CPE Catalog & Events

Leaders in CPA firms often spend time on work that sits below their highest and best use: meetings they do not need to attend, work delegated upward by their teams, client scope creep, administrative tasks, and avoided accountability conversations. Survey data cited in the course indicates that most leaders say yes to commitments they know they should decline, at a cost of hundreds of hours per year. This course introduces the distinction between hard work (time-bound), smart work (skills-based and intellectual), and uncomfortable work (emotional), and shows why avoided "Uncomfortable Work" is the common root of these low-value commitments. Participants complete a structured 32-item self-inventory across five categories: meetings and events, unrealistic expectations, strategies and opportunities, tasks and projects, and suboptimal performance. They then quantify the estimated annual hours lost to the commitments they identified, select one commitment to decline over the next month, and name the higher-value leadership activity (such as delegation, business development, project oversight, or performance management) that the reclaimed time will support. With the self-awareness and clarity gained through this program, you will know exactly which gaps need closing before work ramps back up. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This section of the four-part series will cover the fundamentals of Form 706 and provide numerous examples of how to properly report deductions on the estate tax return, including marital and charitable deductions. Form 706 Series: Part 1: Overview Including Portability Part 2: Reporting Assets Part 3: Reporting Deductions Part 4: GST Schedule R, Form 8971, Payments & Credits

Many of our clients are looking for techniques to transfer wealth to their loved ones while minimizing gift and estate taxes. Irrevocable trusts take advantage of the currently high exclusion amount to freeze their estates. This course will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using a wide variety of noncharitable trusts, such as spousal lifetime access trusts (SLATs), grantor retained interest trusts (GRATs and GRUTs), intentionally defective grantor trusts (IDGTs), qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs), life insurance trusts (ILITs), domestic asset protection trusts (DAPTs), and dynasty trusts.

This webcast will walk you through a SOC 2 report, giving you enhanced knowledge of essential information for preparing or reviewing SOC 2 reports. Get comfortable with SOC 2 reports. Avoid potential pitfalls. For service auditors and user entities new to SOC 2 reporting, not understanding the report contents can result in reporting deficiencies or inappropriate identification of key information. How will this course benefit you? This webcast presents the contents of each section of a SOC 2 report, highlighting key items of interest. As a user or user auditor, you will be better able to identify pertinent information that affects your organization or audit work. And as a service provider or service auditor, you will be better able to recognize what users are looking for and meet the requirements of SSAE No. 18. Why take this course? Take this course as an introduction to SOC 2 reporting, to strengthen your foundational knowledge as you perform SOC 2 examinations as a service auditor or as you review SOC 2 reports as a user entity or user auditor.

Join the Team from Hochman, Salkin, Toscher, & Perez for a LIVE tax-based series with a new topic at each Session. Past conversations have included crypto tax compliance, BBA Partnerships, Federal and State Residency issues, Partnership examinations, Form 8300, and more. Check back regularly for topics, and be sure to register for them all. Tax Talks Series April 21, 2026 June 16, 2026 August 18, 2026 October 20, 2026 January 26, 2027 April 20, 2027

SQMS No. 2, Engagement Quality Reviews, sets out requirements and guidance for firms to conduct an engagement quality (EQ) review. The standard also addresses the qualifications, eligibility, responsibilities, and appointment of an EQ reviewer. The predecessor standard, SQCS No. 8, combined quality control policies with the engagement quality control review. SQMS No. 2 was issued separately to highlight the importance of the EQ review within a firm's system of quality management. SQMS No. 2 formalizes and strengthens the review process through clarified guidance and enhanced documentation requirements. It also distinguishes the responsibilities of the firm from those of the EQR reviewer, ensuring greater accountability and transparency.

This comprehensive tax update is designed to prepare the practitioner for the upcoming filing season by providing an in-depth analysis and update of the business tax provisions enacted under OBBBA and other recent business tax developments. Participants will examine statutory changes affecting corporate, pass-through, and individual business taxation, including modifications to depreciation, credits, deductions, compliance requirements, and planning strategies. 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 provides a concise overview of advanced, real-world applications of Claude Cowork, focusing on how accountants can operationalize agentic AI within complex financial workflows. Moving beyond foundational concepts, this session explores how AI plugins, structured workflows, and integrated data environments elevate Cowork from a capable assistant into a specialized accounting partner. Participants will examine high-impact use cases such as variance analysis, invoice automation, and board-level reporting, while learning how to embed domain intelligence through the Finance Plugin and firm-specific customization. A central theme of the course is the application of the Sparring Partner Protocol, enabling accountants to rigorously validate, challenge, and enhance AI-generated outputs. The session emphasizes that while AI can execute 70-80% of the work, professional judgment, verification, and strategic interpretation remain essential. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This four-part series covers the fundamentals of Form 706. In this final course, we will cover GST allocations on Schedule R, Foreign Death Tax credit, Prior Transfer credit, Qualified Conservation Easements, making the 6166 election for estate tax payment and considering a Graegin or other loan to pay the estate tax. Illustrations of attachments and/or narrative examples for Schedule R will be provided. Form 706 Series: Part 1: Overview Including Portability Part 2: Reporting Assets Part 3: Reporting Deductions Part 4: GST Schedule R, Form 8971, Payments & Credits

Good writing is good business. Studies show that the average business worker receives 121 emails per day. That's a lot of emails. Are your emails effective? Are they being read? Are they professional and tone-smart? In this course, you will learn techniques and skills to get your emails to stand out and improve their effectiveness and professionalism.

