CPE & Event Calendar

The AICPA revised the Statements on Standards for Tax Services, providing the framework for the AICPA ethical guidance for tax practitioners. This program will review the new standards that apply to all members who provide tax services, effective January 1, 2024.    This course does not quality for IRS credit.

While once thought just to apply to banking and financial institutions, entities now need to apply fair value accounting under ASC 820 across a variety of transactions. Whether you are assessing financial instruments, leases, business combination accounting, or impairment measurement, GAAP either requires or allows the use of fair value measures in an expanding number of circumstances. Now is the time for you to get up-to-speed on the basics of the fair value approach. In this course, we will review when fair value accounting is required and when an entity can select to use it. Then we will review the basics of the ASC 820 model, including the concept of "exit price," the various approaches that an entity may follow when using a fair value approach, and the different levels of inputs that an entity may consider when determining fair value. Lastly, the course will provide examples of when and how to apply this complex accounting guidance.

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.

Consumers and businesses file for bankruptcy to seek protection from creditors and to reorganize or liquidate debts. Bankruptcy filings rise and fall with the economy. Surveys show that loss of income is the leading cause of consumer bankruptcies, followed by medical expenses and foreclosure. Corporate bankruptcies, on the other hand, are often the result of several factors, including excessive debt, decreased demand, increased costs, lawsuits or poor accounting practices. It is no secret bankruptcy filings will see a tremendous uptick in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. As an accountant, CFP, attorney or other professional, you need to be able to discuss the process and different available courses of action with your clients. Both landlords and tenants will be influenced tremendously. Individuals will look to your advice for a discharge and new start. Businesses will do the same and will also need to advise loyal employees. Creditors will receive proofs of claim and look to you for your expertise. Take this course and make sure you can speak fluently to both creditors and debtors. As trusted advisors, then, professionals should have a basic understanding of the bankruptcy process. This course provides a thorough review of the consumer and corporate bankruptcy practice. Participants in this course will gain an understanding of how consumer and corporate bankruptcy proceedings begin and end, as well as learn about key issues that affect debtor and creditor rights during bankruptcy. This course provides information from the perspective of both debtor and creditor. Although bankruptcy concerns the debts of the debtor, the Bankruptcy Code provides substantial protections to creditors. Creditor rights, however, vary widely depending on the status afforded the creditor under the Bankruptcy Code. Do yourself, your clients and your profit margin a favor and sign up for this invaluable program.

Do you love PivotTables? Of course, we all do! Traditional PivotTables are incredible, but they do have limitations. If you have ever encountered one of these limitations, you'll be excited to learn that by using the Data Model as the source for PivotTables, you'll be able to bypass many of the restrictions that exist with traditional PivotTables. The data model (also referred to as Power Pivot) is included in Excel 2016+ for Windows and available as a free download for previous versions (excluding Excel for Mac). Using the data model enables you to build PivotTables that were previously not practical. If you frequently build PivotTables and would like to do more with them, you'll want to understand how to use the data model (Power Pivot) to enhance your reports. Note about Excel versions: Power Pivot is not available in all versions of Excel, including Excel for Mac. If you would like to see if Power Pivot is available in your version of Excel, visit the Microsoft site.

This comprehensive annual update brings together key accounting and auditing developments affecting accountants and auditors across industries. The course combines recent standard-setting activity issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board with major audit and attestation updates from the AICPA, providing a well-rounded view of changes impacting financial reporting and engagement performance. Participants will begin with an overview of recently issued and upcoming Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs), including standards effective for December 31, 2026 year-ends for public companies, private entities, and not-for-profit organizations. The course also highlights issued ASUs with future effective dates and provides high-level insight into recent exposure drafts to support implementation planning. The course then shifts to auditing and attestation developments, including the next phase of quality management with a focus on monitoring and remediation requirements. Participants will also review recent and proposed standards affecting audit, attestation, and consulting engagements, including SSAE No. 24, SSARS No. 26, exposure drafts related to confirmations and fraud, and SAS No. 149 addressing group audits. Designed for preparers, auditors, and firm professionals, this course helps participants understand how recent accounting and auditing changes intersect-and what to watch for as standards and expectations continue to evolve. 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 fast-paced business world, staying ahead of the competition means leveraging every advantage. Business Intelligence (BI) is the game-changer that can transform your organization. Imagine uncovering hidden insights and gaining a competitive edge with data that was once out of reach. With tools ranging from Excel add-ins to the revolutionary Power BI, you can now harness your existing skills to create dynamic, interactive dashboards and analyses that were unimaginable just a few years ago. This program will empower you with the skills to implement "yourself business intelligence" using a variety of techniques and tools. You'll start by mastering advanced Excel data query and summarization features to create stunning Excel-based dashboards. Then, you'll take your knowledge to the next level by building even more powerful BI objects using Microsoft's Power BI tools. If you're passionate about gaining better insights into your data to make smarter decisions, this fast-paced program is for you.

