CPE Catalog & Events

Tax Fundamentals of LLCs and Partnerships - Tax Staff Essentials

Basic tax structure of partnerships and LLCs Check-the-box elections to be taxed as a partnership Partnership distributions Compensatory payments to partners At-risk and passive activity limits Profit and loss allocations: general rules and restrictions

AI Lessons Learned for Accountants

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Introduction to AI R&D in Accounting: Why internal AI research is essential for modern firms.Theory to Practice: Moving quickly from speculative AI concepts to actionable strategies.Managing Exponential Change: Understanding the urgency of adapting to AI’s rapid evolution.Proactive AI Engagement: Conducting in-house AI benchmarks, research, and hackathons.The Dual Role in AI Development: Balancing innovation with data security and ethical responsibilities.Internal AI Tools Creation: Encouraging accountants to develop AI solutions tailored to their needs.Data Security and Cyber Threats: Addressing AI-enabled cybercrime and protecting against internal risks.Mitigating AI Misuse: Recognizing abuse patterns and implementing safe practices.Challenges in AI Integration: Handling resistance, management concerns, and rapid technological shifts.Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Building a resilient, R&D-focused AI culture in accounting.

Comprehensive Audit & SSARS Update

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:AICPA Accounting and Review Services Committee standards update and new practice aidAICPA Auditing Standards Board standards update including recent changes to the audit and attestation standardsAICPA’s new Quality Management Standards - Overview, implementation considerations, timeline, and AICPA implementation resourcesPCAOB, IAASB standard-setting agenda and potential future AICPA ASB standards changesUpdate on AICPA’s Enhancing Audit Quality InitiativeTrends in audit quality including the DOL’s audit quality studyFrequent peer review findings and practice tips for achieving high practice qualityLatest on the DOL’s audit quality study

ACPEN: GASB 96 –SBITA, GASB 94 P3, and GASB 87 Leases (Year 2)

Requirements of GASB 96, GASB 94, and GASB 87 Implementation of GASB 96, 94 and 87

Surgent's Business Writing: Professional & Effective Emails

Preparing to write: what is my purpose and objective and who is my audience When email is the appropriate communication methodology and when it’s not Common email mistakes and how to avoid them Proven techniques for writing more efficient, readable, and outcome-focused emails

Surgent's Capital Assets: Basis and Taxation for Financial Professionals

Capital asset classification and basis determination Realization vs. recognition rules and special scenarios Disallowed losses and related limitations Types of capital gains and losses and their tax treatment Netting capital gains and losses Calculating taxes on ordinary income and capital gains Marginal vs. effective tax rates Tax planning strategies for capital assets

Surgent's Mastering the Offer in Compromise: Strategies for Preparation and Negotiation

Introduction to the OIC program Types of OICs Eligibility criteria Financial analysis Offer amount calculation Preparing Forms 656 and 433-A(OIC)/433-B(OIC) Supporting documentation and strategy OIC submission and IRS review process Appeals and negotiation techniques Best practices and common pitfalls Real-world scenarios and case studies

Surgent's Schedules K-2 and K-3: Preparation of Forms

How to read and complete Parts II and III for Foreign Tax Credit Understand attachment requirements in Part I Practical tips on how to tackle Parts IV and IX for corporate partners How to correctly fill out Part X for foreign partners Comprehensive examples for operating, real estate rental, and investment partnerships with filled-in sample forms

Surgent's The Road Ahead: Critical OBBBA Changes Impacting Accounting and Finance Professionals

Marginal tax rates effective in 2025 and beyond The QBI deduction Qualified residential interest Child Care Credit Miscellaneous itemized deductions, including the educator deduction Rollovers from 529 plans to ABLE accounts Additional expenses treated as qualified higher education expenses for purposes of 529 accounts Termination of credits for environmentally clean autos and expenditures Other timely topics

Surgent's Update on the SECURE 2.0 Act

Mandatory automatic enrollment for new plans Part-time worker eligibility expansion Higher catch-up limit to apply at age 60, 61, 62, and 63 Change in the credit for small employer pension plan startup costs $2,000 saver’s match Changes in pooled employer plans Multiple employer 403(b) plans Increase in age for required beginning date for mandatory distributions Indexing IRA catch-up limit Treatment of student loan payments as elective deferrals for purposes of matching contributions Application of credit for small employer pension startup costs to employers who join an existing plan Small immediate financial incentives for contributing to a plan Withdrawals for certain emergency expenses Starter 401(k) plans for employers with no retirement plans Recovery of retirement plan overpayments Tax treatment of IRAs involved in a prohibited transaction Clarification of substantially equal periodic payment rule

