WICPA CPE & Special Event Catalog
The Many Faces of Fraud
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
What does fraud look like? It depends. What may appear to be an indicator of fraud in one client's operation could be normal in another, making it critical to understand your client & the transactions you expect to see. Look for what should be present but isn't-- and for what is present but shouldn't be. This course emphasizes the importance of professional skepticism, which has no on/off switch-- it must be applied continuously. As auditors, our role is to independently verify, yet too often we rely on client representations without sufficient validation, increasing the risk of missing fraud. Many auditors recognize, in hindsight, that they have encountered fraud indicators but failed to identify them at the time. This session will provide you with the tools to recognize those indicators & strengthen your ability to detect fraud-- so you are better prepared for what you may find.
The Controllership Series: Financial Statement Preparation
-
Online
2.60 Credits
Member Price: $99
One of the important roles of any member of the financial team. Including the controller, may be involvement in the preparation of the company's financial statements. Even if that responsibility falls within the office of the CFO, the controller & other finance personnel must understand how their transitions recorded impact the financial statements. Financial statements (or financial reports) are formal records of the financial activities & position of a business, person, or other entity. Relevant financial information is presented in a structured manner & in a form which is easy to understand. They typically include four basic financial statements accompanied by a management discussion & analysis: A balance sheet or statement of financial position reports on a company's assets, liabilities & owners' equity at a given point in time. An income statement may have varying names including profit & loss report (P&L report), statement of comprehensive income, or statement of revenue & expenses. These report on a company's income, expenses & profits over a stated period. A profit & loss statement provides information on the operation of the enterprise. These include sales & the various expenses incurred during the stated period. A statement of changes in equity or "statement of equity" also called "statement of retained earnings" reports on the changes in equity of the company over a stated period. A cash flow statement reports on a company's cash flow, particularly its operating, investing & financing activities over a stated period. A balance sheet represents a single point in time, where the income statement, the statement of changes in equity & the cash flow statement each represent activities over a stated period. For large corporations, these statements may be complex & may include an extensive set of footnotes to the financial statements, management discussion & analysis & supplementary information. The notes typically describe each item on the balance sheet, income statement & cash flow statement in further detail. Notes to financial statements are considered an integral part of the financial statements.
Disrupt to Dominate: Mastering Change Leadership
-
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
In an era defined by rapid change and uncertainty, effective leadership requires more than just managing teams; it demands the courage to disrupt and innovate. This course is your blueprint for transforming potential chaos into a strategic advantage and is designed for leaders at all levels-whether you're a seasoned CEO, an ambitious small business owner, or an individual contributor aspiring to influence greater change. You'll gain the insights and tools needed to not only adapt to change but to lead it effectively and confidently. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Individual Tax Update: OBBA & Recent Developments
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
A discussion of the latest tax developments impacting individual taxpayers, with a focus on important provisions, rules and concepts. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
The Risks of Artificial Intelligence: Part II
-
Online
1.80 Credits
Member Price: $79
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes deeply integrated into business operations & decision-making, organizations must recognize that effective oversight extends beyond technical safeguards.The governance, risk & control (GRC) responsibilities of AI also carry a cultural dimension requiring alignment with corporate ethical values ethical principles & accountability structures.Cultural governance emphasizes leadership commitment, employee engagement & cross-function ownership of AI practices to ensure trust & transparency. AI-related risks: ranging From bias & ethical concerns to regulatory compliance, reputational exposure & operational vulnerabilities necessitate robust control frameworks & proactive mitigation strategies. These include governance structures, policies, risk assessments, transparency measures & continuous monitoring. By embedding cultural governance & mitigation responsibilities into enterprise AI initiatives, organizations can responsibly harness innovation while safeguarding stakeholders, protecting reputation & ensuring sustainable long-term value. Note: This is Part 2 in a two-part series on the risks of AI
Build Better Budgets: Fundamental Techniques
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
This session provides insights for enhancing the preparation and utilization of budgets. Seasoned accountants will benefit from a refreshed awareness of popular techniques. Budding financial professionals will obtain novel insight regarding fundamental budgeting concepts. All participants will develop an appreciation for the holistic nature of budgeting as an integral tool for planning and control. 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 Excel Budgeting Ideas
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $99
Budget methods are the key to allowing department managers to efficiently prepare their budget in Excel. For example, a budget method may be to spread prior year actuals or match prior year actuals, or match prior year actuals less 10%. In this webinar, we will explore how to allow users to pick a budget method from a drop-down list for each account and then have Excel perform different calculations depending on the budget method selected. We use several features and functions at the same time to pull this off. Even if you are not involved in the budgeting process, the underlying features and functions discussed have a wide range of uses.
