CPE Catalog & Events

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Key changes to audit report elements intended to improve the understandability of the nature and results of financial statement auditsEnhanced required by-product communications with management and those charged with governance to promote more reliable financial statementsClarifications related to obtaining sufficient and appropriate audit evidence, including significant unusual transactions, related parties, going concern uncertainty, and accounting estimatesNew definitions and requirements related to identifying and evaluating risks of material misstatementOther important matters contained in recent SASs 

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Introduction to Array Formulas: This segment establishes the foundation by differentiating array formulas from regular Excel formulas and explaining their significance.Using Array Formulas: This section focuses on the practical application of array formulas, teaching participants how to effectively implement and utilize these formulas in a variety of common Excel tasks and scenarios.Dynamic Arrays and Spill Functions: This part covers the utilization of dynamic arrays and spill functions, highlighting their role in modern Excel data handling.Advanced Array Functions: Participants will delve into complex functions such as SUMPRODUCT, UNIQUE, SORT, and FILTER, focusing on multi-condition summing and data management.Using Array Constants:  This section teaches how simplify the use of static values called Array Constants

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:2021/22 legislation impacting business taxpayersExtenders legislation updateMeals and entertainment expense reportingPartnership and S corporation updateIncome and deductions

Comprehensive coverage of the SECURE Act 2.0 Understanding the environment: what’s new, what’s expired or expiring, and what’s likely to change Reading a tax return for developing client-specific tax strategies Changes to the lifetime estate tax exemption in light of proposed regulations  The net investment income tax: planning for compliance Family income-splitting strategies that need to be considered Income tax issues: impact on timing of other income Selling a principal residence Two principal residences at the same time Use of life insurance to protect families: Whole Life Insurance, Term Life Insurance, Universal Life Insurance, and Variable Life Insurance Using Roth IRAs and Roth contribution programs to best advantage Conversions: do they still make sense? Taking distributions: matching timing to client requirements Qualified plan contributions to reduce current income and Social Security tax: implications for business owners and self-employed Social Security solvency issues Incentive Stock Options and Employee Stock Purchase Plan considerations What to do about itemized deductions Trans-generational planning: conversions, income, and gain-splitting Tax benefits of HSAs and other tax-advantaged accounts Identifying tax opportunities: reviewing the prior-year return to develop a plan for the future Planning for middle-income taxpayers: financial planning for the young, the working, and those approaching or in retirement Best financial planning ideas for young people

Factors business owners should take into account when choosing a retirement plan SIMPLE plans Simplified employee pension plans 401(k) plans Defined benefit plans Ensuring eligible employees are covered Employees’ impact on choice of plan Ongoing compliance requirements Establishing a plan after the tax year end Changes to safe harbor 401(k) plans Pooled employer plans

The major topics covered in this class include:Generally accepted audit requirements related to testing controls for operating effectivenessIdentifying key controls that may prove effective and efficient to test in a control reliance strategyResponses when deviations are discovered when evaluating the design or operating effectiveness of internal controlLeveraging audit evidence available for Service Organization Control (SOC1) ReportsGeneral computer control considerations when evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting

Minimum distribution requirement changes by the SECURE Act 2.0 Latest guidance issued by the IRS related to required minimum distributions The calculation of required minimum distributions using the Uniform Life Table Required minimum distributions from multiple accounts New §401(k) rules of SECURE Act 2.0 Inherited employer retirement accounts and IRAs: Changes to spousal and non-spousal beneficiary distribution options and stretch IRAs under the SECURE Act Required minimum distributions in the year of death Roth conversions for estate planning and avoiding required minimum distributions Timing of distributions for maximum tax-free compounding Section 529 rollovers to Roth accounts under SECURE Act 2.0 Qualified charitable distributions from IRAs and the relationship between deductible IRAs and QCDs under the new anti-abuse rules. Includes SECURE Act 2.0 rollovers to CRUTs and CRATs Taxation of distributions Penalties for missed required minimum distributions and reasonable cause for abatement of penalties. Includes SECURE Act 2.0 changes

The major topics covered in this class include:An explanation of Artificial Intelligence (AI).Specific ways AI is replacing human cognition. What is on the internal control horizon related to AI and other technologies.

