Microsoft® Excel® 365/Excel® 2019: Getting Started with PivotTables and PivotCharts is a two-lesson advanced level course that guides you through creating, formatting, and modifying PivotTables and PivotCharts in Excel using step-by-step hands-on activities.

Specifically tailored for practitioners who do not perform audits, but provide other attest and non-attest services to small and medium-sized businesses, this course is a comprehensive update covering recently issued accounting, compilation, and review standards, as well as other professional guidance impacting small and medium-sized business accountants. The course uses practical examples and illustrations to help you understand and apply the material in practice.

Reviewing workpapers is a critical internal quality control safeguard that ensures issued audit reports are appropriate given the specific engagement's circumstances. There is a presumption that more experienced engagement team members should review work performed by less experienced staff. But, even sole practitioners must be concerned about complying with quality control standards and proper ethical conduct. This course will provide tips and techniques for effective and efficient review of audit workpapers, the success of which heavily depends on an auditor's proper application of critical financial statement audit concepts such as assessing audit risk, applying strong substantive analytical procedures, and evaluating areas of estimates and uncertainty.

Designed for all tax practitioners, including those who prepare tax basis financial statements for their clients, this course will replenish your accounting and reporting tank with an update of recent standard setting activities at the PCC, FASB, ASB, and ARSC, including the new revenue recognition, lease and financial instruments accounting standards, including their effects on income tax accounting. The course will also review the income tax effects of other recent FASB updates. We will also review the authoritative standards and guidance for performing and reporting on engagements found in SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification and other recently issued SSARS. The course will focus on any changes to common book-tax temporary differences which will result from applying this new guidance and will utilize plenty of hands-on examples and illustrations to increase your overall understanding and application of the material.

With so much going on in the Accounting, Compilations and Review, and Auditing arena lately, it's easy to have missed some of the more important issues and challenges facing the profession today and into the near future. This course, designed for accounting and auditing practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, will provide you with a year in review look at some of the more important issues and challenges facing CPAs. We will identify and discuss specific areas within the profession that are likely to affect you and your clients, thereby keeping you "in the know" on these critical topics. Examples and illustrations provide hands-on application to further enhance your understanding of the matters presented.

ASU No. 2016-14, Presentation of Financial Statements of Not-for-Profit Entities, is the most significant not-for-profit reporting standard in over 20 years and is now fully effective. To properly implement the new financial reporting model professionals must have a strong, working knowledge of the new requirements. Now is the time to obtain that knowledge! This course explains the new requirements, illustrates how the requirements manifest themselves in the financial statements, and clarifies key options that not-for-profits have in implementing the requirements. The course also examines other key changes affecting not-for-profits including the new revenue recognition and contribution requirements (which apply to 12/31/19 year-ends) and leases (which apply to 12/31/20 year-ends). The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format to provide an enhanced working knowledge of not-for-profit financial reporting.

Our focus is to reduce the overall risk of fraud. To that end, this course focuses on what factors contribute to turning honest employees into fraudsters. Discussion will include integrity and ethics, as well as how people may react in certain situations. We will also touch upon what lurks in the darknet along with cryptocurrency fraud.

An important internal control procedure includes both evaluating the design and implementation of internal controls, which is required on all financial statement audit engagements. An important internal control consideration includes whether to test the operating effectiveness of controls for control reliance, which should be considered as part of the risk assessment procedures to properly evaluate audit risk. Internal control is one of the most commonly misunderstood and misapplied aspects of the financial statement audit process, particularly given the recent significant changes in auditing standards. Mistakes in this area have the greatest likelihood of being identified as deficiencies in peer or regulatory review, but also directly impact audit efficiency.

As the effective date of Topic 842 rapidly approaches, now is the time to get your hands around the details of the FASB's new leases standard. Designed for accounting and auditing practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides a thorough overview of the FASB's new lease accounting standard (ASU No. 2016-02) that was released in February 2016. You will learn about the long awaited lease accounting standard for lessors and lessees, including sale and leaseback transactions, as well as recent updates to the new lease accounting guidance. Plenty of practical application illustrations are used, including journal entries, to help in understanding this complex area of accounting.

All organizations are looking for ways to gain an advantage over the competition. This practical and interactive session will present a toolkit of ideas to help CFOs, controllers and finance professionals better position their organizations for the future. We all know change is occurring at an exponential rate and by completing this course you will be able to assist your organization in making key decisions affecting critical aspects of the business such as enterprise risk management, financial risk, cash management, credit decisions, and much more! Become the "financial hero" of your organization and make a positive impact on the bottom-line.

Microsoftr Excelr 365 and Excelr 2019: Getting Started with Excel is a three-lesson basic level course that introduces you to the Excel software and then guides you through basic Excel features using step-by-step hands-on activities. Although this is a basic level course, experienced Excel users switching from earlier versions of Excel can benefit from this course's review of commonly used features plus the introduction of new features, such as the new look for the Excel 365 Start screen or updated features in Excel 2019. Note that this course emphasizes using the traditional keyboard and mouse actions to perform tasks in Excel. Some relevant tips for working with Excel with a Windows touch-screen device are also provided.

This course will enable practitioners to understand the basic practical issues of preparing the gift tax Form 709. This course covers the disclosure requirements and the information necessary to properly prepare the form.

The IRS has dramatically ramped up its examination of specific individuals and small business taxpayers. Now, more than ever, CPAs need clients to understand the need for documentation and procedures to substantiate what IRS auditors are pursuing. Learn the high audit risk areas and ways to help clients survive an IRS audit with little or no change. It is critical for CPAs in public accounting to understand the risk to clients and to themselves in tax return preparation and planning.

With the far-reaching changes brought about by recent tax reform, careful planning takes on new importance. This course presents the most important income tax planning ideas wealthy clients and closely held business owners need to consider this year to take advantage of the present and plan for the future. It highlights areas in the income tax return that suggest future opportunities for the individual client.

Partnerships and LLCs involve unique problems that require careful attention. This course covers selected critical tax issues that practitioners need to know when working with partnerships and limited liability companies, with a focus on planning opportunities and pitfalls.

Designed for accounting and auditing practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides an overview of recent accounting matters including: Private Company Standard Setting activities; recently issued Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs); the FASB's comprehensive new Revenue Recognition standard, Topic 606; a brief update of the FASB's new Lease Accounting standard -- ASU No. 2016-02; changes to the adoption dates for PCC alternatives and other important accounting matters.

All successful entities, regardless of nature, size, and complexity, must have a well-designed and effectively operating system of internal controls over reliable financial reporting, in addition to managing other risks. This course will provide practical guidance on exactly what a sound system of internal controls "looks like" and the resulting impact on the reliability of financial statements, particularly for smaller entities. In addition, we will explore COSO's 2013 Internal Control - Integrated Framework that is used to better manage the unique and challenging risks of today's entities.

