Professional Development and Event Catalog

The Connecticut State Board of Accountancy requires the completion and passage (90% or better) of the "Professional Ethics: The AICPA's Comprehensive Course" for certification. Ethical accounting is nonnegotiableHonesty, objectivity, and professional conduct are crucial components of the accounting and finance profession. Understand the fundamentals of ethical accounting, including how to: Objectively view and analyze ethical matters Apply the AICPA independence rules regarding personal financial interests, loans, employment, and business relationships that relate to you and your immediate family Adhere to the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and apply the code’s conceptual frameworkAlong with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, you’ll learn about: Independence rules from regulators, including the SEC and PCAOB Rules that apply to government auditors and audits of employee benefit plans, federally funded charitable organizations, financial institutions, and insuranceLast but not least, you’ll learn when to apply the appropriate ethics rules when you provide professional tax services. Appropriate ethics rules could entail AICPA Code of Professional Conduct Statements on Standards for Tax Services U.S. Treasury Department’s Circular No. 230; Internal Revenue Code (IRC) provisions applicable to federal tax practice.Please note:  This product is frequently updated and therefore expires one year from date of purchase.

Both businesses and individual clients face major changes as a result of tax reform, and tax professionals face the considerable challenge of delivering effective planning advice and services to address this myriad of recent developments. This course addresses this challenge and also encompasses the latest tax legislation applicable to individual and business clients. Continually updated to reflect enacted legislation.

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.

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.

Many small- and mid-size entities hold fewer complex investments including alternative investments. This module will provide an overview for evaluating the proper recognition, measurement, and disclosure of common investment types as well as how to audit them. Derivatives and other more complex investments will be discussed in another module. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 2.)

Cash and cash equivalents tend to be one of the first areas assigned to new auditors since it tends to be straightforward with less complexity and risk as other areas. In addition, there is little subjectivity involved and persuasive audit evidence from a third-party is generally available. Interestingly enough, this is an area that can have a significant risk of misappropriation of assets if the appropriate level of segregation of duties and other internal controls is not present. New auditors should approach cash with the same professional skepticism as other areas since there is always the risk of material misstatement. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 1.)

Designed for accounting and auditing practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides an overview of recently issued AICPA auditing and attest standards that will be effective for December 31, 2022 audits and beyond. Next, the course will review ethics interpretations recently issued by the Professional Ethics Executive Committee and review the current status of the AICPA's proposed Statements on Quality Control Standards.

This course provides an overview of the accounting requirements with respect to accounting changes and error corrections and the reporting implications within an entity's financial statements. The scope of accounting changes includes a discussion of changes in accounting principles, changes in accounting estimates, as well as changes of a reporting entity. The course also provides an overview of the accounting requirements of correcting errors in previously issued financial statements as well as restatement considerations. A majority of the information included within this course is sourced from the requirements found within FASB ASC Topic No 250, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections.

In addition to being experts on the nuts and bolts of accounting and auditing, experienced auditors must also be aware of the emerging trends in our industry, as well as those complex topics with which we don't need to deal on an everyday basis. In this session, we'll cover some of those emerging and challenging topics. First, we'll review technology hot trends and how they will likely impact your clients and how you will need to address them in your audit risk assessments and procedures. Next, as the FASB continues to implement more opportunities to value assets and liabilities at their fair value, we'll review the accounting definition of fair value and how it's determined. Lastly, we'll review two areas that use fair value concepts pervasively, accounting for business combinations and asset impairment. With a sound understanding of the basic accounting concepts related to these complex topics, auditors will be able to significantly enhance the level of services that they can provide to their clients. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 4.)

This course provides an overview of the accounting requirements with respect to accounting principle changes. The scope of accounting changes includes a discussion of changes in accounting principles, changes in accounting estimates, as well as changes of a reporting entity. A majority of the information included within this course is sourced from the requirements found within FASB ASC Topic No. 250, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections.

ASC 326 significantly changes the accounting for credit losses. Given its pervasive scope, virtually every company will need to at least assess the impact of the new ASC 326 guidance and potentially record a material adjustment to implement the new accounting guidance. In this module, we will review the scope of ASC 326, the key provisions of the accounting model and how entities can estimate credit losses for a variety of in-scope financial assets. As the CECL and other credit loss methodologies under ASC 326 represent accounting estimates, the module will also review both the current and soon to be effective auditing guidance related to this often complex area. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 5.)

