CPE Catalog
Note
AICPA On-Demand & Self-Study courses take up to 24 hours to process.
Small HR Team, Big Impact: 3 Employee Engagement Strategies for Lean HR Departments
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Online
1.00 Credits
In the modern corporate landscape, the challenge for lean HR departments isn't just managing administrative tasks—it's about curating a meaningful and enriching employee journey. Small HR teams are uniquely poised to offer a level of personalization and touch that larger departments might struggle to replicate. These compact teams have the potential to craft individualized experiences, ensuring that each step of an employee's journey, from onboarding to advancement, resonates deeply and positively. Yet, knowing the potential and harnessing it are two distinct tasks. This session provides attendees with a deep dive into three transformative engagement strategies tailored for lean HR environments. By placing the employee journey at the heart of these strategies, HR professionals can ensure every interaction, every milestone, and every touchpoint is optimized for engagement, satisfaction, and growth. Discover methods that don't just streamline processes, but elevate the entire employee experience, creating a lasting impact on both individual careers and the organization's culture.
Planning in an Uncertain World
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Online
2.00 Credits
We all make predictions in our personal and professional lives. We base our decisions to marry, buy a house, launch a new product or hire staff on expectations about the future. In the past few years, research into improving predictions has advanced. We will look at this research and current best practices in forecasting to help us prepare better budgets and projections.
What Does Fraud Look Like?
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Online
2.00 Credits
The audit standards state that one of the reasons auditors fail to detect fraud is that they don’t know what it looks like. Prior to the original SAS No. 82, Consideration of Fraud In A Financial Statement Audit, nowhere in any SAS was there a description of what fraud looked like. So, as they say, if you don’t know what you are looking for, you can often look right at it and not recognize it! This presentation illustrates some of the more common indicators of fraud they most individuals would overlook unless they 1) knew what they were looking for and were 2) actually looking for it. Contrary to what the standards say about fraud being concealed, I have found that fraud is often laying on the table right in front of you; but no one has discovered it because they have no idea what the indicators of fraud are.
CFO Series: Decoding Balance Sheet Accounting
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Online
2.00 Credits
We mostly focus on the income statement, but what about other accounting concerns? This seminar discusses multiple common balance sheet issues, both on-the-books and off, that have an impact on our stakeholders and the value of the organization. Using practical analysis and case discussions, we highlight several key tools in understanding and communicating the importance of the cornerstone of accounting: the balance sheet. We must understand the real drivers of accounting issues to ensure that the balance sheet will be exemplary.
Just Ask Why - Searching for Answers: Generating Solutions
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Online
4.00 Credits
Breaking the Wall of blind acceptance; avoiding habitual complacency and Yoking the dots between cause and effect.
Getting On Top of It All: How to Work Smarter, Not Harder - Part 2
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Online
4.00 Credits
There is always too much to do and too little time to do it all. Fortunately, if you know the right ways to manage people, projects and your time, you can get on top of everything by working smarter. In Part 2 of this seminar we will go into more depth about how to get more done in less time, as well as how to not burnout from all the work you do. We will discuss additional methods for working smarter through technology, communication, stress reduction, and creating smart and helpful goals.
Shortcuts to Personal and Professional Success
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Online
8.00 Credits
We all want to be successful and deeply fulfilled, but most of us have not learned what really leads to a life of abundance, happiness, purpose, and great relationships. In this seminar, you will learn the most effective methods for creating the life you really want. In his interviews with such people as Oprah, the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins, Ted Turner, and dozens of others, Jonathan has learned what really works and what does not. In this seminar you’ll learn the best personal and professional growth techniques he’s acquired over his career. Once you know these great ideas and methods, you'll be able to take your life and career to a whole new level.
