CPE + Events Catalog

Conflict is as natural as breathing air. For many, the thought of dealing with conflict is difficult and horrifying, and yet unresolved conflict can damage relationships, cause pain and suffering as well as hinder workplace productivity. When addressed, however, conflict has the power to be transformative in strengthening workplace relationships, shared understanding, and increased productivity. This workshop will provide an intimate understanding of how to deal with conflict in collaborative and constructive ways. Using ethical values and principles, we will explore how to move conflict from an obstacle to an opportunity. This workshop is geared toward individuals who are wanting to improve their conflict management skills and create more harmonious and positive working environments. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Not-for-profit organizations encounter distinct accounting complexities. This course provides an introduction to the financial statements and specialized accounting principles relevant to nonprofits. Attendees will explore key topics such as net assets, agency transactions, contributions, and endowments, focusing on the unique transactions and account balances that define not-for-profit accounting.

Participants will learn to create customized AI chatbots that can enhance client interaction and internal operations-all without coding experience. This course provides a concise overview of specialized, task-oriented AI chatbots and GPT builders, focusing on how these technologies are revolutionizing professional workflows. Through hands-on exploration of platforms like AgentGPT, Claude Projects, Gemini Gems, and NotebookLM, participants will learn to design, deploy, and manage custom AI assistants tailored to their specific needs. The course emphasizes creating advanced AI apps that can understand context and solve complex problems autonomously. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

To make more money in less time, all accountants need to learn to market themselves effectively to their clients or their firm. For better or worse, promotions and more money go to those who are the best marketers, rather than the most competent accountants.  In this fascinating and fun workshop, participants will learn seven key ways to get more clients and/or promotions through the art of marketing.

Managing expenses is a key for business success, and overhead costs play a pivotal role in realizing favorable profit margins. Almost all companies have some form of overhead consisting of specific categories of indirect expenses. The better organizations are able to manage overhead costs, the more competitive they are in the marketplace. It is incumbent in the Controller’s role to effectively manage, monitor and perform ongoing assessment of overhead costs, allocations and rates. Overhead refers to the ongoing business expenses not directly attributed to creating a product or service. A company must pay overhead on an ongoing basis, regardless of how much or how little the company sells. It is important for budgeting purposes but also for determining how much a company must charge for its products or services to make a profit. Overhead can be fixed, variable, or a hybrid of both. There are different categories of overhead, such as administrative overhead, which includes costs related to managing a business. In short, overhead is any expense incurred to support the business while not being directly related to a specific product or service.      

The War for Talent is bad, and it's getting worse. In their efforts to win the war for talent, smart organizations have recognized the importance of fostering a great work culture. Many of these organizations are implementing Servant Leadership as their desired leadership style. In this session, learn what servant leadership is, as well as what it is not. Also, learn the benefits of having a great culture, the basics for assessing your culture, as well as how to coach your employees using a servant leadership style. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This program examines the critical issues, rules, and special opportunities when preparing your clients' Form 1041 US Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts. Learn what is considered taxable income; filing requirements and deadlines; impact of the 3.8 percent Medicare surtax on net investment income; and the 10 principles of tax accounting for trust income. **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.

Gear up for tax season with Steve Dilley's annual update! This program provides an update to the latest tax developments, rules and regulations affecting both business and individual taxpayers, including a review and integration of 2024-25 legislation.   *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

The procurement function is a critical area of organizations where spend is a top priority. The Controllership function is involved in spend management. It is logical that the Controller should take a role in working with the procurement function. The procurement function may report to various areas within an organization including the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Procurement Officer (CPO), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Chief Financial (CFO) or Accounting Officer (CAO). Regardless of the reporting line of the function, the accounting and controllership functions must have an integral understanding of all processes involved within procurement. This understanding assists the controller and accounting area in properly optimizing and controlling costs associated with the process.  

Performing engagements in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), commonly referred to as the "Yellow Book," involves additional reporting, ethics, and performance requirements that go beyond those outlined in AICPA Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS). This course provides an overview of the guidance found in the Yellow Book and explores its relationship with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. Participants will gain an understanding of the unique CPE requirements for GAGAS engagements and review the Yellow Book standards for financial statement audits, with a focus on ethical principles and independence. This course is designed to equip professionals with the foundational knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of Yellow Book engagements effectively.  

This session explores managerial accounting techniques with an emphasis on internal decision-making tools. You will appreciate a reminder regarding concepts you may not have considered since your college days. We will revisit managerial accounting concepts by illustrating practical examples that you can immediately bring back to the office!