Specifically designed for compilation, preparation, and review practitioners and their staff, this course will provide you with an overview, update, and hands-on application for performing compilation, preparation, and review engagements. You will learn the ins and outs of SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification as well as other recent releases from the AICPA Lastly, the course will perform a detailed review of the key provisions of the recently issued SSARS No. 24, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services - 2018. Not only will this course bring you up to date on SSARSs requirements and guidance, but more importantly, it will provide you with practical examples and illustrations to help you effectively and efficiently perform compilation, preparation, and review engagements. This course will walk you through the content of The Essential SSARS Implementation Toolkit, which is a comprehensive resource to help ensure that you satisfy professional, ethical, and technical requirements for all SSARS Nos. 21-24 services.

Organizations that fall victim to fraud (and that is every organization in the world) have many controls in place to combat fraud. We will discuss means and methods to stop fraud and the controls that victim organizations employ to seek improvements for our organizations.

Designed for practitioners and their staff, whether in public accounting or business and industry, this course provides an overview of recent FASB accounting and reporting developments. The course begins by reviewing recent Private Company Council (PCC) activities and recently issued Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs), analyzing guidance that has a major effect on all industries, including those covering revenue recognition and leases. Special attention is given to standard setters' activities that affect small and medium-sized entities. Examples and illustrations provide hands-on application to help you assess and implement the new standards and guidance applicable to your practice and clients.

With two active standard setters (i.e., the GASB and FASB), there are always important developments occurring in government and nonprofit accounting. Time is valuable and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort in staying current through this informative update course. The purpose of this course is to enable you to excel in the constantly changing government and nonprofit environment. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over a dozen focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in government and nonprofit accounting.

This four-hour course covers most of the specific ethical considerations that come into play as a practitioner in the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service. It also covers sanctions and limitations on both clients and practitioners arising out of the preparation of an income tax return.

CPAs have a well-earned reputation for ethical behavior. It is every CPA's responsibility to uphold this reputation and to enhance it for the next generation. In order to act ethically, CPAs need to thoroughly understand their ethical and regulatory requirements with regard to the core principles of integrity, objectivity and independence. In this course, we will study the source of these responsibilities by exploring the AICPA's Code of Professional Responsibility (Code) and the United States Department of the Treasury Circular 230 (Circular 230), which details tax practitioners' responsibilities when representing tax payers in front of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The course will discuss and provide examples of the Code's Independence Rule, and its various interpretations as well as discuss the disciplinary process under Circular 230. The course uses practical "Case in Point" examples to provide hands-on applications of the material in order to achieve its primary objective of helping to educate CPAs in the ethics of the accounting profession.

This two-hour course covers most of the specific ethical considerations that come into play as a practitioner in the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service.

This two-hour course covers sanctions and limitations on both clients and practitioners arising out of the preparation of an income tax return.

In today's rapidly changing world, finance professionals are required to wear many hats and are often the keys to the success of the organization. On one hand, they need to be abreast of the latest proven financial skills for making the best decisions, and on the other hand they need the best skills to motivate, manage, and lead people. Being pigeon-holed into one area or another is neither good for career building nor for the good of the organization. We'll cover the latest issues that all CFOs and controllers need to know about and provide how-to guidance to allow for immediate use in their organizations.

The employer-employee relationship strains both sides in uncertain times, and businesses need CPAs, controllers, and other advisors to provide understanding of the complex legal and tax issues associated with all aspects of employment, especially now. This course provides in-depth coverage of this critical area. Updated and supplemented throughout the year for breaking developments.

The employer-employee relationship strains both sides in uncertain times, and businesses need CPAs, controllers, and other advisors to provide understanding of the complex legal, tax, and health care issues associated with all aspects of employment, especially now. This course provides in-depth coverage of this critical area. Updated and supplemented throughout the year for breaking developments.

The purpose of this course is to provide an in-depth discussion of selected advanced-level issues affecting LLCs and LLPs.

The purpose of this course is to provide an in-depth discussion of selected advanced-level issues affecting LLCs and LLPs.

The course provides a comprehensive understanding of the preparation of both S corporation and partnership/LLC tax returns, along with the underlying laws, regulations, etc. The course and instruction delivery is geared toward the basic understanding and progresses to complex issues. The boot camp allows staff to discover the connections and alterations of these widely held entity structures, while also providing a valued reference for the participant's future use. The course utilizes an identical sample trial balance for form preparation, with filled-in completed Forms 1120S and 1065 provided in the case solutions.

While only one of many factors, tax rates are a very important factor in choosing the form of business organization. This unique course compares and contrasts the tax aspects of C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, and limited liability companies. This in-depth course will cover planning opportunities.

The most difficult concepts to master when dealing with flow-through business entities are the basis and distribution concepts. Major error and malpractice issues occur if the CPA does not fully understand the impact of these rules. This course is designed to focus on the practical applications of these rules.

Clients think that estate planning only applies to the very rich. In truth, there are many issues of critical concern for which the middle-income client needs to plan. This course is a must-attend for all CPAs who work with middle-income clients and are looking for ways to provide additional quality services. Continually updated with the latest guidance.

Federal estate and gift taxes currently affect few clients, but there are many other issues involved in settling an estate or administering a trust. Clients who are beneficiaries of a trust or estate often turn to their financial advisors to understand the administrative process and its effect on their interests. This course enables the accountant to cut through the jargon to understand the legal concepts, communicate a real-world explanation to clients, and serve, in some instances, as an advisor to them. After taking this course, practitioners will feel more confident to serve in a fiduciary capacity. Updated for developments relative to estate taxation.

Social Security seems poised for changes in benefits and eligibility age. The leading edge of the baby boomer generation has already reached retirement age. Financial and tax planners can expect increased demand for strategies that dovetail Social Security with other retirement- and estate-planning objectives. This course provides tax and financial planning professionals with both the background information on the Social Security system and the strategies clients will need in dealing with Social Security, and the myriad of all the other related retirement planning issues.

Implementing ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) is sure to have a major impact on your balance sheet and potentially on your business as well. This course is a one-stop shop for what you need to know about the upcoming changes to lease accounting. In this course, we will review how to measure the lease liability and Right of Use asset that will now be recorded on the balance sheet for all leases. We will also tackle the tricky issues of accounting for lease modifications and other lease re-measurement events as well as address the other major provisions of the new standard, including transition. We will also review the income statement treatment of lease expense for all leases for both lessees and lessors and discuss recent FASB implementation guidance. Lastly, the course will cover recently issued amendments to the lease accounting guidance.

The formula for a successful audit today consists of many elements. Some of those elements require more thoughtfulness and caution in their application than others. In this course, we will explore those more combustible elements that can cause the audit to blow up with the budget, peer reviewers, clients and others. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 15 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of today's GAAS.

Change is definitely coming. For those entities who currently recognize revenue under the guidance of Statement of Position 81-1, Accounting for Performance of Construction-Type and Certain Production-Type Contracts (SOP 81-1), understanding the basics of Topic 606 is not enough. You need to be able to apply Topic 606 to your types of contracts and determine what changes, if any, will occur in how you recognize revenue under the new standard. In this course, we'll explore Topic 606 from the perspective of entities that currently recognize revenue under SOP 81-1, focusing on those areas most likely to be impacted under the new guidance. Applying Topic 606 to your long-term contracts will definitely change your revenue recognition approach. This course will help you determine how big that change will be.

