CPE Catalog & Events

When is a person eligible to take Social Security benefits? Factors to consider when selecting an option for taking Social Security benefits Is there a best age to start taking Social Security benefits? How to maximize Social Security benefit payments for surviving spouses How can a divorced spouse collect Social Security benefits based on the work record of a former spouse? How minor children can collect Social Security benefits based on the work record of an older parent

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, and Premium Tax Credit Comprehensive coverage of the SECURE 2.0 Act, including: Expanding Enrollment in Retirement Plans, Increase in Age for Required Beginning Date for Mandatory Distributions, and New Exceptions to Penalty-Free Withdrawal from Retirement Plans Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation Bonus depreciation  Section 174 Research and Experimental Expenditures New FinCEN reporting requirements in 2024 Advanced practice, reporting, and other issues intertwined with advanced planning and discussion ideas

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:The auditor's responsibilities for fraud when performing an audit as contained in AU-C 240, Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statement AuditReviewing the components of the fraud triangleA Fraud Prevention Checklist to be used by auditors and shared with their clientsA review of how selected fraud were uncovered in small and medium size entities, including for-profit organizations, not-for-profit organizations, and governmental entitiesOther important matters covered in AU-C 240

The major topics covered in this class include:A general review of compensation and payroll taxes from a broad perspectiveA walk through of the payroll processExplanations and examples of payroll processing, payroll tax deposits, and payroll returnsResources, recommendations, and guidance on compensation, payroll and payroll related topics

Should ethical behavior be something that we always do? Is ethical behavior situational? Why being ethical will help you succeed personally and professionally. Consequences of not behaving ethically? Why trust matters? How we can make better ethical decisions in our professional lives.

SSAE 18 Intent Impact of Change Subservice Organization Modifications of SSAE 18 Monitoring Risk Assessment Complimentary Controls Evidence

The two sides of leadership Practices that build and destroy an organization’s value and spirit Toxic leader characteristics Four sources of leadership power Push vs. pull leadership styles Six 'Rules of Influence' that cause one person to say 'yes' to another person Ways to defend ourselves against toxic leaders How to use corporate politics to our advantage and still do the right thing

Methods of committing inventory, expense and payroll fraud What to look for when observing inventory Detection of inventory fraud How to recognize fictitious expenses How to recognize altered expenses Indicators of fake documentation The three main reason we ask for documentation Detection and prevention of ghost employees

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

What makes people really happy—and what doesn’t The 3 most important things you can do to increase both happiness and productivity How to handle stress in under two minutes How to deal with difficult people so they don’t bring you down How to use positive psychology principles to help your business

How our emotions follow the motion of our body, and how that can be used to instill instant confidence How to tap into a completely relaxed and/or confident state of mind in 10 seconds or less using advanced hypnotic conditioning and Neuro-Linguistic Programming techniques How to stay motivated to use the methods outlined in this course to advance your career and achieve a higher quality of life How to use the concept of constant learning to help you maintain a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle

Discuss the most recent tax legislation, rulings and developments Section 163(j) interest expense deduction New 21% corporate tax rate Medicare tax on high income wages and SE income Tax provision and extensions Timing income and deductions Alternative minimum tax (AMT) issues

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Learn best practices when designing your spreadsheets How to create a proper worksheet structureLearn to use Excel's built in features to find errorsHow to create your custom controls to prevent and find errorsUsing links to quickly move to controlsUsing Conditional Formatting to highlight errors

What are the signs of an ethical versus unethical organization? The need for clear policies Policies should be detailed, clear and unambiguous The importance of ‘doing the right thing when no one else is looking’ How exceptions offer opportunities to the unethical Should exceptions be allowed?

The major topics covered in this class include:FASB codification provisions for transactions with related parties, including business owners and special purpose entities.Compare and contrast those rules with the AICPA financial reporting framework for small and medium-sized entities.Review the tax accounting related taxpayer standards.Real-life examples applying the various authoritative standards. Consequences of failing to comply with the standards.

The major topics covered in this course include:Understanding the ELI5 Approach60 Variations of the ELI5 MethodApplication of the ELI5 Approach in AccountingELI5 Case StudiesStrategies for Implementing the ELI5 ApproachUsing ChatGPT to Enhance ELI5 CommunicationRole of Accountants in Leveraging the ELI5 Approach

Performance Metrics Budgets  

The major topics covered in this course include:ChatGPT and generative AI technology primerBuilding your generative AI vocabularyDig deeper into your engagement research to develop a higher quality advisory servicePolish your client reporting with the help of ChatGPTDeveloping your ChatGPT client advisory servicesStart with client education. You don’t need to be a technical expert to be an educatorUse AI to help your clients automate their workflows / business processesBuild better spreadsheets with ChatGPT and ExcelHelp your clients identify, evaluate and select applications for their business

The importance of professional skepticism The dangers of making assumptions How to listen and understanding the answer to a question Why it is important to leave all of your expectations at home Anticipation and why it’s so dangerous Determining materiality The fraud triangle Thinking about, given a set of circumstances, how you would steal Management and the Tone At the Top