CPE & Event Calendar

Various legal tests are used to evaluate whether a worker should be classified as an employee or an independent contractor. There is no uniform standard or bright-line rule for determining whether an individual is properly classified as an independent contractor. Instead, the inquiry is always fact-intensive, and the analysis can vary based what body is performing it, i.e. the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), Department of Labor (“DOL”), various state agencies, or the courts. This presentation will review the various tests and highlight some of the common, most important factors for consideration.   

This course dives into the powerful, but potentially under-utilized, capabilities of Microsoft Excel.  Designed for sophisticated users willing to approach spreadsheets from a unique perspective, this program encourages users to challenge the status quo by considering opportunities to take acceptable spreadsheets to a new level.

Seismic changes in tax legislation is currently taking place, and the well-informed tax practitioner will want to attend this two hour monthly program in order to stay abreast of these developments! Approximately one-half of the program is devoted to individual tax issues, and the remaining time is spend on business entity taxation, IRS procedure, tax legislation and other issues. Due to the changing nature of the topic, learning objectives, course descriptions and program content will vary and will be provided in more specificity closer to presentation time. This course provides a concise look at the hottest topics affecting every tax practitioner. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

In the world of "Big Data," virtually all business professionals have become data analysts, at least to some extent. However, that is particularly true in auditing, where internal and external auditors increasingly turn to data analytics to identify situations requiring follow-up and investigation. Those who understand how to use various tools to assist in these efforts benefit by conducting more thorough analyses and achieving superior results in less time. In this session, you will learn about various tools and techniques you can use for more thorough data analyses. The discussion includes Excel as a data analysis tool, multiple Excel add-ins, and Microsoft's Power BI application. If you're seeking to improve your skills in the field of data analytics, this session is the one for you!

The course will start with the Accounting Standard Updates effective in 2024 for public entities, private entities, and nonprofits. We will also review year 2 implications of the leases standard including modification accounting. We will then switch our attention to the items coming down the pike, including a look at the projects identified by the FASB's Invitation to Comment: Agenda Consultation. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Auditing Accounts Receivable - Focusing Procedures for Testing Existence and Valuation will explain tips and best practice techniques for auditing common accounts receivable risks, primarily focusing on existence and valuation. Accounts receivable tends to carry higher risk of material misstatement due to the complexity and subjectivity involved with initial recognition, subsequent measurement, and valuation. In addition, revenue recognition is presumed to be a significant fraud risk. Note: This course is recommended as a part of a 16-hour audit skills curriculum for experienced staff auditors, while it is also appropriate for anyone who has responsibilities for auditing accounts receivable. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This session describes a state agency's quality review of a not-for-profit organization's A-133 Single Audit.  The case study describes the organization audited, its federally- and state-funded programs, and the CPA firm retained to do the audit.  Various anomalies in the financial statements alerted state officials to potential problems, and a detailed quality review followed.  Find out how the entity turned hundreds of thousands of dollars in bank overdrafts into hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash on its balance sheet.  Explore other “creative” ways to deal with fixed assets, accounts receivable, and related-party transactions.  Were the auditors just sloppy, ignorant, negligent?  Or were they active participants in producing fraudulent financial statements?  You be the judge.

In this course, we will explore the various types of data - both structured and unstructured - used in conducting fraud risk investigations and proactive monitoring. We will explore the various tools available on the market and techniques to confirm completeness and accuracy of the data before the analysis begins.  The course will cover the process for selecting the right data sources to align with the various risks as well as pitfalls to avoid when preparing the data for analysis. 

For the ambitious female finance professional, working hard and going above and beyond are necessary for success. Sadly, taking time to care for themselves can be seen as counter-productive to meeting their career goals. Over ninety percent of women executives are feeling significantly higher levels of stress that they attribute to increased responsibilities and priorities outside the workplace compared to life before the pandemic. Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that causes exhaustion, negativity toward one's job and reduced professional efficacy. It has become so pervasive that it's now recognized as an occupational phenomenon by the World Health Organization. To reignite your enthusiasm at work, you don't necessarily need to find a new job or time for a spa day or bubble bath. You need concrete strategies to invest in your mental health without compromising your ability to rise to the next level in your career. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

If you... - Produce or revise dashboards and reports - Find your current reports and dashboards confusing - Are frustrated by the length, complexity and structure of your existing reports - Have many different styles of dashboards and reports in use and want to simplify things - Need to create a consistent “house style” that can be replicated by different teams - Want to look like a star by creating reports and dashboards that your internal customers love ... this workshop can help. In this session we explore the principles of what makes reports and dashboards easy, or hard, to understand, distil this into a simple set of rules and show you how to apply these rules using Excel.

