Professional Development and Event Catalog

In February 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases, which provides new guidelines that change the accounting for leasing arrangements. To be able to properly account for leases, financial professionals must understand ASU 2016-02 (also referred to as Topic 842). This guidance covers information on how leases should be accounted for. The previous leasing standard (ASC 840) had been in existence for almost 40 years. Under ASC Topic 842, lessors continue to classify leases as operating, direct financing, or sales-type. While lessees now classify leases as operating or financing leases. Previous guidance only required capital leases to be reflected on the BS. The new guidance requires all leases to be reflected on the BS. This is a major change for organizations and will cause their balance sheets to swell as leases must now be disclosed on the balance sheet. The standards original effective dates were prior to 2019. In April 2020, due to COVID-19, FASB voted to defer the effective date for ASC 842 for private companies and certain not-for-profit's for one year. For private companies and private not-for-profits, the leasing standard will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. For public companies the leasing standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The course covers elements of lease classification for both lessees and lessors. Also, numerous examples are incorporated as reference.  

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A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.  The same theory applies to departmental performance—the overall result is only as strong as its weakest contributor.  Leave our interactive and entertaining session with insight for developing and sustaining the best team you can possibly assemble.  The four elements in this process are (1) development, (2) leadership, (3) hiring and (4) environment.  Discuss how to effectively use these elements in your creation of an outstanding organization. Discover the power of the 10 Attributes for Leadership Success and the negative impact of Leadership’s Fatal 13. Above all, learn how to combine these four elements as a successful catalyst for sustained high-quality output and results.  

Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs), unique, identifiable digital assets based on blockchain technologies, have become a fast-growing industry. This course will provide a background on how NFTs came into the mainstream marketplace.  These materials will assist the practitioner to understand the tax implications of the creation, purchase and sale of these assets.  **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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This course equips tax professionals with the knowledge and strategies needed to handle the most common IRS letters, including general notices, audit requests, collections, return inquiries, and error notices. Participants will learn how to interpret IRS correspondence, adhere to response deadlines, and effectively communicate with the IRS to resolve issues and minimize risks. The session also highlights best practices for ensuring compliance and avoiding penalties or escalation, empowering attendees to navigate IRS correspondence with confidence. *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

The Accountant role is evolving from data aggregation to knowledge extraction, with a significant emphasis on understanding and leveraging technological advancements. In this era of rapid digital transformation, it is crucial for accountants to grasp the shift towards more analytical roles, learn the tools, and integrate Business Intelligence (BI) and Data Analytics (DA) in their organization and daily practices. This course will focus on raising the accountant's awareness of BI and DA practices, the impact of AI technologies like ChatGPT, and how these can benefit their organization. By embracing these technologies, accountants can enhance their value proposition by transitioning from traditional accounting roles to becoming strategic advisors and decision-makers.

QuickBooks Online’s (QBO) market share continues to expand, and the Cloud-based accounting platform now dominates the small business market. Yet, most accounting and financial professionals have not participated in any formal training on the Cloud-based accounting service. Thus, they are unaware of many of the tool’s available features and do not work with QuickBooks Online as efficiently and effectively as they should. This course teaches you how to set up QBO and convert QuickBooks Desktop files into a QBO instance. You will learn how to process all types of transactions, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank feeds, inventory, and payroll. Further, you will learn how to implement appropriate internal controls and how to capitalize on advanced features such as workflow management and management reports. Join us in this session to learn how to set up QBO properly and take full advantage of all it offers while avoiding common errors and mistakes.

This course will explore the use of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence chatbot technologies in the accounting profession. Participants will learn how to utilize ChatGPT to automate tasks, improve efficiency and accuracy, and provide real-time support to clients. 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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Inventory is a wonderful place to both hide fraud and commit fraud.  The reasons that inventory is subject to so much fraud is the it is often very large, spread out over a large area, and many people have access to it.  When there are little or no internal controls related to inventory control, you are begging employees to steal it.  No with so many ways to dispose of stolen inventory via the internet, i.e., EBAY, inventory fraud is much more appealing to a lot of individuals. The more common ways to commit expense fraud and how to cover it up will also be discussed.  Travel and entertainment are some of the favorite areas of committing expense fraud.  In addition, payroll fraud will be discussed.  Although there are many ways to commit payroll fraud, it is very easy to prevent. This presentation is designed to familiarize the participants with the many ways to commit inventory, expense and payroll fraud, how to detect it, and more importantly, how to prevent it.