Sick and tired of taking CPE that has no practical application or just regurgitates the same information over and over? Join us for this practical course, which will present a fresh approach to planning and strategy formulation for your organization. Often thought of as a painful process, planning and strategy formulation is probably one of the most important processes any organization undertakes in order to achieve financial success. We'll explore this fresh approach to many different planning stages, including the marketing plan, the technology plan, the capital plan, the five-year operating plan and much more! Today's dynamic economic environment requires much more careful planning and strategy execution. Come find out how to make that happen for your organization.

This course guides you through creating, copying and pasting, reviewing, and correcting basic and complex formulas in Excel 2016 using step-by-step hands-on activities.

This course guides you through creating, formatting, and modifying PivotTables and PivotCharts.

This course guides you through creating, copying and pasting, reviewing, and correcting basic and complex formulas in Excel 2019 using step-by-step, hands-on activities.

This course is designed for participants to understand the core concepts of trust and estate income tax preparation. The course explains the common terminology and complicated income tax rules of estates and trusts, fiduciary accounting, and an introduction to or refresher on preparing Form 1041. This practical, over 300-page manual is an excellent reference source for your practice, which begins with quite simple cases. Building upon that base throughout the manual, the course ends with two complicated preparation cases, one trust and one estate, each with filled-in forms.

This course explores the practical issues in the many instances in which a step-up in basis can create tax advantages for partners and members. This course includes case studies to illustrate the critical points.

The PATH Act of 2015 made "permanent" changes to depreciation; however, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reminds us that Washington has a different definition of the word "permanent." Again this year Congress has drastically changed depreciation rules. Individuals, corporations, partnerships, LLCs, trusts, estates, and nonprofits all utilize two of the most often prepared tax forms -- Form 4562 -- Depreciation and Amortization, and Form 4797 -- Sales of Business Property. This course provides a quick dissection of both of these complicated forms. New to experienced tax preparers may utilize this manual for all tax returns/entities they prepare. This reference manual contains many examples and cases to illustrate the most important points CPAs need to be aware of.

Join us for our annual expedition through the harbors and swamps on the tax landscape this season. We will uncover the top issues with wide applicability and importance this year and explore the practical implications, potential pitfalls, and planning opportunities.

If you are a practitioner who wants the latest information on tax changes affecting your business clients or employers, then you should take this enlightening course. You will learn invaluable knowledge, strategies, techniques, innovative tax-planning concepts, income-generating ideas, and other planning opportunities available to S corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and LLPs. Continually updated for items regarding tax reform.

Most of our clients are pass-through entities for which many of the general business strategies are subject to additional limitations. To provide the tax planning strategies for closely held business clients that will bring more revenue, this course focuses on the special concerns and techniques the practitioner needs to thrive in this market.

Liquidations may be used as an alternative to the sale of a business or as an adjunct to the sale of business assets. The objective of this course is to fully explore the technical tax and business issues in liquidating C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies. This unique course is essential for anyone planning to sell a business.

Employment taxes are often overlooked as an area where more planning may be effective. Payroll taxes have become an increasing burden for the average business, and IRS penalties for noncompliance have risen dramatically in recent years. They have also been subject to employer incentives. The Service has announced that uncovering noncompliance by employers ranks high on its audit list. This course presents a comprehensive overview of federal payroll taxes, Form 1099, and related compliance issues.

Due to IRS issue focused examinations, CPAs need to understand what types of returns are selected for examination and ways to help clients survive an IRS audit with little or no change. As a result of issue focused examinations, CPAs must understand what are the high audit risk area issues and what the IRS is focusing on when a return is examined. In addition, because tax-related identity theft is a common issue for many taxpayers, it is critical for CPAs to understand the procedures necessary to resolve this matter for their clients.

The effective date for Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, is now here for all entities. Are you ready? Designed for accounting and auditing practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides a thorough review of the FASB's comprehensive new revenue recognition guidance found in Topic 606. The course will review all aspects of the FASB's new five-step revenue recognition model, including all updates which have been issued to the original ASU. Additionally, the course will review the presentation, and disclosure requirements of the standard. Plenty of examples are used to illustrate the practical application of the ins and outs of the new guidance (including journal entries) to help you better understand and apply the complexities of this completely revamped area of accounting. Revenue recognition changes due to this new guidance could impact wording in contracts, tax planning strategies, budgets, debt covenant compliance, incentive compensation plans, and more. In other words, this comprehensive change in revenue recognition is so much more than simply understanding the resulting debits and credits in the financial statements. As such, it is imperative that all accounting and auditing practitioners at all levels, in both public accounting and business and industry, begin their review and preparation for implementing Topic 606 NOW.

Practitioners who provide non-audit services must strike the right balance between complying with relevant professional and regulatory standards while mitigating litigation and other practice management risks. This course contains many best practices for managing the accounting, reporting, and performance issues associated with the attest services of compilations and reviews where reports are issued, as well as the SSARS preparation of financial statements nonattest service.

Change is definitely coming. For those entities currently following industry-specific accounting guidance for revenue recognition, Topic 606 will be replacing this with a single model. For those in the technology sector that utilize Statement of Position 97-2, Software Revenue Recognition (SOP 97-2), adopting Topic 606 will most likely result in significant changes to when you recognize revenue, particularly with regard to contracts with multiple performance obligations. With the requirement to have vendor-specific objective evidence (VSOE) to support the allocation of transaction price going away under Topic 606, technology companies will also see major change in how they allocate transaction price, which will impact when they record revenue on these transactions. With Topic 606's effective date right around the corner, now is the time to get the answers to your implementation questions. In this course, we'll explore Topic 606 from the perspective of entities that currently recognize revenue under SOP 97-2. We'll highlight the changes that Topic 606 makes to the guidance found in the SOP and focus on the impact that software entities should expect when implementing this new guidance. Implementing Topic 606 will be a challenge for software entities, and this course will help you identity and resolve these issues so that you can complete your adoption strategy.

Designed for accounting and attestation practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides an overview of recent accounting, compilation, preparation, review, and attestation matters including: recently issued Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs); the FASB's comprehensive new Revenue Recognition standard - Topic 606; Lease Accounting - Topic 842; Financial Instruments; SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification and other new standards issued by the ARSC; recent AICPA and PCAOB releases; and other important A&A practice matters you should be aware of.

Important activities occur during the engagement wrap-up phase of the engagement that support the auditor's opinion regarding whether the financial statements are materially misstated due to fraud or error. Insufficient audit documentation and engagement wrap-up can result in audit deficiencies that negatively impact audit effectiveness and efficiency. Appropriate quality control procedures can mitigate risk of noncompliance with relevant professional and regulatory standards.

Designed for accounting and auditing practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides an overview of the AICPA's new special purpose framework, Financial Reporting Framework for Small- and Medium-Sized Entities (FRF for SMEsT); a Compilation and Review Update, including a discussion of the recently issued SSARS No. 22 and 23; as well as recent activities of the Auditing Standards Board (ASB) and other AICPA Boards and affiliated organizations. You will learn about the latest standards, exposure drafts, and guidance focusing on issues applicable to accountants and auditors in public accounting and private industry.

