Professional Development and Event Catalog
Tactical Budgeting – Moving Beyond Traditional Budgets to Manage Performance
Friday, Mar. 26 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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Traditional budgets often consume significant time while delivering limited operational value. This session reframes budgeting as a tactical management tool rather than a once-a-year accounting exercise. Participants will explore how to redesign the budget process to improve communication, accountability, and decision-making across the organization. The session emphasizes output-based metrics, flexible budgeting approaches, benchmarking, and educating non-financial managers so budgets become a tool for managing performance, not just controlling spending.
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Fiduciary Accounting for Estates and Trusts
Friday, Mar. 26 12:00pm - 3:37pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
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Financial accounting for trusts and estates is one of the least understood branches of accounting. It is not particularly concerned with recording income and expenses but is obsessed with determining whether receipts and expenditures are assigned to income or principal/corpus. This course will dive into this tricky area and provide a reporting guide for fiduciary accounting.
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The Role of Internal Audit in Enterprise-Wide Risk Management
Friday, Mar. 26 12:00pm - 3:37pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
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Those charged with governance, with the assistance of internal audit, are responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of the organization, and ensuring value is delivered to the entity's stakeholders. This course will provide guidance on fulfilling the responsibility for challenging how much risk and uncertainty to accept through the application of COSO's Enterprise Risk Management Framework.
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Retirement Planning Issues: Where We Stand Now
Friday, Mar. 26 12:00pm - 3:43pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
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This course is designed to equip CPAs, EAs, attorneys, and tax professionals with the essential knowledge and strategies needed to navigate the latest developments. Explore innovative approaches to maximize retirement savings, discuss tax- efficient retirement plan options, and align estate planning techniques with current trends. Gain a thorough understanding of altered rules for Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and discover how to optimize estate plans in response to changing regulations. This update is tailored for professionals seeking practical insights in the realm of contemporary retirement planning. **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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Federal Tax Update – Individuals (Form 1040)
Friday, Mar. 26 12:00pm - 7:36pm
Online
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $300
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With the increasing complexity and ever-changing nature of tax laws and issues, today’s accountant needs a one-day update course focusing on individual income tax issues with an emphasis of newly enacted income tax legislation. This comprehensive class will not only review the current Federal individual income tax laws but will also update tax return preparers of new tax forms, changes to existing tax forms, as well as tax planning opportunities and pitfalls. This is a “must-attend” course for all tax practitioners who want to be up to speed quickly and have a successful Federal individual income tax filing season. *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 terri.storer@acpen.com
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Estate Planning for Today and Beyond
Friday, Mar. 26 12:00pm - 7:42pm
Online
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $250
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Estate planning continues to evolve, and staying informed about the latest trends and strategies is crucial for professionals in the field. This forward-looking course delves into the intricacies of estate planning, with a specific focus on current issues. Participants will explore cutting-edge techniques, emerging legal considerations, and industry developments to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to create effective estate plans that withstand the test of time and safeguard their clients' legacies. *Please Note: If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Handouts Tab and submit to kori.herrera@acpen.com
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Ethics: Giving Thanks - How to Master the Art of Gratitude
Friday, Mar. 26 12:30pm - 2:30pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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How grateful are you? In this critically important webinar, we will explore exactly what gratitude is and why it is a crucial component of your work as a CPA. Even if you believe you're already a deeply grateful person, you'll still learn some new strategies for expressing gratitude effectively. Forbes Contributor Bruce Weinstein, The Ethics Guy, will show you how to use LinkedIn in a novel way to say "thank you." You'll also find better and worse ways of letting clients, team members, family members and friends know that you care about them. You'll understand why gratitude is a matter of ethics and not merely etiquette. Finally, you'll discover how to use questions about gratitude in job interviews and performance reviews. Why not hire and promote people who are not only knowledgeable and skilled but also grateful? You will be thankful for having taken this valuable webinar! 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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Retaining Top Talent: Strategies for CPA Firms
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $55
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In today's challenging talent market, accounting firms face unprecedented pressure to retain their best performers. This course provides actionable, research-backed strategies to help firms keep their top talent from leaving. Based on comprehensive surveys of both current accounting professionals and those who have recently left the profession, participants will learn the real reasons employees stay or go-and what firms can do about it. The course goes beyond simple solutions like "pay more, expect less" to explore comprehensive retention strategies including whole-person compensation, work-life balance improvements, career development pathways, and necessary business model transformations. Participants will discover why 73% of surveyed professionals want to stay with their current firm, yet many still leave-and how to bridge that gap. Key topics include understanding the true cost of turnover versus retention, implementing flexible work arrangements that actually work, creating meaningful career paths for non-partner track professionals, and transforming firm operations to support both profitability and employee satisfaction. Special attention is given to retaining diverse talent and adapting to the expectations of younger professionals who will comprise 27% of the workforce by 2025. Whether you're a firm leader, HR professional, or manager responsible for team retention, this course provides the insights and tools needed to build a sustainable talent strategy in an evolving profession. 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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Can You Really Do That With AI?
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 2:03pm
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $39
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Artificial Intelligence has taken the world by storm. In just three short years, AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot have revolutionized how business professionals approach everyday tasks. In this session, you will learn how you can use AI to help you solve specific problems and work more efficiently, effectively, and accurately. Throughout this session, we will focus on real-world scenarios and how AI can help you realize better results in less time. This is a must-see session for all who want to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
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The Controllership Series - The Controller's Role in Pro Forma Financial Statements
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 2:03pm
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $39
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Pro forma statements are used by businesses to make decisions on planning and control, as well as for external reporting to owners, investors, and creditors. For example, giving financial estimates for a given period in a standardized manner is known as “presenting pro forma,” a Latin phrase that means “as a matter of form.” Pro forma statements can be helpful tools for business owners, investors, creditors, or decision-makers to analyze various scenarios of future events based on certain financial assumptions. It might aid in making predictions performance of the company. A pro forma income statement displays a firm’s anticipated sales and revenue. It also highlights anticipated fixed or variable operational expenses and, in the end, displays the potential profits and retained earnings for a future financial quarter. There are various types of pro-forma statements and methods to develop them. The responsibilities/competencies of the Financial Controller position (FC) has changed in recent years. However, the creation of pro forma financial statements is still a core part of their responsibility.
