CPE & Event Calendar

Companies operating in today's business climate are weathering a storm of major FASB updates. Companies and their advisors may want to consider non-GAAP options as they develop strategies involving revenue recognition, leasing, credit losses, and other FASB pronouncements. This session will provide an overview of special purpose frameworks that may present salient alternatives to U.S. GAAP for certain entities. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

As the population of the United States ages, tax practitioners will be asked to advise their individual clients with respect to when they should begin to take Social Security benefits. This program will provide you with the background to knowledgeably discuss the benefit options available to Social Security beneficiaries and the alternative payment options available to married couples, dependents, a surviving spouse, and a divorced individual.

Section 179D allows building owners to claim up to $5.00 per square foot for energy-efficient buildings. This deduction has been around since 2005 and has had major changes recently. In this introductory webinar, our licensed professional engineer will discuss the background of this powerful green building deduction and the recent changes created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This session will include details about the alternative qualification path known as the Retrofit Program and what this new path means for building owners and designers of buildings. Companion course: Interaction Between Cost Segregation and 1031 Exchanges

Electing S corporations may find it desirable or necessary to terminate this election and convert to a C corporation. Alternatively, qualifying C corporations may determine the S status as the preferred tax status. With significant current and future tax considerations, terminating or electing S corporation status can be desirable. We'll consider situations when such conversions are desirable-identifying and discussing tax planning opportunities and complications at conversion.

Our session will include a discussion regarding indirect rate strategies for cost recovery.  We will cover negotiating indirect rates with pass-through entities and alternative indirect cost recovery methods. A look at applying the PPP Loan Forgiveness credit.  Understanding the definition of sub-awards and the MTDC allocation base, and where best  to allocate bonus expense.  Included in this session will be a selected review of the Uniform Guidance FAQs regarding indirect rates for States and Municipalities, as well as recently issued FAQs that impact indirect rates and cost recovery.  

Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of alternatives to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) financial statement presentations is vital to making proper client choices. For example, practitioners may seek to use the Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting (OCBOA) financial statement presentations, as GAAP will increase complexity and the cost of compliance. Here, we'll explore compliance with the preparation, presentation, disclosure and reporting nuances of cash- and tax-basis financial statements. We'll also discuss the AICPA's Financial Reporting Framework for Small- and Medium-Sized Entities (FRF for SMEs). This course meets the specific OCBOA requirements that CPAs must meet for the re-issuance of their license.

This course highlights significant updates that affect financial reporting and related attestation services. We will explore novel FASB pronouncements while examining the enduring impact of lease accounting and revenue recognition standards. This course will provide reminders regarding both GAAP and non-GAAP financial reporting alternatives for closely held entities. We will also explore selected guidance regarding audit, review, and compilation engagements.

In July 2010 FASB issued a draft Exposure Draft on Financial Statement Presentation. This document proposed significant changes to the Balance Sheets, Income Statements and Statements of Financial Position for all companies. Major push-back from Corporate America encouraged the removal of this topic from FASB's active agenda and its conversion to a research project entitled Financial Performance Reporting. The project still has life. This course reviews the current conditions that resulted in this unusual proposal and its initial reception by the financial reporting community. Although FASB has not established a timeframe for the issuance of a final pronouncement, the approach presented offers a unique alternative to financial reporting. Join us in a dynamic and thought-provoking session as we learn to think differently about financial reporting. For a full discussion of this topic, consider Financial Reporting Changes in Greater Detail as an add-on to this course.

Tax collection issues can be as simple as responding to a bill or as complicated as a bankruptcy reorganization. To represent a client in a tax collection matter, a CPA should understand tax collection laws and practices. It is critical to understand the available options for resolving tax collection cases and the procedures for reaching those resolutions. This course will analyze applicable laws, procedures and potential resolutions, including the regulation of tax liens and levies and procedures available for resolving a tax collection matter. In detail, we'll cover alternative resolutions, including installment agreements, offers in compromise and bankruptcy. I'll detail the virtues of the collection due process procedures.

Professionals often require the ability to utilize professional skepticism, due care and independence when executing their corporate role. Corporate politics can be a combating factor when attempting to comply with those requirements. Leaders must be vigilant about nipping “political” problems in the bud, before they spiral out of control and/or impede those whose job it is to see through political agendas.   Dealing with corporate politics can be one of the most frustrating and confusing experiences for any professional. Unfortunately, selfishness, greed, bickering, lust for power, etc. can creep into your company's culture and impede productivity.   Learning to understand and deal with corporate politics is a prerequisite to being able to maintain an effective career. This course discusses the basics of corporate politics and provides you with alternatives to managing and handling dilemmas that you may face.   This course focuses on the core concepts that impact corporate politics and discusses methods for better understanding when, how, and why the issues occur. This enables professionals to better execute their professional skepticism, due care and independence responsibilities.

This course is designed to refresh your understanding of the critical importance of risk assessment in the audit practice. We'll briefly discuss the impact of AICPA's Clarity Project for audits and the need to update firm processes to incorporate the risk assessment standards. Participants may alternatively need to fine-tune an implementation of the risk assessment standards. These standards are designed to eliminate the connect-the-dots methodology of checklist auditing and add critical thinking back into the audit process. They remain a problem area for many firms, resulting in engagement and peer review deficiencies. This course has been updated to include a more in-depth discussion of SAS No. 145, Understanding the Entity and Its Environment and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement. We will break down this complex and misunderstood subject with an easy-to-understand approach.