Tax Depreciation: Review and Update

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Recent tax legislation and developments related to capitalizationEligible property for Section 179 and Section 168(k)Discussion of the Section 179 deduction and its use to depreciate real propertyThe Section 168(k) deduction and its use to depreciate real propertyDisposition of segments of real propertyExchanges of tangible personal property after repeal of the like-kind exchange rulesOther related topics

ACPEN: The Essential FASB Update with Renee Rampulla

Hot GAAP topics Income Tax Disclosures Crypto Assets Governmental Grants Interim Reporting Lease Standard Post Implementation Review

Surgent's Handbook for Mastering Basis, Distributions, and Loss Limitation Issues for S Corporations, LLCs, and Partnerships

Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation Applicable coverage of any basis considerations within any recent tax legislation   Passthrough basis calculations required as attachments to certain individual returns  Executor’s form for disclosing basis in certain distributed property; what about the basis of a property distribution from a trust?  How §179 limitations affect basis and how tax-benefit rule is applied  Basis implications of personal assets converted to business use  How to calculate basis of inherited qualified and joint tenancy property  Tax basis capital account reporting requirements  S corporations: Beware of final IRS regulations regarding “open debt”; determine how to calculate basis; worksheets are included; understand the effect of stock basis and debt basis and IRS’s recent focus on “at-risk basis” for shareholders; recognize how AAA applies or doesn’t apply to S corporations; learn to apply the complex basis ordering rules and special elections that can have a big tax result; discuss loss limitation rules in depth; when you can have a taxable dividend in an S corporation; understand distributions of cash and property; understand the post-termination transition rules, and temporary post-termination rules for eligible corporations, which will be important for S corps returning to C corps  LLCs and partnerships: Learn the detailed rules of §704 for preventing the shifting of tax consequences among partners or members; learn to calculate basis under §704 & for “at-risk” under §465; recognize how recourse, nonrecourse, and qualified nonrecourse debt can create significantly different tax results; learn the difference between basis and “at-risk basis”; review §754 step-up in basis rules; the economic effect equivalence test or “dumb-but-lucky” rule; learn to apply the complex rules of distribution of cash vs. property, and the basis treatment of charitable contributions and foreign taxes paid 

Ethics - 2026 (Counts towards DC/MD)

ACPEN: Unleashing Creativity in the Workplace

The Power of Creativity in the Workplace The Three Types of Creativity: Imagination, Creativity, Innovation Benefits of Creativity: Purpose, Productivity, Performance Applications of Creativity: Individual, Team, Organizational Culture Creative Problem-Solving Techniques (Mind Mapping, Visual Thinking) Whole Brain Thinking: Integrating Left & Right Brain Functions Creating a Culture of Innovation Measuring and Implementing Creativity for Growth

ACPEN: SAS 145: Modern Risk-Based Auditing

Introducing SAS 145 Revisiting audit risk Risk assessment in the SAS 145 Era Analyzing SAS 145 Documentation requirements

ACPEN: Strategic CFO – Developing Strategy and the Why

What strategy really means and who is involved in developing it Common reasons strategic plans fail and how to avoid them Cost leadership, differentiation, and niche strategies Using metrics, KPIs, and the Balanced Scorecard to measure success The role of non-financial drivers in financial performance Benchmarking and competitive analysis Aligning mission, culture, and strategy Case discussions on strategy execution and performance measurement

How to Audit Cash

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Auditing CashAudit assertions, risks, and threats to the cash balanceAuditing procedures to perform

ACPEN: Avoiding Peer Review Deficiencies and Professional Liability in Public Accounting

Differentiating risks faced when performing various levels of professional services, such as audits, reviews, compilations, preparing financial statements, bookkeeping, tax return preparation, and similar Best practices for preventing quality control concerns that could lead to peer review deficiencies or malpractice claims Establishing an understanding with the client to minimize misunderstandings as to the nature and scope of engagements Explain situations when independence should be appropriately safeguarded when performing nonattest services

AI 101 for CPAs: Core Concepts and Practical Applications

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:ABCs of how generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini workWhat inherent risks are associated with this powerful technologyActionable steps you can take to mitigate the risksPractical examples of how AI can be applied in accounting, auditing, tax, and finance services