Professional Development and Event Catalog

With the explosion of technology over the past thirty years, one fair question is, "what are the ethical considerations and impacts related to this technology?" Of course, practical technology issues such as data privacy and security undoubtedly carry ethical considerations. However, technology also affects the ethics associated with work-life balance, the digital divide, training needs, copyrights, and fraud, to name a few. This course will teach you about "technoethics" and its implications for individuals and organizations. To that end, you will explore many current and emerging issues associated with ethics and technology, such as copyrights, cybercrimes, privacy versus security, and geo-tracking technologies. Given the profound implications of ethics and technology, this could be the most impactful session you will ever attend.

Disclosures are on of the most challenging areas of financial statement preparation and one of the most cited deficiencies in peer reviews. This program tackles the many disclosure requirements with detailed discussions on topic requirements and examples. It is a fas- paced course that covers all the major balance sheet accounts, as well as revenue and expenses. Attention is also paid to the Statement of Cash Flows.

The QuickBooks platform is robust with features and capabilities that many users are unaware of or do not know how to utilize effectively. This course helps you get more out of QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online and resolve the issues even experienced QuickBooks users struggle with, such as locking down prior periods. This program starts fast with a chapter covering the top issues accountants face with QuickBooks. Then, the day continues with practical guidance and solutions designed to help accountants get the most out of QuickBooks for themselves or their clients. You will learn about issues like setting up a new company, configuring and customizing QuickBooks preferences, and enabling system security and password protection features. Also, you will learn how to lock down transactions in prior periods, use the audit trail, customize reports, export reports to Excel, and extend QuickBooks' usefulness with tools such as the Fixed Asset Manager and Loan Manager.

In today's world of everchanging demands and dynamics of the workplace, it is imperative that we use a tool to help us bring balance, strength, and stability in all we do at work and at home. Mindfulness is an easy and effective tool to help us with this. The Mindful-CPA program via this webinar is designed specifically for Finance and Accounting Professionals. You will learn: The fundamental principles of Mindfulness An 8-minute Mindfulness Practice to be done daily Creative and fun ways to apply Mindfulness to work activities Effective overall strategies to bring creativity, balance, and energy to daily activities. Sunish Mehta, CPA has been a practitioner and instructor of Mindfulness for over 20 years and has worked with several Mindfulness Organizations to date. Having studied with some of the top Mindfulness Teachers in the world including His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Sunish has integrated mindfulness into his learning and consulting work with the focused goal to help conscious professionals bring focus, creativity, and balance to their professional and personal lives. You can learn more at www.mindful-cpa.com.

This CTCPA conference is designed to update practitioners on new developments in the nonprofit arena.

In today's ever-evolving regulatory landscape, maintaining relevance in the profession is crucial. You can stay up to date with the rapid developments in accounting and auditing through our comprehensive course. We delve into recent pronouncements, exposure drafts, and additional guidance pertinent to accounting, auditing, review, compilation, and preparation engagements. We'll navigate the complexities for you, assisting in identifying and implementing the latest standards and guidance from FASB, PCAOB, ARSC, and ASB.

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!

With approximately 500 functions now available in Excel, some newer and more powerful tools are easy to overlook. But, if you do that, your productivity will suffer. In this session, you will learn how to take advantage of many of Excel's more advanced features - some new and some legacy - to elevate your productivity to higher levels. In this session, you will learn about many of Excel's newer tools, including XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, SWITCH, and STOCKHISTORY. Also included in this session are discussions of advanced financial functions, such as IPMT and PPMT, and how to retrieve summarized data easily using GETPIVOTDATA and CUBEVALUE. Additionally, you will learn how to make sophisticated calculations easier with Dynamic Array formulas, harness the AGGREGATE function's power, and create more accurate forecasts with Excel's FORECAST.ETS function. No matter your experience working with Excel, participating in this course will help you work more efficiently and effectively in Excel.

There is a renewed interest in the Statement of Cash Flows. In the past 10 years, over 30% of restated financial statements were due to errors in the Statement. The SEC has focused on it, Peer reviewers are noting problems, and the FASB has begun a project on it. This course focuses on where the problems are and where there is diversity in practice.

The preparation of Forms 706 (Federal Estate Tax Return) and 709 (Federal Gift Tax Return) requires specialized knowledge and precision. This comprehensive course equips tax professionals with the essential skills and insights necessary to accurately prepare these forms while adhering to tax regulations. Participants will gain a complete understanding of estate and gift tax reporting, ensuring compliance with federal requirements. This course also covers key issues related to the decedent's final income tax return and postmortem estate planning. By the end of the course, participants will be able to confidently manage the complexities involved in preparing Forms 706 and 709.

