CPE & Event Calendar

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1147711. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.It is a sickening feeling for a practitioner when they realize that a tax due date has been missed.  Immediately, certain questions come to mind:  Am I going to owe a penalty?  Should I file late?  And most importantly, is there anything I can do remedy this situation?  Through easy-to-follow examples and discussion, this course will explore the tax calendar and key due dates.  We will examine what to do if a client misses a deadline and what potential relief may be available.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1147712. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.In more recent times, the tax profession has become more engagement letter driven.  While engagement letters seem to get longer each tax season, it is sometimes difficult to know when they are required and when they are not.  Can I answer a quick question from a client without an engagement letter?  What happens if a client does not want to sign?  Can a preparer ever be liable for penalties related to an engagement?  In this course, we will examine these questions and many others related to engagement letters and preparer liability.  We will talk about what is required of tax professionals and how an engagement letter protects us.  Finally, we will look at some best practices related to client engagement letters.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1147713. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.There can be no doubt that accounting and tax software capabilities have improved drastically over time.  Gone are the days of paper reconciliations and 10-key tapes attached to reports.  However, as automation has increased, practitioners may wonder whether the software is performing all the critical checks that it should.  When software reconciles an account, can we rest assured that it is correct?  Are there key screens that we should be looking at as a part of our month-end processes?  How can we be sure that automated transactions are coming over correctly?  In this course, we will dig into what the software is doing and how we can be sure the software is correct.  We will also discuss how to investigate variances and apply analytical techniques to month-end reporting.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-9363. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.Is teamwork the ultimate competitive advantage? Every manager’s primary purpose is to lead a team. This seminar will help you get every member of your team on the same page, improve performance and realize the potential of the talent you have.

Develop your soft skills in training courses that benefit both the person attending and their organization. This course, part four of the five-course series, is applicable for various accounting departments (i.e. audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services) but because these are universal leadership concepts, they are equally applicable to other professional business leaders. AHI soft skills training will help improve efficiency, make managers and senior managers more effective with others, and increase the organization's bottom line. Also, as these courses often include other industries besides accounting, there is an opportunity to work and network with leadership professionals from other industries. Per NASBA's rules effective January 1, 2024, participants are required to be on camera and participate in the full and small group discussions to earn CPE credits for this Group Live - Virtual course. As such, please make sure you are set up properly with reliable internet (hard wired is best), a working camera, and a working microphone.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-9364. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.Financial managers have long struggled to drive results through their financial planning and control processes. This seminar shows how to build a performance management framework, linking the company’s high-level strategic objectives to performance metrics at the individual responsibility center level. The result will be an easier to use financial planning process that produces better projections and better control. Learn how to move the dials on every executive’s dashboard

