CPE Catalog & Events

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.

Should CPAs in public practice use Agentic AI? How? What should I not do? Join us to review how to use AI to assist in Assurance engagements, including testing internal controls.  Agentic AI (‘Artificial Intelligence’) is rapidly being deployed by leading audit, compliance, and finance teams. While AI agents are not yet replacing all of today’s knowledge workers like auditors, accountants, and IT security professionals, the knowledge workers that effectively use Agentic AI may soon be replacing those knowledge workers who do not use these tools to drive high quality business growth and scale. AI is moving beyond automation to become a true teammate, especially in the governance, risk, and compliance processes. This session will show how supervised AI agents can work alongside accountants, auditors and IT security professionals to enhance efficiency, consistency, and assurance quality.  Of critical importance is training and supervision so that the AI agents accomplish their testing to the intended quality standards. Attendees will leave with a practical view of how AI-powered testing can be applied to both internal and external assurance.

Seismic changes in tax legislation is currently taking place, and the well-informed tax practitioner will want to attend this two hour monthly program in order to stay abreast of these developments! Approximately one-half of the program is devoted to individual tax issues, and the remaining time is spend on business entity taxation, IRS procedure, tax legislation and other issues. Due to the changing nature of the topic, learning objectives, course descriptions and program content will vary and will be provided in more specificity closer to presentation time. This course provides a concise look at the hottest topics affecting every tax practitioner. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Governmental and not-for-profit organizations are entrusted with funds from taxpayers and donors and are frequently targeted by fraud perpetrators. How can these organizations ensure those funds are used only for intended purposes" This course will provide several real-world case studies in which a governmental or not-for-profit entity was the victim of fraud, including what type of fraud (asset misappropriation, fraudulent financial reporting, or corruption), how it happened, the fraud indicators that were present, and what could have been done to prevent the fraud.

Clients concerned about market volatility often prefer more conservative fixed-income investment strategies. There are many choices to consider: taxable or tax-exempt bonds; Treasury Bills or inflation-indexed bonds; and direct purchases, exchange-traded funds, or mutual funds. This course will explore the current economic environment, various fixed-income strategies, and their taxation. Companion course: Tax Aspects of Stock Investing

This comprehensive training is designed to get the accountant up to speed quickly with partnership and limited liability company (LLC) formation and preparation issues as well as a complete understanding of calculating a partner and LLC member’s basis. The cornerstone of this course is the in-depth line-by-line analysis of the Form 1065 Schedule K and K-1 and how these items affect the partner/member’s individual income tax return.   *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 terri.storer@acpen.com    

This course is designed for tax professionals seeking to understand and navigate the IRS collection process effectively. Participants will gain indepth knowledge of the various collection methods employed by the IRS, including liens, levies and wage garnishments. Additionall, participants will leand strategies to avoid or halt collection actions and the implications of the statute of limitations on tax collection. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Your client database is more than a record of past engagements-it's a goldmine of untapped opportunity. In this practical and forward-thinking session, accounting professionals will learn how to strategically analyze and segment their existing client data to uncover new service opportunities, deepen relationships, and drive sustainable revenue growth. From identifying cross-selling potential to leveraging automation tools for proactive outreach, this webinar will equip firm leaders and client managers with actionable strategies to turn dormant data into dynamic business development. Whether you're a solo practitioner or part of a larger firm, you'll walk away with a roadmap for transforming your client list into a revenue-generating engine. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

We all know that Fraud Happens. But, why? Why do people we think we can trust let us down? This session will explore the minds of white-collar criminals and examine some recent high-profile fraud cases. Why did they do it? How did they do it? What were the warning signs? If you think that fraud cannot happen to your organization, this session might give you pause.

The new Global Internal Audit Standards were released on January 9, 2024, and will become effective January 9, 2025. The previous version, the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, released in 2017, remains approved for use during a one-year transition period. The Global Internal Audit Standards guide the worldwide professional practice of internal audit. They serve as a basis for evaluating and elevating the quality of the internal audit function. The Standards use 15 guiding principles with five separate domains that enable effective internal audit implementation and examples of evidence of conformance. The Global Standards are organized into five domains. Domain I: Purpose of Internal Auditing Domain II: Ethics and Professionalism Domain III: Governing the Internal Audit Function Domain IV: Managing the Internal Audit Function Domain V: Performing Internal Audit Service

This course provides an in-depth exploration of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems as a critical tool for business automation. Designed for accounting professionals, it emphasizes CRM's role in streamlining workflows, organizing communications, enhancing client relationships, and improving efficiency. Participants will learn about key CRM features, integration with accounting software, and best practices for successful implementation. We will highlight practical applications with actionable insights to help attendees optimize their processes. This two-hour session ensures you walk away with a basic understanding of CRM's transformative potential for business and financial management.

