As financial and tax professionals well know, information overload is a constant struggle we face because things change quickly, and the sheer number of changes being made on a daily basis is enormous. Of great importance to small and medium tax and advisory firms is differentiating between changes that are relevant to our practice and...
Professional standards are changing with the times and the desire of the AICPA to move the profession into a new era where use of technology will play a key role in an audit and professional skepticism, independence, and quality are emphasized. We are seeing changes already as the AICPA has issued 15 new standards since...
With different tax rates for individuals and trusts, tax planning takes on more importance. New legislation increases the importance of generating new ideas for financial planning and saving for retirement. 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...
As a byproduct of the audit, the auditor has a responsibility to communicate certain information to management and those charged with governance, primarily related to risk and internal control deficiencies. In some cases the auditor may be required to report outside the entity, for example, when fraud is identified. Some of these communications to management...
In today's data-driven world, spreadsheets serve as the backbone of business and personal productivity. However, creating complex and error-prone spreadsheets can lead to critical mistakes and inefficiencies. This course aims to equip you with the knowledge and tools to build robust spreadsheets, implementing a range of controls and safeguards to ensure data integrity, streamline processes,...
This course is a great foundation to introduce new preparers to tax rules related to business returns. The course covers tax areas affecting all business entities, providing a solid basis for staff to handle business entity returns. Such business tax topics include the sale of assets used in a trade or business (Form 4797), depreciation...
Many clients are asking their advisors about Trump Accounts, one of the most anticipated yet misunderstood provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). This program will provide practitioners with the background to be able to advise their clients regarding how Trump Accounts operate. The course will also discuss the comparison between Trump Accounts...
This course provides an overview of critical challenges companies encounter under ASC 606, emphasizing several key areas that can be particularly challenging for effective revenue recognition. This includes distinguishing between recognizing revenue over time versus at a point in time as well as principal versus agent considerations.
With so much of significance going on currently in the world of A&A today, you need to be able to make sense of the key drivers of our profession. In this course, we will review the key aspects of the events that are impacting practitioners and financial statement preparers alike.Specifically, because technology is rapidly transforming...
Understanding the nuances of workplace protocol facilitates effective interactions within the office as well as at external business functions. In this class you will learn how to cultivate your executive presence as well as how to conduct yourself in a variety of business settings. The work environment extends beyond the walls of the office into...
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.
Participants must use their expertise to assist a new client who just received Letter 6173 from the IRS. The client didn't share any crypto-related transactions or events with the tax accountant who filed the original return. It's up to the participants to meet with the client and uncover details of the activities so an accurate,...
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.
ASC 326 significantly changes the accounting for credit losses. Given its pervasive scope, virtually every company will need to at least assess the impact of the new ASC 326 guidance and potentially record a material adjustment to implement the new accounting guidance.In this module, we will review the scope of ASC 326, the key provisions...
Don't just wing it when you can soar! To catch the eye of resource providers and fulfill the needs of leadership, it is essential that not-for-profits prepare financial statements which excel. This course will empower you with the knowledge of not-for-profit accounting and reporting to surpass the expectations of financial statement users. Over 15 focused...
Mergers, acquisitions, and partnering have long been strategic vehicles to grow or change an existing organization. Corporate America has extensive experience in merging with or acquiring firms. However, its track record of being able to unify an acquired firm with the acquirer and provide a single organization with increased growth potential has been somewhat shaky....
The life cycle of the small business can be summed up in three segments: 1) starting the business; 2) operating the business; and 3) getting out of the business. This course focuses on getting out of the business. The most elusive element of owning a small business can be finding the proper exit strategy. This...
Most staff accountants learned Excel in college and many others learned Excel on their own; however, most users never learned the important productivity tips that could help them build spreadsheets more efficiently. This course will teach new and experienced users how to leverage the many productivity tools built within Excel in order to build spreadsheets...
The objective of this course is to train new, rusty, or returning-to-practice staff with a hands-on, pencil-pushing gold standard for preparing Form 1065. Common to advanced issues of partnerships are explored in the current course that can double as a quick and practical reference guide for tax treatment and tax preparation guidelines. Within each chapter,...
This "jeopardy"-style, interactive game introduces tax advisors to the fundamentals of exit planning strategies. After exploring some essential concepts, key principles, and sophisticated techniques regarding the sale of a business, the "contestant" will put their skills to the test in navigating everyday questions that must be addressed by a tax advisor.
The purpose of this course is to provide an in-depth discussion of selected advanced-level issues affecting LLCs and LLPs.
Planning may be one of the most important assignments of the finance professional; however, it is often accomplished in a way that can harm the organization. In many cases, huge sums are spent only to have a planning document developed that does not serve to bring the company together, but rather causes internal division. In...
As financial and tax professionals well know, information overload is a constant struggle we face because things change quickly, and the sheer number of changes being made on a daily basis is enormous. Of great importance to small and medium tax and advisory firms is differentiating between changes that are relevant to our practice and...
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...
All would agree that successful communications are key to any successful venture, including audits. However, given the tight deadlines, complex issue resolution and the often remote working environment of the audit teams and clients, there are many barriers to achieving effective communications on audit engagements.In this module, we'll review common barriers to effective communication, models...
To many clients, CPA firms all look the same. While services and specialties may vary significantlyfrom one firm to another, it is hard for the average person to see this by simply looking at the signoutside our office door. Is there any way to make us stand out more to the outside world? Throughsurveys, statistics,...
