Event Registration - North Dakota CPA Society
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Surgent's Unlimited Plus Package
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2025
Location: PLSS-9999-01-SSDL
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2025
Get the best value CPE package on the market. For one low price, enjoy 12 months of access to every Surgent CPE course in every online format--plus unlimited CPE credits! This is the only package that includes premium courses, such as our late-breaking tax updates and specialized courses. Order now and you'll receive access instructions via email, so you'll be able to start
Package includes 12 months of access to:
- Over 8000 credits
- 1,200+ live webinars
- 190+ self-study PDF courses
- 100+ on-demand webcasts
- Surgent's exclusive premium courses
Pricing: As a member, you pay just $675.00 – 25% off Surgent’s retail price!
Why Choose the Unlimited Plus Package?
Get the best value CPE package on the market. For one low price, enjoy 12 months of access to every Surgent CPE course in every online format--plus unlimited CPE credits! This is the only package that includes premium courses, such as our late-breaking updates, specialized courses, and our Weekly Expert Hour.
Order now and you'll receive access instructions via email from info@surgent.com. You'll be able to start registering for live webinars and accessing self-study courses right away. Earn as much CPE and explore as many topics as you'd like for one full year from the date of purchase.
What Is Included in the Package?
Show all - https://www.surgentcpe.com/search-all-cpe-courses?Readyforsale=Yes&Includedinunlp=
Webinar - https://www.surgentcpe.com/cpe-courses/webinars#/?Readyforsale=Yes&Includedinunlp=
Self-Study – https://www.surgentcpe.com/cpe-courses/self-study?Readyforsale=Yes&Includedinunlp=Location: PLSS-9999-01-SSDL
Surgent's Unlimited Self-Study Package
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2025
Location: LIBS-9999-01-SSDL Unlimited Library packages (LIBS)
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2025
Surgent's Unlimited Self-Study Package
Surgent's Unlimited Self-Study Package includes every PDF download course in Surgent’s catalog – over 250 courses, each from 2-16 credits.
As a member, you pay just $389.00 29% off Surgent’s retail price!
Get 12 months of access to the most practical guidance and analysis in the industry in the form of downloadable pdfs. With over 250 courses, including ethics, accompanied by reference materials, you can learn anytime, anywhere at a pace that works for you.
And when you’re ready, take the test with instant results and immediate certificate delivery. Order today and immediately start downloading the course material you need for the next 12 months.
Package includes annual access to:
- 1,200+ credits
- 250+ downloadable courses
- Reference material downloads
- Instant test results
- Immediate certificate delivery
What’s included? Click here to view the current course list:
https://www.surgentcpe.com/cpe-courses/self-study?Readyforsale=Yes&Includedinlibr=True&sref=
Location: LIBS-9999-01-SSDL Unlimited Library packages (LIBS)
Surgent's Unlimited Webinar Package
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2025
Location: UNWS-9999-01-WEBNR
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2025
Surgent's Unlimited Webinar Package get unlimited access to our webinar catalog.
With 40+ webinars offered every week, including weekends, airing at a variety of convenient times throughout the day and evening, you’ll never have to worry about our webinars fitting in your schedule. And with the most modern webinar platform in the industry and interactive courses with renowned expert discussion leaders you’ll get the guidance and analysis you need with an unmatched customer experience.
As a member, you pay just $525.00– 30% off Surgent’s retail price!
Why Choose the Unlimited Webinar Package?
- Get unlimited access to over 1200 webinars
- Enjoy 12 months of access, available one year from the date of purchase
- Includes 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 8-hour options in all the topics CPAs need. Up to 5,000 credits!
- Choose from daily options at many convenient times, including evenings, lunch hours, and Saturdays
- You'll earn live CPE credit without exams (certificates delivery within 24hours)
- All Surgent webinars feature high-quality audio and video, plus an easy-to-use attendance verification system (you'll just need to click the screen when prompted to verify that you're watching)
Technical support and interactive Q&A are available throughout all webinars.
Order a package now and you'll instructions via email from info@surgent.com. You'll be able to start registering for live webinars courses right away.
