CPE Catalog & Events
Webcast: ACPEN: Achieving Balance in Work and Life - Part 1
Why the brain can remember some things a hundred times better than others Why we typically forget names and faces, and what can be done about it How our emotions follow the motion of our body, and how that can be used to instill instant confidence How to tap into a completely relaxed and/or confident state of mind in 10 seconds or less using advanced hypnotic conditioning and Neuro-Linguistic Programming techniques How to prevent dementia and brain “fog” using specific supplements and exercise How to stay motivated to use the methods outlined in this course to advance your career and achieve a higher quality of life How to use the concept of constant learning to help you maintain a balanced and fulfilling
Webcast: ACPEN: Basis Calculations & Distributions for Pass-Thru Entity Owners Schedule K-1 Analysis
Detailed coverage of any new legislation affecting basis computations and distributions and changes to the schedule K-1s (including the NEW Form 7203 – S Corporation Shareholder Stock and Debt Basis Limitations) Line-by-line analysis of the Schedule K-1s to determine how the items affect a S shareholder’s stock and debt basis and a partner/member’s outside basis and where the items get reported on Federal individual income tax return The three loss and deduction limitations on the owner’s individual income tax return (i.e. basis, at-risk and other Form 1040 limitations) How cash or non-cash distributions affect the basis calculations and whether or not they are taxable to the owners Compare the tax treatment of the sale of a shareholder’s stock in a S corporation and a partner’s interest in a partnership What constitutes debt basis for a S corporation shareholder under the final regulations The tax ramifications of repaying loans to S corporation shareholders and on open account debt How recourse and non-recourse debt effect a partner or member’s basis calculations and amount at-risk
Webcast: Fiduciary Accounting Part 1: Fiduciary Duty Basics & Authority 26-27
What is fiduciary duty, and how does it apply to a trustee or personal representative" What are the state statutory accounting rules, and where can you find them" What is fiduciary accounting income" What is fiduciary account principal" How does fiduciary accounting impact fiduciary taxation?
Webcast: Preparation, Compilation & Review Services 26-27
All recently issued SSARS standards Financial reporting frameworks Distinguishing special purpose frameworks from GAAP CPAs reporting on financial statements Financial statement disclosures Recently issued ethics standards Peer Review Deficiencies
Webcast: Estate Planning Strategies Using Irrevocable Trusts 26-27
The gift, estate, and income tax treatment of irrevocable trusts The benefits and risks of spousal lifetime access trusts (SLATs) Planning with grantor retained interest trusts (GRATs and GRUTs) and Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs) When to use life insurance trusts (ILITs) and dynasty trusts The effectiveness of domestic asset protection trusts (DAPTs)
Webcast: Microsoft 365 for CPAs: Unlocking Hidden Productivity Tools 26-27
Round robin review of lesser-known M365 apps
Webcast: ACPEN: An In-Depth Understanding of the Generation Skipping Transfer Tax
Overview of the GST tax and its policy purpose Direct skips, taxable terminations, and taxable distributions Skip persons and treatment of trusts as skip persons Application of the GST exemption and inclusion ratio Timely, late, and retroactive GST allocations Formula-based exemption allocations Planning strategies for GST tax minimization Filing considerations for Forms 706 and 709
Webcast: ACPEN: Navigating IRS Collections: Overview of Form 433 & Offer in Compromise
IRS collection process overview Initial notice and subsequent notices Enforced collection actions: liens, levies, and wage garnishments Payment options and alternatives to enforced actions Detailed review of Forms 433-A & 433-B Offer in Compromise (OIC) program: qualifications and process Advising clients on compliance and payment options
Surgent's Food, Beverage, and Entertainment Expensing
The 50% deduction for meals that are ordinary and necessary in carrying on a trade or business Elimination of the temporary rules that applied for 2021 and 2022 which allowed for 100% deductibility for ordinary and necessary business-related meals When meals are still 100% deductible IRS rules relating to the nondeducibility of activities considered entertainment or amusement What constitutes entertainment/amusement for tax purposes? When employers may deduct food and beverages provided to employees 50% deductibility for occasional employee meals and for overtime meals 50% deductibility for business meals during business meetings Business meals incurred during business travel Invoice meals separately from entertainment
