Professional Development and Event Catalog

2025 will be a big year for small businesses no matter what decisions are made:  Will tax cuts/changes enacted as part of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act expire at year end as scheduled or will they be extended? If extended, which provisions are included and how long is the extension?  Will overtime pay be taxed differently in the future causing additional changes to small business payroll systems?  Will employers be relieved of reporting tip income and what exactly is tip income?  What additional requirements may be imposed on employers to deter employment of illegal/undocumented workers?  What requirements and penalties are already in place and what’s coming? What will happen to ongoing judicial efforts of small businesses to fight self-employment taxes imposed by the IRS on LLC Members and active limited partners?  How is the IRS reacting to changes? **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.

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Until recently, a percentage of organizations discounted the risk related to external fraud attempts. Most were only concerned with protecting physical assets such as inventory or fixed assets. However, because of the many highly publicized corporate hacking events, such as the ones that affected the Colonial Pipeline and JBS Meats, more attention is being paid to external fraud risk of all types. In this session, we look at what is included in a definition of external fraud and then delve into specific control issues that can give rise to increased risk. We then discuss measures that organizations can employ to help reduce exposure to external attacks. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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Conduct risk assessment the right way Regardless of the size of your client or audit budget, there are specific requirements in accounting standards and generally accepted auditing principles (GAAP) related to auditing internal control for risk assessment purposes. Take a deep dive into understanding your audit client's system of internal control to perform a more effective and efficient audit.

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Explore the ethical implications of using generative AI. This course addresses potential risks and dilemmas, providing guidelines to ensure responsible and compliant integration. Learn how to balance innovation with ethical obligations to maintain trust and integrity. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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Positive client relationships require work. Miscommunication, unrealistic expectations, and differing personality styles may strain a client's relationship with professional advisors. Fortunately, there are tested strategies that foster and strengthen client relationships. Creating appropriate boundaries early on is one of many effective strategies that can help. This course explores actions accounting and finance professionals can take to create and grow their client relationships. This webinar provides actionable insights on how to engage new and old clients alike. Strained client relationships can harm both the client and the firm's profitability. Yet automation, for example, allows some firms to remain more engaged while others miss the mark. There is a science underlying client retention that involves understanding the client journey, ensuring consistent client interactions, and equipping employees with the tools needed to satisfy client needs. Understanding these skills should help you protect the relationships that sustain your business.

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With the largest overhaul of the federal income tax code in 30 years and the repeal of the physical presence nexus standards for sales tax in the Wayfair case, the states are working fast and furious to overhaul their tax laws. As some states scramble to fund their budgets, they continue to look for additional forms of revenue. Plan to attend this fast-paced class that covers developing topics in state taxation, ranging from individuals to pass-through entities to corporate taxpayers. This class will focus on issues of small and middle-market companies and offer guidance for minimizing tax liability and negotiating the treacherous waters of compliance.

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A detailed analysis of the calculations related to determining a shareholder's tax basis for S corporation shares and loans. How to use the Form 1120S, Schedule K-1 information for basis determination, as well as an update on Schedules K-2 and K-3. An illustrative example demonstrates how the process works, as well as the many potential pitfalls. *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

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Overview: Ethical challenges in finance and accounting can be complex and far-reaching, impacting not only individual careers but also entire organizations and the public trust. This webinar will provide a practical exploration of the ethical considerations professionals face in today's financial landscape. Through real-world case studies, participants will examine common ethical issues, learn to navigate conflicts between financial performance and ethical integrity, and gain tools for making sound decisions under pressure. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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Accountants are expected to demonstrate a questioning mindset. While such professional skepticism is an obvious requirement for assurance engagements, it is applicable elsewhere in the practice of public accounting. In fact, a skeptical mindset offers benefits to both public accountants and those who work in industry. This course provides specific examples of professional skepticism while suggesting best practices.

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As financial and tax professionals well know, information overload is a constant struggle we face because things change quickly, and the sheer number of changes being made on a daily basis is enormous. Of great importance to small and medium tax and advisory firms is differentiating between changes that are relevant to our practice and our clients and changes that are new but totally irrelevant. Distinguishing between the two is difficult and time-consuming. Mike Tucker and a team of experts are pleased to present a weekly series designed to eliminate the clutter and get you what you need to stay up-to-date and perform for your clients. Mike and his co-presenters will dispense news on current events impacting taxes, finance, and industry. The subject matter will differ each week and intermittently include topics such as Social Security and Medicare. The panelists will discuss personal and corporate tax matters as well as other late-breaking news related to practitioners' personal finances and those of their clients. Every financial professional will benefit from this series. This is a cost-effective way for accountants to fulfill their compulsory continuing education because this weekly series will include almost 40 one-hour presentations. Sign up today - your clients and your bottom line will thank you.

