CPE Catalog & Events

Establishing a system: identifying forces that support the status quo; setting milestones and goals; the role of the CMA Necessary first steps: set a framework for the project’s activities; identify needed resources; obtain support; decide on a structure; establish a team for a specific project; identify necessary team skill sets Project evaluation: analytical tools, strategic evaluation; sources of risk Maintaining focus: monitoring and measuring results; keeping to the project’s scope Avoiding frequent traps: sunk costs; financing pitfalls; project creep; tunnel vision; failure to integrate the team’s work internally and/or the final project with the remaining organization Introduction and examples of analytical tools throughout the session: mapping; CPM; Gantt charts; benchmarking; Pareto analysis; PESTLE analysis; valuation techniques; post-completion evaluations

Each week’s topics will change based on the most critical issues affecting financial professionals

The keys that develop a plan into an actionable document The major difference between planning and budgeting Strategic planning The business plan The people plan The marketing plan Capital and technology plans

Comprehensive coverage of the SECURE Act 2.0 Understanding the environment: what’s new, what’s expired or expiring, and what’s likely to change Reading a tax return for developing client-specific tax strategies Changes to the lifetime estate tax exemption in light of proposed regulations  The net investment income tax: planning for compliance Family income-splitting strategies that need to be considered Income tax issues: impact on timing of other income Selling a principal residence Two principal residences at the same time Use of life insurance to protect families: Whole Life Insurance, Term Life Insurance, Universal Life Insurance, and Variable Life Insurance Using Roth IRAs and Roth contribution programs to best advantage Conversions: do they still make sense? Taking distributions: matching timing to client requirements Qualified plan contributions to reduce current income and Social Security tax: implications for business owners and self-employed Social Security solvency issues Incentive Stock Options and Employee Stock Purchase Plan considerations What to do about itemized deductions Trans-generational planning: conversions, income, and gain-splitting Tax benefits of HSAs and other tax-advantaged accounts Identifying tax opportunities: reviewing the prior-year return to develop a plan for the future Planning for middle-income taxpayers: financial planning for the young, the working, and those approaching or in retirement Best financial planning ideas for young people

Key requirements, options, and disclosures related to each of the basic financial statements The reporting of functional and natural expense information Requirements related to providing liquidity and availability of financial assets information Core not-for-profit accounting requirements related to conditional and unconditional contributions, promises to give, contributed services, net assets, special events, the classification of expenses, and more

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

Using lookup functions as an alternative to direct cell references Understand the limitations of the VLOOKUP function Discover ways to move beyond these limitations

Complying with the beneficial ownership information reporting requirements The current status of the Employee Retention Credit Voluntary Disclosure Program Using the newly expanded access to business tax accounts for partners and shareholders of S corporations IRS guidance allowing car dealers to provide electric vehicle tax rebates upfront to qualified auto buyers Monetizing energy credits Amortization of research and experimental expenditures Dealing with the taxpayer loss in the Tax Court in Soroban Capital Partners requiring managers to pay self-employment tax on certain payments to limited partners Contributions to Roth “catch-up” plans Roth contributions to a SEP and Simple IRA Employer matching contributions to a Roth account Section 179 and bonus depreciation Roth 401(k) contributions no longer subject to RMDs during the owner’s lifetime

Are we equipped to deal with a resurgence in financial accounting fraud Private company accounting standards, options and elections The latest on crypto and ESG Accounting and auditing for SAAS arrangements, impairments and going-concern and debt modification accounting FASB and PCC agenda

Using the Table object to store data Using the conditional summing function to aggregate Table data Using the Table object to create mapping tables

Automatic enrollment requirements for 401(k) plans Change in the credit for small employer pension plan startup costs $2,000 saver’s match Changes in pooled employer plans Multiple employer 403(b) plans Increase in age for required beginning date for mandatory distributions Indexing IRA catch-up limit Higher catch-up limit to apply at age 60, 61, 62, and 63 Treatment of student loan payments as elective deferrals for purposes of matching contributions Application of credit for small employer pension startup costs to employers who join an existing plan Small immediate financial incentives for contributing to a plan Withdrawals for certain emergency expenses Starter 401(k) plans for employers with no retirement plans Improving coverage for part-time workers Recovery of retirement plan overpayments Tax treatment of IRAs involved in a prohibited transaction Clarification of substantially equal periodic payment rule

