Professional Development and Event Catalog
Surgent's Section 529 Plans: A Comprehensive Guide
10:00am - 12:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $99
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This course provides a thorough examination of qualified tuition programs (Section 529 plans), focusing on their tax treatment, planning applications, and recent legislative changes. Participants will learn how 529 plans operate, what qualifies as education expenses, and how contributions, distributions, and beneficiary changes are treated under federal law. The course explores practical planning strategies, including 529-to-Roth IRA rollovers, multigenerational "dynasty" 529 planning, grandparent-owned account considerations, and interplay with financial aid. It also addresses state-level variations, compliance issues, and common pitfalls. Using real-world scenarios, the course evaluates when 529 plans are advantageous, the limitations families may encounter, and alternative approaches to education and long-term savings. Participants will gain a clear understanding of tax benefits, penalties, strategic funding approaches, and planning opportunities for high-net-worth families as well as typical households.
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K2's Business Intelligence, Featuring Microsoft's Power BI Tools
10:00am - 5:30pm
Online
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $289
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Business Intelligence (BI) is perhaps the hottest topic in most professional circles in today's business climate. Increasingly, organizations of all sizes are seeking to take advantage of the data available to them to identify previously undiscovered insights and gain competitive advantages thought to be out of reach just a few short years ago. A growing array of tools - from Excel add-ins to dedicated solutions such as Power BI - now allow you to leverage your existing knowledge and skills to create powerful, interactive dashboards and analyses unthinkable until recently. This program will teach you to implement "do-it-yourself business intelligence" using a variety of techniques and tools. First, you will learn to use advanced Excel data query and summarization features to create Excel-based dashboards. You will then learn how to leverage that knowledge to build even more powerful BI objects using Microsoft's Power BI tools. If gaining better insights into your data to make better decisions interests you, then join us for a fast-paced look at how you can take advantage of these fantastic tools.
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Building Security and Efficiency with Internal Control
10:00am - 6:00pm
Online
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $239
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A well-designed internal controls system can and will drive all entity objectives. Too many times control creators focus too much on security. It is important to properly balance protection-based measures with those designed to enhance efficiency. This session works to illustrate the power of a strong and well supported control system. It also discusses steps to take in order to establish such a system. This material is becoming more and more beneficial as companies strive to address many new business challenges such as evolving markets, the rapid rate of change in the business world and the notable increase in governmental and industry-based regulation. Those that desire a balanced and workplace enhancing control system should strongly consider this session. 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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Fraud and Embezzlement: Case Studies from the Trenches
10:30am - 12:30pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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Governmental entities are the second largest victims of embezzlement. This seminar examines recent events involving theft of public money and circumstances that allowed the fraud to occur. Case studies we examine include the 2012 $54 million embezzlement from the City of Dixon by Rita Crundwell. The events that impacted the small Illinois town of 16,000 residents was the largest governmental fraud case to date, and spanned an astonishing 20 years. This remarkable story inspired an award-winning documentary, "All the Queen's Horses." We will also examine factors that led to scandals involving the Baptist Foundation of Arizona, World Com, Collin Street Bakery and the Ohio American Cancer Society, among others. This course is ideal for CPAs, government finance personnel, all Internal Auditors, lawyers, governance professionals, accountants and human resource personnel. 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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Ethics: 10 Crucial Qualities of High Character CPAs
11:00am - 1:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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What can you do to enhance your commitment to the highest ethical standards of the profession? How will doing so bring you more business? In this unique and engaging ethics course, the instructor, Dr. Bruce Weinstein, The Ethics Guy (R), reveals ten crucial qualities of CPAs. They are: 1. Honesty 2. Accountability 3. Care 4. Courage 5. Fairness 6. Gratitude 7. Humility 8. Loyalty 9. Patience 10. Presence (focus or mindfulness) You're already a good CPA and a good person. This course will show you how to be even better. The result will be greater satisfaction in your professional relationships, a deeper commitment to the profession of accounting, and much more business. Please note that this is a stand-alone course for 2 CPE credits in Behavioral Ethics, but you'll maximize your ROI by also taking "Ethics: How to Build and Keep Your A-Team". Together these courses are two of the surest pathways to sustained success in accounting. 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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Calculating the Retirement Need
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $55
