CPE & Event Calendar

As staff members gain more experience, they are expected to take on more complex assignments with minimal supervision. This course is designed to be a stepping stone for staff interested in pursuing more advanced partnership and LLC issues than mere preparation. The material provides a deep life-cycle study into critical areas of formation, special allocations of income and deductions, basis calculations and implications of recourse and nonrecourse debt, basis step-up under §754 on transfers of ownership interest, distributions, self-employment tax issues, and termination and liquidations of an LLC. With a blend of legal and tax ramifications regarding LLC-specific issues, this course identifies all the major areas that are potential sources of increased complexity.

Whether you are responsible for managing 1 employee or 20, your leadership can make or break your team. Learn practical leadership strategies that you can implement when you return to your office. In today’s competitive market, it’s more imperative than ever that as leaders we are inspiring and motivating our teams to success.  

Join us for an in-depth webcast on Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs) and the essential aspects of preparing Form 5227.  This course will provide a comprehensive overview of CRTs, including their purpose, benefits, and practical considerations. Moreover, we will delve into the intricacies of Form 5227, the informational return for charitable remainder trusts, ensuring you have the necessary knowledge to accurately complete and file this crucial document. During this webcast, Art Werner will guide you through the fundamental concepts of Charitable Remainder Trusts, illustrating how they can be utilized as a strategic tool for tax planning. We will explore various types of CRTs, their formation, and the different scenarios in which they are most beneficial.  A significant portion of the webcast will be dedicated to Form 5227, the reporting requirement for charitable remainder trusts. We will provide an in-depth analysis of the form's components, line by line, ensuring you gain a comprehensive understanding of the information it requires. From trust assets and income to distributions and charitable beneficiaries, we will cover each section, discussing common pitfalls and best practices for accurate reporting. Mr. Werner will address the recent updates and changes to Form 5227, enabling you to stay up to date with the latest compliance requirements.   **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.

This course is designed to refresh your understanding of the critical importance of risk assessment in the audit practice. We'll briefly discuss the impact of AICPA's Clarity Project for audits and the need to update firm processes to incorporate the risk assessment standards. Participants may alternatively need to fine-tune an implementation of the risk assessment standards. These standards are designed to eliminate the connect-the-dots methodology of checklist auditing and add critical thinking back into the audit process. They remain a problem area for many firms, resulting in engagement and peer review deficiencies. This course has been updated to include a more in-depth discussion of SAS No. 145, Understanding the Entity and Its Environment and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement. We will break down this complex and misunderstood subject with an easy-to-understand approach.

This course is designed for the accounting and auditing professional who provides attestation services to closely held businesses. The course reviews recent standard-setting activities of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the AICPA, specifically focusing on those standards having the most significant impact on closely held non-public business entities. The course also discusses adopting the latest audit standards, including the new audit risk assessment requirements.

This course is a comprehensive overview of critical Federal tax law updates resulting from changes to current laws, regulations and court cases impacting individual taxation. We will also review recent modifications to tax forms, small business tax law and administrative updates, retirement plan changes and tax practice and procedures.

Participants will go over the changes on preparation, compilation and review engagements using SSARS rules, followed by a general overview of how to perform these services. This interactive workshop is designed for practitioners in small and medium-sized CPA firms and will include a lecture with generous time for questions and case studies.

This seminar will help participants define their organization's strategy and particularly their sustainable competitive advantage by helping them understand their organization's unique value proposition. It will also help you and your organization understand how decisions are made and help improve the quality of the decisions required to execute their strategy. Finally, it will help identify and hopefully mitigate risks to the execution of their organization's strategy. We will also look at ways to find your company's unique value proposition and to measure your success at creating a sustainable competitive advantage.

The course provides a comprehensive, hands-on, pencil pushing understanding of the preparation of both S corporation and partnership/LLC tax returns, along with the underlying laws, regulations, etc. The course uses the basic concepts underlying the two main types of business returns: 1120S and 1065 as building blocks for more complex concepts tax preparers should be aware of. The theoretical concepts get illustrated in comprehensive examples that incorporate the most up-to-date law changes and provisions.

