CPE & Event Calendar

Successful companies implement strategies that use their resources efficiently. By focusing on doing one thing well, organizations can create a competitive advantage that provides superior performance. Learn to create a roadmap to successful performance by tying the organization's metrics to its strategy and driving results.

Our financial and economic series is designed to take key topics for financial executives and explore them in detail such that the CFO/controller/financial executive can take away useful and practical recommendations dealing with the topic at hand. The program explores the current economic trends and analyze their impact on you as the financial executive in areas professional skepticism, medical care costs, social security viability, the dollar as a world currency, the national infrastructure and the "fate of the states" as well as the AICPA's top 10 trends and technologies. Specific recommendations and insights will be offered to you to deal with the challenges.

Employment taxes are often overlooked as an area where more planning may be effective. Payroll taxes have become an increasing burden for the average business, and IRS penalties for noncompliance have risen dramatically in recent years. The Service has announced that uncovering noncompliance by employers ranks high on its audit list. This course presents a comprehensive overview of federal payroll taxes, Form 1099, and related compliance issues.

This year practitioners need to keep abreast of tax changes affecting pass-through entities used by their business clients and employers, and this enlightening course delivers that information. You will learn invaluable strategies, techniques, innovative tax-planning concepts, income-generating ideas, and other planning opportunities available to S corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and LLPs. In addition, this course will discuss current trends and emerging issues, helping practitioners stay informed about relevant and significant topics that may impact their clients. Continually updated to reflect enacted legislation.

The President signed on July 4, 2025, one of most consequential tax legislation in recent years. The well-informed tax practitioner will want to stay abreast of these developments! This course will start with a short background of this legislation as it made its way through Congress and to the President's desk. We will then review the final provisions that was approved by the Senate and passed by the House. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The globalization of business, ongoing changes in technology, increased attention of shareholders and stakeholders and the continuing demands of the Audit Committee and senior management require a dynamic framework for managing today's internal audit department. This session, designed by a past Chief Audit Executive with significant exposure to a multitude of industries and internal audit frameworks, explores the key competencies and responsibilities of today's internal audit management and methods for meeting the requirements of the internal audit profession. We will also discuss some of the greatest challenges of the role and how to address those challenges.

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future concept; it is a current necessity. This session provides a practical roadmap for practitioners to leverage AI safely and effectively. We move from a survey of available tools (from free apps to specialized software) to a deep dive into the ethical guardrails required to protect client data and maintain professional standards. Participants will leave with a playbook of real-world use cases that can be implemented immediately.

A significant number of projects fail to achieve their initial goals and/or are not completed within budget and their original timetable. As a team member, a CMA has a unique skill set and experiences to assist in project management. In addition to their analytical training and knowledge of budgets and controls, they typically have ongoing contacts with other professionals from a variety of backgrounds. Familiar analytical tools/techniques can be applied to managing projects. This brief program is designed to aid both experienced and less experienced participants in increasing their knowledge of, and comfort with, the steps and skills needed for success.

This course introduces CPAs, financial auditors as well as technology auditors to the foundational concepts of IT auditing. Participants will learn how IT systems support financial reporting, how to assess risk in IT environments, and how IT General Controls (ITGCs) and application controls impact audit procedures. The course also introduces IT audit planning and scoping to help auditors determine what systems and controls to evaluate.

As the new administration proposes changes to tax policies, estate planning strategies must adapt to evolving laws and regulations. This course equips financial professionals with advanced tools and techniques to address complex estate planning issues, including the latest legislative and regulatory updates. Participants will gain insights into tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies, charitable giving techniques, and the impact of recent tax law changes on estate and gift taxation. With a focus on real-world application, this course provides practical strategies for leveraging closely held stock, split-interest trusts, and life insurance in estate planning. Attendees will explore how to maximize tax benefits while ensuring compliance with changing regulations, ultimately helping clients achieve their financial and legacy goals. *Please Note:  If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Handouts Tab and submit to kori.herrera@acpen.com

Specifically designed for preparation, compilation, and review practitioners, this course will provide you with a comprehensive review and hands-on application for performing financial statement preparation, compilation, and review engagements. You will learn the ins and outs of applying SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification, as well as the additional guidance related to SSARS engagements through the issuance of SSARS Nos. 22-26 by the ARSC. In addition to SSARS 26, the entire suite of quality management standards is discussed. However, knowing the standards is not enough. You need to be able to effectively apply them. To support this, the course will review recent peer review feedback on SSARS engagements, providing insights on how to successfully apply this guidance. Not only will this course bring you up to date on SSARS requirements and guidance, but more importantly, it will provide you with practical examples and illustrations to help you effectively and efficiently perform these types of engagements. This course is intended to be your go-to reference for training your staff and managing your SSARS No. 21-26 services in compliance with professional, ethical, and technical requirements.

