CPE & Event Calendar

This study examines how a paradigm shift from traditional to digital audits could affect the audit expectation gap. It uncovers possible new areas of the expectation gap and threats and challenges resulting from this paradigm shift. The findings suggest that audit digitalization will result in the profession transitioning from the defensive approach of educating users on auditors' duties to a constructive approach of using digital tools to perform some of the duties that users expect of auditors. Digital technologies have the potential to enhance internal controls and facilitate fraud prevention and detection, thus narrowing the expectation gap with these critical issues. The potential benefits of switching to the constructive approach include lower costs for audit firms, enhanced audit quality, and improved client perceptions of auditors.

Regulatory, reporting and disclosure requirements surrounding employee benefit plan auditing are growing and changing. Audit deficiencies are more common than firms care to see. The risk of plan failures or fraud is always present for plan sponsors. Learn about the complexities, trending issues and steps you can take to be up to date on regulatory, audit and accounting requirements, perform quality audits and serve your clients with timely and accurate advice.

Operating costs for vehicles used in a taxpayer's business are deductible. Thus, when taxpayers use their automobiles in their businesses or employment, they can deduct that portion of the cost of operating their vehicle. Vehicle property taxes can be deducted if they are itemized on Schedule A. This course reviews personal and business use apportionment, the actual cost method, the standard mileage method and expensing. Moreover, this presentation informs practitioners about the benefits and costs of leasing versus owning and working condition fringe benefits.

Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting has begun. Are you prepared to navigate the uncertainties of the new requirements? This course brings together CalCPA leaders and CAMICO experts for a conversation on managing risks and serving your clients.

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act was enacted to minimize abuse of the bankruptcy system. Included in this Act were tax law changes and other changes that individuals, partnerships, and corporations will see in the bankruptcy procedures and qualifications. This mini-course examines these changes that debtors face when filing for federal bankruptcy and explores the many tax issues of bankruptcy. Practitioners will also learn about other issues such as homesteading and garnishment by creditors.

This course overviews basic fringe benefits and examines their mechanics, compensation methods, valuation, withholding, and accounting. Achievement awards, term life insurance, medical reimbursement, meals & lodging, educational assistance, dependent care, employer-provided automobiles, interest-free loans, etc., are identified. Employer and employee economic and tax considerations are recognized. Fringe benefit requirements and limits are specified and ERISA compliance requirements are determined.

In this course, initial marital tax matters such as living together, property rights, premarital agreements, filing status, exemptions and dependents are explored. The detailed support test for children of divorced or separated parents, the tax treatment of back child support, the deduction of divorce costs, and estimated tax payments are reviewed. Emphasis is given to marital property rules, married versus unmarried tax rate comparison, head of household status, and treatment of refunds and deficiencies.

Risk oversight by the board of directors is a key component of a firm's enterprise risk management framework, and recently, boards have paid more attention to their firm's tax-planning activities. In this study, we use a hand-collected sample of proxy statement disclosures about the board's role in risk oversight and provide evidence that risk oversight is negatively associated with both tax uncertainty and overall tax burdens. We find that risk oversight is most strongly associated with positions that yield permanent tax benefits and also with less risky tax-planning activities. Overall, the evidence suggests that board risk oversight is associated with more effective tax-planning practices.

Americans who want to be their own boss are not entirely on their own. They have a rich uncle - Uncle Sam - who is there to help, as well as to make demands. The nation's tax laws are intended to encourage people to start new businesses and are chock full of incentives and tax breaks, as well as sometimes onerous reporting requirements. This course is a fast-paced and entertaining guide through tax issues affecting business entities and their owners. The focus of this class is on tax devices and techniques available to the small-business owner. Emphasis will be given to operational deductions, fringe benefits, compensation, family income splitting, retirement plans, and estate planning.

Taxpayers are once again looking to CPAs for guidance and planning related to travel and entertainment expenses. This comprehensive mini-course examines and explains the practical aspects of business travel and entertainment deductions. To determine the expenses that taxpayers are able to deduct, fundamentals are reviewed and planning opportunities are identified. Practitioners will learn to master the proper administration of these complex and often cumbersome provisions.

Wineries are navigating significant material shortages and increased costs. The course will discuss the economic, political, and environmental challenges facing the wine industry.

This comprehensive course describes and compares sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, C corporations, and S corporations. It examines the advantages and disadvantages of each, helping you properly select the right business entity for your clients' specific tax and liability needs. Perhaps most importantly, this course emphasizes the maximization of tax benefits in each business format. Fringe benefits, retirement plan alternatives, and nonqualified deferred compensation are also discussed in detail.

This course compares sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, C corporations and S corporations. It examines their advantages and disadvantages, giving you the knowledge to properly select the correct business entity for tax and liability needs.

We'll make the case that all professionals-and leaders in particular-must make developing others a top priority. The course will address the difference between coaching and mentoring as methods of developing others and will offer several specific tips for effective coaching and successful mentoring programs. Originally presented June 6, 2015. Note: There is a minimum passing rate of 70% for this course.

Today's competitive and complex business environment requires the CPA to be a strong communicator. Attend this proactive seminar and learn how to effectively communicate your position. Topics will emphasize the "communication" process and explore techniques to improve oral communications, including telephone techniques and written communications. Explore communications and personality types while considering the importance of the "human" side, including "empathy," "ego" and "needs." Summarized topics covered through a series of mini-case studies. The webcast was originally broadcast on May 3, 2017. Note: There is a minimum passing rate of 70% for this course.

This course provides a review of standards for accounting and review services, with a specific focus on the risks accountants may face when providing these services. It further offers valuable guidance for making informed, professional judgments integral to the delivery of these services.

This presentation integrates federal taxation with overall financial planning. The course will explore tax strategies relating to the central financial tactics of wealth building, capital preservation, and estate distribution. The result is a unified explanation of tax-economics that will permit the tax professional to locate, analyze, and solve financial concerns. Designed to improve the quality of services to clients and the profitability of engagements, this program projects the accountant into the world of financial planning. This course will give the participant practice in analyzing problems, developing solutions, and presenting final personal financial plans to clients. The course surveys wills, living trusts, gifts, marital property, and probate avoidance. Will and trust forms are explored along with living wills, durable powers of attorney, and nominations of conservator. Designed to eliminate estate problems and death taxes, the emphasis is on practical solutions that are cost effective. Note: There is a minimum passing rate of 70% for this course.

While tax reform provisions have changed the tax on profits realized from the disposition of real estate, investors still seek escape hatches from the capital gain tax. Tax-deferred exchanges permit the disposition of property often with the taxpayer receiving significant cash but without the payment of any tax. Functionally, an exchange is a bridge over the normally taxable event of moving from one property to another. This course alerts the practitioner to the different planning opportunities that surround exchanging. Participants will be able to identify, analyze and handle effectively the complex tax problems that arise under 1031. This understanding will be directly applied to the structuring and audit survival of multi-party and delayed exchanges.

No team or organization is perfect, and we all experience conflict in our professional lives. How we manage conflict determines whether or not it ultimately helps our hurts our work. Learn how to tackle conflict positively by understanding sources of conflict, the damaging effects of unchecked negative conflict, how to react when conflict is directed at you, how to mediate when others experience conflict and how to create needed positive conflict. The webcast was originally broadcast on July 18, 2016. Note: There is a minimum passing rate of 70% for this course.

Explore the latest challenges and solutions faced by the construction industry and the CPAs who work with them. Learn about the latest updates and emerging issues in accounting practices, as well as critical economic updates to be aware of. Gain the latest in industry knowledge from leading experts in the construction field.