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Tax return preparation and consulting always involves the accountant's review of – and reliance on – information provided by the client. Not everything can, or need be, verified. This workshop considers the duty of CPA tax return preparers to make further inquiries, from the perspective of Circular 230, preparer penalties and professional ethics.  

Anytime someone says "I want," "I need," or "Will you," you are in a negotiation.  For decades, the negotiation techniques described in Getting to Yes by Fisher and Ury of the Harvard Negotiations Project were the world's standard negotiation methods.  These techniques involved collaborative methods for discovering how to make the "pie" bigger and then split it.  More recent research on human psychology has revealed new methods that will allow you to do even better.  Sometimes, you can't settle for getting half of what you want.  Sometimes you have to have it all.  This session explores negotiating's human side, to give you powerful people skills that will help you get more.

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You have a fantastic budget, but certain players are not pleased. Financial plans have a technical component and human component.  We can resolve some of our budget issues by exploring the process’ human aspect.  Understanding what makes you and others operate can enhance your understanding of the entire organization and build upon the respect and influence needed to navigate and lead the budgeting cycle. This session includes a case study that measures an individual’s personality type and then explores how to use our strengths and weaknesses to create a better budget process and quite frankly maybe a better you.  This is a great and fun course on its own, but is also part three of a four part series on budget mastery.

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Penalty abatement is a technique that tax practitioners can utilize to help their clients reduce penalties and interest they owe to the IRS if the taxpayer can prove "reasonable cause". This informative and insightful webinar will provide you with some insider tips, practical steps and effective strategies to help your client manage IRS tax penalties and interest. Learn about various types of penalties that you may face, and the various forms and procedures used for requesting penalty and interest abatement, including First Time and Reasonable Cause abatement. Plus, learn about the procedure to follow when requesting refund of paid penalties. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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This course provides a comprehensive understanding of capital assets taxation, basis determination, and related tax planning strategies. Participants will explore the fundamental classification of capital assets, the distinction between realization and recognition of gains and losses, and the complex rules governing disallowed losses. The course thoroughly examines the various types of capital gains and losses, including short-term, long-term, and special categories such as unrecaptured Section 1250 gains and collectibles. Attendees will learn the intricacies of netting capital gains and losses, calculating tax liabilities across different income types, and distinguishing between marginal and effective tax rates. The course also covers advanced topics including basis adjustments, wash sale rules, related-party transactions, and inherited property treatment. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to guide clients in implementing effective capital asset strategies that minimize tax liabilities while ensuring regulatory compliance.

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When auditors detect findings in Yellow Book and single audits, they do not just communicate them in some shabby little letter to management; they get reported! In this course, we will examine what types of findings get reported, how they get reported, and where they get reported! This course will take you from just checking a box and fulfilling a requirement to developing and delivering findings that make a meaningful difference to your clients.

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Nonprofit entities have a high degree of public accountability. This course will examine the most common fraud schemes and provide multiple examples of how to prevent or detect these schemes. Nonprofit entities have a high degree of public accountability. This course will examine the most common fraud schemes and provide multiple examples of how to prevent or detect these schemes. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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Which technology trends will impact you and your business? What emerging technologies will potentially help you to address security and efficiency? How will the emergence of Windows 11 affect you? Should you consider subscription-based software? What does the future of communication technology have in store for you? Get answers to these and other questions by participating in K2’s Technology Update, a four-hour review of technology trends and developments affecting virtually all business professionals. In this session, you will learn about significant issues such as: • Hardware trends, • Software innovations, • Communication and collaboration tools, • Security issues and solutions, • Key products to consider for implementation, and • Unusual and emerging technologies you may have missed. If you’re taking just one technology-focused training session this year, this should be it!

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Ethics are of central importance to the CPA profession. But what do we mean by ethics? Is it just appropriate behavior, compliance with laws, or is it more than that? In this course, we'll discover what sets ethics apart and, therefore, sets the profession apart as well. We'll explore the tools available, the role of bias, and dive into real life case studies. We'll apply the AICPA's ethical framework and detect where bias was involved in the case studies. We'll even discover that one person set the price tag on their ethics at $53.7 million, only to lose it all in the end. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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The Art of Accountability is a dynamic training session tailored for leaders seeking to cultivate a culture of accountability while fostering respect and trust within their teams. High morale is intrinsically linked to high accountability in todays fast-paced work environment. 

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