What’s included? Click here to view the current course list:
https://www.surgentcpe.com/cpe-courses/webinars#/?Readyforsale=Yes&Includedinunlm=True&sref=
* Note: this package does not include premium webinars
Location: UNWS-9999-01-WEBNR
Live Webinar K2’s Technology Update
10/30/2024
Which technology trends will impact you and your business? What emerging technologies will potentially help you to address security and efficiency? How will the emergence of Windows 11 affect you? Should you consider subscription-based software? What does the future of communication technology have in store for you? Get answers to these and other questions by participating in K2’s Technology Update, a four-hour review of technology trends and developments affecting virtually all business professionals.
In this session, you will learn about significant issues such as:
• Hardware trends,
• Software innovations,
• Communication and collaboration tools,
• Security issues and solutions,
• Key products to consider for implementation, and
• Unusual and emerging technologies you may have missed.
If you’re taking just one technology-focused training session this year, this should be it!
Major Topics:
• Developments in hardware and software
• Options for communicating and collaborating more effectively
• Addressing cybersecurity issues
Learning Objectives:
• Identify major hardware trends and software developments
• List examples of technologies that can improve communications and data transfers
• Differentiate between various communication tools and platforms
• List key security issues and identify appropriate responses
Who Should Attend: Business professionals and advisors seeking to learn more about technologies impacting accounting and financial professionals
Program Level: Basic
Field of Study: Information Technology (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: General understanding of technology in business settings
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
10/30/2024
Which technology trends will impact you and your business? What emerging technologies will potentially help you to address security and efficiency? How will the emergence of Windows 11 affect you? Should you consider subscription-based software? What does the future of communication technology have in store for you? Get answers to these and other questions by participating in K2’s Technology Update, a four-hour review of technology trends and developments affecting virtually all business professionals.
In this session, you will learn about significant issues such as:
• Hardware trends,
• Software innovations,
• Communication and collaboration tools,
• Security issues and solutions,
• Key products to consider for implementation, and
• Unusual and emerging technologies you may have missed.
If you’re taking just one technology-focused training session this year, this should be it!
Major Topics:
• Developments in hardware and software
• Options for communicating and collaborating more effectively
• Addressing cybersecurity issues
Learning Objectives:
• Identify major hardware trends and software developments
• List examples of technologies that can improve communications and data transfers
• Differentiate between various communication tools and platforms
• List key security issues and identify appropriate responses
Who Should Attend: Business professionals and advisors seeking to learn more about technologies impacting accounting and financial professionals
Program Level: Basic
Field of Study: Information Technology (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: General understanding of technology in business settings
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Small Business Accounting Shootout
10/30/2024
The market for accounting solutions designed for small businesses has never been better! From traditional desktop applications to newer Cloud-based solutions, small businesses have affordable options available today that were unthinkable for many just a few years ago. In this seminar, you will learn about these options and receive the benefit of an unbiased comparison of many of today’s leading solutions, helping you make an informed decision about the future direction of your accounting platform.
You will learn about solutions from Intuit, Sage, Xero, Wave, and Zoho to help you decide whether to remain with your current platform or switch to a different one. Additionally, you will learn about various third-party add-ins to help you make informed decisions about issues such as automated data entry, sales tax processing, reporting, and business intelligence. In sum, if you are the least bit curious about the accounting options available for smaller businesses, this is the most critical session you will participate in this year.
Major Topics:
• Understanding the small business accounting landscape
• Learn how solutions from leading providers can potentially solve your small business accounting and reporting issues
• Create investment estimates for acquiring and implementing a new small business accounting solution
Learning Objectives:
• Create a list of needed features and functions for a small business accounting application
• Identify solutions that represent a potential “good fit” for an organization
• Estimate the investment required to implement a specific solution
• List examples of third-party add-ins to provide necessary additional functionality
Who Should Attend: Business professionals and advisors seeking to identify an accounting solution that is the “right fit” for a small business organization
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Accounting (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: General understanding of accounting practices in use in small businesses
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
10/30/2024
The market for accounting solutions designed for small businesses has never been better! From traditional desktop applications to newer Cloud-based solutions, small businesses have affordable options available today that were unthinkable for many just a few years ago. In this seminar, you will learn about these options and receive the benefit of an unbiased comparison of many of today’s leading solutions, helping you make an informed decision about the future direction of your accounting platform.
