CPE Catalog & Events
Surgent's Section 529 Plans: A Comprehensive Guide
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
529 plan structure, requirements, and tax treatment Qualified education expenses, K–12 allowances, and student loan limits Contribution rules, gift-tax interactions, and the five-year election Distribution rules, penalties, and coordination with financial aid State tax considerations and recapture issues SECURE Act 2.0 529-to-Roth IRA rollover provisions Grandparent-owned 529 plans and FAFSA implications Multigenerational and dynasty 529 planning strategies Common challenges, risks, and practical decision frameworks
ACPEN: Guide to Deducting Travel, Meals and Entertainment Expenses
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Online
4.00 Credits
Recent tax legislation, rules and developments impacting travel and meals expense reporting Adequate accounting rules for reimbursements, including accountable plans, going paperless, reimbursement for non-deductible expenses Reporting travel expenses: travel status, simplified per diem "Directly related to" and associated with" tests Facility vs. activity expenses 9 exceptions to Section 274 Business meals: IRS Notice 2018-76
ACPEN: The Successful Family Business
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Online
4.00 Credits
Business Management Organization
ACPEN: Retirement Planning Issues: Where We Stand Now
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Online
4.00 Credits
Thorough Exploration of Current Retirement Planning Trends and Implications Strategies for Maximizing Retirement Savings within Existing Regulatory Structures Tax-Efficient Navigation of Various Retirement Plan Options Estate Planning Techniques Aligned with Contemporary Trends for Optimal Benefits Insight into Latest Rules for Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)
ACPEN: The Essential Guide to Understanding Private Company Financial Statement Disclosures with Renee Rampulla
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Online
4.00 Credits
Common Private Company Accounting Policy Disclosures Numerous Sample Lease and Revenue Disclosures Unique OCBOA Disclosure Requirements and examples Research Techniques
ACPEN: Prevention & Detection of Fraud in Small Businesses
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Online
5.00 Credits
Small Business Fraud Fraud Schemes Fraud Indicators Fraud Detection Fraud Response Fraud Prevention
Spring Tax Update with Steve Dilley
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Virtual
8.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Update and integration of the most recent tax legislation impacting individual and business taxpayers.Review of individual and business provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act.Update on significant individual and business tax developments related to cases and rulings.Update on earned income credit, child credit, and child and dependent care credit.Crypto reporting update.Depreciation changes in Sec. 179 and Sec. 168(k) bonus depreciation.Tax issues impacting "gig" workers, including Form 1099-K.Update on partnership and S corporations, including Schedules K-2 and K-3 of Forms 1065 and 1120S related to foreign transactions.
Surgent's Audit Skills Training Level 2: Preparing for Increasing Responsibilities in Public Accounting
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Virtual
8.00 Credits
Each module includes a lecture followed by in-class group case studies and activities. In this two-day course, the following two-hour modules will be presented: Day 1: Auditing accounts receivable Physical inventory observations Sampling fundamentals Assessing fraud risk in a financial statement audit Day 2: Auditing common investments Financial statement fundamentals SSARS refresher and attestation engagement overview Analytical procedures fundamentals
Entertainment, Meals & Travel Expenses: Review and Update
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Definition of what qualifies as an entertainment expenseStrategies to deduct business entertainment expensesDeductibility of mealsSituations not subject to the 50% meals and entertainment reductionHow to handle automobile issues related to employer-provided parkingProper accounting for deductible vs. non-deductible expendituresThe four steps to analyze business expensesThe latest federal legislation, cases and rulings
ACPEN: Tricks and Treats to Avoid Litigation
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Online
1.00 Credits
Key concepts of effective employee relations Balancing employee and employer rights Handling employee complaints Addressing personality & attitude problems
ACPEN: The Role of Internal Audit in Operational Audits
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Online
2.00 Credits
The important role of operational audits Best practices for designing and performing operational audits Identifying causes of operational issues and risk exposures Developing solutions to enhance the operational performance of business activities, processes, and resourced deployed across the organization Delivering clear, transparent, and objective audit reports to convey critical information
AI Prompt Engineering Masterclass for Accountants
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Introduction to Prompt Engineering: Basics of structuring effective prompts for meaningful AI responses.Understanding AI's "Lazy" Defaults: Why LLMs provide basic answers and how to push them to deliver richer insights.Multi-Layered Prompting: Techniques to encourage AI to provide responses across beginner to expert levels.Candid and Contrarian Responses: Using prompts that elicit honest and balanced insights, even on controversial topics.Ripple Effect and Cobra Effect: Probing the broader impacts and unintended consequences of financial decisions.Avoid Stupidity Checklist: A practical prompt for reducing mistakes in AI-assisted accounting tasks.Role-Based Perspective Prompts: Crafting prompts that guide AI to respond from specific professional viewpoints.Automation Ideas: Leveraging AI to optimize repetitive accounting tasks.Emotion-Driven Prompting: Exploring how emotion-focused prompts can enhance AI performance and engagement.Practical Applications in Accounting: How to apply prompt engineering in real-world financial analysis and decision-making.
ACPEN: Interviewing, Onboarding and Training 101
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Online
1.00 Credits
Best practices on interviewing Best practices for onboarding Best practices with training
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)
Analyzing Financial Statements
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Balance sheet analysisIncome statement analysisCash flow statement analysisClues in the notes and MD&AIndustry nuances
ACPEN: S Corporation (Form 1120S) – Formation to Liquidation
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Online
8.00 Credits
Extensive review of the S corporation tax laws with an emphasis on any new legislative changes Requirements to make an S election (i.e., types and numbers of shareholders and second class of stock issues) Fixing late S corporation elections (i.e., Form 2553) S corporation formation (§351) and liquidation issues Revocation and termination of S corporations Schedule K and K-1 – separately stated versus non-separately stated income and expense items Detailed Schedule K-1 reporting including the 20% qualified business income (QBI) deduction and 3.8% net investment income tax Compensation issues including the tax treatment of fringe benefits Built in gains tax and other planning opportunities when converting a C to S corporation Preparation of the Schedule M-2 and the ordering rules for distributions out of the AAA, PTI, E&P and OAA accounts Tax treatment of stock redemptions (sale or distribution?)
ACPEN: Estate and Financial Planning for the Older Client
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Online
8.00 Credits
Medicare and Health Insurance Options Life Insurance Strategies for Elders Social Security Planning Considerations Medicaid Planning and Trusts Retirement Account Optimization Techniques Tailored Estate Planning for Older Clients Long-Term Care and Housing Alternatives Gifting Strategies in Estate Planning Unique Financial Challenges of Aging Clients
Ethics: Giving Thanks - How to Master the Art of Gratitude
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
We'll explore what gratitude is and how expressions of it can vary from culture to culture. We'll also unpack several ways you can regularly say "thank you" to valued clients and colleagues, and we'll examine methods for evaluating gratitude in prospective and current employees.
Construction Contractors: Non-Revenue and Non-Lease Accounting Considerations
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Virtual
4.00 Credits
Types of contractors Non-revenue GAAP accounting for contractors Contractor financial statements Sureties and their place in the construction relationship
Beyond the Basics: Financial Ratios You Might Be Overlooking
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Virtual
1.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Understanding Cost Behavior and Its Impact on Decision-MakingContribution Margin and Break-Even AnalysisMargin of Safety and Its Role in Risk ManagementOperating Leverage and Financial SensitivityAnalyzing Asset Turnover for Operational EfficiencyCash Conversion Cycle and Working Capital InsightsFree Cash Flow Yield as a Valuation Tool