This course will explore significant elements of the FASB's technical agenda, focusing on recent updates to revenue recognition and lease accounting standards. A Special Purpose Framework overview will be provided, which may reveal salient alternatives to U.S. GAAP for certain entities. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

These are uncertain times. With constant economic fluctuation, geopolitical uncertainty and inflation pressures, corporations and their professionals are facing challenges at every turn. The Controllership function is accustomed to dealing with changing variables but when the change is constant and every evolving, even the simplest of tasks like cash flow and cash forecasting can become difficult.  This webinar is to focus on what methods the controller can elicit to attempt to address the current uncertainty when working with their cash flow issues and forecasting. Of course, there are basic measures that can be employed such as: Proactively managing receivables and payables Automate your accounts payable and receivables process Keep business expenses at a minimum Work with digital methods of payment from vendors Use credit wisely However, this webinar will explore methods used to create and manage your cash flow and forecasting processes. These methods go one-step past your typical forecasting to enable management to explore various alternatives and scenarios for the business.

Our session will include a discussion regarding indirect rate strategies for cost recovery.  We will cover negotiating indirect rates with pass-through entities and alternative indirect cost recovery methods. A look at applying the PPP Loan Forgiveness credit.  Understanding the definition of sub-awards and the MTDC allocation base, and where best  to allocate bonus expense.  Included in this session will be a selected review of the Uniform Guidance FAQs regarding indirect rates for States and Municipalities, as well as recently issued FAQs that impact indirect rates and cost recovery.  

This course focuses on the key federal tax issues affecting businesses from the internal accountant's point of view, with a focus on recent tax legislation and developments.  Planning alternatives and the potential risks associated with those strategies will also be discussed.  **Please Note:  If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Course Materials Tab and submit to kori.herrera@acpen.com.

This CPE course provides an overview and changes with respect to ASU 2016-14 Presentation of Financial Statements and ASU 2016-18 Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents in Statement of Cash Flows for Not-for-Profit Entities. This course provides common pitfalls and tips on functional expense reporting and, how to manage liquid resources, common peer review findings related to ASU 2016-14, and tips and suggestions on a successful audit. This course also reviews items to consider, given COVID-19, when preparing for an audit and reviewing financial statements. The instructor will explain the key facts and impacts of ASU 2018-08 Clarifying the Scope and Accounting Guidance for Contributions Received and Contributions Made, ASU 2019-03: Updating the Definition of Collections, ASU 2019-06: Extending the Private Company Accounting Alternatives on Goodwill and Certain Identifiable Intangibles to NFP Entities, and ASU 2020-07 Presentation and Disclosures by NFP Entities for Contributed Nonfinancial Assets. Lastly, this course will cover Cybersecurity Issues. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Preparing GAAP financial statements can be treacherous. GAAP has become so voluminous and complex that it is easy to overlook accounting, reporting and disclosure requirements, potentially affecting the accountants' liability. Nonpublic entities, however, are not necessarily required to apply GAAP, and there are less complex financial reporting frameworks that may be much easier to apply without sacrificing the quality of financial reporting. Even when using GAAP, the less complicated business entity may find that numerous requirements, including disclosures, need to be more relevant to users of their financial statements, may not be material to users, and often overshadow the most pertinent information. This course will present alternative accounting frameworks that may be more suitable for the more straightforward business entity, including income tax basis and the modified cash basis of accounting. We will also discuss approaches to GAAP, including developing disclosure checklists unique to each set of financial statements, identifying when disclosures may be omitted or complex accounting approaches may be avoided, and how to document those decisions to minimize adverse effects. When the cost of financial reporting to the small business enterprise exceeds the benefits, entities will lose the motivation to issue financial statements that conform with GAAP, and both the business entities and the related capital markets suffer. This course provides alternatives that help alleviate that dilemma.

The course explains why you need more than Google to search the Internet and highlights a rich constellation of alternative search engine applications. The session also explains how to set up your own customized online research management platform, and discusses dynamic search strategies (two-step, vertical and lateral searching) that can be used to gain an extra edge when using any search engine. Participants will walk away with scores of new knowledge sources and streams that will complement their use of Google and improve their online research power. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Our session will include a discussion regarding indirect rate strategies for cost recovery.  We will cover negotiating indirect rates with pass-through entities and alternative indirect cost recovery methods. A look at applying the PPP Loan Forgiveness credit.  Understanding the definition of sub-awards and the MTDC allocation base, and where best  to allocate bonus expense.  Included in this session will be a selected review of the Uniform Guidance FAQs regarding indirect rates for States and Municipalities, as well as recently issued FAQs that impact indirect rates and cost recovery.  

Professionals often require the ability to utilize professional skepticism, due care and independence when executing their corporate role. Corporate politics can be a combating factor when attempting to comply with those requirements. Leaders must be vigilant about nipping “political” problems in the bud, before they spiral out of control and/or impede those whose job it is to see through political agendas.   Dealing with corporate politics can be one of the most frustrating and confusing experiences for any professional. Unfortunately, selfishness, greed, bickering, lust for power, etc. can creep into your company's culture and impede productivity.   Learning to understand and deal with corporate politics is a prerequisite to being able to maintain an effective career. This course discusses the basics of corporate politics and provides you with alternatives to managing and handling dilemmas that you may face.   This course focuses on the core concepts that impact corporate politics and discusses methods for better understanding when, how, and why the issues occur. This enables professionals to better execute their professional skepticism, due care and independence responsibilities.