You will learn about solutions from Intuit, Sage, Xero, Wave, and Zoho to help you decide whether to remain with your current platform or switch to a different one. Additionally, you will learn about various third-party add-ins to help you make informed decisions about issues such as automated data entry, sales tax processing, reporting, and business intelligence. In sum, if you are the least bit curious about the accounting options available for smaller businesses, this is the most critical session you will participate in this year.
Major Topics:
• Understanding the small business accounting landscape
• Learn how solutions from leading providers can potentially solve your small business accounting and reporting issues
• Create investment estimates for acquiring and implementing a new small business accounting solution
Learning Objectives:
• Create a list of needed features and functions for a small business accounting application
• Identify solutions that represent a potential “good fit” for an organization
• Estimate the investment required to implement a specific solution
• List examples of third-party add-ins to provide necessary additional functionality
Who Should Attend: Business professionals and advisors seeking to identify an accounting solution that is the “right fit” for a small business organization
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Accounting (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: General understanding of accounting practices in use in small businesses
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
Multistate Income Tax Issues
10/30/2024
With the largest overhaul of the federal income tax code in 30 years and the repeal of the physical presence nexus standards for sales tax in the Wayfair case, the states are working fast and furious to overhaul their tax laws. As some states scramble to fund their budgets, they continue to look for additional forms of revenue. Plan to attend this fast-paced class that covers developing topics in the area of nexus. Learn how nexus requirements have changed and where the state laws may be heading in the future.
Learning Objectives:
• Identify changes in state statutes, regulations and case law
• Determine how the states will treat changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
• Recognize areas that may require additional attention for state tax planning purposes
• Recall areas that may be costly for employers or clients
• Recognize the “who, what, when, and where” of nexus for income and sales tax
Major Topics:
• Emerging sales tax topics: Elimination of the physical presence standard in determining nexus (Wayfair case); economic nexus for remote sellers; assisting remote sellers in determining a plan of action in states that enforce economic nexus
• Emerging compliance issues in the new sales tax economy
• Income Tax (and other forms of tax): Economic nexus (taxation without physical presence)
• Will states shift away from income tax and increase reliance on sales tax after Wayfair?
• Treatment of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by the states: presence of intangible property; is P.L. 86-272 still valid?
• When to consider voluntary compliance even though the laws do not dictate a sales tax responsibility
Instructor: Bill Murphy
Field of Study: Taxation (4)
Designed For: Accountants who want an update on current multistate tax issues to minimize clients’ potential state and local tax liability
Prerequisite: Experience in corporate taxation
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
10/30/2024
With the largest overhaul of the federal income tax code in 30 years and the repeal of the physical presence nexus standards for sales tax in the Wayfair case, the states are working fast and furious to overhaul their tax laws. As some states scramble to fund their budgets, they continue to look for additional forms of revenue. Plan to attend this fast-paced class that covers developing topics in the area of nexus. Learn how nexus requirements have changed and where the state laws may be heading in the future.
Learning Objectives:
• Identify changes in state statutes, regulations and case law
• Determine how the states will treat changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
• Recognize areas that may require additional attention for state tax planning purposes
• Recall areas that may be costly for employers or clients
• Recognize the “who, what, when, and where” of nexus for income and sales tax
Major Topics:
• Emerging sales tax topics: Elimination of the physical presence standard in determining nexus (Wayfair case); economic nexus for remote sellers; assisting remote sellers in determining a plan of action in states that enforce economic nexus
• Emerging compliance issues in the new sales tax economy
• Income Tax (and other forms of tax): Economic nexus (taxation without physical presence)
• Will states shift away from income tax and increase reliance on sales tax after Wayfair?
• Treatment of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by the states: presence of intangible property; is P.L. 86-272 still valid?