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For most people, funding their own retirement is the largest expense they will ever have. Due to advances in medical technology and overall healthier lifestyles, it is not unusual for someone to live 30 years or more in retirement. In this course, we will discuss how to quantify and calculate the retirement needs of the client. We will talk about time value of money concepts, how to help clients quantify their retirement goals, and even how to address risk perceptions. By doing this, we will allow practitioners to be able to better address client questions and frame trade-offs when necessary. 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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How to Build a Custom AI Chatbot and GPT in Plain English
12:30pm - 2:30pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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Participants will learn to create customized AI chatbots that can enhance client interaction and internal operations-all without coding experience. This course provides a concise overview of specialized, task-oriented AI chatbots and GPT builders, focusing on how these technologies are revolutionizing professional workflows. Through hands-on exploration of platforms like AgentGPT, Claude Projects, Gemini Gems, and NotebookLM, participants will learn to design, deploy, and manage custom AI assistants tailored to their specific needs. The course emphasizes creating advanced AI apps that can understand context and solve complex problems autonomously. 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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Microsoft Copilot Deep Dive Hands-on Bootcamp for CPAs
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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Microsoft 365 is one of the most widely used business applications software suites used in business today. Microsoft Copilot is the generative AI application that is integrated directly into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. If your firm or business is a Microsoft 365 user, this course will teach you how to use Copilot AI to optimize the use of your Microsoft 365 apps. This course will provide a comprehensive review and demonstration of how to put Microsoft Copilot AI to work for you and your clients. It is designed as a "hands-on" course that facilitates following along with the presenter to apply the features of Microsoft Copilot on your computer. Practice files will be provided so that you don't have to expose your confidential data. 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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Surgent's Critical Issues Involving Taxation of Construction Contractors
1:00pm - 4:30pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $159
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Many consider taxation of construction contractors to be the most complex area of the Internal Revenue Code. This industry is subject to many elections and considerations to reduce or defer amounts owed. In this course, we will highlight these areas and discuss potential opportunities for practitioners and their clients. We will also discuss the impact of recent legislation on construction taxation, including changes to net operating losses and the AMT rules. This is a critical presentation tailored for CPAs who work for or represent construction contractors.
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Fundamentals of Form 1040 - Individual
1:00pm - 5:00pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
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This course introduces professionals to the fundamentals of individual tax preparation. Participants will learn the essentials of Form 1040, including filing requirements, income reporting, and deductions. The session will also cover preparer responsibilities, due diligence, and taxpayer rights under Circular 230. By the end, attendees will have a solid understanding of the foundation of personal tax returns. 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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Corporate Transparency Act Developments
1:30pm - 3:30pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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U.S. Department of Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) imposed a new reporting requirement that went into effect on January 1, 2024. Millions of businesses may have to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report. In a surprise turn of events, the Federal District Court from the Northern District of Alabama ruled on March 1, 2024 in National Small Business United v. Yellen ("NSB") that the CTA is unconstitutional. This course will discuss the CTA's provisions and the court's decision in NSB. Also covered will be future implications for business entities and steps to consider given the recent ruling. We will also discuss recent proposed rulemaking by FinCen with respect to nonfinanced purchases of residential real estate and gratuitous transfers so that businesses can prepare for any additional reporting burdens that might arise. 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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Coping With the Growth of Online Fraud
1:30pm - 5:30pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
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Just about every company, no matter its size or the types of activities it undertakes, is at greater risk because of all the types of fraud that can be be carried out electronically. Potential perpetrators can be operating internally or externally and the scope of the damage that occurs is almost never limited to cyber-assets. While threat awareness is improving, there are still too many owners or top level executives that underestimate the scale of the issue. In this session, we delve into the types and the nature of many electronic defalcation schemes. The material then explores measures that organizations can implement to help stop these activities and add additional layers of security. 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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Surgent’s Weekly Expert Hour
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $79
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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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Supervision/Management Competencies: An Ethical Approach