As leaders in the community and in the profession – we are held to a higher standard and to do more to help others. We do not want to conduct business with unethical organizations or work with those who mistreat others. People, whether they are contractors, employees, customers, suppliers, clients or partners, all want to be treated fairly and with respect. Especially in a service business, people are the only true asset. By treating people with respect and honor – you will attract talent and clients.  If you believe there is a war for talent, then listen to this discussion that proves that treating others well is THE ethical course of action and what sets us apart. Being fair, honest and supportive – is being ethical and it matters.

What do people say about you when you leave the room? Is it what you want them to say? How you show up in the room, get listened to, build trust, and are known amongst your colleagues are all critical components of your future success. In this workshop Michelle Tillis Lederman, CEO and Founder of Executive Essentials, will discuss how to determine you brand attributes, demonstrate the nuances of body language on your professional presence, and discuss how to strengthen trust and the lasting impressions you make on your network, expanding upon lessons from her books The Connectors; Advantage and The 11 Laws of Likability. 

Whether your organization is developing a new control framework or seeking to strengthen its current controls, practical development and implementation is critical. This course will review the intersectionality of controls and provide real-world examples and best practices from people to technology and process.  

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.

The next generation of paperless technology has arrived. This session explores how firms are modernizing document management, client collaboration, and internal workflows using AI-enhanced systems and integrated portals. Learn how new-generation (“NextGen or NGX”) paperless ecosystems combine security, automation, and accessibility to streamline client communications and approvals. The session will review leading document management and workflow tools, portal features, and how integration across accounting, tax, and client service platforms drives productivity and compliance. Attendees will leave equipped to evaluate and implement modern document systems that enhance client experience while maintaining robust security and compliance controls.

This course provides a comprehensive understanding of capital assets taxation, basis determination, and related tax planning strategies. Participants will explore the fundamental classification of capital assets, the distinction between realization and recognition of gains and losses, and the complex rules governing disallowed losses. The course thoroughly examines the various types of capital gains and losses, including short-term, long-term, and special categories such as unrecaptured Section 1250 gains and collectibles. Attendees will learn the intricacies of netting capital gains and losses, calculating tax liabilities across different income types, and distinguishing between marginal and effective tax rates. The course also covers advanced topics including basis adjustments, wash sale rules, related-party transactions, and inherited property treatment. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to guide clients in implementing effective capital asset strategies that minimize tax liabilities while ensuring regulatory compliance.

Both businesses and individual clients face major changes as a result of new legislation, and tax professionals face the considerable challenge of delivering effective planning advice and services to address this myriad of recent developments. This course addresses this challenge and also encompasses the latest cases and rulings applicable to individual and business clients. Continually updated to reflect enacted legislation. Please Note: Due to content overlap, it is recommended that this course NOT be taken together with BIT4.

This course covers recently issued standards from the AICPA Auditing Standards Board and AICPA Accounting and Review Services Committee including the new Quality Management Standards. The session will highlight projects in progress at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. The course will also recap recent changes and present common peer review findings and best practices to improve practice quality. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Reporting findings under the Yellow Book and single audit standards comes with unique rules - but mastering them is easier than you think. This course gives you the tools and techniques to prepare, write, and present findings that meet the GAO and OMB requirements while sparking meaningful improvements for your clients. You'll learn exactly what to report, how to report it, and where to report it so you can deliver results with clarity, compliance, and impact.

Many courses deal with leadership and manager skills. Whether you have held a management position for several years or are just transitioning to a manager role, you will find that becoming/remaining a good manager can often be an art rather than just a technical skill.   It can be (and should be) a learning and an ever- evolving process.  

According to a recent study, over 70% of accounting professionals suffer from burnout, leading to feelings of exhaustion, inefficiency, and dissatisfaction with their careers. Recurring challenges for accounting and finance professionals include long hours, repetitive work, pressing client demands, and changing rules and regulations. Together, these conditions contribute to chronic workplace stress. Burnout is real, and firms that ignore this common problem pay a high price. Nearly three out of five employees in accounting and finance professions report psychological harm from work-related stress, including an overall feeling of lack of interest, motivation, or energy. Fortunately, individuals and organizations are beginning to take career burnout more seriously, especially in the post-pandemic era. This course looks at the causes of accounting burnout and examines strategies organizations are implementing to address and reduce a well-known but often overlooked problem.