Explore the transformative impact of technology on the audit profession in this forward-looking course. Gain practical insights into cutting-edge tools and trends, including data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation, and discover how these advancements are revolutionizing audit methodologies and improving audit quality. Through engaging demos, case studies, and actionable tips, you'll learn how to navigate the evolving audit landscape with confidence and adaptability. This session is designed to equip CPAs with the knowledge to embrace innovation and stay ahead in a rapidly changing profession.

In May 2023, the IIA released a draft of the new Global Internal Audit Standards. The intent was to provide more effective standards for Internal Audit globally. The new Global Internal Audit Standards were released on January 9, 2024, and will become effective January 9, 2025. The previous version, the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, released in 2017, remains approved for use during a one-year transition period. The Global Internal Audit Standards guide the worldwide professional practice of internal audit. They serve as a basis for evaluating and elevating the quality of the internal audit function. The Standards use 15 guiding principles with five separate domains that enable effective internal audit implementation and examples of evidence of conformance. The Global Standards are organized into five domains. Domain I: Purpose of Internal Auditing Domain II: Ethics and Professionalism Domain III: Governing the Internal Audit Function Domain IV: Managing the Internal Audit Function Domain V: Performing Internal Audit Service

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.

Ready to slim down your team and maximize efficiency without sacrificing quality? This session breaks down how to leverage tech and automation to fill workflow gaps, build a strong tech stack, and connect tools seamlessly. Learn how one proven tech stack replaced more than half a traditional team while improving client satisfaction and reducing overhead. Walk away with practical steps to streamline operations, automate repetitive tasks, and focus your resources on what really matters. Attendees will gain practical insights into streamlining operations, automating repetitive tasks, and focusing resources on high-value activities. The session also includes an exclusive look at a proven tech stack used to replace over half a traditional team, offering actionable steps to create a leaner, tech-driven, scalable firm. Perfect for firm owners ready to rethink staffing, reduce overhead, and embrace the future of accounting efficiency. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This course provides a concise overview of how artificial intelligence, particularly ChatGPT and other AI tools, is transforming accounting research methodologies and practices. Students will explore the shift from traditional search engine-based research to AI-driven insights, learning how to leverage various AI platforms for enhanced financial analysis, regulatory compliance, and strategic decision-making. The course emphasizes practical applications of AI in accounting contexts while addressing critical considerations such as data verification, ethical usage, and professional judgment. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

A challenge for many small business owners is choosing the `right' type of retirement plan for their businesses. Many hesitate to adopt retirement plans for their businesses because they are intimidated by the governing rules. In those cases, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs are reasonable solutions because they are easy to establish, maintain, and communicate with employees; have minimal administrative costs; and are practical and efficient ways to start a retirement plan. These IRA-based plans - SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs - have low maintenance costs and are easy to communicate to employees. With IRA-based employer plans, employer contributions are sometimes discretionary, giving business owners the choice of whether to fund every year. Despite the simplicity of these plans, employers must ensure that applicable compliance requirements are met to avoid penalties. To that end, this course will cover some key provisions of SEP and SIMPLE IRAs. NOTE: This course qualifies for IRS CE (PTIN) credit. To receive IRS CE credit, please email your PTIN to profdev@orcpa.org at the end of the course. Surgent will report credit at the end of each quarter.If you have questions, you can contact Professional Development at 503-641-7200, ext. 3 or email profdev@orcpa.org.

Even though they have been around for several years, the tax laws pertaining to S corporations remain some of the more difficult areas of the Internal Revenue Code. Given the rising popularity of S corporations, understanding how shareholder basis and the equity section of the balance sheet work together for tax purposes is imperative for nearly any tax practitioner. In this course, we will discuss this relationship. Using examples and illustrations, we will show how contributions, operating transactions, and distributions affect shareholder basis as well as equity. NOTE: This course qualifies for IRS CE (PTIN) credit. To receive IRS CE credit, please email your PTIN to profdev@orcpa.org at the end of the course. Surgent will report credit at the end of each quarter.If you have questions, you can contact Professional Development at 503-641-7200, ext. 3 or email profdev@orcpa.org.

The COVID pandemic changed the way many people worked, yet others have had remote teams for decades and little changed.  Many organizations trying to bring people back to the office have experienced significant turnover.  Some practices have changed forever while some principles will always remain the same.  Keeping your people happy equals keeping your best people.  Learn the changes you should make now and the things you should do forever!

Owners of S corporations and partnerships are subject to numerous limitations on pass-through losses, each with unique rules, applications, and complexities. With the increase in popularity of pass-through business entities, it is essential for CPAs to understand the complexities and interactions of these pass-through loss limitations. NOTE: This course qualifies for IRS CE (PTIN) credit. To receive IRS CE credit, please email your PTIN to profdev@orcpa.org at the end of the course. Surgent will report credit at the end of each quarter.If you have questions, you can contact Professional Development at 503-641-7200, ext. 3 or email profdev@orcpa.org.