Specifically designed for practitioners and their staff wanting an overview of compilation and review engagements, this course will introduce you to the objectives of compilation and review engagements, SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification, which is currently applicable and is the most significant change to the compilation and review standards since their inception over thirty years ago, and the basic components and characteristics of financial statement preparation, compilation, and review engagements. The course will also address the changes in professional standards for compilations and reviews due to the issuance of SSARS No. 22, Compilation of Pro Forma Financial Information, and SSARS No. 23, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services - 2016.This course will also provide you with a review of the ins and outs of accepting and planning compilation and review engagements.

When stories of fraud make the news, they can look so obvious after the fact. Regardless of whether the fraud was material, the media and the public frequently ask how the auditor and those within the entity could not have detected the fraud. Fraud can be very difficult to detect, particularly without the luxury of hindsight. In this course, we will look at over 20 frauds that recently occurred and with the luxury of hindsight study how they happened and perhaps how they could have been prevented or detected. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 15 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced knowledge of fraud occurring in not-for-profit entities and governments.

This year is indeed another year of significant change in the world of government and nonprofit accounting and auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort in staying current through this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in government and nonprofit accounting and auditing.

A clear and concise set of proper financial statement disclosures can make or break an entity's financial statements. Such disclosures are no longer simply additional information provided by a business; they can be complex in nature and difficult to both prepare and understand, even for small and medium-sized businesses. Oftentimes, financial statement users will first turn to the notes in the financial statements in order to get a feel for where the business and its numbers might be heading. This course will focus on key balance sheet and income statement disclosure as well as those relating to adoption of new accounting standards such as Topic 606, accounting policies, changes in accounting estimates and errors, subsequent events, going concern, and related party disclosures. The course will use illustrations, examples based on private company financial statements disclosures, and real-world excerpts from financial statements to provide you with a hands-on feel for the disclosure requirements across a number of accounting standards.

Excel provides a variety of tools you can use to create, format and enhance charts: contextual Ribbon tab buttons, menus and galleries, shortcut menus, keyboard shortcuts, task panes, and more. This course allows you to explore using these tools to create and format common chart types.

This course guides you through creating formulas using Financial, Date & Time, Math & Trig, Statistical, Lookup & Reference, Database, Text and Logical functions.

The purpose of this course is to provide a practical and in-depth analysis of the significant tax planning advantages and strategies related to owning a principal residence for use as a home office and/or vacation home for upper income taxpayers.

This course discusses the legal issues in probating and contesting a will, plus the practical issues involved when settling an estate - marshaling of assets, payment of creditors, and distribution and accounting to beneficiaries. Inventory of estate assets is also discussed.

With tax rates for individuals, estates and trusts changing, tax planning takes on more importance. New ideas for financial planning and retirement must be considered. The purpose of this course is to explore practical tax-planning ideas that practitioners can use to assist clients with their needs. This course is crucial for CPAs who are looking for good ideas that can save clients money! Continually updated for legislative developments.

Despite the fact that a client's matter may be taken directly to court, utilizing IRS Appeals usually results in saving your client both time and money. Join us as we discuss the misunderstood process through IRS Appeals.

In this course, we will address critical considerations that a mid-level practitioner needs to understand when moving into the complex area of advising clients and preparing returns related to the acquiring, holding, managing, constructing, and disposing of real estate. You will leave the course able to navigate many of the key issues associated with the relevant returns and plan strategically for your company or clients. We will also discuss the significant impact the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has had on the real estate industry.

As they gain more experience, staff are expected to take on more complex assignments with minimal supervision. The course is designed to assist experienced staff to take the next step by taking a deeper analysis into critical issues affecting the entire life-cycle of present S corporation clients. Discussions utilizing real life examples are designed to allow intermediately experienced participants to analyze and solve problems, such as they may face within their own offices.

The leading edge of the baby boomer generation has already reached retirement age. Financial and tax planners can expect increased demand for strategies that dovetail Social Security with other retirement- and estate-planning objectives. This course provides tax and financial planning professionals with both the background information on the Social Security system and the strategies clients will need in dealing with Social Security, and the myriad of all the other related retirement planning issues.

Most CPAs have been preparing individual income tax returns for years, and while many of the returns are easy, there are always a number of issues that come up in busy season of which experienced practitioners wish they had more knowledge. This course is designed to explore the tough tax issues for experienced practitioners and help them provide better planning strategies and results for their higher income clients.

Applying one set of auditing standards is tough. Applying three sets of auditing standards is really tough. However, this is precisely what the auditor does in applying GAAS, the Yellow Book, and the OMB requirements to a single audit. This is an essential course for auditors performing single audits as it will equip you with the hands-on skills needed to perform audits under the Uniform Guidance for Federal Awards. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 40 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the single audit requirements.

Understanding the proper accounting for and reporting of financial statement areas containing uncertainty can be challenging, especially ensuring adequate disclosure of risk to the financial statement users. This course will provide critical considerations when evaluating the proper treatment of accounting estimates, loss contingencies, and going concern in U.S. GAAP-basis financial statements.

The Yellow Book has been revised! This course will equip you with a comprehensive knowledge of the new Yellow Book requirements and increase your confidence and proficiency in performing Yellow Book audits. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format including over 20 focused exercises on key practice issues.

Since its effective date in 2006, the guidance for accounting for share-based payments, which is currently codified in ASC Topic 718, has continued to challenge entities who offer such compensation schemes. This is due to its combination of detailed implementation rules and required use of complex valuation models. Ten or so years on, entities continue to struggle in applying this guidance. In this course, we will attempt to de-mystify the accounting for share-based payments. We'll review the basic accounting model under Topic 718, including how to account for the income tax implications of recording compensation expense for all awards within the scope of Topic 718. We'll also explore the valuation models used to estimate the fair value of these awards, including a discussion of the key assumptions used in the most popular model, the Black-Scholes. Lastly, we'll explore the implications of recently issued FASB Updates that impact Topic 718, including the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the income tax accounting for such awards.

With the recent completion of its financial instruments project, the FASB has made some significant changes to how an entity accounts for many of its financial instruments. In ASUs dealing with the recognition and measurement of financial assets and liabilities (ASU No. 2016-01), impairment (ASU No. 2016-13), and hedging, this new guidance will challenge all entities, not just those in the financial services industry. This means you. In this course, we'll review the new guidance in each of these areas and how it varies from existing guidance on accounting for changes in the fair value of equity securities, timing and measurement of the impairment of financial instruments, and hedge accounting. Specifically, we'll review the details of the new Current Estimate of Credit Losses (CECL) model, which entities must follow when determining the credit losses on their financial instruments. Applying the CECL model will result in the earlier recognition of credit losses, as an entity will recognize such losses based on its current estimates, not its actual incurred losses. Next, we'll discuss what's changed in hedge accounting and how these changes may make hedging transactions more appealing to smaller entities. Lastly, we'll explore the changes in where entities record the changes in fair value for equity securities. As almost all entities will have some financial instruments that are within the scope of one or more of these new Updates, now is the time for you to get up to speed on this significant new guidance. With the implementation of this guidance right on the horizon, this is the course for you.