Part one of a five-course series, address common issues new staff members face. Focus on strategies to improve efficiency and quality control, build technical skills, and make valuable contributions to a company. Dive into the fundamentals: workpaper techniques, analytical procedures, compilation and review services, tax recognition and research techniques, understanding audit objectives, and auditing and reviewing selected accounts. Per NASBA's rules effective January 1, 2024, participants are required to be on camera and participate in the full and small group discussions to earn CPE credits for this Group Live - Virtual course. As such, please make sure you are set up properly with reliable internet (hard wired is best), a working camera, and a working microphone.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-8901. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org. The war for talent is ongoing. We review four topics, concentrating on today’s employment realities, getting the most from your team, how to attract and retain talent, how utilizing the employment life cycle can deliver better performance, and how re-invigorating careers (yours and others) can make our professional role easier and deliver better financials. The cost of ‘mismanagement’ is huge, and we discuss tactics to help you and your colleagues improve. You and your team can do better, and we will discuss how?Are Employees Assets? Today’s New Employment 2 Business Management and Organization credits As the managers’ role continues to evolve, it is crucial for us to understand the strategic aspects of managing a diverse workforce, beginning with understanding the big trends in employee demographics. We begin with a rhetorical question - asking if employees are assets? GAAP tells us they are not, but does this treatment bias our view of the people in our organization? What do the most successful organizations do, believe, and why? What are the winning organizations doing that works? If you have an opinion as to whether employees are an asset or not, this is a thoughtful, interactive discussion to highlight what works in today’s new employment environment.The ROI on Your People? Maximizing Returns 2 Business Management and Organization credits Employees drive the written and unwritten culture at your organization. Understanding the key workplace issues and how to solve them in today’s environment can maximize the returns that employees provide for an organization. We take a deep dive into the research behind the larger issues with our workforce and discuss multiple practical solutions that will enhance your leadership and growth. How can we realize the most from our staff?Understand and Enhance the Employee Life Cycle 2 Personal Development credits Many organizations have a documented process for their employment life cycle but do not look at it wholistically. Having a longer view of the employee life cycle can provide more value to your company than you think. Join us for an interactive discussion around the entire life cycle of employees with best practices discussed on continuous improvement for your organization. This session will provide an overview of each of the steps in the timeline from multiple perspectives, to provide keen insights on actionable ideas to take back to your workplace and implement today. A key step to winning the war for talent.Re-invigorating Your Career: Planning Your Path 2 Business Management & Organization credits A career is a long time and yet looking back it appears to have been in the blink of an eye. If you have ever engaged in discussions with mentors or peer groups you may have heard the, “I wish I had ___”. This course is a review of keeping you individually prepared and ready for all the various changes that will make your career. We start with where you are today and where you want to be? We discuss practical tips for professionals to be more prepared for changes that will certainly come over the course of your career. What are my career possibilities? The goal is that some of these ideas discussed will avoid more of the “I wish I had ____”, and will convert them to, “I’m so glad I ____”. We all have heard the maxim, “Failure to plan is planning to fail.” We are planners by nature, let’s plan our career and the career of those who report to us.

In this session, we’ll cover elements critical for managing conflict effectively, including the importance of identifying and understanding how others handle conflict, knowing your own strengths and weaknesses and setting goals and objectives for how your organization manages conflict. Negotiation principles are introduced as a method of resolving conflicts and disputes, as well as a necessary skill for influencing and problem solving both within organizations and between organizations and their clients.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-9366. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.Designed to provide you with the knowledge to be more efficient and effective at planning and performing audits in accordance with the requirements of the Uniform Guidance and the Single Audit Act, this course examines how the Single Audit Act relates to OMB Uniform Guidance, as well as the different types of guidance and requirements found in the Uniform Guidance. The course also covers responsibilities and requirements of the auditor and the auditee, how to identify federal assistance and how to determine a nonfederal entity’s major programs. Make sure your skills are up to date with the latest information in this challenging audit area.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbursement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1145316. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.With the largest overhaul of the federal income tax code in 30 years and the repeal of the physical presence nexus standards for sales tax in the Wayfair case, the states are working fast and furious to overhaul their tax laws. As some states scramble to fund their budgets, they continue to look for additional forms of revenue. Plan to attend this fast-paced class that covers developing topics in the area of nexus. Learn how nexus requirements have changed and where the state laws may be heading in the future.