• When to consider voluntary compliance even though the laws do not dictate a sales tax responsibility
Instructor: Bill Murphy
Field of Study: Taxation (4)
Designed For: Accountants who want an update on current multistate tax issues to minimize clients’ potential state and local tax liability
Prerequisite: Experience in corporate taxation
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
Surgent's Individual Income Tax Update
10/30/2024
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. Continually updated to reflect enacted legislation.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand strategies and tactics to use in light of new legislation
• Understand how to nail down valuable deductions and other reductions to the tax base
Major Topics:
• Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation
• Residency and domicile
• Selling a principal residence, including tax planning strategies
• Real Estate professional requirements
• New Form 1099-K reporting requirements
• Virtual currency, including recent developments regarding NFTs
• Review of pertinent cases and rulings affecting taxpayers
• Practice aids, including all the numbers applicable for the current year -- inflation-adjusted amounts, mileage rates, retirement contributions, and more
Instructor: Christopher Wills
Field of Study: Taxation (4)
Designed For: All tax practitioners, both those working in public accounting as well as those in private industry, who need the latest information on tax changes affecting their individual clients
Prerequisite: Experience in individual tax planning
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
10/30/2024
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. Continually updated to reflect enacted legislation.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand strategies and tactics to use in light of new legislation
• Understand how to nail down valuable deductions and other reductions to the tax base
Major Topics:
• Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation
• Residency and domicile
• Selling a principal residence, including tax planning strategies
• Real Estate professional requirements
• New Form 1099-K reporting requirements
• Virtual currency, including recent developments regarding NFTs
• Review of pertinent cases and rulings affecting taxpayers
• Practice aids, including all the numbers applicable for the current year -- inflation-adjusted amounts, mileage rates, retirement contributions, and more
Instructor: Christopher Wills
Field of Study: Taxation (4)
Designed For: All tax practitioners, both those working in public accounting as well as those in private industry, who need the latest information on tax changes affecting their individual clients
Prerequisite: Experience in individual tax planning
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
Accounting Data Analytics
10/31/2024
This 2-hour mini course introduces how data analytics can be used to improve engagement quality and efficiency. Participants explore the use of data analytics to assess risk, support financial statement assertions, assess internal controls and uncover fraud. Apply the ADA IDEAS© approach to using data analytics on engagements to ensure compliance with audit and review standards and to provide value-added services to clients.
Designed for: Accountants/Auditors with limited experience in data analytics who are interested in how to use audit data analytics on audit and accounting engagements.
Learning Objectives: Improve staff members' knowledge of when and how to use data analytics to improve engagement quality and efficiency. Understand how accountants use descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive analytics. Use the ADA IDEAS© approach to using data analytics on firm engagements. Become familiar with commonly used data visualization methods. Use accounting data analytics to add value to engagements.
Prerequisites: None
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 2
Credits: Accounting (1), Auditing (1)
Instructor: Bonnie Kennedy
Location: Online
10/31/2024
This 2-hour mini course introduces how data analytics can be used to improve engagement quality and efficiency. Participants explore the use of data analytics to assess risk, support financial statement assertions, assess internal controls and uncover fraud. Apply the ADA IDEAS© approach to using data analytics on engagements to ensure compliance with audit and review standards and to provide value-added services to clients.
Designed for: Accountants/Auditors with limited experience in data analytics who are interested in how to use audit data analytics on audit and accounting engagements.
Learning Objectives: Improve staff members' knowledge of when and how to use data analytics to improve engagement quality and efficiency. Understand how accountants use descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive analytics. Use the ADA IDEAS© approach to using data analytics on firm engagements. Become familiar with commonly used data visualization methods. Use accounting data analytics to add value to engagements.
Prerequisites: None
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 2
Credits: Accounting (1), Auditing (1)
Instructor: Bonnie Kennedy
Location: Online
Live Webinar K2’s Testing And Auditing Excel Workbooks
10/31/2024
Excel errors continue to plague organizations of all sizes. As spreadsheets become more common, these errors will continue to impact virtually every Excel user and those who rely on Excel-based data and analyses. Fortunately, that need not be the case because many options exist to prevent, identify, and correct spreadsheet errors before adversely affecting reports and decision-making processes.
