CPE Catalog & Events

Why businesses operate as C corporations Why businesses operate as pass-through entities Adopting C corporation status Why businesses choose S corporation status. Tax and business situations that impact entity selection.

Considerations for a small business owner Self-employment taxes Guaranteed payments to partners QBI deductions: Section 199A Built-in gains tax: S corporations Excess passive income tax: S corporations PTE elections: S corporations and partnerships Taxation of fringe benefits: S corporations Double taxation of C corporation dividends Taxation of limited liability companies Which entity to choose?

Quality management standards SAS 146, SSARS No. 26, and SSAE 23 Risk assessment, which forms the basis of the SQM Monitoring and evaluating the SQM

Purpose and organization of the Trust Services Criteria Management assertions specific to different SOC engagement types Intended users of SOC 1®, SOC 2®, and SOC 3® reports Determination and use of materiality in SOC engagements Criteria for considering a vendor as a subservice organization Inclusive vs. carve-out method for subservice organizations Service commitments and system requirements in SOC 2® engagements Appropriate form and content of SOC reports

Contract principles Legal issues related to various types of business organizations Worker classification Employee rights and the duties of employers Real property law

Private company standard-setting activities Recent FASB Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs), including those addressing financial instruments, credit losses under ASC 326, government grants, and business combinations Non-GAAP financial measures ASC 842, Leases ASC 842 final PIR report findings

What artificial intelligence is and how it differs from automation Current AI technologies: generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and machine learning How AI enhances accounting financial analysis, auditing, tax compliance, and client advisory services Risks and limitations of AI: bias, data integrity, and over-reliance on automation Data governance, security, and privacy in AI-enabled systems Case studies of how accounting firms and finance teams are implementing AI today Future skills for accounting and finance professionals in an AI-driven environment

What keeps companies from becoming streamlined?  Behavioral biases Information processing biases Emotional biases How to deal with behavioral biases  Connecting behavioral biases to cost cutting Creating a culture of cost cutting Rules of thumb for cost cutting  Managing headcount Post-COVID common areas of excess cost Budgeting techniques Budget variances Benchmarking Common size financial statements Horizontal analysis Negotiation and contracting techniques Cash flow and the business cycle

Legislative developments A full chapter devoted to determining the best planning options for maximizing joint Social Security benefits Retirement benefits: Amount of benefits in various circumstances; how the amounts are distributed within the family unit Qualification: Has the client retired? How business entities may be used for Social Security advantage Income taxation of Social Security: avoidance tactics Spousal benefits: Should a spouse return to work? What benefits does a spouse have and when and how do they relate to benefits decisions by the client? When can hiring the spouse increase overall benefits?  Why should both spouses qualify for survivor benefits? Disability benefits When to start Social Security benefits: Advantages and disadvantages at ages 62, full retirement age, and 70 Coordinating benefits: Should you take Social Security first and higher-balance IRA distributions later, or take IRA balances first and enhanced Social Security benefits later? Pensions: Distribution strategies; how to use the minimum distribution rules in concert with Social Security benefits IRAs: Is it time to convert to a Roth? Medicare, Part D prescription drugs: what retirees need to know

Comprehensive coverage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Review of key components of President Trump's tax bill, including a tip income exemption, overtime pay relief, Social Security tax exemption, auto loan interest deductibility, SALT deduction modifications, a lower corporate tax rate, restoration of 100% bonus depreciation, immediate R&D expensing, and permanent extension of select TCJA provisions Tariff policy and implementation - analyze the use of tariffs as a fiscal and trade policy tool Digital assets and tax implications - understand the new Form 1099-DA for reporting digital asset transactions, along with updated IRS guidance on cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and broker responsibilities Artificial intelligence - discover how AI and generative tools are transforming tax practices, as well as how the IRS is leveraging AI to enhance audit selection Form 1099-K reporting requirements - understand the evolving IRS thresholds and rules for third-party payment platforms Sale of Passthrough Entity Interests and Net Investment Income Tax - analyze the tax implications of selling interests in passthrough entities, including relevant examples, and how the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) applies to these transactions  The Gig Economy - examine key tax implications for gig workers, including Independent Contractor vs. Employee classification challenges, reporting responsibilities, and the impact of the 2024 Department of Labor Final Rule on worker status Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation Practice aids, including all the numbers applicable for the current year -- inflation-adjusted amounts, mileage rates, retirement contributions, and more Advanced practice, reporting, and other issues intertwined with advanced planning and discussion ideas

Factors business owners should take into account when choosing a retirement plan SIMPLE plans Simplified employee pension plans 401(k) plans Defined benefit plans Ensuring eligible employees are covered Employees’ impact on choice of plan Ongoing compliance requirements Establishing a plan after the tax year end Changes to safe harbor 401(k) plans Pooled employer plans Defined benefit plans and cash balance plans

Set up an in-cell drop-down list of budget methods  Change the calculations in the cells based on the selected budget method  Use names in worksheets

Changes to the standard deduction Senior deduction Deduction for auto loan interest Estate tax changes and the portability option Tax consequences associated with investing in revised opportunity zones Full expensing of domestic R&E Individual and corporate charitable contributions Wagering losses Student loan discharges Taking advantage of scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) Dependent care assistance program Other crucial OBBBA provisions

Explore from the history of automation to the current landscape of large language models (LLMs) and generative tools to demystify the technology Free, accessible apps to enterprise-grade solutions and specialized accounting software tailored for tax, audit, and advisory workflows Ethical obligations and professional standards that govern AI use, including data privacy, client confidentiality, and the management of "hallucinations" or inaccuracies Through specific use cases and prompting demonstrations, understand how to use AI to draft complex communications, summarize research, optimize Excel workflows, and enhance client advisory services

The fraud landscape in the United States Fraud risk procedures as updated by recently issued standards Most likely fraud types found in small to mid-sized entities Internal controls to prevent and detect fraud What to do when fraud is identified or suspected Case studies based on recent frauds Cyber fraud schemes and how to prevent and detect them Analytics that can be used as fraud risk procedures Assessing the risk of grant fraud in a Single Audit

Cryptocurrencies and their use cases Safely interacting with cryptocurrency and NFTs (buying, selling, and storing) Tax implications of investing in cryptocurrency, running a mining operation, using NFTs, and using cryptocurrency as a payment method Challenges in dealing with cryptocurrency-related clients How to handle 1099-DAs Implications of the IRS's latest guidance on digital assets Applying tax planning opportunities Serving clients with cryptocurrency transactions using a tool like CoinTracker.com

Typical provisions in state statutes regarding domicile and residency In depth analysis of domicile and residency definitions Issues regarding one’s permanent abode Analysis of jurisdiction where taxpayer has the greatest connections Detailed discussion of criteria used to establish domicile and residency

Explore PivotTable capabilities and functionality Retrieve data from a database and feed it into the PivotTable Pull web tables from web pages into Excel

Purpose and organization of Schedule 1-A, Form 1040 Taxpayers who can use Schedule 1-A The relationship of Form 1040 and Schedule 1-A Calculating modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) on Part I, Schedule 1-A The tip deduction, calculated on Part II, Schedule 1-A The overtime deduction, calculated on Part III, Schedule 1-A The car loan interest deduction, calculated on Part IV, Schedule 1-A The senior deduction, calculated on Part V, Schedule s1-A Phase-outs at higher levels of income

Examine real-world misappropriations of cash, check frauds, vendor scams, credit card abuse, grant frauds, benefit schemes, inventory thefts, and payroll frauds Identify and develop practical controls to prevent and detect fraud Tailor controls to the size and fit of the government or nonprofit