CPE & Event Calendar

Cybersecurity protection of digital data continues to be a top priority for CPAs. The cyber threats continue to increase and are becoming more sophisticated with the advent of AI technology. The first step is to understand what the primary threats are, the potential damage they can inflict, and, most importantly, how to mitigate the risks. This course will prepare you have informed conversations with your IT service providers to ensure you are employing best practices in cybersecurity protection. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Have you ever thought about stealing? If the answer is NO, then you need to find another profession because you will never be a successful fraud examiner/investigator or a financial auditor. To find fraud, you must first determine, given the opportunity through weak internal controls, how a person would steal. You have to say to yourself, given the opportunity that exists, how many ways could I take advantage of it? In other words, you must be able to think how you could steal and not be caught. So yes, to find fraud, you must first think about stealing. For a fraudster to be successful, they must make you think fraud is a legitimate transaction. They must make you think it is something that it is not. There are so many places where fraud can be hidden. It is up to you to evaluate where the risks of fraud are in an organization, then design effective investigative procedures to determine if someone took advantage of the opportunity. If they did not, how else may they have taken advantage of the opportunity? One must remember that one weakness in internal control may create several ways to take advantage of it and you must examine every such one. During this session, the many ways fraud can be hidden in asset misappropriations will be discussed. Remember, the number of ways is only limited by one’s imagination.   

Elevate your Excel expertise with K2's Advanced Excel program! This laptop-friendly course is designed for experienced Excel users who are ready to take their skills to the next level. In this session, you will master critical advanced Excel skills in six key areas:  1.    Collaborating seamlessly with other users and securing your workbooks 2.    Utilizing tables to analyze and report data efficiently 3.    Integrating and manipulating data from external sources with ease 4.    Creating and auditing complex formulas 5.    Harnessing advanced data analysis tools for deeper insights 6.    Employing visualization techniques to communicate information effectively Drawing from over thirty years of experience in delivering Excel training to accountants and business professionals, this program is packed with relevant, real-world examples that reinforce the topics presented. Don't miss this opportunity to become more efficient and proficient in Microsoft Excel, the go-to tool for accounting and financial professionals. This course covers advanced Excel topics that are essential for business success. Participate in this session to elevate and transform your Excel skills!   

With all the planning, procedures, and reporting involved in a single audit, sometimes things can slip through the cracks. But what if the thing that slips through is fraud? Compiled from news releases, court records, and the thrilling annals of the Federal Audit Clearinghouse, this course tells the tale of seven real-world frauds that seemingly dodged detection in the single audit process. Leveraging the incredible gift of hindsight, this course is designed to raise your awareness and sharpen your focus on the potential for fraud in single audits!

The AICPA continues to reshape the auditing profession through an unprecedented pace of standard setting, with increased emphasis on technology, professional skepticism, risk assessment, and engagement quality. Since 2019, numerous new and revised auditing standards have significantly changed how audits are planned, performed, and evaluated. This course provides an update on recent AICPA standard setting activities, including SASs 142 through 149. It also addresses the AICPA's quality management standards, which replace traditional quality control requirements with a risk based approach to managing quality at both the firm and engagement levels. In addition, the program highlights emerging developments in fraud related auditing guidance, including the AICPA's proposed fraud standard currently in exposure draft form. Designed for accounting and auditing practitioners at all levels, this course helps participants stay current on key changes affecting audit performance, documentation, and engagement quality in a rapidly evolving professional environment.

This course covers basic legal principles that every accountant should be familiar with to avoid common legal disputes and costly litigation. By analyzing business law issues from the standpoint and background of accountants and auditors, this course will help you develop an approach to client and practice issues with a sensitivity and appreciation for potential legal ramifications.

Participants will learn to create customized AI chatbots that can enhance client interaction and internal operations-all without coding experience. This course provides a concise overview of specialized, task-oriented AI chatbots and GPT builders, focusing on how these technologies are revolutionizing professional workflows. Through hands-on exploration of platforms like AgentGPT, Claude Projects, Gemini Gems, and NotebookLM, participants will learn to design, deploy, and manage custom AI assistants tailored to their specific needs. The course emphasizes creating advanced AI apps that can understand context and solve complex problems autonomously. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

With over 50% of marriages ending in divorce, forensic accountants are frequently used in uncovering hidden income and assets. It is not uncommon for one spouse to hide money from another, sometimes for nefarious reasons. As a CPA, your services are valued by high-net-worth individuals who hire attorneys in their divorce proceedings. In this course, you will learn the art of financial investigations and how to uncover the truth in divorce cases, whether from offshore accounts to lifestyle analysis. Step by step, the course will teach you the valuable skills necessary in finding, analyzing, evaluating, and presenting your findings to your client and if needed, ultimately in divorce court. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Collaboration remains one of today's hottest topics. Technology has fueled today's collaboration options, and work-from anywhere environments virtually demand collaboration platforms. In this session, you will learn today's best tools and practices to facilitate more effective collaboration in your organization. In this session, you will learn about today's mainstream collaboration platforms & Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Zoho - and how these options are similar and differ. You will also learn about other collaboration options, including Slack, Zoom, and Webex, and you can incorporate these tools into your collaboration environments. Further, you will learn about some of the best practices and procedures that must be in place to optimize your collaborative environments and experiences.

