WICPA CPE & Special Event Catalog
ACPEN Signature 2026: Governmental Accounting & Auditing Update
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Online
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $250
Stay up-to-date on rapidly changing developments by participating in the 2026 Governmental Accounting & Auditing Update! Take advantage of this opportunity to find out about breaking government issues. This is your opportunity to hear about the latest challenges facing state & local governments & practitioners who work with them & audit them, presented by leading experts on governmental accounting & auditing, both those who work in the trenches & those From the regulatory world. With all of the fiscal, regulatory & new standards challenges facing governments & their auditors, it is important to keep current on critical issues & developments. From a governmental accounting, auditing & compliance perspective, 2026 will be a critical year for addressing the complex federal & local funding & audit challenges as well as focusing on implementing new standards & requirements! Plus, it is imperative that you start planning for the significant changes coming in 2026 & beyond! Exciting new topics this year include focused discussions on addressing the new GASB pronouncement on subsequent events, implementation issues on pronouncements becoming effective on financial model improvements & capital asset disclosures, artificial intelligence & governments & current issues! For Single Audits, the ACPEN panel will cover topics that are relevant to single audits being performed NOW. Following current developments & using the most recent guidance is critical to conducting quality single audits. Hear the details on the latest single audit issues including implementation issues relating to the Uniform Guidance (April 2024 Revision); the most recent OMB Compliance Supplement; significant changes in the AICPA's Audit Guide, Government Accounting Standards & Single Audits; & the latest audit quality findings relating to single audits. It is critical that auditors understand how requirements have changed & be ready to effectively implement them in their single audit engagements. You'll receive an update on the most recent accounting & auditing developments affecting governments & government auditors. This includes Single Audit issues, AICPA & Yellow Book issues, new & recently effective GASB pronouncements, audit issues & a look at what's on the horizon. Join ACPEN's panel of experts as they discuss not only the technical requirements of new standards, but also the key implementation issues that must be addressed by auditors & their governmental clients! Benefit From their experience & insights From many perspectives, as well as their long experience in governmental accounting & auditing.
Leading Risk Management Practices in a Dynamic Risk Environment: Part I
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Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
This session explores how leaders can elevate risk management From a compliance-driven exercise to a strategic capability that enhances resilience & performance. Participants will examine how to establish clear risk governance & appetite, implement continuous risk sensing & prioritize risks based on impact, velocity & interconnectedness. The program emphasizes integrating risk considerations into strategic planning, capital allocation & operational decisions, rather than treating risk as a standalone process. Through practical frameworks & real-world examples, attendees will learn how to assign clear ownership for key risks, design effective response strategies & use meaningful key risk indicators (KRIs) alongside performance metrics. The session also highlights the importance of learning & adaptation-- using scenario analysis, stress testing & post-event reviews to continuously refine assumptions & adjust strategy in a rapidly changing risk landscape. By the end of the program, leaders will be equipped to guide their organizations with confidence through complexity, uncertainty & ongoing disruption.
Foundations of IT Audit for CPAs
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Online
3.00 Credits
Member Price: $109
This course introduces CPAs, financial auditors as well as technology auditors to the foundational concepts of IT auditing. Participants will learn how IT systems support financial reporting, how to assess risk in IT environments & how IT General Controls (ITGCs) & application controls impact audit procedures. The course also introduces IT audit planning & scoping to help auditors determine what systems & controls to evaluate.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit: A Leadership Perspective
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Online
1.20 Credits
Member Price: $39
In today's rapidly changing business environment, organizations need professionals who think beyond traditional roles & demonstrate initiative, innovation & strategic thinking. The entrepreneurial spirit is no longer limited to business founders-- it is a mindset that drives creativity, problem-solving & opportunity recognition within any organization. By understanding & embracing the entrepreneurial spirit, professionals can enhance their ability to lead initiatives, adapt to uncertainty & contribute meaningfully to the long-term success of their organizations.
Leading Risk Management Practices in a Dynamic Risk Environment: Part II
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Online
1.20 Credits
Member Price: $39
In Session One we evaluated: Examine Governance Organizational Framework (Strategy & Risk), Determine how to identify risks, Understand how to Assess Risk: Risk Assessment impact & likelihood, Steps towards performing a comprehensive Risk Assessment & Prioritization. This session goes deeper into the process of risk management & risk assessment. This session also includes a case scenario for evaluating risk management risks.
