CPE Catalog & Events

The essential internal control concepts applied in a single audit How the auditor obtains an understanding of controls over compliance and then tests the effectiveness of those controls in a single audit How the auditor plans and performs tests of compliance in a single audit The identification and reporting of control and compliance findings

Criteria that the IRS uses to select returns for examination Substantiation requirements for travel, charitable contributions, vehicles, meals, virtual currency considerations and tax-related identity theft Understanding worker classification determinations on who is an employee and who is an independent contractor Distinguishing S corporation officer’s reasonable compensation issues How the IRS holds persons other than an employer liable for unpaid payroll taxes, a.k.a., the trust fund recovery penalty Tax-related identity theft procedures

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

The value of strategic networking Quality vs. quantity in networking Networking for professional opportunities Person-to-person networking Maintaining and expanding your current connections Networking for introverts Long-term networking strategies

How a partner’s outside basis and capital account differ Reconciling Schedule M-2 Form 1065 with Partnership K-1 Schedule L IRS requirement to report partner tax basis on the transactional approach Implications if a capital account is negative Deficit restoration accounts and qualified income offsets Modified outside basis method and modified previously taxed capital method Determining a partner’s beginning capital account  Beginning capital account for partnerships and partners consistently reporting on the tax basis The two types of adjustments under 754 and how 743 and 734 require different capital account presentations

Tax practitioner “horror stories” that illustrate what tax practitioners should try to avoid at all costs Avoiding malpractice lawsuits brought against tax practitioners

The sources of deferred tax assets and liabilities Calculating the deferred tax asset or liability Reporting income-tax expense and balance sheet items CARES Act accounting implications Defining, analyzing, and reporting uncertain tax positions Classification of deferred tax assets and liabilities Disclosure requirements Recent and proposed changes to the accounting and disclosure requirements for income taxes

The implementation of GASB No. 101 on compensated absences The 2025 application of GASB No. 102 regarding certain risk disclosures GASB No. 103 addressing improvements to the financial reporting model Additional recently issued GASB standards and projects

Audit requirements for ERISA §103(a)(3)(C) audits An annual update of the changes affecting 401(k) plans Compliance issues associated with eligibility and enrollments, remittances, lack of oversight, compensation, vesting, and other topics Best practices for engagement planning, internal controls, risk assessment, and detailed testing Avoiding common mistakes while performing audit procedures Plan mergers and acquisitions Common audit reporting and disclosure issues

Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation Applicable coverage of any basis considerations within any recent tax legislation   Passthrough basis calculations required as attachments to certain individual returns  Executor’s form for disclosing basis in certain distributed property; what about the basis of a property distribution from a trust?  How §179 limitations affect basis and how tax-benefit rule is applied  Basis implications of personal assets converted to business use  How to calculate basis of inherited qualified and joint tenancy property  Tax basis capital account reporting requirements  S corporations: Beware of final IRS regulations regarding “open debt”; determine how to calculate basis; worksheets are included; understand the effect of stock basis and debt basis and IRS’s recent focus on “at-risk basis” for shareholders; recognize how AAA applies or doesn’t apply to S corporations; learn to apply the complex basis ordering rules and special elections that can have a big tax result; discuss loss limitation rules in depth; when you can have a taxable dividend in an S corporation; understand distributions of cash and property; understand the post-termination transition rules, and temporary post-termination rules for eligible corporations, which will be important for S corps returning to C corps  LLCs and partnerships: Learn the detailed rules of §704 for preventing the shifting of tax consequences among partners or members; learn to calculate basis under §704 & for “at-risk” under §465; recognize how recourse, nonrecourse, and qualified nonrecourse debt can create significantly different tax results; learn the difference between basis and “at-risk basis”; review §754 step-up in basis rules; the economic effect equivalence test or “dumb-but-lucky” rule; learn to apply the complex rules of distribution of cash vs. property, and the basis treatment of charitable contributions and foreign taxes paid 

How does the IRC define an installment sale under IRC Sec 453? When can a taxpayer utilize the provisions of IRC Sec 453? When should a taxpayer utilize the provisions of an installment sale and when should it be avoided? How does the issue of a “dealer” vs. a “non-dealer” impact the use of the installment sale method? Reporting an installment sale when related parties are involved Calculating an installment sale How has the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act impacted the use of the installment sale method?

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

Three different types of basis Contributions of property IRC 704(b) – Capital Accounts and Special Allocations Contributions of property and debt Contributions of services IRS Notice 2020-43

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

An overview of workplace harassment and discrimination laws, including the intangible benefits that come with compliance An overview of sexual harassment and workplace retaliation The supervisor’s (or manager’s) role in preventing harassment and in reducing the company’s potential liability through good faith efforts at compliance Review a compliant procedure for handling harassment concerns

Emerging technologies AI and RPA Blockchain and 5G Gear & Gadgets Internet-of-Things

What are AI tools? Where are we with AI tool development? What is ChatGPT? ChatGPT – what kind of queries are possible? Copyright and intellectual property issues Benefits of AI tools Concerns with AI tools Impact on business use of AI Policy on AI tools

Recently issued FASB Accounting Standards Updates, PCC Update and items on the FASB’s Technical Agenda Leases – Topic 842 Recently issued ASUs covering common control leases, crypto assets (e.g., cryptocurrency), and income tax disclosures ASC 326: CECL Review of SAS 142 – Focus on Audit Evidence Recently issued SASs and other AICPA activity SSARS No. 25 and other recently issued SSARS Detailed review of SAS 145 Other important A&A practice matters

Study real-life misappropriations involving federal awards and how they were carried out The backgrounds, motivations and methodologies of the fraudsters Brainstorm where things went wrong that allowed the frauds to occur without prevention or detection

Compare and contrast the tax consequences, opportunities, and pitfalls of operating a business as a partnership, LLC, or S corporation  Reporting requirements and filing exceptions for Schedules K-2 and K-3  Form 7203, S Corporation Shareholder Stock and Debt Basis Limitations  Gain a comprehensive understanding of income tax laws for S corporations from eligibility and election to tax return preparation, stock basis, and loss limitation issues  Recognize and properly handle special pass-through items of income and expense  Accurately prepare S corporation returns and reconcile book income to taxable income  Accurately prepare partnership returns and reconcile book income to taxable income  What the transactional method entails and how to report partners’ capital accounts under this method  Properly handle the tax treatment of distributions to shareholders, partners, or members  Understand the special restrictions and sanctions for tax year-end selection  Review the basics of partnership and LLC formation and basis calculation  Self-employment tax or NOT, for each entity  Filling in K-1s correctly for S corporations, partnerships, and LLCs. Major changes in K-1 reporting on both partnership and S corporation forms and content  The most frequently used forms and schedules, including some form “oddities”