2024 Resolving Ethical Dilemmas-You Make the Call
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Online
1.50 Credits
By now, we should all understand the ethical obligations we have as CPAs. So, theoretically, if we just all agree to remain ethical, we should not have CPA ethical violations. But, of course, our professional ethics committees still have plenty of cases to investigate. This session will examine several ethical frameworks, including the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct’s and the GAO Yellow Book’s Threats and Safeguards approach to remaining ethical and resolving ethical dilemmas. The session will present several ethical case studies that illustrate the complexities of and challenges to staying ethical. By exercising our “ethical muscles”, we should be better positioned to effectively deal with the ethical dilemmas that we will inevitably encounter.
The Controllership Series - The Financial Close Process
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Online
1.50 Credits
A common challenge for the controller role is in closing the month-end and period-end books in preparation to issue financial statements. This duty requires precision, timing and efficiency. In today’s digital world, many organizations have access to financial accounting software that will assist with the steps in the financial close. However, even with this aid it is critical the accountant understand the various steps for the close process and how they inter-relate to other accounting processes. This course gives you an insight into the inter-relationships between many processes that impact the financial close. The closing process has traditionally been a slow one with many companies taking two weeks to close its subsidiary’s books and another two to three weeks to roll up and consolidated the results. With the introduction of technology much has been done to help accelerate that process with integrated enterprise resource planning systems and general ledger and consolidate software. Within this segment we will discuss the elements of the financial close and also important concepts to assist the controller in accelerating their close timeline. This includes addressing all functional areas of the close including payroll, invoicing, payables, inventory, cash, and the general ledger. We will also discuss important concepts of ensuring your financial close is accurate by discussing bank reconciliations, overhead allocations, bad debt reserves, unpaid wages and accruals for vacation time, account reconciliations, deprecation and overall financial statement review. Note: This course does not address utilizing technology in the financial close. Its focus is to understand the varied procedures involved in the financial close whether or not technology is utilized.
Preparing to be a Forensic Accountant - Focus on Digital Forensics
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Online
1.80 Credits
Forensic accounting, forensic accountancy or financial forensics is the specialty practice area of accounting that investigates whether firms engage in financial reporting misconduct. Forensic accountants apply a range of skills and methods to determine whether there has been financial reporting misconduct. Financial forensic engagements may fall into several categories. For example: Economic damages calculations, whether suffered through tort or breach of contract. Post-acquisition disputes such as earnouts or breaches of warranties Bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization Securities and tax fraud Money laundering Business valuation Computer forensics/e-discovery This session is designed to delve into further investigative procedures used including digital forensics. Future sessions will focus on computer forensics, network forensics and mobile forensics.
2024 I want the TRUTH: Preparing to be an Expert Witness
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Online
2.00 Credits
Many practitioners dealing with government and not-for-profit issues are asked to serve as expert witnesses in courts of law or other adjudicatory venues. This session will discuss key issues you need to know when you are asked to serve in this capacity, including: Applicable standards and other engagement acceptance considerations. Preparation requirements and techniques. Dos and don'ts of testifying. Avoiding commons traps and tricks designed to undermine your effectiveness. The session will conclude with a “mock cross-examination” with participants serving as the jury to identify what our witness does right and what he does wrong.
2024 Comprehensive Estate Planning: Administration & Postmortem Strategies
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Online
8.00 Credits
Navigating the complexities of estate and trust administration is a vital skill for professionals, who play an integral role in the administration team. This comprehensive course is designed to equip professionals with a thorough understanding of their responsibilities and the processes involved in estate administration, enhancing their ability to address estate settlement issues effectively. Participants will be provided with a detailed overview of the professional’s role in estate and trust administration, emphasizing practical insights and strategies for managing assets, addressing the legitimacy of debts and creditors, and ensuring the proper distribution of assets. **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.
2024 Individual Federal Tax Update
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Online
8.00 Credits
Looking to stay ahead in tax matters? Join our 2025 Individual Tax Update course for an essential deep dive into Form 1040 essentials. Designed for tax pros eager to sharpen their skills, this course unpacks recent tax code changes and equips you with the know-how to navigate them effortlessly. From mastering IRS Form 1040 to leveraging new tax benefits, you'll emerge ready to optimize returns for your clients while staying compliant with the latest regulations. Don't miss out on this opportunity to boost your expertise and ensure financial success for both you and your clients! **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.
