CPE Catalog+Events

Surgent's Real Estate Taxation: Critical Considerations

This course is a 'deep dive' into many aspects involving the taxation of real estate for the mid-level practitioner moving into this complex area. You will deepen your understanding of the complex considerations and strategies that individuals must navigate in acquiring, operating, and selling real estate. You will leave the course able to navigate critical issues associated with the relevant returns and plan strategically for your company or clients. We will discuss in detail the impact that recent tax changes have had on the real estate industry, as well as new credits that are available after the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Adobe Acrobat - Increase Your Productivity With PDF Files

Think about how much time you spend reviewing and creating PDF files. This course teaches you how to take advantage of a multitude of features and functions available in Adobe Acrobat to create, review, organize, edit and secure your PDF files more effectively and efficiently. Like many personal productivity software applications, it is very likely that you are using only a fraction of the potential of Adobe Acrobat when working with your PDF files. For many CPAs, a PDF file is the final presentation of your work product, whether it is a tax return, financial statement, audit report or other financial reports. This course will teach you how improve the quality of those report presentations. The tips you learn in this course will save you time on a daily basis. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.Speaker - John H. Higgins, CPA.CITP

How Changes in Business Methods Affects Internal Control

New Technology, the move toward telecommuting, the widespread adoption of electronic documentation, and a wide range of other factors have significantly and forever changed the way business is conducted. It should go without saying that changes in tools and methods lead to upheaval in any organizations internal control system. In this session, we look at all the changes that are occurring and discuss what's coming in the not too distant future. The material then looks at how internal controls have been affected and what other updates are on the horizon. Anyone trying to use controls to keep their organization efficient and secure should consider this session because the rate of change to both operational methods and control processes has been and will continue to be incredible. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.Speaker - Karl Egnatoff, CPA.CITP

Surgent's Advanced Audits of 401(k) Plans: Best Practices and Current Developments

Looking to improve the quality of your 401(k) benefit plan audits? This is the course for you. Based on recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor and peer reviews on employee benefit plan audits, we know auditors need to up their game to meet stakeholder demands and provide the best possible audit services. In this advanced course, we will discuss the audit and reporting requirements in accordance with SAS 136 and other recently issued SASs. We will also discuss laws and regulations (such as ERISA) that are unique to employee benefit plans and provide practical guidance on their application. Course topics will focus on the most common compliance issues identified in 401(k) audits by the Department of Labor and peer reviews, as well as recommended corrections. Auditors will identify best practices for auditing areas such as payroll and compensation, participant loans, hardship distributions, investments, and plan mergers and acquisitions.

Surgent's Auditing Not-for-Profit Entities: Superior Skills for an Effective and Efficient Audit

It's been said that you cannot fit a square peg into a round hole. The same principle holds true for audits of not-for-profit entities. You cannot simply apply a standard commercial audit approach to the audit of a not-for-profit entity and expect a good fit. Skilled auditors will instead adjust the audit approach to fit the not-for-profit entity. This course is designed to help you do just. It will equip you with the superior skills needed to excel in auditing not-for-profit entities. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 25 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of auditing not-for-profit entities.

2024 Financial Institutions Conference - Live In Person

2024 Financial Institutions Conference - Webcast

Best Non-Google Search Tools for Accountants

The course explains why you need more than Google to search the Internet and highlights a rich constellation of alternative search engine applications. The session also explains how to set up your own customized online research management platform, and discusses dynamic search strategies (two-step, vertical and lateral searching) that can be used to gain an extra edge when using any search engine. Participants will walk away with scores of new knowledge sources and streams that will complement their use of Google and improve their online research power. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.Speaker - Garrett Wasny, MA, CMC, CITP/FIBP

Fraud Busters: Controls to Prevent & Detect Fraud

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.Speaker - Keely Gohl, CPA, CGMA

Surgent's Food, Beverage, and Entertainment Expensing

The IRS has issued final regulations regarding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act's (TCJA) elimination of the deduction for expenditures related to entertainment, amusement, or recreational activities and provided guidance to determine whether an activity is considered to be entertainment. The final regulations also address the 50% limitation on the deduction of food and beverage expenses and when the 50% limitation does not apply. Due to the pandemic, Congress changed the rules for 2021 and 2022 to allow for 100% deductibility for meals. These temporary rules no longer applied starting in 2023. To effectively advise clients, it is imperative for tax practitioners to understand these rules and be updated on the latest IRS guidance related to meals and entertainment.

Surgent's Use the Data Model to Build More Powerful PivotTables

Do you love PivotTables? Of course, we all do! Traditional PivotTables are incredible, but they do have limitations. If you have ever encountered one of these limitations, you'll be excited to learn that by using the Data Model as the source for PivotTables, you'll be able to bypass many of the restrictions that exist with traditional PivotTables. The data model (also referred to as Power Pivot) is included in Excel 2016+ for Windows and available as a free download for previous versions (excluding Excel for Mac). Using the data model enables you to build PivotTables that were previously not practical. If you frequently build PivotTables and would like to do more with them, you'll want to understand how to use the data model (Power Pivot) to enhance your reports. Note about Excel versions: Power Pivot is not available in all versions of Excel, including Excel for Mac. If you would like to see if Power Pivot is available in your version of Excel, visit the Microsoft site.