Improve your planning, review, audit and other engagement skills. Master techniques for effective communication with clients and colleagues in part three of this five-course series. Discover the secrets to planning and efficiently completing engagements, explore methods for assuming higher levels of responsibility, develop your ability to assess risk and materiality and learn to make non-statistical sampling decisions. Designed to offer audit staff members extensive training in crucial procedural, evaluative and supervisory areas. Per NASBA's rules effective January 1, 2024, participants are required to be on camera and participate in the full and small group discussions to earn CPE credits for this Group Live - Virtual course. As such, please make sure you are set up properly with reliable internet (hard wired is best), a working camera, and a working microphone.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-2253. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) contained certain provisions relating to businesses that tax practitioners should know about in order to advise their clients. Certain changes, such as the alternative minimum tax and the stock buyback 1% tax currently apply to a very small number of very large businesses and as such are not a priority for tax practitioners that do not have such clients. Other changes relating to certain energy credits and deductions relating to energy efficiency are applicable to many businesses. These critical changes will be covered in detail in this program.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1138572. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.Microsoft Teams is one of the most exciting personal and organizational productivity tools ever appearing on the business landscape. With Teams, you can communicate and collaborate easily and securely with others, including colleagues outside your organization. Further, you can extend the already-robust functionality in Teams by incorporating add-in solutions with just a few mouse clicks. Unfortunately, despite Teams' power and relatively simple interface, many organizations struggle to deploy and use Teams. In this session, you will learn how to get up and running quickly in Teams to take full advantage of this powerful tool. More specifically, you will learn how to get started in Teams and critical decisions affecting your deployment. Also, you will learn how to work in Teams, take advantage of the chat, voice, and video call services, and share documents securely with others. Moreover, you will learn how to extend your Teams platform to external organizations for improved communication and collaboration. Additionally, you will identify how to add other applications to Teams and optimize Team's configuration for the best overall efficiency and security. If you are working with Teams or plan to do so, this is one CPE session you can't afford to miss!

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-8960. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.This course is designed for firm partners and managers to explore ways to incorporate data analytics and related technologies in their audit practices. Participants explore how small and mid-size firms are using these tools to improve engagement efficiency and quality while providing opportunities for value-added services to clients. All of AHI's courses rely heavily on participant interaction and these virtual programs have co-opted many of Zoom's features to preserve the same strengths of the in-person training: visual interaction between the instructor and all participants (plan to be "on screen" throughout the program); breakout rooms to ensure small group engagement; and instructor interaction screen share for small group presentations easy delivery of video presentations fillable PDF for online note-taking in the course materials.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-9414. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.This 2-hour mini course is from our Level V course, which highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers in CPA firms. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people. Leading Others - Coaching & Developing Staff - prioritizing the coaching and development of staff in a post-pandemic work environment, including delegation for development, effective feedback, and managing virtual employees. Building Leadership Communication Skills - strategies to influence and lead others through effective communication in both individual and group settings. Helping the Firm Grow - the three levels of helping the firm grow and how to involve the entire team in expanding services to existing clients and generating referrals to new clients. All of AHI's courses rely heavily on participant interaction and these virtual programs have co-opted many of Zoom's features to preserve the same strengths of the in-person training: visual interaction between the instructor and all participants (plan to be "on screen" throughout the program) breakout rooms to ensure small group engagement and instructor interaction screen share for small group presentations easy delivery of video presentations fillable PDF for online note-taking in the course material.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-8246. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.Security is not optional, and yesterday's security techniques do not minimize today's threats. Therefore, now is the time to tune up what you know about protecting sensitive data. This program will teach you the latest tools and techniques for securing your data, including encryption, virus protection, safe communications, electronic signatures, secure authentication, and more. You will also learn how to implement a practical, five-step approach to securing your PC and the questions you should ask your staff to ensure server-based information remains protected. Security failures, such as client or customer data breaches, are costly - they can even drive your company out of business. So, what security tools do you need, and how should you use them to secure your sensitive data and systems? Can you risk attempting to manage today's threats using yesterday's techniques? Participate in this program to learn how to identify viable and practical solutions to mitigating today's security threats.

Do you prepare private company financial statement disclosures in accordance with accepted accounting principles (GAAP) issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), or a “Special Purpose Framework” (SPF), such as cash or tax basis? If so, then this course is for you. This course addresses many frequently encountered disclosures associated with the preparation of financial statements for private companies.  

Details are still being finalized. Please check back later for more details.

Accounting and financial reporting for construction contractors may be the most difficult area to be in compliance with the various standards. Also, construction engagements are, in many instances, more "dangerous" than most lines of business due to the many users of the financial statements (especially considering the impact of COVID-19). In this course, we will discuss why construction accounting and financial reporting are so complex and discuss the relationship between the contractor and the surety, both from an underwriting and claims perspective. We will also explore what the surety looks for in order to maximize potential bond credit.