Every organization in the world will fall victim to fraud. This course will cover the means and methods available to reduce the prevalence of fraud. We will also discuss the controls that victim organizations employ in order to seek improvements for our own organizations.

This highly informative course will bring you up-to-speed on the latest in individual tax law developments and the corresponding or responsive planning opportunities available to your clients. You will come away from the course ready to educate your individual tax clients and implement tax-savings ideas that will serve their ever-evolving needs. Continually updated to reflect enacted legislation. Please Note: Due to content overlap, it is recommended that this course NOT be taken together with BFT4.

How good are you with the technology you use daily? Are new technology tools available to save time and make you more effective? Technology continues to accelerate rapidly, and keeping pace is essential. This course is for you if you are not an information technology (IT) expert but need a technology update to maintain and improve your skills to serve your companies or clients more efficiently and effectively! In this fast-paced, update-style course, you will survey today's IT environment, learning about computer hardware, software (including Microsoft Office), operating systems (including Windows 11), peripheral devices, and what they mean for you. You will also learn about significant trends in information technology and how to take advantage of the opportunities presented by these trends. Examples include the latest Excel features, best practices for working with PDF files, and security and privacy issues. Additionally, you will learn how to improve the overall performance of your IT investment, thereby increasing your return on investment. Throughout this program, you will learn from real-time demonstrations of practical applications of the latest tools, which can provide you with the knowledge you need to harness the power of technology, both now and in the future. So register now for this "don't miss" opportunity to get the skills required to enhance the value of your IT investment.

With tax rates for individuals, estates and trusts changing, tax planning takes on more importance. New ideas for financial planning and retirement must be considered. The purpose of this course is to explore practical tax-planning ideas that practitioners can use to assist clients with their needs. This course is crucial for CPAs who are looking for good ideas that can save clients money! Continually updated for legislative developments.

If you supervise preparation, compilation, and review engagements, this course is designed to help you adhere to professional standards by informing you of the latest developments and pertinent issues relevant to these engagements. You'll gain insights into the U.S. business economy, peer review practices, FASB updates, and various aspects that influence preparation, compilation, and review engagements.

If you work with governments and not-for-profits, a thorough understanding of the Yellow Book is essential. This course will equip you with a comprehensive knowledge of the Yellow Book requirements and increase your confidence and proficiency in performing Yellow Book audits. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format including over 20 focused exercises on key practice issues.

Artificial Intelligence has jumped to the forefront of technology, and perhaps no other technology receives as much attention as AI. Yet, most accounting and financial professionals struggle to take full advantage of the productivity gains that AI can provide. Change that paradigm by participating in K2’s Artificial Intelligence Conference!In this event, you will learn how to get started with the AI tools available today and the risks and benefits associated with AI. Further, you will discover some of the advanced options related to AI, including creating your own AI tools. And importantly, you will learn about various risks associated with using AI and how to mitigate those risks. If you’re seeking to improve your productivity and efficiency with AI – without compromising data security or privacy – this Conference is a “must-see” event!

Part one of a five-course series, address common issues new staff members face. Focus on strategies to improve efficiency and quality control, build technical skills, and make valuable contributions to a company. Dive into the fundamentals: workpaper techniques, analytical procedures, compilation and review services, tax recognition and research techniques, understanding audit objectives, and auditing and reviewing selected accounts. Per NASBA's rules effective January 1, 2024, participants are required to be on camera and participate in the full and small group discussions to earn CPE credits for this Group Live - Virtual course. As such, please make sure you are set up properly with reliable internet (hard wired is best), a working camera, and a working microphone.

With the Connecticut legislative session now behind us, join us for this program that will dive into the latest legislative changes affecting CPAs, businesses, and clients in Connecticut.  Lou Schatz and David Bigger from Shipman and Goodwin will provide an update on the legislative changes emerging from the latest session. CTCPA Executive Director Bonnie Stewart will also provide an update on the CTCPA's legislative agenda, as well as recent and upcoming changes at the State of Connecticut Department of Revenue Service and Department of Consumer Protection. Additional details coming soon!

In June 2022, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) issued the Quality Management Standards. Since then, the AICPA has issued additional standards related to quality management and helpful non-authoritative resources. The Quality Management Standards' significant impact on an accounting firm with an assurance practice. Is your firm ready? Participants who attend this course will learn about these changes and available resources.