It's been said that you cannot fit a square peg into a round hole. The same principle holds true for audits of not-for-profit entities. You simply cannot apply a standard commercial audit approach to the audit of a not-for-profit entity and expect a good fit. Skilled auditors will instead adjust and hone the audit to fit the not-for-profit entity. This course is designed to help you do just that and equip you with the superior skills needed to excel in auditing not-for-profit entities. Updated for ASU No. 2016-14 (i.e., the new not-for-profit reporting model), the course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 25 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of auditing not-for-profit entities.

Be the go-to person on compilation and financial statement preparation engagements. Specifically designed for preparation and compilation practitioners and their staff, this course will provide you with a hands-on application for performing preparation and compilation engagements. You will learn the ins and outs of relevant sections of SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification, the most significant change to the SSARS since their inception over thirty years ago. This course will bring you up to date on SSARSs requirements and guidance as it relates to preparation and compilation engagements. More importantly, it will provide you with practical examples and illustrations to help you effectively and efficiently perform those engagements. Plus, the course will cover new guidance relevant to compilation and preparation engagements which was introduced by SSARS No. 22, Compilation of Pro Forma Financial Information, SSARS No. 23, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services - 2016 and SSARS No. 24, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services - 2018

Recently updated to include discussion of new FASB standards on revenue, leases, and measurement of financial instruments, this course is designed for small and medium-sized business practitioners and their staff, whether in public accounting or business and industry, and will provide you with a comprehensive review of recent FASB accounting and reporting matters most relevant to smaller companies including: Private Company Standard Setting activities; Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs) recently issued and the FASB's current technical agenda; Revenue Recognition; Lease Accounting; and new ASUs dealing with financial instruments. Plus, the course will discuss such hot topics as cyber-security and enterprise risk management. Examples and illustrations provide hands-on application to help you assess and implement the new standards and guidance applicable to your practice and clients.

From its humble beginnings way back in 1963 when the Accounting Principles Board "encouraged" the presentation of a funds statement, the Statement of Cash Flows has made its way to a required, critical, and often considered the most important financial statement in an entity's financial reporting package. This course will provide you with an overall review of the authoritative literature used for preparing a statement of cash flows, FASB Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 230, Statement of Cash Flows, as well as implementation guidance and real-world presentation examples from published financial statements. The course will also address recent Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs) related to the preparation of the statement of cash flows. Hands-on exercises will be used to help you apply the requirements and guidance which can be challenging especially in those situations when non-operating changes in assets and liabilities are involved. Disclosure requirements will also be reviewed and illustrated across a number of accounting standards.

Sometimes we can avoid addressing the elephant in the room for a while. However, when there are three elephants in the room, it's time to address the issues. Designed for practitioners and their staff, whether in public accounting or business and industry, this course provides a comprehensive review and update of the FASB's Big 3 accounting and reporting areas: Revenue Recognition, Leases, and Financial Instruments, including equity securities, hedging and impairment. We will focus on recently issued Accounting Standards Updates, covering these critical areas of your practice or organization. We will analyze the Big 3, which have a major effect on all industries, using examples and illustrations to provide a hands-on approach that will help you better assess and implement the new standards and guidance applicable to your clients or organization.

This four-hour course covers most of the specific ethical considerations that come into play as a practitioner in the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service. It also covers sanctions and limitations on both clients and practitioners arising out of the preparation of an income tax return.

This course guides you through creating and opening PowerPoint presentations; inserting, reorganizing, and deleting slides; applying a design theme and switching between different PowerPoint views. You learn how to insert various types of content on slides, such as bulleted lists, tables, charts, shapes, pictures, SmartArt graphics and sound clips; how run a slide show and how to preview and print audience handouts; how to add animation and transition effects to slides; how to create a custom design theme and a custom template, which you use to create a new presentation; how to integrate Excel workbook data and charts in a presentation using copy and paste; how to add footer text, a date and slide numbers to slides; how to run a full-screen slide show using slide show controls; and how to run a slide show in Presenter view. Note that this course emphasizes using traditional keyboard and mouse actions to perform tasks in PowerPoint and Excel 2016. Some relevant tips for working with PowerPoint 2016 with a Windows 10 touch-screen device are also provided.

This course guides you through opening, creating, formatting, previewing, printing, and saving text documents.

This course goes beyond the basics and addresses important practical issues that an experienced practitioner must know. Even if you have attended other S corporation courses, you will learn something new in this course.

Business clients seek practical solutions to their tax issues, and this course provides advisors with effective tax planning strategies for the closely held business. Include in your advisory attach‚ case ammunition which will assist businesses in dealing with employee-related issues, depreciation, related parties, buy-sell agreements, fringe benefits, and so on. Providing sound advice will be a money maker both for clients and your firm.

Join us for our annual expedition through the harbors and swamps on the tax landscape this season. We will uncover issues with wide applicability and importance this year and explore the practical implications, potential pitfalls, and planning opportunities.

Specifically tailored for practitioners who do not perform audits, but provide other attest and non-attest services to small and medium-sized businesses, this course is a comprehensive update covering recently issued accounting, compilation, and review standards, as well as other professional guidance impacting small and medium- sized business accountants. The course uses practical examples and illustrations to help you understand and apply the material in practice.

Designed for accounting, audit and attestation practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides an overview of the new and recent pronouncements and guidance issued by the AICPA Auditing Standards Board (ASB) and Accounting and Review Services Committee (ARSC), as well as other current attestation matters on the radar. This course will bring you up-to-date on the standard setters' activities and provide you with examples and illustrations to help you apply the guidance in practice. You'll learn about the latest standards, exposure drafts, and guidance focusing on issues applicable to accountants and attestation practitioners in public accounting and private industry. This course also includes a financial statement preparation, compilation and review update specifically covering the new SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification and other new SSARS issued during the past year and well as the recodified attestation standards issued under SSAE No. 18.

Understanding the forces affecting your A&A public practice is critical to success in today's complex and rapidly changing market. In this session we will tackle pressing issues at a "need to know" level and then discuss the practical implications. You will come away armed with the "big picture." Preparedness is half the battle, so do not miss this critical briefing.

For many businesses, preparing financial statements using a special purpose framework may provide an alternative to the complexity of U.S. GAAP. This course will provide you with an overview and hands-on application for preparing financial statements using a special purpose framework. You will learn the unique measurement and disclosure requirements of various Special Purpose Framework (SPF) options using example financial statements and illustrative disclosures. The course also includes common practice issues encountered when preparing SPF financial statements, as well as an introduction to the AICPA's new SPF for small and medium-sized entities, FRF for SMEsTM. We will also review recent updates to the standards for accounting and review services that impact engagements performed on SPF financial statements.

Accounting and financial reporting for construction contractors may be the most difficult area to be in compliance with the various standards. Also, construction engagements are, in many instances, more "dangerous" than most lines of businesses due to the many users of the financial statements. In this course, we will discuss why construction accounting and financial reporting are so complex, and discuss the relationship between the contractor and the surety, from both an underwriting and claims perspective. We will also explore what the surety looks for in order to maximize potential bond credit.

