CPE Catalog & Events
Volume to Value: A New Era of Precision Hiring in Accounting
-
Virtual
1.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:The shift from volume to precision hiringWhy firms are moving to targeted, competency-based hiringTalent market impacts and competitive hiring realitiesAI in recruiting: practical use cases and implicationsWhere AI tools commonly support hiring workflowsBenefits and limitations of AI-enabled screening and assessmentThe skills mismatch in accounting hiringWhy critical thinking and professional communication gaps persistWhy traditional hiring methods miss these competenciesThe new competency hierarchy for high performersDefining and prioritizing the competencies that drive resultsAI ethics awareness and professional judgment in an AI-enabled workplaceAssessment methods for precision hiringStructured behavioral interviewing and scoring rubricsWork simulations, case presentations, and client scenariosUsing AI-enabled assessments responsibly and consistentlyMetrics and ROI: evaluating successQuality-of-hire measures (performance, ramp time, manager satisfaction)Retention and turnover measuresEfficiency measures (time-to-fill, cost-to-fill) and how to balance themImplementation roadmapA phased approach to adopting precision hiring (foundation → expansion → optimization)– Building governance, documentation, and consistency for scalability
Corporate Storytelling in Financial Reporting
-
Virtual
1.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Purpose of Management Commentary (IFRS): Understanding the foundational objectivesPurpose of MD&A (AAP): SEC-mandated narrative disclosure requirementsHistorical Context: Past and present frameworks and the limitationsRecent Revisions: Key enhancements and ESG integrationPractical Examples: Real-world applications and improvementsConvergence & Guidance: Frameworks, comparisons, and implementation
ACPEN: Accounting for Software
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Master the accounting for software costs under U.S. GAAP Navigate capitalization, amortization, and impairment with confidence Understand the full lifecycle of internal-use software accounting Stay current on ASU 2025-06 and emerging guidance Apply accounting rules to SaaS, cloud computing, and website development costs
ACPEN: What's Going on at the FASB (2026/27)
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Recent and upcoming FASB standard-setting activity Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs) effective for December 31, 2026 year-ends Impact of ASUs on public, private, and not-for-profit entities ASUs with future effective dates Exposure drafts and proposed standards
Surgent's Gaining a Competitive Advantage: Critical Skills for CFOs and Controllers
-
Virtual
2.00 Credits
Latest state of the economy Expense control that works Understanding our changing workforce and working environment Artificial intelligence Financial risk analysis Enterprise risk management, including looking at AI Improving bank relationships
ACPEN: Guide to Preparing Form 1041 for Estates and Trusts
-
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
Conducting a Remote Audit
-
Virtual
4.00 Credits
Benefits of remote auditing How to manage the team, the client, and the audit process remotely Engagement-wide procedures, from client acceptance through report issuance when remote auditing Narrow-topic considerations when remote auditing
ACPEN: Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction (§199A) – The Ins & Outs
-
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
Avoiding the Most Misapplied Audit Concepts
-
Virtual
8.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Risk Assessment - Properly assessing inherent, control, and detection risk on an engagement, and linking the results to an appropriately tailored detailed audit plan based on risk assessment and client service goals, regardless of entity type.Substantive Analytics- Leveraging strong substantive analytic procedures as audit evidence to cut back on tests of details.Selecting items to test common misunderstandings related to designing, performing and concluding on tests of details, including sampling.Identifying and Evaluating Internal Control Deficiencies - Emphasizing the importance of identifying both design and operating effectiveness deficiencies during the course of the audit, and how to properly categorize deficiencies as inconsequential, significant or material for impact on the audit or required communications with management and those charged with governance.