Communication Miracles At Work and In Life - Part 2

Following on Part 1 of this course, in Part 2 you will learn advanced ways to solve problems without bruising egos, how to create profound trust quickly, and how to motivate clients and co-workers to do your bidding with a minimal amount of wasted time or hassles.    The bottom line will be better client and co-worker relationships, leading to increased enjoyment and productivity at work. Speaker - Jonathan Robinson

Steps to Stop External Fraud

Until recently, a percentage of organizations discounted the risk related to external fraud attempts. Most were only concerned with protecting physical assets such as inventory or fixed assets. However, because of the many highly publicized corporate hacking events, such as the ones that affected the Colonial Pipeline and JBS Meats, more attention is being paid to external fraud risk of all types. In this session, we look at what is included in a definition of external fraud and then delve into specific control issues that can give rise to increased risk. We then discuss measures that organizations can employ to help reduce exposure to external attacks. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.Speaker - Karl Egnatoff, CPA.CITP

2024 Taxation of Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs)

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. Speaker - Allison McLeod

Monthly Federal Tax Updates - September 2024

Seismic changes in tax legislation is currently taking place, and the well-informed tax practitioner will want to attend this two hour monthly program in order to stay abreast of these developments! Approximately one-half of the program is devoted to individual tax issues, and the remaining time is spend on business entity taxation, IRS procedure, tax legislation and other issues. Due to the changing nature of the topic, learning objectives, course descriptions and program content will vary and will be provided in more specificity closer to presentation time. This course provides a concise look at the hottest topics affecting every tax practitioner. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.Speaker - Allison M. McLeod, LL.M., CPA

Power BI - Analyze Your Data With Excel Pivot Tables

* This course is #3 in the Microsoft Power BI series of webinars. Click button in Program Content section below to see suggested viewing order. * Excel is a popular tool for data analysis, yet most users have never learned the basics of data analysis using Excel or the tools that Excel offers to help with data analysis. This session is designed to teach participants the importance of PivotTables for analyzing data. We will demonstrate how PivotTables can make data analyzation an easy task for all accountants. Participants will learn the step-by-step process to create PivotTables and PivotCharts. We will also cover all the setup options and features. This session is presented using Excel 2019/Office 365. Regardless of the version you are using, most concepts covered in this course apply to all versions of Excel. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.Speaker - Bryan L. Smith, CPA.CITP, CISA

Audit 403: Fraud Trends - Applying Real-Life Lessons

Fraud Trends - Applying Real-life Lessons to Small- and Mid-Size Entities will focus on real-life and practical examples of fraud in smaller- and mid-size environments, including nonprofits. Fraud involves an intentional act to deceive, which may result in material misstatement in the financial statements due to fraudulent financial reporting or misappropriation of assets. Management's responsibility is to design, implement, maintain and monitor a system of internal control to prevent, or detect and correct, fraud. Note: This is a part of the suggested 16-hour Audit Skills Level 4 curriculum for experienced in-charges or seniors. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.Speaker - Jennifer F. Louis, CPA

Synchronize Your Files to the Cloud with SharePoint -Updated

One of the most cost effective methods for storing your files safely and economically in the cloud is with Microsoft 365 OneDrive and SharePoint apps. If you use either or both of these cloud storage apps, this course is a "must take." There are often times when you want or need cloud based files to be stored on your local laptop or desktop PC. With the OneDrive Sync app, you can have the best of both worlds. You can have copies of a file stored locally and in the cloud simultaneously. The Synch app will update both copies of the file in real time for any changes that are made in the local or cloud copy of the file. A classic example is if you have a QuickBooks Desktop data file that you need to store locally to work with the files in QuickBooks. However, you also want the file stored in the cloud for anytime, anywhere access and enhanced security. The Sync app facilitates this scenario effortlessly. Nationally recognized accounting technology advisor and thought leader, John Higgins, will take you through the step-by-step process of setting up and using the Sync app. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.Speaker - John Higgins, CPA.CITP

PowerPoint Fundamentals - Create Engaging Presentations

In this course you will learn how to create presentations that look professional and clearly deliver your message to your audience. You'll benefit from a step-by-step guide for building a presentation, including understanding the PowerPoint interface. We will also dive into topics such as using themes and layouts; adding graphics, photos and other objects to engage the viewer; and tips & tricks for delivering your PowerPoint presentation. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.Speaker - John H. Higgins, CPA.CITP

Surgent's Excel Shortcuts for Accountants

This webinar presents a variety of time-saving ideas, shortcuts, and tips that are sure to boost personal productivity. We discuss better summing, address one of the biggest pitfalls that Excel users have faced over the past 25 years, present the most important keyboard shortcuts, demonstrate a better alternative to hiding rows or columns, illustrate how to quickly navigate to other workbooks and files, and demonstrate using Excel with styles.