The impact of recent tax legislation on the real estate industry Depreciation and recapture Determining the basis when acquiring real estate Passive activity losses Calculation of gain or loss on sale of real estate Rental operations Installment sales

Substantially increased IRS funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act IRS test program in 2024 to determine if it should prepare tax returns Using improved data and analytics to tailor timely collections contacts Auditing large corporations and partnerships Audits of high income and high net worth individuals Information Document Requests What happens when a client agrees or disagrees with the IRS’s audit findings The Dirty Dozen: roadmap to IRS audit issues

SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification, and updates to SSARS No. 21 due to the issuance of SSARS No. 23, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services SSARS No. 22, Compilation of Pro Forma Financial Information SSARS No. 24, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services -- 2018 SSARS No. 25, Materiality in a Review of Financial Statements and Adverse Conclusions  SSARS No. 26, Quality Management for an Engagement Conducted in Accordance With Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services Sample comprehensive engagement work programs for preparation, compilation and review engagements Reporting and disclosure illustrations for each level of service, including attesting on personal financial statements, prescribed form, special purpose framework and other engagement variations Other communication requirements, such as sample engagement letters and management representation letters

Taking a strategic perspective relative to risk management and crisis management Reviewing the impact uncertainty and risk at the operational level relative to short- and intermediate-term decision making Determining the safety and soundness of the financial plans for your organization in an uncertain economic climate specifically as it relates to capital adequacy and strategic direction Managing the debt and equity mix for your organization in a rapidly changing economic landscape Determining the impact that competing in a global marketplace has on an organization and how to take steps to become more competitive globally Evaluating the impact of federal, state, and municipal deficits and unfunded mandates as it relates to tax planning Evaluating retirement programs with Social Security funding for your employees Determining the safety and soundness of your credit and collections processes and selection of customers in an uncertain environment Influencing growth through acquisition of distressed organizations The economic way ahead for the CFO/Controller 

Developing issues related to the 2024 Yellow Book revision and the 2024 revision to the Uniform Guidance for Federal Awards Key AICPA developments affecting audits of governments and nonprofits (including SAS No. 146 on quality management) Recent GASB activities directed toward state and local governments (e.g., the implementation of GASB No. 101 on compensated absences, GASB No. 102 on certain risk disclosures, GASB No. 103 on improvements to the financial reporting model, and additional GASB projects) Critical, but sometimes overlooked, FASB ASC 958 implementation guidance and illustrations for not-for-profits)

What stock options are and why they are growing in popularity How stock options work, including the process of conveyance and vesting How to exercise stock options and the implications from doing so The risks associated with stock options and how to manage exposure Tax consequences and updates regarding stock options Strategies for selecting the best time to exercise stock options The difference between the two types of stock options: non-qualified and incentive The basic terminology relevant to owning and exercising options

Comprehensive coverage of the Inflation Reduction Act, including: The Clean Vehicle Credit, Credit for Previously Owned Clean Vehicles, Credit for Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicles, Residential Clean Energy Credit, Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, Premium Tax Credit, Elective Payment, Transferability, and Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship Requirements Comprehensive coverage of the SECURE 2.0 Act, including: Expanding Enrollment in Retirement Plans, Increase in Age for Required Beginning Date for Mandatory Distributions, New Exceptions to Penalty-Free Withdrawal from Retirement Plans, and recent IRS guidance Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation Detailed analysis and examples of Sale of Passthrough Entity Interest and Net Investment Income Tax The Gig Economy -- Tax implications, Independent Contractor vs. Employee Classification, and the 2024 DOL Final Rule Real Estate professional requirements Review of pertinent cases and rulings affecting taxpayers 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

Assessing the risk of material misstatement Mandatory risk assessment procedures Evaluating internal controls Responding to risk assessment with appropriate audit procedures Complying with revised and expanded documentation requirements

An explanation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Specific ways AI is replacing human cognition What is on the internal control horizon related to AI and other technologies