CPE Catalog & Events
AI Ethics 2025 (VBOA-Approved)
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
Ethical principles of AI usage. Strategies for ethical decision making. Compliance and governance in AI adoption. Balance of innovation and responsibility.
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.
Surgent's A Complete Guide to Reporting Form 1099-DA
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
Definition of a digital asset for purposes of Form 1099-DA What is a sale of a digital asset affected by a broker on behalf of another person? Mandatory 2025 reporting of gross proceeds information and voluntary reporting of basis information Treatment of sales of digital assets Who is a broker for purposes of Form 1099-DA? Information required to complete Form 1099-DA Reporting closing transactions and covered securities Who is a processor of digital asset payments? How many transactions to report on each Form 1099-DA and how many forms to file for each transaction Optional reporting methods for digital asset transactions Substitute statements for the Form 1099 Reporting a disposition of digital assets held by a widely held fixed investment trust
Surgent's A Complete Tax Guide to Exit Planning
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
Gain exclusion and tax-free reorganization planning Gain exclusion with sales of C corporation stock – Section 1202 Deferral of gain with installment reporting Gain planning with partnerships Basis planning – basis step-up at death, gifts of interests to family Restructuring the business entity – C vs. S corporation, partnerships, LLCs Real estate planning – retention vs sales, like-kind exchanges Employee stock ownership plans – special tax incentives Employee benefit planning with ownership change Taxes other than the federal income tax – state tax, estate, gift and generation-skipping taxes, and property taxes Prospects for tax law change
Erase the Mark: Best Practices in Penalty Abatement
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics covered in this course include:The authority of the IRS in assessing tax penalties.The types of penalties that can be removed.The process the IRS uses to evaluate penalty abatements.How to request penalty abatements.Best practices in asking for penalty abatement, including using appeals.
CFO Series: Decoding Balance Sheet Accounting
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Typical accounting issues that impact the balance sheet.Where are the 'hidden' issues in unrecorded liabilities?Why and how most balance sheets are not correct?What are unrecorded assets, and why do they matter?Suggestions to improve balance sheetsIdentification and resolution of balance sheet challenges and changes.Communicating with your audience and stakeholders
Seven Secrets of Successful Business Communication Part 2: More Powerful Presenting and Writing
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
Improve your writing and presenting skills by using a checklist Lay a solid foundation under your presentation by harnessing The Four Pillars of Confidence Clear the slide deck to make your presentation more engaging Use your non-verbal skills to present powerfully Know how to effectively respond when they say "no"
Complete Guide to Analyze Data with Excel PivotTables
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Virtual
4.00 Credits
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.
Taking Advantage of Array Formulas in Excel
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Introduction to Array Formulas: This segment establishes the foundation by differentiating array formulas from regular Excel formulas and explaining their significance.Using Array Formulas: This section focuses on the practical application of array formulas, teaching participants how to effectively implement and utilize these formulas in a variety of common Excel tasks and scenarios.Dynamic Arrays and Spill Functions: This part covers the utilization of dynamic arrays and spill functions, highlighting their role in modern Excel data handling.Advanced Array Functions: Participants will delve into complex functions such as SUMPRODUCT, UNIQUE, SORT, and FILTER, focusing on multi-condition summing and data management.Using Array Constants: This section teaches how simplify the use of static values called Array Constants
Supervision/Management Competencies: An Ethical Approach
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics covered in this course include:Overview of Virtue EthicsMilgram and Zimbardo case studiesNavigating the transition from "Buddy to Boss"Self-Awareness and Regard for OthersSetting Standards and Analyzing PerformanceUnconscious BiasCommunication Skills
Building a Better Budget in a Time of Uncertainty
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Virtual
4.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Budgets vs. ForecastsCyclicalityCore Earnings & Sustainable GrowthIdentifying Key Forecast DriversReasonableness in ForecastingApproaches to BudgetingBudgeting VariancesHorizontal AnalysisFlexible Budgeting
Shortcuts that Excel Users Love
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics covered in this course include:The power of keyboard shortcutsOft used features with more capability than meets the eyeNew helpful featuresNote: This session is taught using Hands-On methodology. We provide practice files that tie to the examples in the course materials so participants can undertake all the steps in unison with the instructor.
