CPE Catalog
Note
AICPA On-Demand & Self-Study courses take up to 24 hours to process.
Current Audit Environment and ASB Activity
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Online
2.00 Credits
Explore the current audit environment, and recognize audit challenges triggered by the current environment. Provide a comprehensive review of recent audit pronouncement and exposure drafts. Understand topics critical to success in today's rapidly changing regulatory environment. This course provides 4 hours of CPE credit in the Auditing field of study.
Exploring the New Lease Accounting Standard
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Online
2.00 Credits
It's a whole new world for lessees under ASC topic 842. This program will dive into the new standard on leases and its impact on every size entity, review effective dates, and address what you need to know now. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Small Business Risk Avoidance
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Online
4.00 Credits
Enterprise Risk Management for SMEs
Audit 406: Auditing Revenue Recognition - Common Risks
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Online
2.00 Credits
Auditing Revenue Recognition - Grasping the Higher Risks and Special Audit Considerations will provide tips and techniques for obtaining sufficient and appropriate audit evidence to support conclusions related to accounting for revenues obtained from contracts with customers. Revenue recognition is presumed to be a significant risk for financial statement auditing purposes due to the increased risk of both fraud and error. Note: This course is recommended as a part of a 16-hour audit skills curriculum for supervisory or managerial auditors, while it is also appropriate for anyone who has responsibilities in auditing revenues. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Making Culture A Competitive Advantage
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Online
1.00 Credits
In the world of work today, nothing is more critical than Culture. If people are your competitive advantage, then culture is the best way to help your people realize a great destination. While many leaders and companies talk a lot about culture, few take the time to really plan, build, and invest in a great culture. Today, the world of work could not be more challenging, and the changes that we are seeing in the workforce, such as the rise of remote workers and increasing turnover, are adding to the complexity. Now more than ever, Culture must become your competitive advantage. In this course, you will learn about the key macro changes in the workforce and what some leading companies and leaders are doing to create amazing cultures and high-performing organizations. From LinkedIn to Patagonia to Eventbrite, you will learn from some top organizations ow they have successfully leveraged culture. You will learn what Culture is and can be, and you will learn what culture is not. As you set sail in 2024 and beyond as a leader, you will benefit from this class and learn how to make culture your competitive advantage. Your teacher for the class is Steve Cadigan, whom many credit for being the architect of LinkedIn's world-class and groundbreaking culture.
The Controllership Series - The Role of the Controller in ESG
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Online
1.50 Credits
Why do for profit organizations exist??? To make money!!!!! What a great concept. But if the organization does not have the proper collections and credit procedures in place, they may not be able to access that money. Hence the importance of the credit and collection process. Credit and collections are critical areas for the financial statement controllers. Customer credit is a form of payment that allows small business customers to purchase a product or service before paying for it in full. The process works similarly to the way a credit card does - you procure something and pay it back later. Collections is a term used by a business when referring to money owed to that business by a customer. When a customer does not pay within the terms specified, the amount of the bill becomes past due and is sometimes submitted to a collection agency. The sales and collection process includes business activities related to selling products and services, maintaining customer records, billing customers, and recording payments from customers. It also includes activities necessary to manage accounts receivable, such as aging accounts and authorizing credit. This course delves into the topics that impact the sales, credit and collections process for management. We discuss strategic steps management can take to ensure their processes are efficient and that they are able to actually collect their revenue.
Preparing to be a Forensic Accountant - Focus on Computer Forensics - Part 3 (Steganography)
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Online
1.60 Credits
This course is a complement to our series on Becoming a Forensic Accountant and the focus of the course is on steganography techniques. Steganography is the art and science of embedding secret messages in a cover message in such a way that no one, apart from the sender and intended recipient, suspects the existence of the message. The first use of steganography can be traced to 440 BC when ancient Greece, people wrote messages on wood and covered it with wax, that acted as a covering medium Romans used forms of Invisible Inks, to decipher those hidden messages light or heat were used. During World War II the Germans introduced microdots, which were complete documents, pictures, and plans reduced in size to the size of a dot and were attached to normal paperwork. Null Ciphers were also used to hide unencrypted secret messages in an innocent looking message. Given the amount of data being generated and transmitted electronically, it’s no surprise that numerous methods of protecting that data have evolved. There are various types of steganography: Text Steganography - Hiding information inside the text files. This involves changing format of existing text, changing words in a text, generating random character sequences or using context-free grammars to generate readable texts. Image Steganography - Process of hiding text in an image without distorting the picture. Video Steganography - Technique to hide any kind of files into a cover video file. Audio Steganography - The secret message is embedded into an audio signal which alters the binary sequence of the corresponding audio file. Network Steganography - The process of utilizing active network protocols as carriers to transmit a covert message, undetectable by an uninformed party, from a host to its destination. This session will review these methods and also discuss relevant software.