Mastering The Three Pillars of Cybersecurity: Team & Compliance
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Online
1.00 Credits
Are you looking to fortify your practice against the ever-growing threats in the digital landscape? Join us for the third installment of our exclusive webinar series, "Mastering Cybersecurity," brought to you by Practice Protect. In today's digitally connected world, the need for comprehensive cybersecurity is paramount. With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, it's crucial to stay ahead of the curve in protecting your sensitive client data. This webinar series is designed to equip CPAs with the knowledge and tools needed to secure their practices and client information effectively.
Defending Your Workplace Culture: Tackling the 4 Biggest Threats to Your Team Engagement and Cohesion
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Online
1.00 Credits
In today's dynamic business environment, preserving a unified and engaged team culture is more challenging than ever. As the rhythm of work accelerates and organizational structures evolve, silent threats can begin to undermine our established team dynamics. These undercurrents, if left unaddressed, can erode morale, dampen productivity, and weaken the team's cohesion. This session offers a deep dive into strategies that can help identify, address, and neutralize these challenges, ensuring a positive, resilient, and inclusive workplace culture. Attendees will be equipped with a blend of insights and actionable strategies, enabling them to both recognize and respond to these potential pitfalls.
Imagining a World Without Non-Competes
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Online
1.00 Credits
This course will review the Federal Trade Commission's proposed rule banning non-competes. It will also briefly go over the rule making process and timeline for the proposed rule to go into effect. In the second half, the presentation will review the patchwork quilt of state laws that have curtailed enforcement of non-competes, as well as best practices for businesses to consider when implementing non-competes in the workforce.
The Controllership Series - Managerial Accounting Basics and Costs
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Online
1.20 Credits
Managerial accounting provides economic and financial information for managers and other internal users. Managerial and Financial Accounting have similarities and differences. Each field of accounting deals with the economic events of a business. Both managerial and financial accounting require that a company’s economic events be quantified and communicated to interested parties. This another course in our series on the controller’s role. The controller’s role encompasses many traditional functions. Within this segment of our controllership series, we discuss the area of managerial accounting and the basic concepts that surround this discipline as it primarily relates to cost accounting issues.
Why Auditors Fail To Detect Fraud
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Online
2.00 Credits
Prior to the original SAS No. 82 on Consideration of Fraud In A Financial Statement Audit (now codified as SAS No. 122, AU 240), the word fraud never appeared in a single SAS, nor was it described anywhere. SAS No. 82 stated that auditors failed to detect fraud for two reasons: 1) They did not know what it looked like and 2) They had not been trained to look for it. Although the SASs did not provide any guidance, auditors have always been responsible for the detection of anything that would cause a material misstatement of the financial statements whether caused by error or irregularities. (They would not even say the word fraud until it appeared in SAS No. 82) The standards were replete with guidance on the detection of an error but silent on how to detect irregularities. Now auditors are required to document in every financial statement audit their process of determining the risk of financial misstatement due to fraud. This presentation is designed to focus on frauds that were missed by the auditors and, in some cases, why it was missed. There will also be discussion as to what the auditor must do in order to improve their track record on detecting fraud. As reported on the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Occupational Fraud 2022: A Report to the Nations, only 4% of frauds were initially discovered by the external auditor. It was reported that more frauds were discovered by accident, (5%) then was discovered by the external auditor.
The Power of a Good Story!
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Online
4.00 Credits
Storytelling makes wisdom stick.
The Art of Marketing for CPAs
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Online
4.00 Credits
To make more money in less time, all accountants need to learn to market themselves effectively to their clients or their firm. For better or worse, promotions and more money go to those who are the best marketers, rather than the most competent accountants. In this fascinating and fun workshop, participants will learn seven key ways to get more clients and/or promotions through the art of marketing.