Bears are intelligent and motivated to find food. When I left some fried chicken in my Jeep while in Gatlinburg, a bear tore a hole in the top and ate the chicken and part of my Jeep. He was just a bear being a bear. I'm responsible because I left the chicken in the Jeep and gave him the opportunity. Similarly, people are intelligent and motivated to survive. If we give them opportunity by not implementing good internal controls, they will take our assets. This session reviews the investigation and prosecution of the former director of a conference center who took advantage of lax internal controls of a joint-venture and stole thousands. She was just a fraudster being a fraudster.

Organizations that execute a wise strategy succeed; others are executed in the market. Many organizations invest significant time in strategic planning but fall short when it comes to execution. According to McKinsey, most fail to properly execute their strategy. This session explores the critical transition from strategy to performance while challenging outdated planning models and myths. We often do not think of strategy in the same context of longer-term organizational projects like ERP transitions or risk management. Why should you consider “killing” your current plan and building a new plan centered around financial performance? We will dive into the reasons strategy fails, uncover the practical tools for bridging the planning-performance gap, and explore how strong financial integration enables strategy to succeed. We review insight into what works—and what must be stopped immediately. The author uses CocaCola as a baseline to communicate elements of strategy and incorporates funny videos to highlight key points.

The accounting profession is rapidly shifting from a compliance-centered focus to one that demands insight, foresight, and strategic advisory skills. "From Numbers to Narratives: Mastering Data Analysis for CPAs" explores the "why" behind this transformation and highlights the critical role data analysis plays in helping CPAs remain relevant and competitive. This course provides a high-level overview of the skills and mindset required to move beyond historical reporting and into forward-looking analysis and storytelling. Participants will gain an understanding of how Microsoft 365 applications - such as Excel, Power Query, Power BI, OneDrive, and Teams - can be leveraged to transform raw financial data into meaningful insights. With an emphasis on the advisory role of CPAs, this course empowers professionals at every stage of their career to embrace analytics as a core competency. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Fraud has always been a concern for anyone associated with financial statements. In this course, Jeff takes a unique approach to the study of this topic by looking at what are considered to be the top ten accounting fraud cases. In studying the cases, you will gain insight into what to look for in the future. In addition to the cases, Jeff will cover various aspects, both authoritative and guidance, related to fraud to further improve your awareness and skills. He will also cover a couple of other significant fraud cases as well as a couple of interesting historical notes. The entire presentation is packaged into Jeff’s unique blend of teaching with humor. Each case has its own “Greatest hit”, a song parody to help you remember the case as well as other surprises along the way to keep your interest. If you are looking for a course that will keep awake and engaged and will better prepare you for detecting fraud, then this course is a must.

This course focuses on the key federal tax issues affecting business from the internal accountant's point of view, with a focus on the major ramifications of the TCJA and other recent tax legislation and developments.  Planning alternatives and the potential risks associated with those strategies will also be discussed.      *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 terri.storer@acpen.com  

Are you tired of struggling to create compelling charts and graphs? Join our session and transform your data into stunning visualizations that captivate and inform your audience. This isn't just another seminar on basic charts; it's a comprehensive guide to mastering advanced, interactive, and dynamic visualizations in Excel. In this session, you'll learn how to create visually appealing charts that are not only informative but also engaging. Discover the secrets to making your data come alive with interactive elements that ensure your audience understands and retains the information you present. Whether you're looking to enhance your communication skills or impress your stakeholders, this seminar is a must-attend. Don't miss out on the opportunity to take your Excel skills to the next level. Sign up now and start creating visualizations that make a lasting impact!

Are you tired of struggling with PDFs? Unlock the full potential of Adobe Acrobat and other PDF tools to make working with PDF files a breeze. Join our course and discover how to use powerful features such as PDF forms, redaction, converting PDFs to Word and Excel files, and electronic signatures. You'll also learn how to create and apply tick marks, build indices, catalogs, and portfolios, and secure your PDF documents to the fullest. As the popularity and usefulness of PDFs continue to grow, many users still haven't learned how to manipulate these documents effectively. Don't let this be you! Join us for this timely session and learn the top features necessary to optimize your work with PDF documents. Say goodbye to frustration and hello to efficiency!

This course explores federal tax credits available to both individual taxpayers and business entities. Participants will review how tax credits function within the federal tax system and examine eligibility requirements, documentation standards, and compliance considerations when claiming credits. The program discusses common credits available to individuals and businesses and reviews how recent legislation and IRS guidance have affected credit opportunities. Through practical discussion and examples, the course addresses strategies for identifying and evaluating credits that may apply to various taxpayer situations. Participants will also review substantiation requirements, audit considerations, and common pitfalls that arise when claiming credits. 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 terri.storer@acpen.com  

This comprehensive training is designed to get the accountant up to speed quickly with S corporation formation and preparation issues as well as a complete understanding of calculating a shareholder’s stock and debt basis. The cornerstone of this course is the in-depth line-by-line analysis of the Form 1120S Schedule K and K-1 and how these items affect the shareholder’s Federal individual income tax return.   *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 terri.storer@acpen.com