One of the most intimidating aspects of going into business for yourself is compliance. Tax, employment, and regulatory laws are difficult to navigate, so it often falls on the CPA to know the basics in these areas to help their clients avoid costly litigation. In this course, we will cover basic compliance areas for small business owners. We will look at the main elements of a contract, taxation of entity types, worker classification, property law, and many of the other areas that are often overwhelming for small business owners. By being able to speak to these issues, practitioners will be able to add value and help their small business owner clients grow and thrive.

Root cause analysis is a powerful tool for understanding why quality issues arise, and for preventing them from recurring. This webcast examines the principles and objectives of a root cause analysis and how it aligns with SQMS No. 1's focus on continual improvement. Learn practical approaches for: Identifying underlying causes of findings and deficiencies Evaluating contributing factors Implementing meaningful corrective actions We'll also explore how this process can help firms of all sizes to: Enhance audit quality Strengthen remediation activities Foster a culture of proactive problem-solving

When clients ask questions about the impact of new tax legislation embodied in OBBBA, it is important that accounting and finance practitioners can reply with accurate and relevant planning strategies. This program prepares accounting and finance practitioners with the knowledge and insights to help their clients apply the new law to their advantage. This program is an introduction and review of some of these critical changes and their impact on individual and business taxpayers. By taking this program, accounting and finance practitioners will have a broader, deeper understanding of many of the OBBBA changes that impact their clients. This course is a two-hour review and analysis of what we consider some of the most important changes from the OBBBA impacting clients and perhaps their businesses.

Explore the intricacies of federal income taxation as it intertwines with rental real estate activities. This course delves into the calculation of rental income, understanding the nuances of deductions, and unraveling the complexities of passive activity loss rules. Whether it's mastering Schedule E or understanding Congress' intent behind tax laws, professionals will leave with an enriched understanding.

Understanding unconscious bias is key to creating an inclusive workplace and to making the best business decisions. This course explores the concept of unconscious bias, the science behind it, and how it can affect the way employers hire, evaluate, and treat employees. We will also discuss strategies employers can use to reduce unconscious bias and create a more inclusive workplace.

This session provides a comprehensive analysis of meals and entertainment regulations under IRC 274 as amended by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Participants will learn how to identify deductible vs. nondeductible expenditures, interpret the regulatory definitions surrounding "entertainment," "business associate," and reimbursement arrangements, and apply the numerous exceptions under IRC 274(e), including compensation, recreational activities, public availability, and goods or services sold to customers. Using examples from the final regulations, we will dissect key distinctions such as separately stated food and beverage costs, employer-provided meals, and the treatment of per diem reimbursements. This course equips practitioners with the technical precision required for compliance, documentation, and audit defense. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The course provides general information on proceedings that led to a grand jury indictment of television reality stars, Todd and Julie Chrisley. Participants learn how business decisions can lead to federal charges for conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. The grand jury also indicted the Chrisley's accountant, Peter Tarantino, on tax-related offenses. Participants learn how to develop resources and tools for effective detection and deterrence of federal crimes, and the learn the consequences that follow white-collar crime, including how responses can influence lengthy prison terms. 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 provides a focused update on major recent pronouncements issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). Coverage includes GASB Statement No. 103 (financial reporting model), GASB Statement No. 104 (disclosures for capital assets), and GASB Statement No. 105 (subsequent events). Participants will also receive a high-level overview of active GASB exposure drafts and ongoing projects. The course is designed to help auditors, preparers, and financial leaders understand how these developments affect audits, financial statement preparation, and board reporting. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

In today's rapidly changing world, finance professionals are required to wear many hats and are often the keys to the success of the organization. On one hand, they need to be abreast of the latest proven financial skills for making the best decisions, and on the other hand, they need the best skills to motivate, manage, and lead people. Being pigeonholed into one area or another is neither good for career building nor good for the organization. We'll cover the latest issues that all CFOs and controllers need to know about and provide how-to guidance to allow for immediate use in their organizations.

Auditing for today's world Remoting auditing is happening everywhere you turn. Understanding the considerations for a remote audit and the specific techniques for performing the engagement will help you integrate remote auditing into your practice. You will learn how to: Leverage the benefits of remote auditing Manage the team, client, and audit process remotely Identify engagement-wide procedures from client acceptance through report issuance when remote auditing Identify and obtain audit evidence for generally material accounts