CPE Catalog & Events

Why an open mind and the ability to doubt helps make great predictions Why it is better to be a fox than a hedgehog How non-conformists change the world How to focus on what matters How to learn from the past without hindsight bias

Overcoming the Common Obstacles to Public Speaking Fear of rejection/ failure and how to overcome From Unconscious Incompetence to Unconscious Competence Toastmasters and practicing by video Act “As If,” Do One Breath Technique to be more relaxed Creating the Content of the Talk What are the concerns of your audience? Talks consist of a title, an introduction, an opening, a body of content, a conclusion and a closing How to Deliver a Talk Effectively The clothes you wear and how you look matter Charisma = energy Smile and act enthusiastic Use self deprecating humor Making the Talk Entertaining Vary the speed of your delivery The Power of stories Memorization and Practice Key word system and note cards Practice thru video or get feedback through others Creating Stories that Rock

The major topics covered in this course include:Fast-paced discussion of what has been learned in other more mature markets like Colorado, Oregon and CaliforniaDiscussion of what to expect in emerging markets where there is currently only medical access to cannabis or recent state legal regulatory access to recreational cannabisThe state of Colorado will be used as an example of cannabis economics and regulatory oversight

Becoming qualified as an expert witness Best practices for testifying at trial Understanding the different roles accountants can play in litigation Working with attorneys to prepare and present a case at trial The role of experts in commercial versus personal injury litigation Confidentiality orders Compensation for expert witnesses Preparing for and attending depositions Daubert challenges to experts Expert reports The role of experts in antitrust, securities litigation, and professional liability cases Credibility as a witness

How does the IRC define an installment sale under Section 453? When can a taxpayer utilize the provisions of IRC Section 453? When should a taxpayer utilize the provisions of an installment sale and when should it be avoided How does the issue of a “dealer” vs. a “non-dealer” impact the use of the installment sale method How to report an installment sale when related parties are involved How to calculate an installment sale How has the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act impacted the use of the Installment Sale Method What is a like-kind exchange as defined by IRC Section 1031 When can a taxpayer utilize the provisions of IRC Section 1031 What types of real property are eligible for like-kind exchange treatment and what types are not What is “boot” and how does it impact the like-kind exchange deferral How to calculate a like-kind exchange including any taxable portion How has the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act impacted the use of like-kind exchanges

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:New GASB standards:GASB 100, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections.GASB 101, Compensated Absences.Practical case studies.

The major topics covered in this course include:Overview of the current landscape for AI in businessHistory of ChatGPT and generative AIFundamentals of generative AI technology and related nomenclatureABC's of how to use ChatGPTDemonstration of practical ChatGPT applications for accounting, finance and taxA word of caution: What you should be concerned aboutDeveloping a ChatGPT usage policy for your firm / business

Defining three critical elements: responsibility, empowerment and accountability, and how they work together to create results Designing and using clear agreements that provide clarity Skills for holding yourself and others accountable for results, no matter what Knowing where you are in the accountability game... what you do/don’t do well

Qualified shareholder requirement Trusts as shareholders Estates as shareholders Qualified tax exempt shareholders Tax planning ideas to accommodate economic investments by disqualified investors Special rules for counting the number of shareholders One class of stock requirement Indirect preferences creating risk of failing one class of stock requirement Disqualified corporations Making an effective S corporation election Relief for late or defective elections Inadvertent termination relief for involuntary terminations

Communication Social Media Marketing Publicity Public Relations Business Strategy

The difficult trade-offs in making choices. Functioning in the ‘gray’ areas. The value of trust. How lack of accountability can lead to ethical issues.

The shift to “predictive accounting” for Decision Making, Planning, and Budgeting Problems with traditional annual budget processes Develop a driver-based “operational budget” based on resource capacity planning Classify resource capacities and their expenses as sunk, fixed, step-variable, and variable Create closed loop capacity plans Forecast demand for budgeting and rolling financial forecasts Integrating enterprise risk management (ERM) with management accounting Applying target costing for cost estimating

Why great predictions are not intuitive but the result of critical thinking, gathering information and updating predictions when needed How to separate correlation from causation How to recognize and overcome bias Who is Thomas Bayes and why he matters

The major topics covered in this course include:Creating a culture of disciplineProject and time management best practicesAvoiding common time wastersTips for both getting, and staying, organizedManaging stress for yourself and othersManaging productive meetings

How a purchaser of an energy-efficient clean vehicle claims a credit The energy efficient home improvement credit The Residential Clean Energy Credit The clean vehicle credit The previously owned clean vehicle credit The qualified commercial clean vehicle credit Transfers of credits to an unrelated transferee Seller report information for buyers of new and previously owned clean vehicle credits Registering a dealer for dealer reporting and Clean Vehicle Tax Credit transfers

Auditor independence and its importance to the public accounting profession Common threats to auditor independence AICPA’s framework for assessing conflicts of interest Unique threats related to non-attest services to attest clients Common safeguards to help assure compliance with relevant rules and regulations

SECURE Acts and the 10-year rule Roth IRA beneficiary options Where the stretch IRA really ends The new limitations for spouse IRA beneficiaries The new spouse options for spouse beneficiaries New RMD rules for Roth 401(k)s Overriding the 10-year rule for an eligible designated beneficiary How the age of death affects beneficiary options The new early distribution penalty exceptions Rollovers vs. transfers for spouse beneficiaries Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) for owners and beneficiaries The “at least as rapidly” (ALAR) rule New reduced rate for excess accumulation penalty on RMD failures How to avoid unlimited accrual of the 6% excise tax How to avoid unlimited accrual of the 25% excise tax Clarifying the definition of disability for an exception to the 10% additional tax 529 to Roth: who, what, when, and how The new starting ages for RMDs Designated vs. eligible designated beneficiaries and their options Catch-up contributions for ages 50 and over Catch-up contributions for ages 60 to 63 When the 60-day deadline is missed When the one-per-year rollover limit is about to be broken Retaining qualifications for exceptions to the 10% additional tax

How to know your specific obstacles to becoming rich Why people use poor marketing and investment strategies, and how to overcome such limitations The most effective marketing methods, and how to implement them The power of being super motivated, and 3 methods to keep you motivated long term towards your goals Having a vision for your business and life that will keep you on the right track

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:How accountant liability is a very real threat in today's litigious society.A discussion of scenarios in which accounting professionals can find themselves inadvertently involved in a lawsuit.Pitfalls in which the accountant may find him- or her- self while dealing with clients.Real-life examples from the speaker's extensive experience as a practitioner and as an expert witness in accounting malpractice cases.

May 2024: Foreign-Owned Real Estate Holding Structures: Corporate Structures In Depth June 2024: Foreign-Owned Real Estate Holding Structures: Trust Structures in Depth July 2024: Foreign-Owned Real Estate Holding Structures: Fixing Problems August 2024: Foreign-Owned Real Estate, the Ownership Phase: Income Taxation September 2024: Real Estate Disposition Case Study: Sale of a California Personal Residence -- Taxation, Withholding, Tax Returns October 2024: Preparing an Expatriation Income Tax Return and Form 8854 November 2024: What Kind of Trust is This? Foreign/Domestic, Grantor/Non-grantor, Simple/Complex January 2025: Foreign Grantor Trusts: Taxation, Tax Compliance, and Use Cases February 2025: Foreign Non-grantor Trusts: Taxation, Tax Compliance, and Use Cases March 2025: Foreign Non-grantor Trust Distributions to U.S. Beneficiaries