This course provides a focused analysis of the individual and small business provisions in Pub. L. 119-21 (H.R.1), "One Big Beautiful Bill." Tailored for tax professionals working with Form 1040 filers, the course explores impactful updates, from the no-tax-on-tips provision to enhanced bonus depreciation. Designed to inform planning strategies and compliance for the 2025 tax year and beyond. Participants will gain actionable insight into newly proposed deductions and expanded credits. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Deceptive practices in financial statements continue to be a problem. This program discusses historical cases where fraudulent financial statements were not identified by an auditor and how to avoid these problems in the future.

The audit landscape for 401(k) plans is shifting'fast. Recent reviews by the U.S. Department of Labor, combined with the introduction of Statement on Auditing Standards No. 136 (SAS 136), are changing how audits are conducted and what's expected of both auditors and plan sponsors. This course gives CPAs the insights and guidance they need to confidently navigate these changes. We'll explore the impact of SAS 136 and other recent updates, with a clear look at the responsibilities involved in an ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit'the new standard that has replaced the old limited scope audit. You'll also learn about the most common compliance issues flagged in 401(k) audits, based on findings from the Department of Labor and peer reviewers, and walk away with practical strategies and corrections to strengthen your audit approach.

When contemplating a divorce, financial, retirement and tax issues are critical. Many clients need to think through the problems that are about to unfold. As a result, they need more time to be ready. Therefore, understanding, assessing, and deciding how to proceed is essential before completing the marital separation agreement. Discover how to re-design your client's financial plan with these unforeseen issues now part of the mainstream. During this course, you'll learn business valuation; discuss property, retirement and other assets; gain insights on the tax and financial ramifications of divorce; and navigate the assessment and division of financial assets before, during and after the divorce.

Successful companies implement strategies that use their resources efficiently. By focusing on doing one thing well, organizations can create a competitive advantage that provides superior performance. Learn to create a roadmap to successful performance by tying the organization's metrics to its strategy and driving results.

Developments in the Management Commentary and MD&A Narrative reporting is entering a new era-one that moves beyond compliance checklists to focus on cohesive, decision-useful communication. This seminar examines the evolution of corporate narrative reporting through the revised 2025 IFRS Practice Statement 1: Management Commentary and the U.S. GAAP-based MD&A under SEC Regulation S-K, with key comparisons to help practitioners understand how each framework supports investor-focused disclosure. Using real-world examples and excerpts from the actual annual report of an IFRS reporting company, this seminar highlights how the revised Management Commentary guidance aims to improve the quality, relevance, and connectivity of narrative insights. Participants will explore its emphasis on strategy, risks, sustainability factors (ESG), key performance indicators (KPIs), and the integration of financial and non-financial information. The session also analyzes the modernization efforts in U.S. MD&A, including principles-based guidance, reduction of boilerplate disclosures, and expanded expectations for entity-specific analysis and trend-based insights. Through a comparative approach, participants learn how both frameworks are converging around common principles: enhanced connectivity, balanced presentation, entity-specific content, and alignment of strategy, performance, risk, and value creation. This practical seminar provides accounting, finance, and business professionals with the knowledge needed for better understanding the management commentary and MD&A. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Job titles for individuals can vary in different organizations even though the work is the same. This webinar is designed for the individual whose role is to oversee the work of others. This webinar includes an overview of Aristotle's virtue ethics and its application to the responsibility and privilege of developing employees to be their best and for the success of the organization. We will also address issues such as going from "buddy to boss", how to manage if you are newly assigned to an existing employee that was previously supervised by someone else, and critical skill sets necessary for supervisory/managerial positions. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Data analytics and mining are the fastest growing disciplines in accounting and general management. Many organizations are either planning programs or have them already underway. Unfortunately, a number of these attempts fail due to poor planning/preparation and a lack of commitment, training, and clear vision of the program's goals. Today there is no shortage of data, but relatively few organizations have established an environment and ongoing process to isolate, capture, analyze, and convert data into actionable information. At times, even organizations that are employing leading-edge analytics are doing it with traditional, limited sets of data. This session explores how an organization can successfully become data driven. The discussion includes numerous examples demonstrating how accounting and financial professionals can build upon their current analytical skills to better perform traditional tasks and assume a role as a business partner with others in their organization. The program is aimed to assist those just beginning the journey, as well as those who want to test their current efforts or are considering the need for a restart. In addition to discussing a number of analytical tools, including available software, lists of reference books and next-level software are provided. This program continues to build upon the Controllership Update Series.

When a new employee is hired, there are a lot of things the employer needs to take care of. Aside from getting employment contracts signed, training lined up, and the new hire breakfast planned, employers are tasked with making sure all of the payroll forms are filled out. For many small business owners, this can be a source of anxiety. They often wonder if they have everything they need. They also hear horror stories about potential IRS penalties for not having all of the boxes checked. In this course, we will explore the payroll compliance side of hiring new employees. From the alphabet soup of forms that need to be filled out to the initial payroll tax forms, we have you covered if you are a new practitioner or new business owner. We will even discuss the surprisingly difficult-to-navigate world of unemployment insurance.