This course provides a concise overview of how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the construction industry and reshaping financial oversight, accounting practices, and regulatory compliance. From autonomous equipment to predictive risk analytics, construction firms are increasingly adopting AI to enhance safety, efficiency, and profitability. As this transformation unfolds, accountants and financial professionals must evolve their roles-leveraging AI for smarter budgeting, automated compliance, and real-time auditing. The course highlights the top 20 macro-level AI trends in construction and explores how accounting professionals can align financial systems with operational AI, uphold audit integrity, and prepare for emerging tax and compliance challenges. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered corporate and public accounting in ways we could never have imagined. This broad-based course will discuss accounting and auditing implications that have arisen as a result of the pandemic.

Increased funding resulting from the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act will allow the IRS to target many more wealthy individuals and large businesses for audit. These efforts will become more intense over the next several years as the IRS employs artificial intelligence in more of its audits. This program discusses how and when the IRS's energized audit efforts will result in more audits of taxpayers and what attendees need to know to effectively represent clients that the IRS audits.

This annual update covers activities of the FASB and Private Company Council (PCC) and reviews new SAS and SSARS. Stay current on new standards related to financial accounting and attest and assurance services including compilations, review and auditing. You'll learn the specific requirements of the standards and their potential impact on financial statements and we will review the pipeline of proposed standards. This years' update will cover induced conversions of convertible debt, stock compensation accounting and disclosure, income tax disclosures, crypto currency accounting, joint venture accounting, and updates to the accounting for government grants. We will cover new audit standards including group audit standards, and new fraud, evidence and materiality standards. We'll do a deep dive into SAS 145 and the new quality management standards. Note: SEC reporting requirements and public company audit requirements will not be covered.

Not-for-profit organizations always need volunteers as treasurers or members of the financial oversight committee! CPAs are often asked to fulfill these roles. This course highlights the financial accounting needs of such organizations. Along with covering the status of the not-for-profit organizations, an update on recent ASC updates affecting nonprofit entities is covered. This course is geared toward hands-on, or future hands-on, treasurers of service clubs and similar not-for-profit organizations.

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.

Leaders have the right to exercise customary management functions. Employees have the right to be kept free from discrimination. Neither employer rights nor employee rights are absolute. The courts are equally protective of the rights of employees and employers. A courtroom is the wrong place for anyone to find this out. This course provides practical knowledge on how to effectively balancing these two sets of rights, such that employees and leaders stay out of court. Employers avoid lawsuits, rather than win lawsuits.

This course provides a focused and practical overview of the Generation Skipping Transfer (GST) Tax, designed specifically for professionals involved in estate and gift tax planning. As Part 4 of the Form 706 and 709 series, this session zeroes in on the rules, definitions, and application of GST tax, including the mechanics of calculating the inclusion ratio and how the GST exemption operates in real-world planning scenarios. Participants will gain clarity on how to identify skip persons, the types of transfers subject to the GST tax, and the proper treatment of direct skips, taxable terminations, and taxable distributions. Through clear examples and practical instruction, this course walks participants through voluntary, timely, late, and retroactive GST exemption allocations. With increasing regulatory complexity and heightened exemption limits, understanding the GST tax is critical for practitioners assisting clients in multigenerational wealth transfers. This course supports more accurate return preparation and strategic allocation of exemptions to minimize tax exposure. *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

How well do you accept criticism? How might it enrich your business - and you - if you did a better job of it? This distinctive webinar will show you why it is in your best interest to accept criticism with gratitude. It's even better to welcome criticism. It's also a good idea to learn how to give criticism the right way. A related topic is the art of giving and receiving apologies, and we'll do a deep dive into this area as well. You'll leave with clear guidelines for how to criticize others, accept criticism from them, give meaningful apologies, and accept apologies with grace and ethical intelligence. The result will be a stronger CPA practice and a better you. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Elevate your data analysis capabilities with our focused course on Power Query. Tailored for financial professionals, this training will show you how to get started using Power Query and teach you some of the ways to take advantage of its ability to handle messy data and automate repetitive tasks. Harness the efficiency of Power Query to revolutionize the way you work with data. Learn how to "program" your tasks once and set them on repeat, eliminating the need for repetitive, robotic work. This automation not only saves time but also ensures consistency and accuracy in your data processes. Whether you're dealing with complex datasets or simply looking to streamline your reporting processes, this course will equip you with the tools and knowledge to make Excel work for you like never before.

This webinar presents a variety of time-saving ideas, shortcuts, and tips that are sure to boost personal productivity. We discuss better summing, address one of the biggest pitfalls that Excel users have faced over the past 25 years, present the most important keyboard shortcuts, demonstrate a better alternative to hiding rows or columns, illustrate how to quickly navigate to other workbooks and files, and demonstrate using Excel with styles.

This program discusses, in a practical way, how an S corporation shareholder calculates their stock and loan basis on Form 7203. Form 7203 is the IRS Form on which a shareholder is sometimes required to calculate their stock and loan basis. This topic is particularly important when an S corporation has a loss and the shareholders wish to know whether they are entitled to fully utilize the loss that has been allocated to them against their other income.

Calculating partnership basis is one of the most important things that we do as practitioners. However, it is also one of the most confusing. When we use the term "basis," we really could be referring to one of three different things. This course will explore the differences between inside basis, outside basis, and 704(b) basis. Through several examples and practice problems, we will show you how to easily distinguish among these terms. We will also explore the tax implications of initial contributions of property to a partnership as well as the different types of partnership distributions.