This is an advanced-level course designed for professionals looking to integrate and optimize their use of Microsoft Power Pivot and Power BI. Building on the foundational knowledge from previous courses, this session focuses on the crucial next steps after creating data models and measures, guiding participants on how to fully utilize the potential of these...
Although the Inflation Reduction Act increased the IRS budget, Congress continues to battle about whether this funding will be continued. The IRS began replenishing its workforce with the additional funding only to have to terminate workers or lay them off due to mandated federal workforce reductions. The IRS trains its audit workforce by examining the...
In today's rapidly changing world, finance professionals are required to wear many hats and are often the keys to an organization's success. On one hand, they need to be abreast of the latest proven financial skills to make the best decisions; on the other hand, they need strong skills to motivate, manage, and lead people....
The objective of this course is to train new staff accountants, data processing employees, paraprofessionals, and bookkeepers to prepare a moderately complex federal individual income tax return (Form 1040). 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,...
As financial and tax professionals well know, information overload is a constant struggle we face because things change quickly, and the sheer number of changes being made on a daily basis is enormous. Of great importance to small and medium tax and advisory firms is differentiating between changes that are relevant to our practice and...
This program covers three topics: the Department of Labor's changes in overtime rules, the Federal Trade Commission's ban on most non-compete agreements, and the Department of Labor's new rules relating to differentiating between employees and independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Understanding these new changes will allow accounting and finance professionals to...
Liam, a public relations executive, needs expert advice regarding equity compensation options he has received. Liam researched key topics but needs the participant's help to validate his findings. Then, participants will review various equity compensation scenarios and advise on the most appropriate tax planning strategies available (e.g., S83(b) election, etc.).
Most review techniques developed by professionals are self-taught and fine-tuned via experience. Yet how does one start? The purpose of this course is to give both new and seasoned reviewers additional and advanced procedures via a multitude of checklists to thoroughly review various tax returns. Its emphasis is not planning; rather, it is to develop...
As experienced staff members master the preparation intricacies of an 1120-S tax return, they are expected to understand and apply the underlying concepts, principles and laws governing S corporation status. This course is designed to illustrate in both theory and practice overarching principles that govern S corporations from formation to revocation, termination and liquidation. Experienced,...
Calculating partnership basis is one of the most important things that we do as practitioners. However, it is also one of the most confusing. When we use the term "basis," we really could be referring to one of three different things. This course will explore the differences between inside basis, outside basis, and 704(b) basis....
A data-driven culture can only occur when there is collaboration, communication, and cooperation between everyone in your organization.Collaboration can only occur in the Power BI ecosystem when your organization works in the cloud with Power BI.com, also known as the Power BI Service, a software as a service available on the Power Platform.This one-hour course...
As a byproduct of the audit, the auditor has a responsibility to communicate certain information to management and those charged with governance, primarily related to risk and internal control deficiencies. In some cases the auditor may be required to report outside the entity, for example, when fraud is identified. Some of these communications to management...
As financial and tax professionals well know, information overload is a constant struggle we face because things change quickly, and the sheer number of changes being made on a daily basis is enormous. Of great importance to small and medium tax and advisory firms is differentiating between changes that are relevant to our practice and...
Part of the technical competence of most experienced tax practitioners is the ability to advise owners of S corporations and partnerships or multiple-member LLCs treated as partnerships regarding the tax rules that apply when these entities liquidate. Entity liquidations do not occur every day; but they do occur, and often at very critical times in...
One of the major transactions CPA clients are faced with is the purchase or disposition of a business. To help tax professionals advise those clients, this course offers a comprehensive analysis of the business and tax aspects of buying and selling a business. It is a practical guide to help practitioners and industry CPAs understand...
This course provides a thorough examination of qualified tuition programs (Section 529 plans), focusing on their tax treatment, planning applications, and recent legislative changes. Participants will learn how 529 plans operate, what qualifies as education expenses, and how contributions, distributions, and beneficiary changes are treated under federal law. The course explores practical planning strategies, including...
The focus of this course is reducing the overall risk of fraud. To that end, instruction will cover the factors that play a role in turning honest employees into fraudsters. Discussion will touch on integrity and ethics, as well as how the reactions of people in certain situations may impact the prevalence of fraud. The...
The risk assessment process requires the auditor to understand internal controls over financial reporting and report deficiencies to management and those charged with governance as defined by professional standards. Auditors may be also required or decide to test internal controls for effectiveness. This module builds on the previous module on internal control extending the participant's...
Many partnerships and S corporations are now required to complete the voluminous Schedules K-2 and K-3 to report foreign-related tax information. Updated for the 2025 tax year, this course is an essential guide for tax preparers on how to identify which entities need to complete these schedules and how to identify which parts are applicable...
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.
Whistle-blowers play an important role in fraud detection and prevention. This course will review historical financial whistle-blowers and they role they play in organizations, as well as explore whistle-blower myths. It includes a conversation with a whistle-blower and a former FBI agent. This is the last of five 2-hour courses in Surgent's Fraud Certificate Program....
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,...
The past few years have taught us that major risks can come at us from any direction and with barely a warning. All organizations operate in a risk environment; however, generally only the large for-profit organizations pay a lot of attention to risk management. Or, other organizations equate risk management to insurance and completely miss...
This course explores the workflow of making connections to various data sources using the Excel version of Power Query. Power Query is an "ETL" tool that extracts, transforms, and loads data. This tool has a user-friendly interface that enables the Excel user to connect to data sets they previously did not have access to. It...
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