Performing Preparation, Compilation and Review Engagements
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Online
2.00 Credits
Comply With All Standards As You Prepare, Compile and Review Engagements This webcast is a go-to reference for staying in compliance with all professional standards surrounding engagements performed in accordance with Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services (SSARSs).
Project Management: Getting the Best Out of Your Team
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Online
2.00 Credits
With capacity challenges on the mind of many tax and accounting leaders, finding ways for their teams to work more efficiently is crucial. They need their teams to not be busy, but deliver value, and continue to develop their skills and knowledge. Project Management techniques help uncover inefficiencies and gaps in current processes, as well as, manage the planning and forecasting needed to drive necessary changes for future success. In this session, learn when to incorporate project management best practices that can help you get the best out of your team.
Use of technology in an audit of financial statements - Risk Assessment
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Online
2.00 Credits
How technology can help auditors improve efficiency, effectiveness and quality [bold] Auditors are perpetually in pursuit of enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of their audits while upholding consistently high standards of quality. The integration of technology into the audit process can seamlessly accomplish these objectives. Join us as we delve into the insights of two distinguished members of the AICPA Auditing Standards Board's Technology Working Group, including its chairperson. You'll learn how technology can empower auditors to navigate the escalating demands of modern audits, particularly in the face of overwhelming data volumes, by harnessing available tools. Our presenters discuss common reasons auditors may resist using technology and why those reasons, even more commonly, are not always valid. Once you have an understanding that overcoming barriers to entry is possible, the Technology Working Group experts will guide you through the audit process. You'll explore key junctures where automated tools, techniques and commercial software solutions can revolutionize your audit methodology for the better. Our presenters then return to examine, in detail, how technology can help auditors during one of the most important steps in the process, the risk assessment. Highlighting benefits to efficiency and effectiveness, the new AICPA practice aid "Use of technology in an audit of financial statements" is the focus. Part I of this evolving practice aid takes a deep dive into risk assessment procedures. Walking through examples allows you to see how the guidance in the practice aid can assist in your daily work.
Clean, Transform & Load Data in Power BI
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Online
2.00 Credits
This intensive 2-hour course is designed specifically for those aiming to master data management skills in the modern business environment. As data becomes increasingly central to accounting and financial analysis, the ability to effectively manage, clean, and transform this data is critical. This course delves into Microsoft Power Query, a potent tool within Excel and Power BI Desktop, known for its robust data processing capabilities. This course is designed to take participants from the basics of Power Query to exploring its more sophisticated features. It is an ideal blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application, centered around diverse data scenarios encountered in multiple industries. The aim is to ensure that the skills and techniques learned are universally applicable and beneficial in any professional context. Structured to be participant-focused, the course encourages active learning through a series of practical exercises, live demonstrations, and illustrative case studies. This approach not only deepens the understanding of Power Query's features but also demonstrates how to turn complex data sets into actionable insights. While the course is broad in its application, it remains detailed in its instruction, catering to both the novice and the seasoned professional. It is particularly beneficial for those who regularly interact with data, such as business analysts, project managers, and financial professionals, providing them with the tools to streamline data processes and enhance data analysis capabilities. Additionally, the course underscores best practices in data management. Participants will learn strategic approaches to data challenges, ensuring that their data processes are efficient, scalable, and sustainable. This is not just a course about mastering a tool; it's about empowering professionals with the skills to transform data into a strategic business resource. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped to leverage Power Query in Excel or Power BI desktop to its full potential, turning data into a powerful driver for business success and innovation. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Eight Biggest Threats to your business and introducing Three Pillars of Cybersecurity
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Online
1.00 Credits
Cybercrime is on the rise and CPAs that handle sensitive client data are often the target of cybercrimes. By attending this session you'll learn what the eight biggest threats are to your business and uncover the three pillars of cybersecurity that you can build your firm's defense around.
