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. $ave more than 10% off the AICPA's retail price when you purchase through CTCPA!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.

This session will discuss recent audit and accounting standards which impact employee benefit plan audits.  Also, there will be discussion about relevant tools and resources which can be used to assist in identifying and applying recent guidance.

Help Wanted. We're Hiring. The signs are everywhere, but why can't we hire anyone? The presentation will discuss the current labor market, recruitment trends, and human resources strategies to rebuild staffing capacity.

This course will give participants a thorough understanding of the objectives and principles of SAS 145 and aim to give a succinct overview of the key changes introduced by SAS 145 and their implications on their audits.

Join Marcus Aron from the DOL’s Office of the Chief Accountant and Jason Newman for a discussion of the DOL’s audit quality study report – the good, bad, and the ugly.  Learn practical considerations for performing EBP audits and common reporting deficiencies to help your clients be compliant with ERISA. Also learn why some audits of employee benefit plans are deemed deficient and what you can do to help make sure your audits are satisfactory.   This session was recorded at CTCPA's Employee Benefit Plans Conference on May 22, 2024. 

This session will give an overview of the GASB pronouncements that become effective in the coming fiscal years including Statements 99, 100, 101, and 102 as well as a refresher on Statements 94, 96, and 99.  The session also will explain some of the projects on GASB’s current technical agenda and research agenda.

During this session, we will set out to identify key factors that attribute to government fraud. How do the perpetrators go undetected, who is committing these fraudulent acts, and why? We will draw information from multiple resources such as the 2024 ACFE Report to the Nations and national statistics to provide an overview of how and why government fraud occurs. In addition, we will walk you through cases that we’ve personally investigated. We’ll provide our thoughts on the findings and how the fraud could have possibly been prevented.

This session provides a deeper dive into trends such as the growing retirement savings gap, how the aging workforce is transforming employer retirement plans and holistic financial wellness benefits.

SECURE 2.0 brings with it a whole host of interesting (and complex) mandatory and optional provisions.  We will be going through the mandatory provisions that are most relevant to larger plans, as well as those optional provisions that have generated the most interest from Plan Sponsors (such as matching of student loan payments).

Following a dynamic 2023 coupled with a continually evolving legal landscape, plan sponsors and auditors may feel that they are left with more questions than answers. During this session, Robinson+Cole’s Virginia McGarrity will review the most pertinent legal updates of 2023 and will shed light on uncertainties to prepare for in the year ahead. This discussion will cover new regulations and rules taking effect in 2024 and beyond, and recent case law and other legal developments. *NOTE: This session does not include an update on the Secure 2.0 Act.  Please see the session "Job SECURE-ity for Plan Auditors: An Analysis of Secure 2.0 Act"

This session will cover misconceptions regarding specific compliance requirements and other misconceptions regarding what both recipients of federal awards need to do and what auditors are required to do for their Single Audits. This session will also cover what is required to have an accurate and complete Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA).

Are leases, P3s, and SBITAs really behind us?  The answer is no. Learn about the current implementation issues that may be encountered after the initial implementation of these standards.  In addition, new guidance on the financial reporting model is scheduled to be issued in the Spring. Hear how Statement 103 came to be and how it will impact Connecticut governments.

This session will help you understand recent ASUs issued by the FASB, what proposed standards are forthcoming and other issues on the FASB’s technical agenda.  It will also provide an update on recent private company standard-setting activities.

Join Mike Cheng for a plain English discussion on the lessons learned from implementing ASC 842 (Leases) as a Lessee. Discover the common pitfalls when it comes to lease accounting and gain valuable insights on how to navigate the challenges of ASC 842. This session will provide practical advice and real-world examples to help you understand lease accounting.

This session will provide an overview of the new AICPA Quality Management Standards, highlight the key changes, present resources, and discuss implementation challenges and issues to address. Consider the timeline for implementation and the impact on peer review.

Learn how to prepare your organization to undergo a compliance audit. This session will cover how to identify funding sources, common compliance requirements, and tips for how to organize your records throughout the year to be audit-ready.

This session highlights common audit deficiencies and best practices, including a deep dive into audit risk assessment and the new requirements under SAS 145.

In this session, we aim to provide clarity and guidance on Form 990 nuances and other vital tax considerations for tax-exempt organizations. We will delve into the complexities of unrelated business income (UBI), which can have a profound effect on an organization's tax liability. Our discussion will also cover available tax credits an item previously unavailable to many organizations.  Moreover, we'll address pertinent legal and IRS matters currently affecting tax-exempt entities, including the status of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) and DAF regulations. Our goal is to empower your organization with up-to-date knowledge to navigate these issues effectively and maintain your commitment to compliance and best practice.

Details on what each organization will discuss are included below: The Alliance: • The 2024 General Assembly session’s results for nonprofits• An overview of the state of nonprofits in CT• A preview of what nonprofits may be looking for in 2025 Hartford Foundation for Public Giving: Elysa will discuss what a community foundation is (and is not); what Hartford Foundation for Public Giving offer nonprofits beyond the grant, specifically capacity building grantmaking and resources; and collaborative efforts to move nonprofits forward.   Connecticut Council for Philanthropy: Karla will provide a snapshot of the Connecticut’s philanthropic landscape - who gives, what they support, and trends in the sector. She’ll also talk discuss how Connecticut funders organize, and how the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy provides a platform to support collaboration and collective action among philanthropic organizations.

This session will bring you up-to-speed on important matters related to common errors and documentation on state and federal single audits.