Financial Acumen for the HR Professional is a part of the series "The HR Professional's Guide to Evolving Business Strategy, Finance and Development." This course identifies how HR Professionals can increase their financial understanding to participate more effectively with management as well as understand the financial results and implications for the business.

This course covers a broad range of topics involving uncertainty in accounting and auditing. It addresses accounting standards related to going concern, contingencies, guarantees, and credit losses, along with auditing standards applicable to auditing accounting estimates and evaluating going concern. The course provides a practical overview of how these areas are addressed under current standards and how they impact financial reporting and audit procedures. Jeff presents the material in an engaging manner to reinforce key concepts and maintain focus.

Younger professionals comprise a significant part of the accounting and finance workforce. Whether you are an owner of a small accounting practice or a manager in a multinational accounting firm, it is important to understand the characteristics and expectations of this large segment of the workforce. Research reveals that many of the common stereotypes surrounding young professionals are unfounded and counterproductive. This course provides an understanding of who young professionals are in comparison to their predecessors, the Gen-Xers and baby boomers. Equally important, the presentation will look at common myths regarding young professionals and why understanding this class of employees provides opportunities for your organization to grow and succeed.

“How will I EVER get this all done?"  It’s a question I often hear from clients and on a particularly stressful day, I can hear myself saying these words!  Instead of helping us focus, it's a question that leads to stress, anxiety and overwhelm! Regardless of where we are in business and in life, we will run into challenges and problems as we navigate business growth, leadership, work life balance and our quest for success and happiness. This workshop will explore the 7 HIGH QUALITY questions that lead to relief, enthusiasm and success.  It will be an interactive exploration that will leave you with a game plan to use right away, as well as an opportunity to practice the mindset that the most successful and happiest people use daily.    This program is for both the entrepreneur who wants to be more effective in their day as well as team leaders who want to stand out in their organization.  For the business owner or staff member you can expect a new way to work with your day so that it's profitable, productive and happier.  For leaders, you will learn new up- leveled skills to increase your efficiency, communication and productivity.  You and your team will shine.  Your staff will feel appreciated and connected to their value as well as the company's goals. Albert Einstein said 'we can't solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them'.  The quality of your question will impact the quality of your solution.  Learn the 7 questions that take you from confused and frustrated to creative and focused. 

In today's digital landscape, security is non-negotiable. Yesterday's techniques cannot keep up with today's threats. It's time to elevate your knowledge and protect your sensitive data with our comprehensive security program. Join us to discover the latest tools and techniques for securing your data, including encryption, virus protection, safe communications, electronic signatures, secure authentication, and more. You'll also learn how to implement a practical, five-step approach to securing your PC and the critical questions to ask your staff to ensure server-based information remains protected. Security failures, such as client or customer data breaches, can be devastating and even drive your company out of business. So, what security tools do you need, and how should you use them to safeguard your sensitive data and systems? Can you afford to manage today's threats with outdated techniques? Participate in this valuable session to learn how to identify viable and practical solutions to mitigate today's security threats. Don't miss this opportunity to fortify your defenses and ensure your business's success. Sign up now and take the first step towards a more secure future!

You could pay $0 for this course!"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." Massachusetts firms/companies with fewer than 50 staff can be reimbursed up to 100% of the cost of training and firms/companies with 50-100 employees can be reimbursed up to 50% of the cost of training. You must register for the course and apply for reimbursement through the Massachusetts Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks prior to the start of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-15308 To learn more, click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@necpas.org.

You could pay $0 for this course!Compilation engagements are often the first financial statement service that accounting professionals learn to perform. This introductory course provides a clear, easy-to-understand foundation for conducting compilation engagements under SSARS. Participants will learn what a compilation is, when it is used, the responsibilities of management and the accountant, and the essential elements of a standard compilation report. Through straightforward explanations and practical examples, the course helps new practitioners gain confidence in preparing financial statements without providing assurance. Massachusetts firms/companies with fewer than 50 staff can be reimbursed up to 100% of the cost of training and firms/companies with 50-100 employees can be reimbursed up to 50% of the cost of training. You must register for the course and apply for reimbursement through the Massachusetts Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks prior to the start of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-15388. To learn more, click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@necpas.org.

In recent history, even the most prestigious CPA firms have had ethical lapses and oversights that have cost them both financially and, at that moment, clouded their brand. This course will review the AICPA code of ethics for both accounting and tax practitioners and encourage you to examine your firm's policies and choices relative to those standards and common sense through thought-provoking and sometimes humorous Q&A and case studies.

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 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.