CPE & Event Calendar

Most Staff Accountants learned Excel in college and many others learned Excel on their own, however most users never learned the important productivity tips that help them build spreadsheets more efficiently. This course will teach new and experienced users how to leverage the many productivity tools built within Excel in order to build spreadsheets with maximum effectiveness. 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 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.

This course will provide overview of key cybersecurity security domains that CPA's should evaluate in an audit. It will provide an overview of each security domain, and an overview of how to evaluate and assess the sufficiency of the cybersecurity control. Examples of security domains that will be covered include: Change management Access management Data integrity This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Keep current on ethical requirements imposed by standards-setting organizations and legislative action. Discuss regulatory, legal and ethical requirements affecting the profession. Take a pragmatic approach to ethics, recognize potential regulatory problems, and avoid liability.

Financial statements are a window into what is going on in the day-to-day operations of the company. They help us see what the company's strengths and weaknesses are. However, financial statements can often have different messages depending on the user. 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 provides in-depth coverage of ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Since ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers has now been adopted by most entities, it is time to review the topic, including any recently issued updates. Excerpts from publicly traded companies' recent disclosures on Revenue are also reviewed and discussed.

Clients believe that estate planning is only for the wealthy. This isn't the case. Perhaps as a result of the 2020 pandemic, estate planning has a renewed focus. All practitioners should be familiar with the vernacular, acronyms and techniques. Estate planning involves personal issues that affect everyone, even when the estate tax doesn't apply. Learn strategies to pass assets to future generations; provide education benefits; distribute retirement benefits, and provide a charitable legacy.

Add an invaluable skill set to your career. Showcasing a comprehensive cost accounting system of an actual company, we'll precisely identify direct costs for individual products. We'll identify certain fluctuating variables and semi-fixed costs that are, in fact, direct costs. Examples on how to handle costing issues when there are temporary changes in normal MFG operations and budgeting techniques for setting accurate standard costs will round out the course.

In an era when sharing a photo of lunch can be considered an "update," the ethical standards that define the CPA profession are not always as intuitive as they once were. Our expert helps you navigate this new realm by using real-world examples to help illustrate the dos and don'ts in ethical social situations. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Recall lessons learned and practical implementation challenges and complexities with the FASB's Accounting Standard Update for Leases (ASC Topic 842). Identify key differences between ASC Topic 842 and ASC Topic 840, Practical Expedients, remeasurement-triggering events. Session will go beyond the basics and will apply to specific examples. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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 will review common deficiencies identified by the AICPA and state boards of accountancy. It features discussion on a variety of topics, including analytical procedures, sampling, group audits and risk assessment. We will review the areas of concern and how you can overcome them by employing best practices. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-10598. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org. The practical application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the accounting profession is spreading like wildfire with the release of powerful applications such as ChatGPT. A byproduct of this evolution is the origination of new ethical dilemmas for CPAs on how to address the use of this technology in the delivery of their services. This course, presented by John Higgins, CPA, a nationally recognized technology advisor to the profession, will provide CPAs with a practical framework for addressing the various ethical issues that can arise with the application of AI in their work

This section of the 4-part series will cover fundamentals of Form 706 with numerous examples of how to properly report deductions on the estate tax return, including the marital and charitable deductions.

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.

Making the S-election avoids double taxation for corporate operations after the election is effective. Consider the special rules related to adjusting the stock-adjusted basis, distributions and loss limitations. Rules surrounding the S corporation election are necessary to accomplish the single level of tax at the shareholder level. Evaluate the details of the adjustments to the stock basis. Cover descriptions and illustrations regarding calculating the "accumulated adjustment account" (AAA) and determining whether a distribution is from AAA. Loss limitation rules will be explained and illustrated, focusing on complications arising when distributions and losses occur in the same taxable year. Also, take into account the tax considerations of losses, reducing the adjusted basis in shareholder loans. Identify and evaluate tax planning opportunities and strategies.

Our country and our accounting methods have undergone huge changes in the previous few years, most of it challenging. Individuals and entire businesses have been left reeling by new tax regulations, doing more with less, and employment restructuring. Organizations must adjust quickly; notwithstanding how painful these changes have been. This course instructs accounting managers on how to deal with change and stress in the workplace. Before it affects them in a negative way, the accounting professional will learn how to best manage the changing work environment and the stress that comes with it. "The first wealth is health," remarked Ralph Waldo Emerson, but for many of us, stressful jobs are putting our health at jeopardy.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-6513. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.This course has been designed to assist those who want or need to remain up-to-date on recently issued and effective accounting guidance issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-9280. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.This comprehensive session is a must-attend event for any professional accountant who prepares financial statements for either a private enterprise or a firm client. We illustrate best practices for presentation and disclosure by revisiting fundamentals of financial reporting for various industries. This workshop explores best practices for U.S. GAAP in addition to considerations for special purpose frameworks. Experienced accountants will benefit from a refresher whereas other accountants will appreciate formative skill-building insights.

Calculating partnership basis is one of the most important things that we do as practitioners. However, it is also one of the most confusing. When we use the term "basis," we really could be referring to one of three different things. This course will explore the differences between inside basis, outside basis, and 704(b) basis. Through several examples and practice problems, we will show you how to easily distinguish among these terms. We will also explore the tax implications of initial contributions of property to a partnership as well as the different types of partnership distributions.