In this session, you will learn how to apply best practices to reduce the error rate in workbooks you and others on your team create and edit. Equally important, you will learn how to use add-ins for Excel to programmatically scan and audit your spreadsheets to identify potentially costly errors while there is still time to correct them. Finally, you do not want to miss this opportunity to learn how PerfectXL, ClusterSeven, and ActiveData tools can help you and your team identify and correct potentially disastrous spreadsheet errors.
Major Topics:
• Examples of common errors found in Excel workbooks
• How to reduce Excel errors
• Add-in solutions that can minimize spreadsheet error risk
Learning Objectives:
• List common causes of spreadsheet errors and the potential impact of these errors
• Identify best practices to reduce the number of errors in Excel workbooks
• Cite examples of Excel Add-ins to identify spreadsheet errors programmatically
Who Should Attend: Business professionals seeking to reduce errors and improve accuracy and efficiency when working with Microsoft Office Excel. Although many of the concepts in this program apply to Microsoft Office Excel for the Mac, this course focuses on techniques found in Microsoft Office Excel for Windows
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Information Technology (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental understanding of Microsoft Office Excel 2019 and newer
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
10/31/2024
Excel errors continue to plague organizations of all sizes. As spreadsheets become more common, these errors will continue to impact virtually every Excel user and those who rely on Excel-based data and analyses. Fortunately, that need not be the case because many options exist to prevent, identify, and correct spreadsheet errors before adversely affecting reports and decision-making processes.
In this session, you will learn how to apply best practices to reduce the error rate in workbooks you and others on your team create and edit. Equally important, you will learn how to use add-ins for Excel to programmatically scan and audit your spreadsheets to identify potentially costly errors while there is still time to correct them. Finally, you do not want to miss this opportunity to learn how PerfectXL, ClusterSeven, and ActiveData tools can help you and your team identify and correct potentially disastrous spreadsheet errors.
Major Topics:
• Examples of common errors found in Excel workbooks
• How to reduce Excel errors
• Add-in solutions that can minimize spreadsheet error risk
Learning Objectives:
• List common causes of spreadsheet errors and the potential impact of these errors
• Identify best practices to reduce the number of errors in Excel workbooks
• Cite examples of Excel Add-ins to identify spreadsheet errors programmatically
Who Should Attend: Business professionals seeking to reduce errors and improve accuracy and efficiency when working with Microsoft Office Excel. Although many of the concepts in this program apply to Microsoft Office Excel for the Mac, this course focuses on techniques found in Microsoft Office Excel for Windows
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Information Technology (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental understanding of Microsoft Office Excel 2019 and newer
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Top PDF Features You Should Know
10/31/2024
Stop struggling with PDFs! Adobe Acrobat and other PDF tools provide access to features that make working with PDF files a breeze. This course will teach you to use tools and features such as PDF forms, redaction, converting PDFs to Word and Excel files, and electronic signatures. You will also learn how to create and apply tick marks and build indices, catalogs, and portfolios. You will also learn how to secure PDF documents to their fullest.
The popularity and usefulness of PDFs increase daily, but most PDF users have not learned how to manipulate PDF documents effectively. Accordingly, they struggle and strain with these standard files. You do not need to let this be the case. Join us in this very timely session, where you will learn the top features necessary to optimize your work with PDF documents.
Major Topics:
• Best practices for creating, editing, and managing PDFs
• The process for creating and distributing PDF forms
• Integrating PDFs with other applications
• Securing your PDFs
Learning Objectives:
• Identify procedures to reorganize and manipulate PDF documents – including applying bookmarks – to meet specific needs
• Cite examples of how to create and distribute PDF forms and automate the process of collecting and summarizing form response data
• List examples of ways to markup and edit PDF documents, including applying tick marks
• Differentiate between options for securing PDF documents and facilitating electronic approvals and signatures
• Identify options for converting PDF documents to Word and Excel files
Who Should Attend: Business professionals who are seeking to become more efficient and effective when working with PDF documents
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of PDF operations
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
10/31/2024
Stop struggling with PDFs! Adobe Acrobat and other PDF tools provide access to features that make working with PDF files a breeze. This course will teach you to use tools and features such as PDF forms, redaction, converting PDFs to Word and Excel files, and electronic signatures. You will also learn how to create and apply tick marks and build indices, catalogs, and portfolios. You will also learn how to secure PDF documents to their fullest.