Our focus is to reduce the overall risk of fraud. To that end, this course focuses on what factors contribute to turning honest employees into schemers. Discussion will include integrity and ethics, as well as how people may react in certain situations. We also explore the darknet and cryptocurrency fraud.

ASU No. 2016-14, Presentation of Financial Statements of Not-for-Profit Entities, will usher in the most significant changes to not-for-profit financial reporting in over 20 years when it becomes effective for December 31, 2018, year-ends. To properly implement the new financial reporting model professionals will need to have a strong, working knowledge of the new requirements. Now is the time to obtain that knowledge! This course will explain the new requirements, illustrate how the requirements will manifest themselves in the financial statements, and explain key options that not-for-profits have in implementing the requirements. The course will also update on you on today's core not-for-profit accounting requirements while also examining other key issues on the horizon related to revenue recognition and leases. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format, including over 25 focused exercises to provide an enhanced working knowledge of not-for-profit accounting and reporting.

Designed for practitioners and their staff, whether in public accounting or business and industry, this course will provide you with an update of recently issued FASB Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs), including a comprehensive review of the new revenue recognition standard and guidance found in ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers.

In arriving at and providing an opinion on the financial statements, auditors follow approximately 1,000 pages of generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS)! It takes a great deal of effort and energy to keep up with the current requirements. Designed for everyone in the firm, this course will replenish your tank with a deep understanding of GAAS needed to fuel high-performance audits under today's standards. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of today's GAAS.

Forecasting and budgeting are two words that often draw an adverse reaction from many financial professionals; let us help you turn that frown upside down with our innovative approach to planning and budgeting. We'll move beyond the traditional techniques and show you easier ways to complete the process while cutting out the political pitfalls that end up causing a lack of accountability and can be demotivating to the staff. During the seminar we will cover such topics as the sales/ income plan, capital equipment planning, the "one-year operating plan" (formerly referred to as a budget), the "monthly operating plan," cash planning, risk planning, and much more! Join us for this seminar as we help you streamline your forecasting and budgeting processes, which turns into a win-win for the employees and the organization.

Many organizations spend huge amounts of money and effort at planning, forecasting, and budgeting and all too often the three disciplines are separated and not connected throughout the company. It appears that people who are doing the strategic planning aren't talking with the people who are doing the budgeting or forecasting. Also, there is a lack of uniform accountability throughout the organization. This course is designed to completely integrate the planning process and show how it can move from long-range thinking, through medium-term planning, through the annual budget, and to the monthly cash-flow forecast. This course will teach the participant how to avoid many political pitfalls that end up causing a lack of accountability and often cause the planning process to be demotivating to the staff. This isn't just a strategic planning course or a budgeting course. It is a course that looks at the entire planning process from beginning to end and shows how much smoother it can be when it is an integrated process. While it is a technical course discussing many of the technical tricks and tips for producing a good plan, it is also a management course in that it will discuss the political aspects of planning.

This course introduces you to the Excel 2016 software and then guides you through basic Excel features using step-by-step hands-on activities.

This course goes beyond the basics and addresses important practical issues that an experienced practitioner must know. Even if you have attended other S corporation courses, you will learn something new in this course.

This year practitioners need to keep abreast of tax changes affecting pass-through entities used by their business clients and employers, and this enlightening course delivers that information. You will learn invaluable strategies, techniques, innovative tax-planning concepts, income-generating ideas, and other planning opportunities available to S corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and LLPs. Continually updated for developments.

If only we could see ourselves as others see us. This course is designed to review some common pitfalls and real-world issues. Learn the traps taxpayers fall into -- before you make the mistake. The material includes a study of the law underlying the tax or practice issue, which will assist practitioners in satisfying their professional standards of practice and will help in preparing business returns. Avoid these missteps, plan for a better tax result, and benefit from a wealth of knowledge that can be applied to practice.

The estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax have returned, and the gift tax is again unified with the estate tax. Changes in the transfer tax under new law are mirrored in the compliance requirements. The purpose of this course is to learn how to prepare Forms 706 and 709 in these circumstances. This practical manual guides the CPA through the complex issues in completing these forms.

The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray; the same is true for taxpayers and practitioners. Every practitioner has been confronted with a client who had a different twist on a tax idea. This course focuses on the law in order to break down 50 situations in which practitioners need to be sharp. The study of the law underlying the tax areas will assist practitioners in satisfying their professional standards of practice and will help you in preparing Form 1040.

With the passage of the GOP tax bill by Congress in December 2017, the long road to tax reform has brought us the largest overhaul to the tax code since 1986. The widespread changes affect many aspects of individual and business taxes, beginning this year, and your clients will be coming to you with a myriad of concerns and planning questions. Don't get caught off guard. This program will get you up-to-speed on all of the critical aspects of the new law and prepare you to effectively advise both your individual and business clients.

While the estate and gift tax have been greatly relaxed, many clients will still require estate planning services in the current year. This course examines the fundamentals of estate planning including critical concepts in marital deduction planning, credit shelter trusts, selection and powers of trustees, and titling and funding issues. The comprehensive manual provides an in-depth analysis of will provisions, checklists, flow charts, and real-life examples.

The objective of this course is to train new staff accountants, data processing employees, para-professionals, and bookkeepers to prepare a complicated federal individual income tax return. Over the years, thousands of new staff have received practical, hands-on experience to become familiar with tax forms. This course covers the latest tax law changes, making it essential for your new staff.

Clients think that estate planning only applies to the very rich. In truth, there are many issues of critical concern for which the middle-income client needs to plan. This course is a must-attend for all CPAs who work with middle-income clients and are looking for ways to provide additional quality services. Updated for developments relative to estate tax changes.

This course goes beyond the basics and addresses important practical issues that an experienced practitioner must know about S corporations.

This course provides new staff accountants, data processing employees, para-professionals, and bookkeepers a study into some of the more complicated issues they may face in tax return preparation. Updated for impacts of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

This year is indeed another year of significant change in the world of nonprofit accounting and auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort in staying current through this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in nonprofit accounting and auditing.

Whether you are ready or not, the effective date of the new revenue recognition standard is right around the corner. The time to execute your implementation plan is now. Are you ready? In this course, in addition to reviewing the five-step revenue recognition model and the recent Updates that impact the standard, we will explore some industry specific topics that have been challenging for entities adopting the new standard. Topics covered include identifying performance obligations, licenses, customer loyalty programs, other "material right" options, plus other transition issues such as the impact on income taxes and financial systems. As you sprint toward implementation, this course will help make sure that the wind stays at your back.

Practitioners that provide non-audit services must strike the right balance between complying with relevant professional and regulatory standards, providing value- added client service, and mitigating litigation and other practice management risks. This course contains many case studies to reinforce best practices for managing the accounting, reporting, and performance issues associated with the attest services of compilations and reviews where reports are issued, as well as the SSARS preparation of financial statements service and other nonattest engagements.