Recently issued FASB Accounting Standards Updates, PCC Update and items on the FASB’s Technical Agenda Leases – Topic 842 Recently issued ASUs covering common control leases, crypto assets (e.g., cryptocurrency), and income tax disclosures ASC 326: CECL Review of SAS 142 – Focus on Audit Evidence Recently issued SASs and other AICPA activity SSARS No. 25 and other recently issued SSARS Detailed review of SAS 145 Other important A&A practice matters

Hiring and firing issues – What questions cannot be asked in an interview; how to document employee performance; establishing an annual review system; when an employer may and may not fire an employee, and much more Employment contracts – An analysis of the legal and planning issues in structuring employment contracts; when noncompetition agreements will and will not work Employment issues in the economy – Telecommuters and other special situations Legal liability issues – Recognition of age discrimination, sex discrimination, FLSA issues, minimum wage, overtime, sexual harassment, and more Fringe benefit issues – COBRA, Family and Medical Leave Act, and new developments in health care Medical plans – Who is a full-time employee?

Developing issues related to the 2024 Yellow Book revision and the 2024 revision to the Uniform Guidance for Federal Awards Key AICPA developments affecting audits of governments and nonprofits (including SAS No. 146 on quality management) Recent GASB activities directed toward state and local governments (e.g., the implementation of GASB No. 101 on compensated absences, GASB No. 102 on certain risk disclosures, GASB No. 103 on improvements to the financial reporting model, and additional GASB projects) Critical, but sometimes overlooked, FASB ASC 958 implementation guidance and illustrations for not-for-profits)

Comprehensive coverage of the Inflation Reduction Act, including: The Clean Vehicle Credit, Credit for Previously Owned Clean Vehicles, Credit for Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicles, Residential Clean Energy Credit, Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, Premium Tax Credit, Elective Payment, Transferability, and Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship Requirements Comprehensive coverage of the SECURE 2.0 Act, including: Expanding Enrollment in Retirement Plans, Increase in Age for Required Beginning Date for Mandatory Distributions, New Exceptions to Penalty-Free Withdrawal from Retirement Plans, and recent IRS guidance Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation Detailed analysis and examples of Sale of Passthrough Entity Interest and Net Investment Income Tax The Gig Economy -- Tax implications, Independent Contractor vs. Employee Classification, and the 2024 DOL Final Rule Real Estate professional requirements Review of pertinent cases and rulings affecting taxpayers Practice aids, including all the numbers applicable for the current year -- inflation-adjusted amounts, mileage rates, retirement contributions, and more Advanced practice, reporting, and other issues intertwined with advanced planning and discussion ideas

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Introduction to Power BI Report Builder: Overview of the tool, its interface, and integration with the Power BI ecosystem.Designing Report Layouts: Techniques for setting up professional layouts, including headers, footers, and managing pagination.Data Connection and Management: Connecting to various data sources and preparing data for reporting.Creating Visualizations: Utilizing Power BI’s visualization tools for impactful data presentation.Advanced Report Features: Exploring sub-reports, drill-through capabilities, and dynamic expressions.Publishing and Sharing: Guidelines for publishing reports to the Power BI service and sharing them with relevant stakeholders.

Behavioral insights (BI) PrimerHow and why BI are used by the IRSIRS and individual decision-makingIRS and environmental and design considerationsIRS and social normsIRS "top of mind" issues BI and Implementation of tax reform legislation BI and private debt collectionBI and online taxpayer accountsBI and taxpayer rights in "real" vs. "unreal" auditsBI and the tax-exempt approval processBI and passport renewal and revocationHow to use BI to more mindfully interact with the IRS to improve outcomes

The 20 common law factors in a worker classification audit that are used to distinguish an employee from an independent contractor How disgruntled independent contractors can use IRS Form 8919 against a former employer When and how to use §530 as a defense in worker classification audits What is "industry practice" for §530 purposes Common sense steps that will avoid the recharacterization of workers treated as independent contractors to employees The IRS’s Voluntary Classification Settlement Program — advantages and disadvantages The DOL Final Rule

Explore PivotTable capabilities and functionality Retrieve data from a database and feed it into the PivotTable Pull web tables from web pages into Excel

The major subjects that will be covered in this course include:A primer on AI technology applications in the accounting professionEthical dilemmas that originate from the use of AI by CPAsPractical guidelines for using AI technology ethicallyStep by step guide for creating an AI usage policy for your organizationReview of a variety of reference materials to assist you in using AI ethically

Detailed discussion of the domestic filing exception  Filing requirements and exceptions for every part of Schedules K-2 and K-3 Examples based on common client situations encountered in practice

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Key changes to audit report elements intended to improve the understandability of the nature and results of financial statement auditsEnhanced required by-product communications with management and those charged with governance to promote more reliable financial statementsClarifications related to obtaining sufficient and appropriate audit evidence, including significant unusual transactions, related parties, going concern uncertainty, and accounting estimatesNew definitions and requirements related to identifying and evaluating risks of material misstatementOther important matters contained in SAS Nos. 134-145

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Discuss ethics from an every-day real-world perspectiveHow to prevent an ethical lapse that can turn your business into the next news story