Common Deficiencies in Employee Benefit Plans
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Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
Discover critical insights From the latest Department of Labor studies on employee benefit plan audits & tackle the pressing issue of audit deficiencies head-on. This course dives deep into the most common errors undermining audit quality & explores the underlying causes of these issues. Through practical strategies, engaging case studies & regulatory guidance, participants will learn how to close gaps in compliance, enhance audit execution & protect plan participants & beneficiaries. Whether you're an experienced auditor or new to benefit plan audits, this course will equip you with the tools needed to elevate audit quality & ensure regulatory compliance.
AI In Audit & Financial Reporting
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Online
1.60 Credits
Member Price: $39
Auditors & financial professionals must understand how to integrate AI responsibly while maintaining professional skepticism, audit quality & compliance with regulatory expectations. However, the use of AI also introduces new governance, ethical & regulatory considerations that organizations must carefully manage. This course explores how AI is currently being used in audit & financial reporting, the benefits & risks associated with its adoption & how organizations can establish appropriate governance, controls & oversight.
Ethics for CPAs: The Practical & the Possible
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Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
Award winning discussion leader, former AICPA Council Member & former state accountancy board member Mark Hugh will review the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct & its interpretations; discuss new developments in regulation at the national & state level; & discuss examples of best practices, case studies & disciplinary actions.Note: This course qualifies to count toward the WICPA membership Ethics CPE requirement.
Accounting for Leases
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Online
2.60 Credits
Member Price: $99
In February 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases, which provides new guidelines that change the accounting for leasing arrangements. To be able to properly account for leases, financial professionals must understand ASU 2016-02 (also referred to as Topic 842). This guidance covers information on how leases should be accounted for. The previous leasing standard (ASC 840) had been in existence for almost 40 years. Under ASC Topic 842, lessors continue to classify leases as operating, direct financing, or sales-type. While lessees now classify leases as operating or financing leases. Previous guidance only required capital leases to be reflected on the BS. The new guidance requires all leases to be reflected on the BS. This is a major change for organizations & will cause their balance sheets to swell as leases must now be disclosed on the balance sheet. The standards original effective dates were prior to 2019. In April 2020, due to COVID-19, FASB voted to defer the effective date for ASC 842 for private companies & certain not-for-profit's for one year. For private companies & private not-for-profits, the leasing standard will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021 & interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. For public companies the leasing standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The course covers elements of lease classification for both lessees & lessors. Also, numerous examples are incorporated as reference.
White-Collar Crime: What Every CPA Should Know
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Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
According to the FBI, "white-collar crime is ... synonymous with the full range of frauds committed by business & government professionals ... characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust .... The motivation behind these crimes is financial-- to obtain or avoid losing money, property, or services or to secure a personal or business advantage." CPAs can & should play a crucial role in preventing & detecting white-collar crime, as well as in prosecuting the perpetrators. This session will explore whether we are up to this challenge, heighten awareness regarding the CPA's role as a front-line defender of the public interest & assess whether we are deserving of the public trust we enjoy.
Big Picture Mega-Trends, Big Data & World We Now Face
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Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
It is easy for us to get caught up in our work, but it is better to examine the 'big picture' by studying the outside factors that impact our business beyond our internal processes & day to day responsibilities. We are sometimes so busy with our tasks that we miss new developments until the developments have a profound impact on us & the organization. This session is designed to review many of these current trends, while thinking & discussing how these trends can impact our organizations & us. This is a fun & lively session that is intended to be interactive with participants either live, virtual or both. Our ever-changing world is evolving more than many realize.