Often considered relatively low-risk assets, accounting for long-term assets such as property, plant and equipment (PP&E), intangible assets and goodwill can pose significant accounting challenges in their initial measurement and subsequent valuation. Also, the new accounting guidance for revenue recognition and leases will create other classes of long-term assets which will result in additional accounting challenges. In this course, we'll discuss the basic accounting model for various types of long-term assets, such as PP&E, intangibles and right of use assets. Next, we'll discuss the complex accounting around asset impairment and other valuation issues and lastly discuss the impact of recent ASC Updates, such as ASU No. 2017-04 on goodwill impairment and ASU No. 2017-01 on business combinations. As there is often more than meets the eye when it comes to long-term assets, this course will refresh your knowledge on this surprisingly complex area of accounting.

The 2018 Yellow Book revision represents the first comprehensive overhaul of the Yellow Book standards since 2011! This course not only explains the new standards, it also prepares you to excel in implementing the new Yellow Book. Learn precisely what the new Yellow Book does and does not require auditors to do. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 15 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced knowledge of the new Yellow Book.

Since its inception nearly 25 years ago, many have continued to struggle with applying the current model for accounting for income taxes. But this doesn't have to be you. This course will provide you with the basic knowledge necessary to understand the complexities of this challenging topic. Through discussions and use of exercises, this course will analyze the authoritative literature to provide a thorough understanding of such topics as deferred taxes, income tax expense, uncertain tax positions and other classification and disclosure requirements. We'll also explore the changes on the horizon to accounting for income taxes.

Technological advances, cybersecurity threats, increased regulatory scrutiny, globalization, and other challenges have caused entities and auditors to struggle with proper consideration of the cost-benefit of internal controls, recognizing that a well-designed system does not have to prevent or detect all internal control deficiencies -- just ones that matter most to the entity's objectives related to financial reporting, compliance, operations and strategy. This course provides practical guidance on what a sound system of internal controls "looks like" and its impact on the reliability of financial statements, particularly for smaller entities. In addition, a broader discussion of enterprise-wide risk management will be discussed in accordance with COSO's Enterprise Risk Management - Integrated Framework.

Specifically designed for preparation, compilation, and review practitioners and their staff, this course will provide you with a comprehensive review and hands-on application for performing financial statement preparation, compilation, and review engagements. You will learn the ins and outs of SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification. The course will also cover the changes that have occurred with the issuance of SSARS Nos. 22 and 23 with regard to compilation of pro forma financial information engagements, engagements on prospective financial information, as well as in other areas relevant to SSARS No. 21 engagements. Lastly, the course will perform a detailed review of the key provisions of the recently issued SSARS No. 24, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services - 2018. Not only will this course bring you up to date on SSARS requirements and guidance, but more importantly, it will provide you with practical examples and illustrations to help you effectively and efficiently perform these types of engagements. This course is intended to be your go-to reference for training your staff and managing your SSARS Nos. 21-24 services in compliance with professional, ethical, and technical requirements.

This year is indeed another year of significant change in the world of governmental accounting and auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort in staying current through this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in governmental accounting and auditing.

When real property is sold for a gain, we always try to find ways to defer recognizing income so it won't be necessary to send a check to Uncle Sam. There are two provisions within the Internal Revenue Code that allow the taxpayer to defer recognition of immediate taxable gain in the year of sale: installment sales and like-kind exchanges. Knowing how and when to utilize these provisions makes the CPA very valuable to either their client or the entity they work for.

We now have the benefit of the completion of the first full tax season since the issuance of tax reform legislation. In this course, tax advisors will be fully updated on the most important aspects of tax reform as well as major trends on the horizon with a view toward planning after implementation of TCJA. As both formal and informal guidance is issued, you will be kept fully up-to-date.

This highly informative course will bring you up-to-speed on the latest in individual tax law developments and the corresponding or responsive planning opportunities available to your clients. You will come away from the course ready to educate your individual tax clients and implement tax-savings ideas that will serve their ever-evolving needs.

The most difficult concepts to master when dealing with flow-through business entities are the basis and distribution concepts. Major error and malpractice issues occur if the CPA does not fully understand the impact of these rules. This course is designed to focus on the practical applications of these rules.

The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray; the same is true for taxpayers. Every practitioner has been confronted with a client who had a different twist on a tax idea. This course focuses on the law in order to break down 25 situations in which a taxpayer has attempted to push one of these ideas. The study of the law underlying the tax mistakes made will assist practitioners in satisfying their professional standards of practice and will help you in preparing Form 1040.

This course is a "deep dive" into all things real estate tax related for the mid-level practitioner moving into this complex area. You will deepen your understanding of the complex considerations and strategies that individuals must navigate in acquiring, holding, managing, constructing, and disposing of real estate. You will leave the course able to navigate critical issues associated with the relevant returns and plan strategically for your company or clients. We will discuss in detail the impact the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has had on the real estate industry.

Designed for accounting and attestation practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides a comprehensive review of recent standard setting activities of the PCC, FASB, ASB, and ARSC. Not only will this course bring you up-to-date on the requirements, it also provides you with many hands-on examples and illustrations to help you apply the guidance in practice. You'll learn about the latest standards, exposure drafts, and guidance focusing on issues applicable to accountants and attestation practitioners in public accounting and private industry. This course also includes a discussion of common audit quality issues noted in peer reviews; updates practitioners on the latest developments impacting compilation, preparation, and review engagements; and discusses other matters of interest to all accountants.

Accounting and financial reporting for construction contractors may be the most difficult area to be in compliance with the various standards. Construction engagements are, in many instances, more "dangerous" than most lines of businesses due to the many users of the financial statements. In this course, we will discuss why construction accounting and financial reporting are so complex, and discuss the relationship between the contractor and the surety, both from an underwriting and claims perspective. We will also explore what the surety looks for in order to maximize potential bond credit, and we will discuss key areas of tax compliance concentrating on those areas which make construction unique, including the impact of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the construction industry.

When not-for-profit entities and governments fall prey to fraud and abuse, it breaks the hearts of donors and taxpayers. Fraud and abuse also causes donors and taxpayers to lose confidence in those not-for-profit entities and governments. In this course, we will focus on the common types of fraud and abuse that occur in not-for-profit entities and governments and also address the auditor's responsibilities related to fraud and abuse. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced knowledge of fraud and abuse in not-for-profit entities and governments.

This year is indeed another year of significant change in the world of government and nonprofit auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort in staying current through this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over a dozen focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in government and nonprofit auditing.

Recent auditing standards have emphasized the initial information gathered and important conclusions reached during risk assessment procedures to identify and evaluate risk of material misstatement in a financial statement audit. These important procedures provide the basis for determining how much effort will be invested in evaluating the design and implementation of internal controls. In addition, these procedures provide the rationale for effectively and efficiently designing the nature, timing and extent of further audit procedures (which includes tests of controls for operating effectiveness and substantive audit procedures).

