CPE Catalog & Events

Ethics: How to Run Your Business Well

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 Privacy and Security Training: Obligations of Confidentiality and Safekeeping

Obligations of confidentiality and safekeeping Security best practices to apply beyond work Likely causes and effects of a large-scale cyberattack Email security best practices Remote work security Mobile device security Internet of Things (IoT) risks Public Wi-Fi risk and the importance of using a VPN Recognizing and avoiding text message/phone call phishing Data loss prevention (DLP)

Surgent's The Accountant as the Expert Witness

Becoming qualified as an expert witness Best practices for testifying at trial Understanding the different roles accountants can play in litigation Working with attorneys to prepare and present a case at trial The role of experts in commercial versus personal injury litigation Confidentiality orders Compensation for expert witnesses Preparing for and attending depositions Daubert challenges to experts Expert reports The role of experts in antitrust, securities litigation, and professional liability cases Credibility as a witness

Business Transformation: Critical Skills for CFOs and Controllers

ACPEN: Federal Tax Update - C & S Corporations, Partnerships & LLCs (Forms 1120, 1120S & 1065)

Discuss the most recent business income tax legislation passed to date Review numerous business income tax provisions including but not limited to the 20% qualified business income (QBI) deduction; changes to NOLs, §461(l) business loss limitations, §163(j) business interest deduction limitations, accounting method changes, depreciation, fringe benefits and entertainment expenses Brush up on issues related to compensation, distributions, liquidations, self-employment taxes and retirement plan Look at any changes to the Forms 1120, 1120S, and 1065 and other related schedules and forms

Surgent's Managing People Through Motivation

What it means to engage people; discuss the meaning of motivation by getting to the core of what impacts your employees’ productivity Get your employees charged; find out what makes them tick through examining and understanding some of the classics in motivational theory Learn how to drill down to what truly motivates your employees Using the C.A.R.E. model to improve employee motivation through case studies

Surgent's Reasonable Suspicion

The psychosocial, physiological, and behavioral aspects of drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace The impact of drug and alcohol abuse on workplace safety The possible connection between performance issues and drug or alcohol abuse The role of documentation in reasonable suspicion testing Confidentiality concerns in the testing process

AI & Accounting in Retail

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

How Much Are Your Ethics Worth?

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Understanding ethicsAvailable tools to aid in ethical decision makingThe role of bias in making ethical decisionsApplication through case studies

Individual Tax Update: OBBA and Recent Developments

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Legislation impacting individual taxpayersThe One Big Beautiful Bill ActExtenders legislation updateChild tax and dependent care creditsSection 199A deductionCapital gains and lossesRental real estateOther passive activities losses

Surgent's Real Estate for Accounting and Finance Professionals

Rental income and expense calculation and reporting Deciphering Schedule E (Form 1040) Nuances of vacation home rules Passive activity loss rules: foundations and implications Active vs. material participation in rental activities Tax reporting: how to group passive activities Limitations on passive losses: at-risk rules and deductions Classifying rental real estate activities Navigating exceptions in rental real estate taxation

Surgent's Advising a Client Regarding the Tax Consequences Associated with Buying or Selling a Business

Due diligence checklist items Asset sales and stock sales and their attendant results to buyers and sellers Section 1060 and the residual method Selling sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations Consequences of making a Section 754 election with adjustments under Sections 743(b) and 734(b) Section 338 and Section 338(h)(10) elections Allocating some of the purchase price of a business to personal goodwill Partnership distributions to retiring partners under Section 736(a) and 736(b) Consulting agreements and employment agreements as between buyers and sellers Advantages of a C corporation having Section 1202 stock

ACPEN: Not Just Your Everyday FASB Update

Analysis of relevant GAAP provisions Reminders regarding the continuing importance of ASC 606 for revenue recognition Fresh perspectives of lease accounting in the wake of ASC 842 implementation Overview of U.S. GAAP alternatives for certain entities Summary of selected, salient standards for today’s audit, review, and compilation engagements

Complete Guide to Analyze Data with Excel PivotTables

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Introduction to PivotTables: Gain a solid understanding of what PivotTables are, their benefits in Excel, and how to prepare your data for creating effective PivotTables.Creating and Customizing PivotTables: Learn step-by-step how to build and format PivotTables, including filtering, sorting, and customizing layouts for optimal data analysis. Focus on Using PivotTables to Analyze Data: Explore techniques to summarize, group, and compare data with PivotTables, uncovering trends and insights for better decision-making.Advanced PivotTable Features: Discover advanced tools such as slicers, timelines, and using PowerPivot for deeper analytical capabilities. Data Visualization with PivotCharts: Learn to create PivotCharts from your PivotTables and customize them to visually present data insights effectively to stakeholders.

Start From Trust: An Evidence-Based Approach to AI Adoption

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Why one visible machine error collapses trust while identical human error does not, and what that asymmetry costs firms in both directionsWhere small and midsize firms actually stand on AI adoption, and why a firm that has not adopted broadly is not automatically behindCalibrated trust: the difference between misuse (overtrust), disuse (undertrust), and trust matched to what a tool actually does wellThe five-stop adoption spectrum: paralysis, accidental delay, informed caution, responsible piloting, and reckless adoptionThe AI Trust and Usage Quadrant: four firm postures and the next step each one impliesGoverned versus unstructured AI use, and why staff already bringing their own tools makes abstention a decision rather than an optionWhat the evidence says about human and AI combinations, and the two task questions that predict whether a tool will help or hurtReading vendor claims: the gap between a demo and production, and why fluent explanations increase acceptance of wrong answersFive trust questions to ask any AI vendor: permission, uncertainty, audit trail, explainability, and change controlThe NIST AI Risk Management Framework trustworthiness characteristics as a technical backboneThree vulnerabilities that current firm financial performance can conceal: client expectations, talent, and deferred learningCognitive offloading and skill retention: what firms lose by waiting, and the conditions under which offloading frees capacity insteadFive actions a firm can take this week, and four evidence-based rollout rules for a first pilot

Cybersecurity: Protecting Your Firm's Data and Reputation

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Assessment of the current cybersecurity threat level and vulnerabilitiesDeveloping your WISP (Written Information Security Program) Deploying a password management app (PMA) to fortify the security of your login credentialsImplementing an incident response plan to minimize the damage from a cybersecurity attackUnderstanding the role of cybersecurity insurance

ACPEN: Decoding Medical Plan Structures: Fully Insured vs. Self-Funded

Benefits Medical Plan Types

ACPEN: Peeking Behind the Curtain: Exploring IRS Audit Technique Guides

Overview of ATGs Best practices for utilizing ATGs Salient provisions of selected ATGs Insights auditors may obtain from analytical procedures Nuances associated with selected industries

How to Audit Inventory

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Auditing Inventory.Related Audit assertions, risks, and threats to inventory.Substantive auditing procedures that staff should perform.

Exercise Your Ethics: Techniques to Improve Ethical Response

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Explore research for common answers to "what does ethics mean to you?" and examine whether those are valid.Identify common ethical barriers - reflecting the latest from the ACFE Report to the Nations.Discover ways to improve ethical response.Practice, using practical advice from leading thinkers in ethics.