Professional Development and Event Catalog

The purpose of this program is to discuss the ethical mandates that govern the conduct of tax practitioners. The program focuses on the ethical pronouncements of the IRS in Circular 230, as well as the preparer penalty provisions set forth in the Internal Revenue Code. Please note: This ethics course does not cover state-specific issues and so is not applicable in states that require ethics courses to include specific state laws and regulations. Please check with your state board prior to registering for this program if you are in doubt about whether this program satisfies your state's ethics requirements.

In this webinar we will explore the powerful concept of splitting data from reports and dig into the mechanics that enable this technique. The key feature discussed is the Tables feature, and the key function discussed is the multiple-condition summing function. We will illustrate these items in a variety of ways, including building crosstab style reports and mapping tables.

Answering clients' tax questions accurately and on time is a key challenge for tax practitioners. Through simple, plain language explanations and examples, this course will help practitioners perform tax research more efficiently by describing the structure of the primary sources, highlighting the difference between primary and secondary sources, and describing the steps in the tax research process.

One of the most challenging skills for a manager or supervisor to master is delegation. This course will cover a variety of delegation-related topics and provide participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to delegate work and authority effectively.

With only a few months to go before the AICPA's Statement on Quality Management Standards 1, 2, and 3 (SQMS 1, SQMS 2, and SQMS 3, respectively), SSARS No. 26, SAS 146, and SSAE 23 are required to be implemented, this course can help you meet the deadline. It focuses not simply on theory but on HOW to perform the steps involved. The Quality Management Suite of Standards must 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.

Accounting and financial reporting for construction contractors may be the most difficult area to be in compliance with the various standards. Also, construction engagements are, in many instances, more "dangerous" than most lines of business due to the many users of the financial statements. In this course, we will discuss why construction accounting and financial reporting are so complex and discuss the relationship between the contractor and the surety, both from an underwriting and claims perspective. We will also explore what the surety looks for in order to maximize potential bond credit.

Working as a financial professional is an accomplishment that offers the potential for a good salary with long-term growth. Despite being a sought-after career, studies show that being overworked is the greatest source of anxiety and dissatisfaction among financial professionals. Left unchecked, a life centered exclusively around the demands of work can be both physically and emotionally detrimental. Establishing a work-life balance is difficult in any profession, yet financial professionals confront unique challenges that make this goal seem even more elusive. Technology results in being "always on," with no true time to disconnect and genuinely enjoy family, exercise, or hobbies. Lack of balance comes with costs, including poor health and lower productivity. Why are some professionals able to establish a successful balance between career demands and family while others are not? How are some firms able to achieve both high employee satisfaction and strong productivity? This course looks at research, surveys, and simple anecdotal information to provide a better understanding of how to achieve a realistic work-life balance in the modern world. The program also discusses the tax consequences that arise when professionals seek balance by working from home in one state while their employer is located in a different state.

Forensic accounting encompasses fraud investigation and prevention, as well as a wide variety of functions in litigation. Forensic accountants provide services ranging from serving as an expert witness, to litigation consultant and bankruptcy trustee. As our economy grows more complex, the need for forensic accountants grows as well. One critical role of the forensic accountant is exposing and examining financial fraud. Technology expands the way companies conduct business; however, technology also provides greater opportunities for those willing to commit fraud. Forensic accountants rely on their skills in accounting, coupled with their investigative skills, to explain to clients, courts, and jurors how fraudulent schemes occur and the effect caused by fraud. Forensic accountants also provide expert opinions in calculating damages in litigation and administering bankruptcy estates, as well as a host of other services.

This professional development course equips you with practical strategies to manage challenging interactions in the workplace. Although difficult individuals may represent a small segment of the workforce, their impact can be significant, often leading to time lost and decreased productivity. In this course, you will gain essential skills to address and navigate these situations effectively. Additionally, you'll identify specific challenges and develop a personalized action plan for implementing the strategies learned back in your workplace.

Part of the technical competence of most experienced tax practitioners is the ability to advise owners of S corporations and partnerships or multiple-member LLCs treated as partnerships regarding the tax rules that apply when these entities liquidate. Entity liquidations do not occur every day; but they do occur, and often at very critical times in the business life of the entity and its owners. All tax practitioners should be able to advise their clients about the tax issues associated with client businesses that go out of existence and liquidate. This program explains the tax consequences associated with liquidating S corporations, partnerships, and multiple-member limited liability companies treated as partnerships.