Revenue is often one of the largest and most significant line items in a company's financial statements. It is also the line item that is most susceptible to fraud. Further, all companies reporting under U.S. GAAP have either recently completed or are completing their transition to a complex new accounting standard for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers, ASC 606. Clearly it is imperative that all auditors have a detailed understanding of both ASC 606 and how to effectively audit revenue transactions. In this session of the Surgent Audit Skills Series, we'll review the key elements of ASC 606, including the new disclosure requirements for private companies under the new standard. Then, we'll focus on how to audit revenue, including the elements of an effective risk assessment related to revenue, key controls over the revenue process and substantive procedures. This information with both provides you with the information to audit revenue effectively and efficiently and comply with relevant auditing standards related to revenue. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 3.)

Guarantees are often included within certain purchase agreements, sales agreements, commercial agreements, and many other types of agreements. This course provides an overview of the accounting, reporting, and disclosure requirements related to guarantees. The U.S. GAAP guidance related to guarantees is prescribed by ASC Topic 460.

This course provides an overview of the accounting for software, including both internal-use software as well as software that will be sold to third parties. The accounting, reporting, and disclosure requirements related to software depends on the nature of the software, and whether it will be used internally by an entity or will be marketed to its customers. For internal-use software, the guidance is prescribed by ASC Topic 350-40. On the other hand, the guidance related to software to be marketed and sold is prescribed by ASC Topic 985-20.

As companies look for greater investment returns in the current low interest rate environment, they are often investing in more risky types of investments, such as cryptocurrency. Further, as they look to hedge business risks, companies are frequently entering into derivative transactions, which both can contain unexpected risk and accounting complexity. As you advance in your audit careers, you will be faced with both understanding the accounting for and auditing these complex financial statement areas. In this course, we'll review the accounting models of several types of complex investments and review common audit procedures in these areas. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 3.)

Many entities have inventory on their books. The types of inventory can range from simple resale of goods purchased to more complex inventories that use process costing. This module will discuss accounting for and auditing less complex inventories and provide an overview of issues associated with auditing more complex inventories. Inventory observations were covered in an earlier module. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 3.)

Accounting for and auditing leases was always a challenging task. Adding the implementation of the lease accounting guidance in ASC 842, Leases, will undoubtedly add that much more complexity to this audit area. In this module, we will review the new lease accounting model for lessees, compare and contrast the new model with the existing guidance in ASC 840, and review in detail the key considerations in accounting for operating leases under ASC 842 and the other new guidance in the standard. Then, we'll review common audit procedures related to auditing the lease liability and the related Right-of-Use asset, including reviewing the enhanced lease disclosure requirements under ASC 842 and review common audit procedures to perform over the cumulative effect adjustment which entities must record when they adopt ASC 842. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 3.)

Specifically tailored for practitioners who not only perform audits but provide other attest and non-attest services to small and medium-sized businesses, this course is a comprehensive update covering recently issued accounting and SSARS standards, as well as other professional guidance impacting small and medium-sized business accountants. The course uses practical examples and illustrations to help you understand and apply the new guidance. Through a detailed review of the new lease accounting guidance, common special purpose frameworks, new guidance related to audits and SSARS engagements, and the soon-to-be-effected credit loss standard, this course will get you up to speed on the things that are most important to your smaller and medium-sized clients.

Probably one of the greatest conflicts in an organization is determining which is more important: compliance or customer service. This program digs deeply into the issue and prepares the finance professional to achieve high levels of compliance and customer service in the department and in the entire organization. We will examine both disciplines from an analytical standpoint, proving why they are necessary for both for-profit and nonprofit businesses to achieve success.

Probably one of the greatest conflicts in an organization is determining which is more important: compliance or customer service. This program digs deeply into the issue and prepares the finance professional to achieve high levels of compliance and customer service in the department and in the entire organization. We will examine both disciplines from an analytical standpoint, proving why they are necessary for both for-profit and nonprofit businesses to achieve success.