Professional Development and Event Catalog

Valuation techniques and cash management activities are two other tool categories that can round out your analytical toolbox. In this course we will initially discuss how to turn your financial plan into a powerful valuation engine.  We then will discuss the formation of an efficient cash management program based on solid banker relationships.  Finally, we will review Ten Steps for keeping your financial toolbox full.

This session revisits managerial accounting techniques that you may not have considered for many years, even though they could be invaluable for CPAs in both business and public accounting. You will appreciate a fresh perspective of concepts you may not have considered since your college days. We will illustrate concepts with practical examples that you can immediately bring back to the office! This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

We all know that Fraud Happens. But, why? Why do people we think we can trust let us down? This session will explore the minds of white-collar criminals and examine some recent high-profile fraud cases. Why did they do it? How did they do it? What were the warning signs? If you think that fraud cannot happen to your organization, this session might give you pause.

This course offers an in-depth exploration of the "vision" capabilities of ChatGPT specifically tailored for accountants. The session demonstrates how artificial intelligence can interpret and analyze visual content to revolutionize financial management. The curriculum covers a wide range of applications, from understanding GPT Vision and its unique benefits to leveraging aerial and street view imagery for comprehensive financial analysis. Through detailed case studies, participants will learn how to access and utilize GPT Vision effectively, incorporating it into tasks like data visualization, text and object recognition from images, and the use of descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive (DDPP) analysis methods to enhance decision-making processes. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Financial statement forecasting is essential for predicting a company's future financial health, guiding strategic decisions, and attracting investments. By analyzing historical data, market trends, and assumptions, businesses can anticipate risks and opportunities, enabling effective planning, resource allocation, and long-term stability and growth. - Forecasting Process: This involves projecting future income, expenses, and resources. By leveraging historical data and market insights, businesses can predict financial health, shaping strategic planning, investment decisions, and risk management. - Forecasting Profitability: Predicting future earnings informs strategic decisions, investment planning, and resource allocation. It facilitates effective budgeting, cash flow management, risk assessment, and enhances attractiveness to investors for sustainable growth. - Forecasting the Balance Sheet: Analysts forecast to predict a company's future financial position, assessing growth potential, solvency, and capital structure. This informs investment decisions, strategic planning, and risk management, ensuring financial stability and growth. Join our webinar to explore these concepts with a practical example, guiding you through the forecasting process and demonstrating its practical applications in real-world scenarios. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

When performing a financial statement audit, auditors have always been responsible for the detection of anything that would cause a material misstatement of the financial statements whether caused by error of fraud.  However, in the past the audit profession focused on material misstatements due to errors and more or less ignored the possibility of misstatements due to fraud.  Now, SAS No. 122, AU 240 requires significant documentation as to what the auditor did in order to determine if there any material risk of a misstatement of the financial statements.  This presentation is an overview of what the auditor is to document in there working papers on every financial audit as to the procedures they performed in order to determine the risk of a material misstatement.  If a material risk is discovered, they are then required to document what they did in order to determine if the financial statements were misstated.

This course highlights significant updates that affect financial reporting and related attestation services. We will explore novel FASB pronouncements while examining the enduring impact of lease accounting and revenue recognition standards. This course will provide reminders regarding both GAAP and non-GAAP financial reporting alternatives for closely held entities. We will also explore selected guidance regarding audit, review, and compilation engagements.

This program provides an update to the latest tax developments, rules and regulations impacting business taxpayers, with a review and integration of the numerous 2021/22 legislation. 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 offers a comprehensive exploration of the cannabis industry, delving into essential topics such as cannabis regulations, business models, financial management, and ethical considerations. A key focus is on distinguishing between Marijuana and Industrial Hemp, including their respective tax treatments. Participants will gain a thorough understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within the cannabis sector, covering federal and state tax implications, licensing requirements, and market trends. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

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.   