The Future of Audit: Technology, Talent & Transformation
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Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $55
The audit profession stands at a critical inflection point, facing unprecedented challenges from technological disruption, evolving regulatory landscapes and workforce transformation. This comprehensive course, based on the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs' groundbreaking research report "The Future of the Audit: Building Relevance and Sustaining Quality," provides auditors with essential insights and actionable strategies to navigate these seismic shifts. Through expert perspectives from industry leaders including PCAOB board members, Big Four executives and audit committee chairs, participants will explore how artificial intelligence, blockchain and data analytics are fundamentally reshaping audit practices while creating new opportunities for value creation and risk assessment. Beyond technology adoption, this course addresses the pressing talent crisis facing the profession and offers practical solutions for building a future-ready workforce. Participants will learn how to leverage emerging technologies to enhance audit quality, understand the implications of regulatory modernization including the concept of "regulatory sandboxes," and develop strategies for attracting and retaining top talent in an increasingly competitive market. Whether you're a partner in a small firm, a manager in a large organization, or an audit professional seeking to future-proof your career, this course provides the roadmap for maintaining relevance, ensuring quality and thriving in the evolving audit landscape. You'll leave with concrete action steps for immediate implementation and a clear vision for transforming your audit practice to meet the demands of tomorrow's financial ecosystem. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Benefits & Best Practices for Telework
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Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, telework in state & local government was not often embraced as a form of employment. As the pandemic continues, governments are beginning to experience the benefits of remote work & are reevaluating hiring practices to offer more telework & hybrid work options, not simply as a result of an emergency. This course will review various telework options & best practices for success.
Financial Accounting for Related Party Transactions
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Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
Loans, rental agreements, business combinations: what do these all have in common? They all have the potential of creating a related party transaction. This program presents a detailed analysis of the financial accounting rules for transactions with related parties, as well as compares & contrasts those rules with the AICPA financial reporting framework for small & medium-sized entities. This course does not qualify for IRS credit.
Smarter Tax Services with Artificial Intelligence Tools
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Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
There has never been a greater opportunity to leverage technology tools to automate your tax services. This course will provide specific examples of how you can use AI (artificial intelligence) based tools to complement your tax planning, research and compliance services. You will learn how to leverage AI to automate the collection and organization of client data, the engagement management process, tax research and enhance client advisory services with AI too This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Surgent's Emotional Intelligence
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Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $159
Recent research shows that emotional intelligence is twice as important as IQ in the development of business leaders. But what's the difference between emotional intelligence (EI) and manipulation? This course is designed to help you understand how EI is linked to leadership success. You'll learn how to assess your own emotional intelligence and how to identify the negative consequences of unmanaged emotions. You'll learn techniques that will improve your self-awareness, self-control and self-motivation and you'll create a plan that increases your EI so that you can achieve optimal results in your relationships with others.
Guide to Preparing Form 1041 for Estates & Trusts
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Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
This program examines the critical issues, rules & special opportunities when preparing your clients' Form 1041 US Income Tax Return for Estates & Trusts. Learn what is considered taxable income; filing requirements & deadlines; impact of the 3.8 percent Medicare surtax on net investment income; & the 10 principles of tax accounting for trust income. Please Note: If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Course Materials Tab & submit to terri.storer@acpen.com
Forensic Accounting: Finding Hidden Treasure in Tax Returns
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Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
Almost every business and individual has to file tax returns, which can be a great treasure trove of information for forensic accountants. Whether in a divorce, partnership dispute, recreating books and records, or bankruptcy proceeding, analyzing tax return information should be an initial step in uncovering income and assets. The IRS retains a large amount of information, both from taxpayers and 3rd parties who report financial transactions. This course will be your guide in gathering, analyzing and evaluating tax return information, so that you have a full picture of the financial investigation. Your presenter is a 20 year veteran with IRS-Criminal Investigation, who used this information as a basis for his federal criminal investigations. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction (199A): The Ins & Outs
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Online
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $300
The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA) was a major overhaul of our tax system that lowered the income tax rates for individual & corporate taxpayers & introduced the new 20% qualified business income (QBI) deduction for sole proprietors & pass-through entities. The cornerstone of this course is the comprehensive discussion of the 20% QBI deduction final regulations under IRC 199A. Please Note: If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Course Materials Tab & submit to terri.storer@acpen.com
Financial Statement Presentation, Disclosure & Analysis
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Online
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $239
This comprehensive session is a must-attend event for accountants who prepare financial statements and want to explore best practices for discerning the stories told by financial statements. We discuss salient requirements for presenting financial information while considering the critical role of disclosure for lending relevance to financial statements. We also explore techniques that will allow participants to perform meaningful financial statement analysis and effectively communicate conclusions to decision-makers and other stakeholders. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