Surgent's Hiring New Workers and Payroll Taxes
Form W-4 Form I-9 Form W-9 End-of-year compliance Payroll tax returns Unemployment insurance
Webcast: Fiduciary Accounting Part 2: Tools, Rules and Relationship to Tax 26-27
Setting up a chart of accounts Reviewing the estate plan Distinguishing between "income" and "principal" Understanding the relationship of fiduciary accounting to fiduciary taxation
Surgent's Current Issues in Accounting and Auditing: An Annual Update
Recently issued but newly implemented Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs), the PCC Update, and items on the FASB’s Technical Agenda New ASUs covering disaggregated expenses, crypto assets (e.g., cryptocurrency), and business combinations Results and findings of the FASB’s Final (Stage 3) Post-Implementation Review (PIR) Report on Topic 606 Recently issued SASs and other AICPA activity through SAS No. 149 Detailed review of the three new Statement on Quality Management Standards (SQMS 1, SQMS 2, and SQMS 3) Other important A&A practice matters
Surgent's Data Security: Best Practices to Protect Your Business and Yourself
Ethical duty to safeguard employee, client, and litigant data Common threats, including phishing, ransomware, and bad password management Security management of business and personal electronic devices Best practices for creating and securing passwords Insight into how our personal information is exploited in our daily lives
Surgent's Nuts & Bolts of Cryptocurrency Taxation & 1099-DAs
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
Surgent's Elder Fraud
Common elder fraud schemes How to recognize scam attempts What to do when you think you are being scammed Where and how to report a scam What you should do now to prevent being scammed How to avoid being scammed on the internet Why older Americans are disproportionately impacted by scams and fraud Technical support scams How to avoid giving money to scammers What to do if you or someone you know is targeted by fraud The National Elder Fraud Hotline How to get your money back after being scammed Types of elder law financial exploitation
Surgent's Schedule 1-A: Implementing Important OBBBA Deductions for 2025
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
Webcast: ACPEN: 1065 – Understanding Partnerships Tax Returns
Partnership taxation Different types of partnerships Tax obligations of partners Role of the partnership agreement in tax reporting Filing deadlines of Form 1065
Surgent's Advanced Trust Issues: A Roadmap for Success in An Increasingly Complex Area
Key concepts of trusts, including recent trends; best practices; jurisdiction; and ways to avoid pitfalls Decanting Federal estate tax exemption and remaining relevance of trusts Irrevocable life insurance trusts The role of family dynamics Choice of trustee and other fiduciaries State trust-friendly considerations Charitable trusts Delaware Statutory Trusts Powers of attorney Pet Trusts – the emerging necessities State, county, and local issues Portability QTIP issues Creditor considerations Potential IRA problems Problems with re-titling assets
Webcast: Know Your Cost: Double Your Profit 26-27
Why traditional approaches are inadequate How superior cost information can double your profit Make Activity Based Costing spreadsheet easy Recognize joint and by-products Add throughput costing to your toolbox Depreciation Interest and the cost of capital
Surgent's Form 1040 Return Review Boot Camp for New and Experienced Reviewers
Key provisions of the recent HR 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act, have been incorpoated throughout the course Review an error-prone "staff-prepared" Form 1040 from client-provided information. Where do you start? Get to know your client and ask the questions Several new reporting issues for the reviewer to consider, including the main credit provisions as enacted under the American Rescue Plan What are common errors preparers make and what are the areas generating malpractice claims? The importance of engagement letters, questionnaires, and §7216 permission statement Initial administrative groundwork Identifying organizing issues in the tax return to be reviewed Avoiding “willful blindness.” Handling ethical and moral dilemmas Efficient review of certain advanced issues for income, adjustments, deductions, and credits Effective procedures for delinquent clients, filing past-due tax returns First-time client issues requiring extra scrutiny Multiple checklists of efficient procedures to identify potential issues on a 1040 return Listing of schedules for staff to prepare to make a review easier, including basis issues for 1040 clients Reconciling time pressure with thoroughness and quality control Professionals acting professionally