Surgent's Preparing C Corporation Tax Returns for New Staff and Paraprofessionals
-
Virtual
8.00 Credits
Updates throughout regarding the recent HR 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act Preparation of a reasonably complicated Form 1120, U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, from trial balance to completed return The importance of Schedule M-1, including adjustments in reconciling book income to tax income and items staff may look for on all business returns New tax planning strategies for depreciation deductions, including changes to §179 and first-year depreciation under §168(k) as a result of new tax legislation Methods of accounting In-depth analysis of Form 4797 dealing with depreciation recapture Deductible expenses, including rules on meals and entertainment Section 163(j) Computation of tax liability Overview of common business deductions – deductibility and Schedule M-1 How to practically handle uniform capitalization and inventory accounting for a small manufacturing concern And more!
Using ChatGPT with Excel
-
Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Introduction to ChatGPT and other AI (Artificial Intelligence) language modelsDiscussion of best practices for using ChatGPT with ExcelUse ChatGPT to create, debug and explain formulasUse ChatGPT to learn how to use Excel featuresUse ChatGPT to automate repetitive tasks in ExcelUse ChatGPT to easily create macros
Mastering Partnership Basis: Inside and Outside Basis
-
Virtual
2.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Explain the use of both "inside" and "outside” basis determination.How to calculate tax basis capital accounts, including when the entity is formed, including the impact of contributed property.Clarify the importance of partnership capital accounts and partnerships debt on partner's tax basis.Explanation of how basis is impacted distributions and by sale and/or liquidation of the partnership interest.Comprehensive example to illustrate the mechanics of the basis determination process.
Surgent's Excel Lookups: Moving Beyond VLOOKUP Limitations
-
Virtual
0.00 Credits
Using lookup functions as an alternative to direct cell references Understand the limitations of the VLOOKUP function Discover ways to move beyond these limitations
Surgent's Liquidation of Flow-Through Entities for LLCs and Partnerships
-
Virtual
2.00 Credits
Tax rules governing liquidation of a partnership or S corporation Tax treatment of the shareholder/partner/member receiving a liquidating distribution in an S corporation liquidation/partnership liquidation Tax impact on the pass-through entity when the entity is liquidated Receipt of corporate liabilities in an S corporation distribution Proportionate, liquidating partnership distributions to partners, and gains and losses to a partner on a liquidating partnership distribution Tax issues associated with a partnership distribution of noncash properties in a liquidation Compliance requirements on the occasion of a liquidation of a corporation or a partnership
Surgent's Taxation of the Mobile Workforce
-
Virtual
2.00 Credits
What states do not have an income tax? What is the relevance to employers? Where does an employer have an obligation to withhold state taxes for an employee? At what point does an employee become a resident? Where is unemployment paid for an out-of-state employee?
ACPEN: Employee Theft: Understanding the Why and Preventing the Loss with Terry Shulman
-
Online
2.40 Credits
Employee Theft Prevention
ACPEN: The Essential SSARS Update with Renee Rampulla
-
Online
4.00 Credits
Preparation Engagements Compilation Engagements Review Engagements Quality Management Components Common Accounting and Reporting Issues Frequent Peer Review Matters
ACPEN: Creative Strategies for Buying, Selling, or Gifting a Business
-
Online
8.00 Credits
Valuation methods for business interests Stock purchase versus asset purchase Estate transfer and tax considerations Gifting strategies for business interests Trusts and partnerships in business transfers Self-canceling installment notes in transactions Transferring S corporation stock to trusts Business interest transfer with Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
ACPEN: K2’s Small Business Internal Controls, Security, And Fraud Prevention And Detection
-
Online
8.00 Credits
Common challenges associated with implementing appropriate internal controls in small business environment Fraud in small business environments Internal control options in small business accounting software Understanding the need for application controls and general controls
2026/27 Not-for-Profit GAAP Update
-
Virtual
1.00 Credits
The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Recently issued Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs) impacting NFP financial reporting, along with standard-setting projects currently in the FASB pipeline.The International Non-Profit Accounting Standard (INPAS)-the first comprehensive global accounting framework designed specifically for non-profit organizations, launched in October 2025.