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The Risks of Artificial Intelligence - Part 1
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 2:29pm
Online
1.60 Credits
Member Price: $79
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries and redefining how organizations operate. While the benefits of AI-efficiency, automation, data-driven insights, and innovation-are significant, the risks are equally profound and demand careful consideration. AI introduces a range of technical risks, such as bias, lack of transparency, data dependency, and vulnerability to manipulation. Ethical risks arise in the form of workforce disruption, diminished accountability, potential misuse, and the erosion of human autonomy. On a broader societal scale, AI threatens to widen inequalities, accelerate disinformation, and erode trust in institutions, while raising concerns of cultural homogenization and disproportionate power concentration among a few entities. Governance challenges further complicate the landscape, as regulation struggles to keep pace with technological advances, and questions emerge about the long-term safety and alignment of advanced AI systems. Leaders and organizations must recognize that AI is not only a technological innovation but also a strategic risk management issue. Responsible adoption requires robust governance, transparent and ethical frameworks, ongoing monitoring, and human oversight. By proactively addressing these risks, organizations can balance innovation with accountability, safeguard trust, and position themselves for sustainable success in an AI-driven future. Note: This is Part 1 in a two-part series on the risks of AI
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The Role of Internal Audit in Operational Audits
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 2:47pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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An operational audit is a method of examining how an organization conducts business. It identifies areas where an entity can improve to be more effective and efficient. This course will focus on how to plan and perform operational audits, as well as delivering value-added recommendations as a result.
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Topic 842: FASB's Lease Accounting Standard Update
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 2:54pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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It's a whole new world for lessees under ASC topic 842. Soon nearly all leases will need to be disclosed as a liability on the balance sheet - from buildings right down to autos and copiers. Although the greatest impact will be on large entities, this will affect the financial statements of small and mid-size entities as well. This program will dive into the new standard on leases, effective dates, and address what you need to know now.
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AI 101 for CPAs: Core Concepts and Practical Applications
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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New to AI? Start here. This beginner-friendly course explains how generative AI works, what terms like "LLM" and "agentic AI" really mean, and how CPAs can safely put these tools to use. You'll leave with a solid understanding of AI fundamentals and how they apply to accounting, tax, and finance. 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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Strategic CFO – Strategic Cash Management
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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Cash is the lifeblood of every organization, yet many leaders struggle to explain, manage, and plan for it effectively. This session focuses on strategic cash management, capital structure decisions, and financing options available to organizations at different stages of growth. Participants will explore how CFOs balance today's cash needs with long-term strategy, evaluate debt and equity decisions, and communicate cash flow concepts to non-financial stakeholders. The session emphasizes practical frameworks, real-world examples, and modeling approaches that support better cash decisions. A few negotiation videos will be displayed to bring humor and effectiveness to the key points.
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Surgent's Client Advisory Services (CAS): A Guide to the Variety of Offerings Professionals Can Provide
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $99
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According to a 2020 AICPA survey, advisory and consulting services were considered the greatest unmet needs of clients. The recent growth in Client Advisory Services (CAS) has led many to ask what is included in this broad category as well as how to develop the services for clients. With so much focus on the recent success of CAS offerings, now is the time to learn how the services differ from what you currently offer, which of your clients would benefit most, and what you need in place to add a quality CAS program to your firm's menu of services.
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Surgent's Preparation and Compilation Engagements Under the SSARS
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 4:30pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $159
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Be the go-to person on financial statement compilation and preparation engagements. Specifically designed for those performing preparation and compilation engagements, this course will provide you with a hands-on application for performing preparation and compilation engagements under AR-C Section 70 and 80, respectively. You will learn the ins and outs of relevant sections of the SSARS related to preparation and compilation engagements with a focus on how recently issued updates to SSARS No. 21 impact these engagements. More importantly, you will be provided practical examples and illustrations to help you effectively and efficiently perform those engagements, including a detailed discussion of the reporting requirements under AR-C 80 related to compilation engagement. Lastly, the course will review recent peer review feedback on these types of engagements, highlighting areas where you can improve engagement quality.
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Mastering Rapport Skills for Fun and Profit
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 4:35pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
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You only have one chance to make a good first impression. In the fast paced world we live in, being able to create immediate rapport and a sense of trust with people is more important than ever. Fortunately, this is an easily learnable skill that can serve you in both business and in life. People who can master the one minute relationship end up making more money, being better liked, and enjoying their clients more.
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2024 Revision to Government Auditing Standards Impact
Friday, Mar. 26 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
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This course will provide an update of Government Auditing Standards as a result of the GAO's issuance of the 2024 Revision to Government Auditing Standards. The course will focus on the Revisions impact on financial statement audits. The course will also focus on the impact of Quality Management Standards as well as clarify as to when the concept of reporting key audit matters might apply for financial audits. 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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Power Skills: Professionalism and Client Interactions
Friday, Mar. 26 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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Client interactions and professionalism are at the core of what we do as accountants. However, communication with clients is not always as straightforward as it may seem. Sometimes there will be difficult conversations and disagreements that can be tough to navigate. During this course, we will discuss best practices when communicating with the client and also walk through complicated scenarios to practice what we learn. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.