When putting together a financial plan, it is important to remember that the tax situation of the business and the individual are often intertwined. Therefore, decisions about entity type are vitally important. Practitioners need to understand not only how different entities are taxed, but also which taxes will have the greatest impact on the individual owner. In this course, we will explore when self-employment taxes apply to business income, as well as some of the lesser-known taxes that apply to flow-through entities. We will even explore when a PTE election could be helpful to a small business owner.

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.

Partnership tax law is always difficult. However, when certain transactions come up, not knowing how to handle them can be costly to clients and practitioners. In this course, we discuss several of these types of situations. We will explore the tax impacts of a PTE election and how a 754 election affects the inside basis of partnership assets. We will then examine those tricky look-through provisions on the sale of a partnership interest in order to properly calculate the tax implications.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were implemented to improve the lives of employees. FMLA allows eligible employees to take job-protected leave for their own serious health conditions or to care for sick family members. The ADA was intended to ensure "equality of opportunity" and "economic self-sufficiency" for individuals with disabilities. Yet both laws have proven challenging for employers. These laws are complex with rules that can be confusing and often misunderstood. This webinar is designed to provide information, guidelines, and examples of the key concepts under both laws.

Budgets are the vehicle for allocating resources, measuring activities, and identifying needed changes and improvements. An organization's strategy is the primary driver of costs. To be effective, the budget must be linked to strategy and long-term plans. Numerous organizations have achieved a series of short-term targets (budgets) but failed longer term, demonstrating the lack of this necessary linkage. Forecasting, a critical part of any successful budgeting process, can be flawed by technical errors, organizational structure, or emotional forces. The establishment of a system to collect, process, and analyze big data can provide significant insights into the budgeting and forecasting process. An efficient system of incorporating big data and analytics into normal activities will improve management's decision-making. This brief program offers specific actions to improve your forecasting and budgeting activities. In addition, more advanced techniques are identified for the participant's further review, which can be applied throughout an organization. Good budgets effectively allocate resources, provide information for decision-making and serve as an early warning system for unforeseen events. A poor budgeting process fosters a false sense of security, provides inappropriate or inaccurate data, and reinforces the status quo. Budgets are about the organization's story, not just the raw numbers!

Spear phishing. Ransomware. Malware. Like the threats your business faces, the cybersecurity lexicon is constantly evolving. This comprehensive presentation imparts practical privacy and data security know-how and creates fluency with the latest terminology. Learn best practices for cybersecurity safety, as well as tailored training for those in positions responsible for implementing security policies. It is just as important to be diligent, safe, and well-versed in the attacks that we face in our personal lives.

As litigation becomes more complex, attorneys are relying more on accountants to serve as consulting experts or expert witnesses at trial. Serving as an expert witness is not as difficult as you might expect. Accounting experts educate lawyers and jurors on issues such as valuation, tax liability, and forensics. Learn how accountants become expert witnesses, the role they play during pre-litigation through to trial, and the techniques experts employ to avoid challenges from opposing counsel.

Whether your employees report in every day to the floor or from an off-site network, the success of your organization depends a great deal on the motivation they bring to the job. This program helps identify specific methods you can use to improve employee motivation. You'll learn how to use observation tools to find out what motivates your employees and you'll study classic motivational theories. The results will help you influence the behaviors of others and tweak your own behavior to improve your bottom line.

Given the opioid epidemic and the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana in a growing number of states, many employers are concerned about the impact drugs and alcohol may be having on the safety and security of their workplaces. Reasonable suspicion testing is among the best ways for employers to identify whether an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol while working. This webinar explores what managers and supervisors need to know to implement a Reasonable Suspicion Testing Policy.

Explore the intricacies of federal income taxation as it intertwines with rental real estate activities. This course delves into the calculation of rental income, understanding the nuances of deductions, and unraveling the complexities of passive activity loss rules. Whether it's mastering Schedule E or understanding Congress' intent behind tax laws, professionals will leave with an enriched understanding.