The popularity and usefulness of PDFs increase daily, but most PDF users have not learned how to manipulate PDF documents effectively. Accordingly, they struggle and strain with these standard files. You do not need to let this be the case. Join us in this very timely session, where you will learn the top features necessary to optimize your work with PDF documents.
Major Topics:
• Best practices for creating, editing, and managing PDFs
• The process for creating and distributing PDF forms
• Integrating PDFs with other applications
• Securing your PDFs
Learning Objectives:
• Identify procedures to reorganize and manipulate PDF documents – including applying bookmarks – to meet specific needs
• Cite examples of how to create and distribute PDF forms and automate the process of collecting and summarizing form response data
• List examples of ways to markup and edit PDF documents, including applying tick marks
• Differentiate between options for securing PDF documents and facilitating electronic approvals and signatures
• Identify options for converting PDF documents to Word and Excel files
Who Should Attend: Business professionals who are seeking to become more efficient and effective when working with PDF documents
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of PDF operations
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
Federal Tax Update with Ron Roberson
11/6/2024
This no-frills course has been designed to review all changes affecting for-profit taxpayers, combining the individual update with the business update without all of the planning and compliance discussion available in the more specialized updates. Just the facts without the frills! Updated throughout the year for up-to-the-minute rile changes and court cases, the FTU-Ind/Bus course will keep you in the loop for the latest changes.
The course has been updated for the effects of the end-of-2019 Secure Act, both March 2020 tax bills, and Both PPP and PPPFA Bills, with in-depth discussion and examples of those changes! 2020 changes are all coming together with 5 different bills into a massive year of tax changes.
Learning Objectives:
Upon the completion of this course, you will be able to:
Instructor: Ron Roberson
Field of Study: Taxes (16)
Designed For: CPAs in public accounting or corporate finance in need of a power-packed two-day Federal individual and business income tax update course before tax season
Prerequisite: 1 year tax preparation experience
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
11/6/2024
This no-frills course has been designed to review all changes affecting for-profit taxpayers, combining the individual update with the business update without all of the planning and compliance discussion available in the more specialized updates. Just the facts without the frills! Updated throughout the year for up-to-the-minute rile changes and court cases, the FTU-Ind/Bus course will keep you in the loop for the latest changes.
The course has been updated for the effects of the end-of-2019 Secure Act, both March 2020 tax bills, and Both PPP and PPPFA Bills, with in-depth discussion and examples of those changes! 2020 changes are all coming together with 5 different bills into a massive year of tax changes.
Learning Objectives:
Upon the completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Apply the latest tax law changes to the current Form 1040/1120/1120S/1065 tax returns you prepare
- Properly use many federal tax provisions prior to their expiration date
- Determine if your clients had job related business expenses
- Determine if your clients had any work related education expenses
- Summarize the various methods of accounting that are available
- Advise clients on how to properly account for inventory
- Determine when a change in accounting method has occurred, when IRS approval is needed and when it is not needed, and what situations qualify for automatic approval.
Instructor: Ron Roberson
Field of Study: Taxes (16)
Designed For: CPAs in public accounting or corporate finance in need of a power-packed two-day Federal individual and business income tax update course before tax season
Prerequisite: 1 year tax preparation experience
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
MNCPA Business Valuation Conference
11/6/2024
Credits: 8 CPE
Prerequisite: None
Advanced Prep: None
Level: Update
Member Price: $475
Non-member Price: $575
Location: Online
11/6/2024
Blueprint for Success
Equip, Execute, Excel
Credits: 8 CPE
Prerequisite: None
Advanced Prep: None
Level: Update
Member Price: $475
Non-member Price: $575
SCHEDULE
| 8-9:45 a.m. | A1. Business Valuation MythBusters |
| 10-10:50 a.m. | B1. Valuation of Interests in Tiered Entities |
| 11:05-11:55 a.m. | C1. Using Regression Analysis in Business Valuation |
| 12:40-1:55 p.m. | D1. Elections Have Consequences: The U.S. Economy in 2025 |
| 2:10-3:25 p.m. | E1. What Happens in a Quality of Earnings Analysis? |
| 3:40-4:30 p.m. | F1. Court Case Update |
Wednesday, Nov. 6
8-9:45 a.m.
