.

*** 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.