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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Job titles for individuals can vary in different organizations even though the work is the same. This webinar is designed for the individual whose role is to oversee the work of others. This webinar includes an overview of Aristotle's virtue ethics and its application to the responsibility and privilege of developing employees to be their best and for the success of the organization. We will also address issues such as going from "buddy to boss", how to manage if you are newly assigned to an existing employee that was previously supervised by someone else, and critical skill sets necessary for supervisory/managerial positions. 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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Surgent's Guide to the AICPA Quality Management Standards
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $99
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The Quality Management Suite of Standards was required to be implemented by December 15, 2025. The standards modernize the firm's approach to quality to reflect an increased focus on risk assessment, technology use, and the presence of outside experts on many engagements. Beginning with performing a risk-based approach, the standards provide accounting firms with the ability to enhance their quality control by shifting their focus to a proactive approach (management) from a reactive approach (control). The results of the firm's risk assessment will form the basis of its new Quality Management document. This is not just a tweak of the old document but a more robust document that adds new requirements from the new standards. We will cover how to perform a risk assessment, including the key provisions of the standards, and how to effectively implement a monitoring plan. We will also review how the firm will evaluate its System of Quality Management beginning in 2026.
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More Money: Strategic Ways to Improve Cash Flow
2:00pm - 6:00pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
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Cash flow management is often the most important task of any CFO or financial leader. Regardless of whether one works in start-ups or established companies, non-profit or for-profit entities, cash flow makes our organizations run. Have you ever wondered whether you are optimizing your company's cash flow? In this course, we will explore how to improve your company's cash flow using analysis and financial theories in the context of real-world situations. 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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Todd and Julie Chrisley Go to Prison
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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The course provides general information on proceedings that led to a grand jury indictment of television reality stars, Todd and Julie Chrisley. Participants learn how business decisions can lead to federal charges for conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. The grand jury also indicted the Chrisley's accountant, Peter Tarantino, on tax-related offenses. Participants learn how to develop resources and tools for effective detection and deterrence of federal crimes, and the learn the consequences that follow white-collar crime, including how responses can influence lengthy prison terms. 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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Ethics: Court Orders, Confidentiality, and Compliance
3:30pm - 5:30pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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Tax professionals often find themselves navigating complex ethical terrain when responding to court-ordered summonses, especially in emotionally charged settings like divorce. This course explores the ethical obligations and legal boundaries that govern the disclosure of taxpayer information, with a focus on IRC 7216 and 6713, Circular 230, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA). Through scenario-based learning and practical analysis, participants will examine how ethical principles intersect with legal mandates and how to maintain professional integrity when faced with conflicting client interests, ambiguous court orders, or pressure to over-disclose. This course emphasizes informed consent, scope limitations, and the preparer's duty to protect confidentiality even when disclosure is legally permitted. This course provides the tools and frameworks needed to make sound decisions, avoid regulatory pitfalls, and uphold the highest standards of practice in sensitive legal contexts. 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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How AI Fits into the Accounting World
4:00pm - 6:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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This session is designed as a primer to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) and to discuss how it will impact accountants as they work. The material will briefly explain what AI is and then focus on ways that it is already serving those in the accounting realm. It will close with a look at future AI-centric developments that will have great potential to positively impact the accounting profession. Those wishing to gain an understanding of what artificial intelligence is and how it will be used by accountants should consider attending this session. 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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Fraud Busters: Controls to Prevent and Detect Fraud
9:00am - 11:00am
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
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This course investigates actual real-world fraud schemes and discusses what controls could have prevented the fraud from occurring, and what controls could detect and curtail the fraud scheme. The instructor speaks from experience, finding multiple frauds very early in her career leading to a career-long focus on fraud prevention and detection. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.