2025 Not-for-Profit GAAP Update
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Accounting Standard Updates issued by the FASB.Not-for-Profit Advisory Committee (NAC) and the projects they are advising the FASB on.
Surgent's Features and Benefits of SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The new Roth SEP IRAs and Roth SIMPLE IRAs created under SECURE Act 2.0 Key factors for choosing a retirement plan for a small business Key questions an advisor must ask a small business owner to help determine which retirement plan is suitable for their business Key questions an advisor must ask a small business owner to help ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations How SEP and SIMPLE IRAs benefit the small business owner How SEP and SIMPLE IRAs benefit employees of small businesses The tax benefits that help to offset the cost of employer contributions How to determine which business is eligible to adopt a SIMPLE IRA or SEP IRA How to determine which employees must be covered
Surgent's Stock vs. Asset Acquisitions of C Corporations
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
Advantages and disadvantages to buyer and seller of an asset acquisition and a stock acquisition Tax treatment of consulting agreements and covenants not to compete Sale of personal goodwill associated with an asset acquisition Tax consequences associated with a stock acquisition and an asset acquisition Acquisitive reorganizations Non-tax issues that must be considered when a corporation is acquired
Surgent's Update on Recent AICPA Standard Setting: Staying Current in a Changing Environment
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Virtual
4.00 Credits
AICPA hot topics and standard setting initiatives Discussion of suite of nine integrated SASs effective for years ended December 31, 2021 Discussion of the standard on audit evidence effective for years ended December 31, 2022 Discussion of the standard on auditing accounting estimates and disclosures effective as of December 31, 2023 Discussion of the two standards on use of specialists and information from a pricing service, and the newly updated risk assessment standard effective for years ended December 31, 2023 Discussion of standards that are effective beginning in 2025, including those dealing with client acceptance and questions asked of the predecessor auditor, the partner’s responsibility for engagement quality, group audits, conforming changes to compliance auditing, and more
S Corporations: Calculating Shareholder Basis
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Discuss the calculation of basis when the entity is formed including the impact of contributed propertyExplain the importance of shareholder loans to the entityUses a comprehensive example to illustrate the mechanics of the basis determination processSchedule K-1 Basis and Form 7203Discuss how basis is impacted by distributions of corporation propertyExplain how basis is impacted by sale/or liquidation of the S corporation interestDiscuss how S corporation losses impact Form 1040 Schedule E reportingShow how to get from the Schedule K-1 information to the basis calculations
Surgent's Achieving High Levels of Compliance and Customer Service in Your Organization
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Virtual
4.00 Credits
Why customer service is not just having nice people; it is truly serving the customer Analysis of the value of the customer to compare it to various costs creating an ROI How to develop a compliance program that adds value to the customer A hard look at several companies and industries that have mastered the dual objectives How recent developments have affected compliance and customer service
Microsoft 365: Save More Time, Make More Money
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Virtual
4.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Appreciate the full potential of Microsoft 365 to drive efficiency in your businessLearn best practices for harnessing the power of Microsoft 365 Design your Teams app setup to meet the unique attributes of your businessUse SharePoint and OneDrive to organize your files and share them securely internally and externallyOrganize your thoughts, meeting notes and other content centrally in OneNoteManage your projects, large and small, with the Planner appDeploy the Stream app to document processes efficiently and effectively Bonus Content: Understand how to harness the power of AI with Microsoft Copilot
The Bookkeeper Goes to Prison
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Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics covered in this class include:Career choicesEthical dilemmasJudicial proceedingsMitigation strategiesCreating tools to help make better decisionsAtonement and reconciliation
