CPE Catalog & Events

This course provides practical suggestions for improving leadership skills, including self-awareness, communication, delegation, empowerment, coaching, and counseling. 

Most business professionals have used Excel for years, often without the benefit of any formal training. Thus, they don't know about key features in the application and, therefore, don't use them. Of course, this leads to inefficiencies and errors. Isn't it time to stop this madness? This session is for you if you're ready to become more efficient and effective with Excel! You will learn ten critical features that can help you get more work done in less time and improve your accuracy. We encourage you to make plans to join us for this session to learn the best ways of working with Excel!

Recently issued generally accepted auditing standards were designed to enhance audit quality.  This course will address the most commonly misapplied concepts and FAQ in properly implementing the new requirements in the way intended to achieve that goal.

The budgeting process can be a mundane one for accountants. Let’s be realistic and agree that even the word “budget” does not bring excitement to you and your departmental colleagues.  The constraints and pressures can lead to poor decisions in both the technical and human components.  This session is the first part of a four part series and will cover the big picture of keeping the process fresh, pragmatic and useful. We discuss these keys in an engaging manner by discussing both our flaws and strengths, including how to build on these characteristics towards an enjoyable solutions-based method that should deliver effective results for your organization. 

Don't look now, but ChatGPT is taking the business world, including the accounting profession, by storm. Every CPA, whether in public accounting or working in corporate, should have a fundamental understanding of ChatGPT and generative AI applications more broadly. This course will provide you with a foundation of knowledge about ChatGPT technology that will prepare you to have conversations with clients, customers, colleagues and service providers. More importantly, you will learn how to leverage ChatGPT to increase your personal productivity. If you feel your ChatGPT knowledge is lacking, that will not be the case after you attend this course, taught by John Higgins, one of the leading technology strategists and thought leaders for the accounting profession. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The difference between star performers and average ones in leadership roles is attributable largely to emotional intelligence (EQ). It’s surprising, then, that EQ is underrated as an essential ingredient for success in life and leadership. This presentation highlights the importance of EQ and provides participants with actionable tools to develop better relationships within and outside of the workplace, build healthy teams, and navigate constant change.

This course will dive into the fundamentals of fiduciary accounting and provide a reporting guide for determining whether receipts and expenditures are assigned to income or principal/corpus. 

Staying up to date with advances in today's technology has never been more vital, and K2's Tech Update equips you with the knowledge to stay ahead of the rapid pace of innovation. This comprehensive session is designed for accountants who want to understand the evolving technological landscape and its implications for the accounting profession. Which technology trends are worth monitoring? What are the proper hardware and software products for your strategic and tactical plans? How do Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, Software-as-a-Service, and productivity suites like Microsoft 365 influence practice, especially since this year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Excel? Separate vendor hype from reality and discover how to achieve a 2X or more return on investment from your technology expenditures. Attendees will leave with actionable insights, including ideas they may not have previously considered.

This course provides a comprehensive update on the key developments impacting not-for-profit (NFP) accounting and auditing in 2025. While the FASB hasn't recently issued NFP-specific standards, several Accounting Standard Updates (ASUs) will significantly affect nonprofit organizations. We'll review these changes and their implications. We also explore the growing relevance of programmatic investments and their interplay with the Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL) standard, and examine the IFR4NPO initiative, a global project aimed at establishing universal financial reporting standards for nonprofits. On the auditing side, we'll delve into the impact of the new quality management standards, impacting firms that provide attestation services, including compilations and reviews for nonprofits. This session will equip you with the insights needed to navigate these changes and stay compliant.

In this innovative course, participants will learn to combine the power of artificial intelligence with the functionality of Microsoft Excel. You will learn how to leverage ChatGPT, OpenAI's powerful language model, to improve your Excel skills and decrease the time it takes to build spreadsheets. The course will include a quick introduction to ChatGPT but the majority of the time will be spent using ChatGPT to create an Excel spreadsheet. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The tools for managing performance and addressing misconduct are not identical. The failure to point this out to leaders has often resulted in the use of the wrong tool. Reinforcing good performance and securing improvements in performance requires skill in coaching employees, making effective requests, and providing effective feedback. This course provides practical knowledge and scripts for setting, communicating, and enforcing performance expectations, such that personal and employer liability is avoided.

When asked the question, "What would you like to improve about your leadership and communication style?". More than 65% of leaders say they want to be more confident and assertive in their communication. Confidence and clarity communicate leadership. If you are responsible for growing a profitable company or a productive team, you want team members who have the ability to reach goals, make sales, finish projects, and serve customers. Being a confident, compelling leader helps to inspire better relationships, promotes trust, and reduces stress in the workplace. Confident communication cultivates cooperation, goal achievement, and a more respectful work environment. Clear and compelling leaders are better equipped to move projects forward and make things happen while improving cooperation and respect from partners and subordinates.

This course examines the critical issues and special opportunities facing partnerships and their partners, with a focus on reporting tax basis capital accounts.  **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.

Gift taxation is a critical component of estate planning, and Form 709 serves as the key reporting tool. This course provides a comprehensive line-by-line guide to preparing Form 709, ensuring accuracy and compliance. Participants will learn how to determine taxable gifts, apply exclusions, and utilize available deductions. Special attention will be given to valuation techniques, gift-splitting, and generation-skipping transfer tax (GSTT) considerations. Additionally, this course will examine any new legislative changes from the current administration and how they may impact gift tax planning and reporting. *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

Discover the real-world power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and equip yourself with the skills to conquer modern challenges in accounting and finance. In this engaging course, we demystify AI and unveil its practical applications, transforming it from theory into a hands-on tool. Learn the essential AI fundamentals and unlock its remarkable potential to boost your productivity and effectiveness alongside your team. Explore the specific problem-solving capabilities of AI, tailored to address the unique challenges faced by accounting and financial professionals. Gain expertise in leveraging AI features integrated into everyday applications, including the ubiquitous Excel. Uncover how these features enable you to effortlessly detect fraud, identify potential transaction errors, and elevate your financial operations to new heights. Witness firsthand how AI is reshaping the present and future of your profession, positioning you at the forefront of this revolutionary wave.  

Do you use Microsoft (Office) 365? Are you satisfied that you are getting the most that you can from it? If you answered yes then no, this course will provide a really high return on your investment of time and money in this application suite. John Higgins, one of the profession's leading experts on the integration of Microsoft 365 into business, will explain and demonstrate the depth and breadth of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. The course is designed to raise your awareness of all that you can do with Microsoft 365 and substantially increase your monthly subscription ROI. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This session reviews the three elements of fraud, how fraudsters think, how proper internal controls can prevent and detect fraud, and the red flags to look for to identify fraud. It looks at Radar O'Reilly, one of the most beloved characters of the TV show M*A*S*H. He was trusted by his boss to run the administrative side of the US Army medical unit. Were there red flags all around Radar? Did he have the opportunity to steal? Was he a fraudster? We'll find out? Attendees learn to recognize the traits of this type fraudster that are present in many organization. Case studies of various Radars are included.

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 provides a concise update on key changes in governmental auditing. We'll review the 2024 Yellow Book updates, including the shift from quality control to quality management, key audit matters, and implementation timelines. For Single Audits, we'll cover the 2024 Uniform Guidance updates, the 2025 Compliance Supplement, GAO reports on improper payments and fraud, the Financial Data Transparency Act (FDTA), and recent Department of Education guidance on related parties. Stay informed on critical standards and updates to ensure compliance and audit quality.

This Masterclass is a one-hour training to show accountants how they can grow their practice this year through CFO and business advisory services. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.