Ethics is generally defined as a set of moral principles, either at the individual level or in the context of a culture or society as a whole. Ethics is also a philosophical framework used to analyze what are the right and the wrong courses of action given a particular situation or set of circumstances. The focus of this course is on ethics and ethical behavior, both in general and specifically relating to CPAs. The course uses practical "Case in Point" examples to provide a hands-on application of the material. The course reviews the general nature and basic theories of ethical behavior; why ethics are critical to individual CPAs and the accounting profession as a whole; several models for ethical decision-making; and the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, including recent changes to it. The primary objective of the course is to help educate CPAs in the ethics of the accounting profession.

In today's rapidly changing world, finance professionals are required to wear many hats and are often the keys to the organization's success. On one hand, they need to be abreast of the latest proven financial skills for making the best decisions, and on the other hand they need the best skills to motivate, manage, and lead people. Being pigeon-holed into one area or another is neither good for career building nor for the good of the organization. This course has been designed to give the CFO and controller the skills needed to lead their organizations into the rapidly changing decade. The course's author has been in the trenches, having held positions in finance and senior management, and understands the issues from both perspectives. Another unique aspect of this course is its constant evolution. We know change is occurring at an exponential rate, so certain chapters dealing with current domestic and global economic conditions are included along with current technical issues on the cloud and social media. The course is updated as necessary throughout the year to include the most recent developments.

The employer-employee relationship strains both sides in uncertain times, and businesses need CPAs, controllers, and other advisors to provide understanding of the complex legal and payroll tax issues associated with all aspects of employment, especially now. This course provides in-depth coverage of this critical area. Updated and supplemented throughout the year for breaking developments.

"Excel provides a variety of tools you can use to create, format, and enhance charts — contextual Ribbon tab buttons, menus and galleries, shortcut menus, keyboard shortcuts, task panes, and more. Microsoft® Excel® 365/Excel® 2019: Creating and Formatting Charts is a three-lesson intermediate level course that allows you to explore using these tools to create and format common chart types. 

Lesson 1 introduces charting basics using step-by-step, hands-on activities; Lessons 2 and 3 build on these basics by exploring additional charting tools, creating different chart types, and reinforcing previous learnings.

Experienced Excel users switching from earlier versions of Excel can benefit from this course’s review of commonly used charts plus useful features, such as the format task panes, Recommended Charts button, Quick Analysis feature, revised Chart Tools contextual Ribbon tabs, and the Chart Elements, Chart Styles, and Chart Filters buttons for quick chart formatting. 

Note that this course emphasizes using the traditional keyboard and mouse actions to perform tasks in Excel."

The use of trusts will continue to undergo changes in the current year. Clients need to be informed why planning is essential in these changing times. The purpose of this course is to explore the many beneficial issues of trusts, an essential element in estate planning. This course gives insights and practical pointers concerning trusts of every shape and size after tax reform. Updated for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

The "permanent" changes within the Tax Cut and Jobs Act may stand like a lion in the pathway of change, but Washington has a different definition of the word "permanent." Inflation adjustments and technical corrections are all included within this in-depth analysis of the complex maze of rules dealing with depreciation, amortization, and sale of property. This reference manual contains many examples and cases to illustrate the most important points CPAs need to be aware of.

Partnerships and LLCs involve unique problems that require careful attention. This course covers selected critical tax issues that practitioners need to know when working with partnerships and limited liability companies, with a focus on planning opportunities and pitfalls.

This course will take new and administrative staff from the most basic concepts to a full understanding of individual tax return preparation -- just in time for the crunch of busy season! Updated for impacts of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The course builds from a strong technical foundation, to prepare simple, to moderate, to complicated individual tax returns.

This course gives CPAs the knowledge to help their clients plan for retirement by evaluating how much retirement income they will require and planning for how to reach their retirement goals.

This highly informative course comprehensively covers all the latest tax law developments. The focus is on individual taxation and discussion of the planning opportunities practitioners need to understand to help clients respond effectively. You will come away from the course with the up-to-date knowledge to educate your individual tax clients and implement tax-saving ideas that will serve their ever-evolving needs.

Tax rates are always a critically important factor in choosing the form of business organization, and the individual and corporate rates are particularly important in 2018 and beyond. The rates demand a reconsideration of current businesses and a different analysis for new ventures. By comparing and contrasting the tax aspects of C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, and limited liability companies, this course focuses on distinctions that can make big differences. This in-depth course will cover planning opportunities and potential pitfalls in developing a business structure. This course is a must for all practitioners.

Each year brings its own set of tax planning challenges, and this year is no exception. This course aims to arm tax planners with planning strategies and ideas that wealthy clients, middle-income clients, and closely held business owners need to consider right now to take advantage of present opportunities and plan for future tax advantages. Learn strategies that can really have an impact on client lives, while also bringing value to you and your firm. The material is current with relevant provisions from The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act.

This course is a great foundation to introduce new preparers to tax rules related to business returns. The course provides new staff coverage of tax areas affecting all business entities, providing staff training which they may carry to other business entity returns. Such business tax topics include the sale of assets used in any trade or business (Form 4797), depreciation (Form 4562), deductible vs. non-deductible items, and the basics of uniform capitalization. The objective of this course is to train new staff accountants, data processing employees, para-professionals, and bookkeepers to prepare a complicated federal corporate income tax return. It is a hands-on, practical course in filling out most tax forms, with extra emphasis on form changes due to new tax law.

As they gain more experience, staff are expected to take on more complex assignments with minimal supervision. The course is designed to be a stepping stone for staff interested in pursuing more advanced partnership and LLC issues than mere preparation, via deeper life-cycle study into critical areas of formation, special allocations of income and deductions, basis calculations and implications of recourse and nonrecourse debt, basis step-up under 754 on transfer of an ownership interest, distributions, self-employment tax issues, and termination/liquidation of the LLC.

Section 199A is easily the least understood topic of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Your clients will look to you for explanations and best practices to maximize the 20% deduction. Pass-through entities and real estate investors stand to gain valuable tax cuts, and the average practitioner cannot afford to be uninformed on Section 199A. This program incorporates the experiences many tax practitioners had over the last tax season calculating and applying this deduction. This course will cover all relevant facets and nuances of the deduction, as well as implementation issues and lessons that will be useful in advising clients this year. This program will include all relevant IRS guidance.

Both businesses and individual clients face major changes in the tax landscape. Tax professionals face a considerable challenge: delivering effective planning advice and services to address recent developments while staying nimble to respond to further changes in the coming months. This course addresses contemplated and implemented changes including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It also encompasses the latest cases and rulings and new tax legislation as developed.

Employment taxes are often overlooked as an area where more planning may be effective. Payroll taxes have become an increasing burden for the average business and IRS penalties for noncompliance have risen dramatically in recent years. As a result, they have also been subject to employer incentives. The Service has announced that uncovering noncompliance by employers ranks high on its audit list. This course presents an overview of employee versus independent contractor criteria, the federal payroll taxes form, Form 1099, and related compliance issues.

With different tax rates for individuals and trusts, tax planning takes on more importance. New ideas for financial planning for retirement must be considered. The purpose of this course is to explore practical tax-planning ideas that practitioners can use to assist clients with their needs. This course is crucial for CPAs who are looking for good ideas that can save clients money! Continually updated for legislative developments.

This course will enable you to understand the technical tax issues and planning in various types of business acquisitions for C corporations and S corporations.