CPE Catalog & Events
ACPEN: Is Activity-Based Costing the Right Tool for Your Organization?
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Online
2.00 Credits
ABC versus traditional costing First-stage allocation Determining predetermined overhead rates Second-stage allocation Activity-based reporting Activity-based management
CFO Series: Internal Controls That Matter: Smart Practices
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:What internal controls are and what they are notWhy even small organizations need controlsCOSO and the five core components of a sound internal control systemCommon control failures and real-world consequencesExamples of scalable financial, operational, and compliance controlsHow to tailor controls to your organization’s size and risk profileEmbedding internal controls into daily operationsHow to monitor, evaluate, and adapt controls over time
ACPEN: The Preparation of Form 706 - Line-by-Line
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Online
3.00 Credits
Overview of Form 706 and estate tax fundamentals Gross estate valuation and inclusion rules Deductions, credits, and tax computation Portability election and its implications Filing deadlines and procedural requirements Common issues and IRS audit triggers Legislative changes affecting estate taxation
ACPEN: Guide to Preparing Form 1041 for Estates and Trusts
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Online
4.00 Credits
Current rates and brackets Calculating a trust's AGI Filing requirements, deadlines and penalties 3.8% Medicare surtax on net investment income (NII) Simple vs. complex trusts Grantor Trusts: Four options to report activity Section 643 (g) Election Taxable income of trusts, estate and beneficiaries
ACPEN: Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction (§199A) – The Ins & Outs
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Online
8.00 Credits
Detailed coverage of calculating the combined qualified business income amount (i.e., QBI component and REIT/PTP component) Determine what trade or businesses under §162 are eligible for the QBI deduction (i.e., rentals and specified service trades or businesses (SSTB)) Discuss how the 20% QBI deduction (i.e., QBI component) is subject to a wage/capital limitation and SSTB income is phased-out for taxpayers with taxable income above the inflation adjusted threshold amounts Walk through the simplified QBI Form 8995 (i.e., taxpayers below the TI threshold amounts) and detailed Form 8995-A and related schedules Determine what wages and unadjusted basis immediately after acquisition (UBIA) are for those subject to the wage and capital limitations Look at what the definition of QBI is and what items are effectively connected with that trade or business (i.e., self-employment tax, health insurance, retirement plans) Review the aggregation rules for the QBI computation and both the entity and individual level Walk through the reporting responsibilities of partnerships and S corporations to their owners on the Schedule K-1s Explain how the modifications to the net operating losses (NOLs) and §461(l) excess business loss limitations affect the QBI computation
Corporate Finance Technology Selection: Practical Frameworks
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Virtual
1.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:The changing finance technology landscape: continuous processing, modular ecosystems, automated controls, and real-time visibility (and the risks these shifts introduce)Technology trends and “AI” definitions: automation vs. machine learning vs. generative AI vs. agentic AI—what each means for governance and auditabilityFive common challenges in finance tech projects and how to address them:Cutting through vendor claims and AI hypeIntegration complexity and hidden costsChange management and proving ROIData quality readiness for AI and automationRisk, security, and governanceVendor Evaluation Scorecard: 20 criteria across five categories, including control “deal-breakers” (audit trails, segregation of duties, logging, SOC reporting, error handling)Five-Year Total Cost Framework: software, implementation, data migration/cleanup, integration build & maintenance, internal costs, training, and ongoing operations (plus common underestimates)Industry-specific considerations (manufacturing, distribution/wholesale, SaaS/tech, professional services)Four-phase implementation roadmap with checkpoints and red flags: Assessment & Planning; Selection & Negotiation; Implementation & Testing; Optimization & Ongoing GovernanceWorking with external advisers (CPA/auditor involvement, implementation partner expectations, and common deficiencies to avoid)
ACPEN: Analytical Procedures for Nonprofits
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Online
2.00 Credits
How to leverage preliminary and substantive analytic procedures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of financial statement audits The required elements of a substantive analytic procedures to address detection risk Tips and traps of applying an analytic approach to satisfy audit objectives Explaining the usefulness of analyzing diverse trends and ratios in a nonprofit environment to meet the needs of various financial statement users Common ratios and trends to assess liquidity, operating efficiency, leverage, and more
Accounting for and Auditing Cryptocurrency & Digital Assets
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics covered in this class include:Common applications related to initial recognition and measurement, subsequent measurement or derecognition, presentation, and disclosure of cryptocurrency and other digital assetsFeedback from the AICPA's Digital Assets Working Group intended to assist auditors with opining on these digital records