Overcome Your Obstacles to Abundance
-
Online
4.00 Credits
Member Price: $149
Getting rich requires many things. First, you need to know how to overcome previous limitations you may have had about making a lot of money. Second, you need to know & use the best financial strategies for becoming wealthy--including the latest investment & marketing strategies. And third, you need to be able to enjoy your lifestyle & look at what obstacles get in the way of you being rich & fully contented. By exploring the latest methods for achieving financial & personal success, you'll be able to make a lot more money & have a great time doing it.
ChatGPT & IRS Taxation Law Research
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
The course provides a concise overview of how to use ChatGPT to more effectively and efficiently research IRS taxation law. It delves into techniques for extracting precise information from complex tax legislation, interpreting IRS guidelines with AI assistance and utilizing ChatGPT's advanced language models for nuanced legal analysis. Participants will learn how to streamline their research process, identify relevant tax law precedents and apply AI insights to real-world tax scenarios, enhancing their professional proficiency in navigating the intricate world of IRS taxation. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
The Controllership Series: The Controllers Role in Procurement Function
-
Online
1.20 Credits
Member Price: $39
The procurement function is a critical area of organizations where spend is a top priority. The Controllership function is involved in spend management. It is logical that the Controller should take a role in working with the procurement function. The procurement function may report to various areas within an organization including the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Procurement Officer (CPO), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & the Chief Financial (CFO) or Accounting Officer (CAO). Regardless of the reporting line of the function, the accounting & controllership functions must have an integral understanding of all processes involved within procurement. This understanding assists the controller & accounting area in properly optimizing & controlling costs associated with the process.
Sarbanes Oxley: Sourcing Emerging Risks- 20 years later: Part I
-
Online
1.60 Credits
Member Price: $79
Emerging risks seem to be an issue for all business processes these days. It's been 20 years & counting since the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation was passed. In theory the legislative requirements outlined are still in place. Although the requirements haven't changed, time has changed & as a result, execution of the processes has most likely changed. However, it would be amiss to not recognize that the passage of time has changed our world. Think of various events such as economic change, technological evolution, the pandemic etc. These are just a few of the changes that may have impacted the manner in which we execute some of the processes outlined in the SOX legislation.
Partnership Essentials: Tax Basis Capital Accounts
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
This course examines the critical issues & special opportunities facing partnerships & their partners, with a focus on reporting tax basis capital accounts. 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
An Ethical Approach to Mental Health Issues at Work
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
In the past talking about mental issues in the workplace was taboo. Not anymore!!! So many of us suffer with mental health issues at some point in our lives. Poor mental health impacts, from a work perspective, productivity, absenteeism, retention and more. On a personal level it often causes personal distress and hopelessness. The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) is addressing mental illness as a critical factor for the wellbeing of organizations. Additionally, the EEOC is cracking down on mental health discrimination. It is a very important topic for any functional business! This ethics-based webinar will bring awareness to this issue and offer suggestions on managing mental health issues in ethical, compassionate and healthy ways. It will offer suggestions on managing mental health issues for leaders, managers and all staff to create and environment of safety and belonging. This webinar will also address the topic of suicide talking about warning signs and resources. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.Note: This course qualifies to count toward the WICPA membership Ethics CPE requirement.