Contract and Procurement Fraud
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Online
2.00 Credits
This session will focus on the most common types of fraud in the procurement and contracting arena, with a focus on fraud in construction. The session will examine fraud vulnerabilities in the four key phases of the procurement process: Presolicitation. Negotiation. Performance. Closeout and Claims. Within each phase, “red flags” will be discussed. These are the indicia of possible fraud that managers should be alert for. Also, within each phase, the most common fraud schemes will be highlighted and discussed. Finally, the session will describe the generally accepted safeguards or controls that should be established to prevent the various fraud schemes that can occur. This part of the program will make extensive use of actual fraud case studies designed to demonstrate fraud risks and fraud detection strategies.
Preparing to be a Forensic Accountant - Focus on Computer Forensics - Part 2 (Cryptology)
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Online
1.00 Credits
This is a continuing part of our series on forensic accounting. Within this segment we discuss the concepts that are part of computer forensics known as cryptology. The term cryptography is from Ancient Greek and means “hidden secret”. It is the practice and study of techniques for secure communications in the presence of adversarial behavior. Cryptography is about constructing and analyzing protocols that prevent third parties or the public from reading private messages. Cryptography starts with secrets. Various aspects in information security such as data confidentiality, data integrity, authentication and non-repudiation (where a statement’s author cannot successfully dispute its authorship) are central to modern cryptography.
IRS Penalties and Abatements
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Online
2.00 Credits
Penalty abatement is a technique that tax practitioners can utilize to help their clients reduce penalties and interest they owe to the IRS if the taxpayer can prove "reasonable cause". This informative and insightful webinar will provide you with some insider tips, practical steps and effective strategies to help your client manage IRS tax penalties and interest. Learn about various types of penalties that you may face, and the various forms and procedures used for requesting penalty and interest abatement, including First Time and Reasonable Cause abatement. Plus, learn about the procedure to follow when requesting refund of paid penalties. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Long-Term Care Insurance: Make the Switch
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Online
1.00 Credits
How to pay for the cost of long-term care remains a primary concern for most clients over the age of 50. Explore clients' motivations, misconceptions and objections to purchasing long-term care insurance, and a look at the latest long-term care solutions, including hybrids. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Treasury Circular 230 for EAs and Other Tax Preparers
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Online
2.20 Credits
Please join us for a discussion on Treasury Circular 230 and other ethical issues faced by enrolled agents and other tax preparers. In addition to covering the practice standards espoused by Treasury Circular 230, there will also be an overview of the applicable provisions in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and common law which will affect tax preparers. The discussion will conclude with other ethical issues, such as avoiding conflicts of interest, proper fee structure and maintaining competency. Also included will be case studies illustrating dilemmas faced by tax practitioners. **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.
The Controllership Series - The Controller's Role in Pro Forma Financial Statements
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Online
1.00 Credits
Pro forma statements are used by businesses to make decisions on planning and control, as well as for external reporting to owners, investors, and creditors. For example, giving financial estimates for a given period in a standardized manner is known as “presenting pro forma,” a Latin phrase that means “as a matter of form.” Pro forma statements can be helpful tools for business owners, investors, creditors, or decision-makers to analyze various scenarios of future events based on certain financial assumptions. It might aid in making predictions performance of the company. A pro forma income statement displays a firm’s anticipated sales and revenue. It also highlights anticipated fixed or variable operational expenses and, in the end, displays the potential profits and retained earnings for a future financial quarter. There are various types of pro-forma statements and methods to develop them. The responsibilities/competencies of the Financial Controller position (FC) has changed in recent years. However, the creation of pro forma financial statements is still a core part of their responsibility.
Securing Executive Buy-In for Your Initiatives: Communication Techniques to Persuade Decision-Makers
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Online
1.00 Credits
For HR and Business professionals, navigating the intricate dynamics of executive decision-making can often be a daunting task. Despite the meticulous hours invested in research, strategy formulation, and planning, the true challenge often lies in effectively communicating and gaining acceptance for these transformative ideas. A key aspect of this is the art of persuasion, ensuring that the merits of our proposals are not just understood but wholeheartedly embraced by decision-makers. This session is designed to empower leaders with the tools and insights needed to craft persuasive pitches, build a robust business case, and confidently communicate the ROI of their initiatives. Moreover, attendees will gain insights into the common pitfalls that can hinder their pitches and learn techniques to address objections frequently raised by executive leadership.
The SECURE Act 2.0 - Planning Opportunities for Individuals
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Online
1.20 Credits
The Secure Act 2.0 was passed in a flurry of year-end legislation. This one hour program will cover the important changes that individuals need to know about contributions to accounts and new ways of accessing these funds. This course will provide a concise look at these hot topics. **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.