ACPEN: The Ethical Side of Trust, featuring Richard A. Karwic and Don Minges
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Online
1.00 Credits
The seven components of trust High standards, loyalty, doing the right thing, listen, empathy and accountability The value of trust How ethics relates to trust and how trust relates to ethics
Surgent's Engaging and Managing Young Professionals
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Virtual
0.00 Credits
Characteristics that are more dominant among younger working professionals and what distinguishes them from other sectors of the workforce Changes younger professionals seek in the workplace Suggestions on engaging and developing younger workers Best practices by organizations who have successfully integrated younger professionals Expectations as to learning, development, and training Work environments and schedules School-to-work transitions Views on salary, benefits, and corporate ethics Whether younger professionals’ expectations are significantly different from any other generation Strengths younger professionals offer which set them apart from others Common myths pertaining to younger professionals Definitions of success
Ethics: How to Run Your Business Well
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:The five principles of ethical intelligenceHow to make the right decisions in a range of challenging situationsThe fundamental ethical principal, "Do No Harm"
Surgent's Real Estate Taxation: Critical Considerations
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Virtual
4.00 Credits
The impact of recent tax legislation on the real estate industry Depreciation and recapture Determining the basis when acquiring real estate Passive activity losses Calculation of gain or loss on sale of real estate Rental operations Installment sales
Business Tax Update: OBBA and Recent Developments
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Recent legislation impacting business taxpayersThe One Big Beautiful Bill ActExtenders legislation updateMeals and entertainment expense reportingPartnership and S corporation updateIncome and deductions
Smarter Tax Services with Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Overview of AI technology and how it worksIdentify where AI can be incorporated into tax research, planning, and compliance servicesDiscover new opportunities to enhance your client advisory tax services with AI toolsReview the market of emerging and AI enhanced tax software toolsLearn about the newest generation of AI enable 1040 source document collection and organizer applicationsReview specific use cases for generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot) in your tax services
Surgent's IT Governance and Risk Management
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Virtual
0.00 Credits
The role of IT governance within an organization IT governance principles IT risk identification and assessment methods IT control frameworks (e.g., COBIT, ITIL) IT general controls and application controls Business process management Change management
How SAS Nos. 134-145 Improve Risk-Based Audits
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Virtual
4.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Key changes to audit report elements intended to improve the understandability of the nature and results of financial statement auditsEnhanced required by-product communications with management and those charged with governance to promote more reliable financial statementsClarifications related to obtaining sufficient and appropriate audit evidence, including significant unusual transactions, related parties, going concern uncertainty, and accounting estimatesNew definitions and requirements related to identifying and evaluating risks of material misstatementOther important matters contained in SAS Nos. 134-145
AI & Accounting in Retail
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:AI-powered personalization and its impact on revenue recognitionDynamic pricing models and tax compliance risksAI in demand forecasting, inventory valuation, and COGS calculationsIntegration challenges with ERP and POS systemsGovernance, ethics, and auditability of AI decisionsData quality, audit trails, and regulatory documentationAI-assisted fraud detection, financial controls, and oversight
ACPEN: Assessing the Real Ethics of an Organization?, featuring Joe Oringel, MBA, CPA, CIA and Don Minges, MBA
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Online
1.00 Credits
What are the signs of an ethical versus unethical organization? The need for clear policies Policies should be detailed, clear and unambiguous The importance of ‘doing the right thing when no one else is looking’ How exceptions offer opportunities to the unethical Should exceptions be allowed?
ACPEN: Listening to the Statement of Cash Flows
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Online
2.00 Credits
Preparation of the statement of cash flows Importance of identifying sources and uses of cash in financial reporting Financial statement analysis Cash-related financial statement disclosures
Becoming a Fractional CFO: What to Do and How?
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Do you have what it takes to be a successful fractional CFO?Should you be a solo practitioner or join a larger firm? 1099 versus W2?What skills are needed to be successful?Sales, marketing, etc.What are some of the ‘red flags’?Typical assignments and issues a fractional CFO will likely encounterThe greatest opportunity for fractional CFOs?Understanding your value