Where to Hide Fraud Inventory: Expenses: Payroll
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
Imagine you have one hundred boxes that are all supposed to be full of manufactured inventory. How do you obtain reasonable assurance-- now defined as a high level of assurance-- that each box is full without opening every one? You begin by assessing risk. If the client has strong internal controls over manufacturing, packing & transport to the warehouse, there is reasonable assurance the boxes are properly filled. Next, evaluate warehouse security & controls over access, as well as procedures for removing inventory. Once satisfied that controls are both adequate & operating effectively, you can observe & count the boxes & selectively test a sample-- ensuring you do not only choose the most accessible ones, as fraud is often concealed within the middle of the inventory. Based on this risk assessment & targeted testing, you can conclude with reasonable assurance that the inventory is properly stated without inspecting every box. This same approach applies to expenses & payroll: evaluate internal controls, observe processes & perform independent test procedures. Weak internal controls in inventory, expenses & payroll create opportunities for fraud that may lead to material misstatements. In this session, we will explore how these vulnerabilities arise & how to recognize & address them through effective audit procedures.
Behavioral Finance Biases
-
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $55
If you have been a practitioner for any length of time, you know that there is often a difference between what clients should do and what they actually do. Have you ever wondered why that is? In this course, we will explore how we make decisions with less-than-perfect information. Through real-life examples and case studies, we will examine common behavioral biases and how to deal with them. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
SAS 145: Modern Risk-Based Auditing
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
This program provides in-depth coverage of SAS 145, a major standard that helps auditors enhance risk assessment procedures through improved techniques for identifying & assessing risks of material misstatement. This session is essential for CPAs that perform audits. The discussion will also be insightful for auditees & other professionals who want to maintain awareness of current auditing guidance.
Workforce Transformation & Talent Management in 2025
-
Online
1.00 Credits
Member Price: $55
The accounting profession faces unprecedented workforce challenges that demand a fundamental rethinking of traditional firm structures. This course examines why the century-old pyramid practice model is becoming obsolete and presents the inverted pentagon framework as a sustainable alternative. Based on comprehensive research showing that 52% of firms expect to shrink by 20% or more in the next five years, participants will learn how to restructure their firms to thrive with fewer entry-level staff while expanding specialized expertise. The course explores the "6 Ps of Business Model Transformation" - Precision Hiring, Proactive Retention, Practical Technology Implementation, Pricing Expertise, Practice Area Expansion/Focus and People Acceleration. Drawing from success stories in manufacturing, healthcare and technology industries, attendees will discover proven strategies for accelerating staff development, implementing effective knowledge transfer programs and building sustainable talent pipelines in an era of technological disruption and demographic shifts. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
The Controllership Series: The Controllers Role in Strategic Thinking & Advising: Part II
-
Online
1.20 Credits
Member Price: $39
The strategic controller helps leadership decide what should happen, not just explain what has already been done. The controller often acts as the enterprise translator between strategy, operations & financial outcomes. This can sometimes appear to be accuracy-focused & not necessarily decision useful insight. Controllers must move away From just variance explanation & include performance interpretation. To do this, the controller must understand business models & value drivers, be able to translate strategy into financial growth & align KPIs with strategic priorities. Part of this process includes understanding concepts of root-cause analysis vs. surface-level variance analysis. It also includes understanding correlation vs. causation in financial data. Within this segment we will review all of these concepts & controllers will come away with insightful ideas regarding how to elevate their roles.
Introduction to Governmental Budgeting
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
The introduction to governmental budgeting course is an overview of the typical timeline and process a government uses when creating their annual budget. Topics covered include the basics of governmental budgeting, establishing priorities for the budget, the common steps and timeline of the budget process, what, when and how we should be monitoring the budget throughout the year and how long-term budgets fit in with the annual budget process. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
IRS Penalties & Abatements
-
Online
2.00 Credits
Member Price: $89
Penalty abatement is a technique that tax practitioners can utilize to help their clients reduce penalties and interest they owe to the IRS if the taxpayer can prove "reasonable cause". This informative and insightful webinar will provide you with some insider tips, practical steps and effective strategies to help your client manage IRS tax penalties and interest. Learn about various types of penalties that you may face and the various forms and procedures used for requesting penalty and interest abatement, including First Time and Reasonable Cause abatement. Plus, learn about the procedure to follow when requesting refund of paid penalties. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