Gear up for tax season with Steve Dilley's annual update!  This program provides an update to the latest tax developments, rules and regulations affecting both business and individual taxpayers, including a review and integration of 2023-2024 legislation.    **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.

This course is an extension of the Power BI series of courses that specifically explores using OLAP formulas and advanced time intelligent functions. OLAP formulas provide the ability to create a calculation in a cell that is based upon the measure in the data model. This powerful tool provides the ability to create calculations in an Excel worksheet without using a PivotTable to perform the calculation. Gone are the days of creating a PivotTable, then using those values in the PivotTable for additional calculations. When using Power BI to build a data model that connects to data files, you may want to know the date of these files. This class teaches you how to create a measure based upon the refresh date of your data. In the class "Power BI - Use Advanced Calculations with DAX Formulas," you learned the basics of time intelligent functions, the ability to calculate measures based upon dates. In THIS course, we will take it to the next step and teach you how to perform many more date-based calculations. This session is presented using Excel 2019/Office 365. Regardless of the version you are using, most concepts covered in this course apply to all versions of Excel. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Fringe benefits are just another way of paying your employees. Do you know how to correctly track fringe benefits, as well as apply and report the various withholding tax rules for those fringe benefits? The IRS says fringe benefits must be included in and reported as a part of employee pay, but with any good tax law, there are always exclusions to that rule. Knowing how to handle fringe benefits can be complicated, especially in an area that changes on an annual basis. Attendees will leave with an understanding of what the requirements are around fringe benefits, what constitutes a fringe benefit, and whether it is taxable or not. We will also explore the evergreen areas of reporting S-Corp Shareholder Health, HSA, and when cash is not taxable compensation. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This course, the first in a three-course series, concentrates on the five-step approach covered in ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Since ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers has been adopted by most entities, it is time to review the topic, including any recent updates. The course also includes pertinent note disclosures from several publicly traded companies across several industries. Be sure to register for all three parts of this series: Revenue: The Five Steps-Topic 606-10 Revenue: Special Implementation Guide-Topic 606-10-55 Revenue: Miscellaneous Topics

We see multiple stories about the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and its entry into our lives in the form of AI tools, including ChatGPT. They seem to be everywhere. It is difficult to overstate how much things will change with the rise of these new technologies, or how important it is that companies embrace the opportunity to execute them correctly. Having conversations regarding the proper adoption of these technologies and tools is a crucial first step, including drafting policies to assist companies with their beneficial and thoughtful implementation and use. This course will define the state of AI tools, what benefits and risks exist, and which steps to take to begin adopting these technologies with appropriate guardrails, policies, and training. It is less likely that AI will destroy industries, and more likely that companies that embrace AI will overtake those companies that do not.

If there is a potential error, the IRS will assess a tax and add a hefty penalty, without even knowing the facts. As a tax professional, you will be exposed to the IRS and their methods of penalizing taxpayers for the smallest of violations. This presentation will focus on the rules and regulations that create the penalty, and the reasons that exist that the IRS will consider to remove those penalties. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Excel tables are a fundamental feature that streamlines data organization, analysis, and visualization in Excel. Throughout this course, you will discover how to transform raw data into elegant, efficient, and visually appealing tables. By harnessing the full potential of Excel tables, you will be able to make better data-driven decisions and collaborate more effectively in various professional settings. Join us in "Improve Design and Productivity with Excel Tables" and unlock the full potential of Excel tables to revolutionize the way you manage, analyze, and present data, leading to improved efficiency and better decision-making in your personal and professional endeavors. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Since its inception nearly 30 years ago, many have continued to struggle with applying the current model for accounting for income taxes, ASC 740. But this does not have to be you. This course will provide you with the basic knowledge necessary to understand the complexities of this challenging topic. Through discussions and use of exercises, this course will analyze the authoritative literature to provide a thorough understanding of such topics as deferred taxes, income tax expense, uncertain tax positions and other classification and disclosure requirements related to income taxes. We will also explore some specialized areas of income tax accounting, such as intra-period allocations of income tax expense and accounting for changes in tax laws and rates, and we will review proposed updates to ASC 740 disclosures on which the FASB is contemplating. In summary, this course is the place to be to enhance your accounting for income taxes IQ.

In this course, participants will learn about the five principals of COSO's Fraud Risk Management Guide and the linkages each principal has to the use of forensic data analytics to measurably demonstrate effectiveness and ROI.  We will also explore key elements to a successful program that is sustainable as well as pitfalls to avoid. Finally, we will cover several case studies that demonstrate the key concepts discussed. 

This course explores the tests used to determine whether a worker is properly characterized as an employee or an independent contractor for tax purposes, with a focus on the cost of getting it wrong and possible Section 530 relief.  The game changing impact of the Dynamex case and AB5 will also be discussed.  **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.