Unlock the full potential of Excel with our comprehensive training on shortcuts and formulas. This course is designed for CPAs and financial professionals who want to enhance their efficiency and accuracy in Excel. Learn how to navigate and utilize different versions of Excel, discover powerful new functions, and master the art of creating effective tables and automations. With practical examples and hands-on exercises, you'll transform your Excel skills, making your daily tasks quicker and more precise. Plus, benefit from insider tips and tricks drawn from the instructor's extensive real-world experience. Whether it's mastering keyboard shortcuts that save you time or applying formulas that simplify complex calculations, you'll gain practical knowledge that you can immediately apply in your work. This course isn't just about learning Excel; it's about learning to excel at Excel.

The Enhancing Audit Quality Initiative has identified inadequate or nonexistent audit documentation as one of the most significant issues facing the profession today. Over half of the engagements reviewed by the AICPA failed to meet the requirements of AU-C 230, highlighting a critical need for improvement. This course addresses common misconceptions about audit documentation and provides actionable strategies to overcome these deficiencies. Attendees will learn best practices to ensure compliance with professional standards, enhance audit quality, and mitigate risks associated with poor documentation. Whether you are an experienced professional or new to auditing, this course will help you strengthen your documentation practices and uphold the highest standards of the profession.  

The well-informed tax practitioner will want to attend this two hour program in order to stay current on recent updates on partnership tax! Content includes recent court decisions on partnership tax issues as well as current IRS procedural updates for passthroughs. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Casey Crowther did not have a college education, but he had an outstanding work ethic. With little more than a pickup truck and some hand tools, he built a roofing company that grew. Over time, Casey's company employed more than 100 people and generated more than $20 million in annual revenues. With a company of that size, Casey relied upon advice from his bookkeeper when filling out financial documents. As a result of representations he made on bank statements and loan documents, authorities charged Casey with criminal behavior related to PPP loan fraud. What should an accounting professional learn from Casey's story? Stay tuned to find out! This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Web portals, "low-code/no-code" data collection, and survey tools have changed how we collect data. Modern solutions like Microsoft 365 Forms, Zoho Survey, SurveyMonkey, Microsoft PowerApps, and legacy tools like Adobe Acrobat Forms allow users to create web forms and integrate the resulting data into business process workflows. This session introduces the range of available tools, demonstrates standard features, and shows how tools permit users to expose or conceal questions based on answers given earlier in the survey. Attend this session to learn how to use tools you already own to efficiently collect data from your team, customers, and vendors.  

It is imperative for public companies to produce quality financial reporting. This course will share insights into the latest SEC and PCAOB areas of emphasis and concern. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The IRS defines the "gig economy" as people earning income providing on-demand work, services, or goods on either a part-time or full-time basis. The economic times we live in are changing and tax practitioners must learn how the rules apply in this new gig economy. The tax rules that apply to gig workers challenge traditional ideas of who is an employee and who is an independent contractor, and tax practitioners must have the knowledge to make this determination. This program addresses federal and state tax issues tax practitioners must address with clients and their own workers.

This session revisits useful, but potentially underutilized, managerial accounting techniques. You will appreciate a fresh look at concepts you may not have considered since your college days. We will illustrate practical ways you can immediately implement managerial accounting analysis in your 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.

This session will expand on methodologies to employ when owner-employee compensation is at issue. The session will focus on determinations of reasonable replacement compensation for individuals who both provide services to a closely held business or professional practice and also have an ownership stake in the enterprise. Executive Compensation in the form of options and restricted stock will also be covered in the context of marital dissolution proceedings. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Maintaining independence and adhering to strict ethical standards are essential for professionals in governmental auditing. The Government Accountability Office's (GAO) Yellow Book sets the benchmark for ethics and independence in this field, forming the foundation of professional compliance. This course provides a focused review of key principles and independence requirements, equipping participants with the tools to identify and mitigate common risks of noncompliance. Through practical guidance and real-world examples, attendees will learn to uphold the highest ethical standards and ensure independence in governmental auditing.