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Nobody is immune to fraud risk. This course opens with stories of real fraud perpetrators then examines the similarities between the fraud perpetrators, discovering that they all have many common traits. It finishes with techniques accountants can use to deter these behaviors. 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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The role of financial professionals has and continues to change in organizations. The stereotype of collecting and reporting data has been replaced by a broader vision, which focuses on improving an organization's results today and preparing it for the future. This brief program offers specific actions that can be implemented by financial personnel to expand their role through improving their organization. The actions and techniques provided build upon and improve activities that exist in many organizations (measuring, budgeting, hiring, risk management, etc.), as well as providing insights into capital allocation, cash management, valuation techniques, variables that influence capacity levels, M&A activity and actions to increase efficiency and innovation. Updated to include the impact of regulations, additional examples of M&A, alliances and strategic spin-offs/splits, methods to improve efficiency from existing activities, the impact of COVID-19, as well as current organizational changes employed to manage and accelerate growth.

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Each year, more states legalize cannabis (i.e., marijuana) for medical or recreational purposes. As legalization grows, so too does the cannabis industry. While some financial professionals have stayed away from this growing sector of the economy, others have embraced the opportunities the cannabis industry has to offer. The legalization of cannabis brings with it a complex regulatory landscape, which includes strict compliance with federal and state regulations. However, the complexity of this emerging market provides opportunities for accountants and other financial professionals. Behind the cannabis dispensaries are scores of related business sectors including food production, retail, farming, and chemical production, as well as facilities, design, and construction. Simply stated, the commercialization of marijuana offers financial professionals an opportunity to participate in an industry expected to reach $73 billion worldwide within six years.

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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.

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You'll gain an understanding of the statements, disclosures and considerations for plans that file Form 11-K, and learn ways to plan and conduct effective risk-based ERISA plan audits.

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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The accounting profession is rapidly shifting from a compliance-centered focus to one that demands insight, foresight, and strategic advisory skills. "From Numbers to Narratives: Mastering Data Analysis for CPAs" explores the "why" behind this transformation and highlights the critical role data analysis plays in helping CPAs remain relevant and competitive. This course provides a high-level overview of the skills and mindset required to move beyond historical reporting and into forward-looking analysis and storytelling. Participants will gain an understanding of how Microsoft 365 applications - such as Excel, Power Query, Power BI, OneDrive, and Teams - can be leveraged to transform raw financial data into meaningful insights. With an emphasis on the advisory role of CPAs, this course empowers professionals at every stage of their career to embrace analytics as a core competency. 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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Overview of the most important labor and employment policies and practices that every business should have. The review will go over confidentiality agreements, arbitration agreements, restrictive covenants, training, and severance agreements, as well as compliance issues related to each of them. 

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How well do you accept criticism? How might it enrich your business - and you - if you did a better job of it? This distinctive webinar will show you why it is in your best interest to accept criticism with gratitude. It's even better to welcome criticism. It's also a good idea to learn how to give criticism the right way. A related topic is the art of giving and receiving apologies, and we'll do a deep dive into this area as well. You'll leave with clear guidelines for how to criticize others, accept criticism from them, give meaningful apologies, and accept apologies with grace and ethical intelligence. The result will be a stronger CPA practice and a better you. 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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Many organizations struggle to keep budgets current in an ever-changing business climate.  Twenty-first century performance metrics focus on determining what budgets should be rather than what they were in the past.  Using performance metrics effectively reduces work, reduces politics, provides flexibility and substantially improves the performance management process.  This session will show you powerful techniques to drive your organization’s performance.

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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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AI is reshaping accounting, tax, and finance. This update surveys the state of AI technology in 2026: core concepts, software tools, risks/controls, and practical CPA use cases. You will leave with an expanded AI vocabulary, a current view of the AI landscape, and actionable talking points for staff, clients, and service providers. 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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