A1. Business Valuation MythBusters
James Hitchner, CPA/ABV/CFF, Financial Valuation Advisors, Inc.
Based on his popular “Hardball with Hitchner” series, national expert Jim Hitchner debunks 14 common myths in business valuation in this engaging session. Explore various myths such as the misconception that the IRS only accepts USPAP in tax-related valuations, the reliability of restricted stock studies for determining discounts for lack of marketability (DLOM), and the inclusion of synergies in fair market value. Learn valuable insights and clarify misconceptions that can impact your valuation practices.
FOS: Specialized Knowledge - Technical (2)
10-10:50 a.m.
B1. Valuation of Interests in Tiered Entities
William Harris, ASA, CFA, Trugman Valuation Associates, Inc.
Delve into the complexities of valuing minority interests in asset-holding entities, particularly focusing on the application of tiered discounts. Explore the challenges valuation analysts face when dealing with partnership structures that involve noncontrolling interests across multiple tiers. Find out whether discounts for lack of control and marketability are appropriate at each tier and how these discounts can affect overall valuations. Examine relevant case law and fundamental valuation principles to gain a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of various valuation approaches.
FOS: Specialized Knowledge - Technical (1)
11:05-11:55 a.m.
C1. Using Regression Analysis in Business Valuation
William Harris, ASA, CFA, Trugman Valuation Associates, Inc.
Valuation analysts often examine how one or more variables explain the behavior of another variable such as revenues or trends in market multiples. You’re also tasked with analyzing trends in data to forecast future results. Linear regression models can be useful tools in analyzing relationships between economic and financial variables over time. Learn to apply these models to support assumptions in business valuation, while understanding their limitations.
FOS: Specialized Knowledge - Technical (1)
12:40-1:55 p.m.
D1. Elections Have Consequences: The U.S. Economy in 2025
King Banaian, St. Cloud State University
The American economy grew moderately in 2024, avoiding the expected 2023 recession. Concerns like commercial real estate had minimal impact on consumption and investment. The November 2024 elections will change the business landscape and clarify select business uncertainties. Dr. Banaian will analyze what has become clearer and what remains uncertain.
FOS: Economics - Technical (1.5)
2:10-3:25 p.m.
E1. What Happens in a Quality of Earnings Analysis?
Clayton Brownlee, CPA, Boulay
Ryan Turbes, CPA, Boulay
In today’s increasingly efficient marketplace, buyers and sellers aim to avoid deal valuation “retrading”, minimize diligence surprises and close chosen deals quickly. Financial due diligence, which is synonymous with Quality of Earnings, provides users with a consistent, thorough and independent analysis of historical performance, and business and financial risks. Walk away with an understanding of company background, economics, accounting policy, and potential effects of technical GAAP accounting matters.
FOS: Specialized Knowledge - Technical (1.5)
3:40-4:30 p.m.
F1. Court Case Update
Richard Berning, CPA/ABV, CBA, CVA, ABAR, CFF, CMA, ValuationUSA
With the end of 2024, it’s time for an annual review of court cases that have impacted the business valuation and litigation support professions. Dig into cases on a wide range of topics, including shareholder disputes, family law, trust disputes, lost profits and tax issues. Gain insight into what the courts look for and discuss recent significant court decisions.
FOS: Business Law - Technical (1)
SPEAKERS
Banaian, King
King Banaian is a professor in the Department of Economics and directs the Center for Policy Research and Community Engagement at St. Cloud State University. He has served as dean of the former School of Public Affairs and interim dean of the College of Education and Learning Design. King is a Ph.D. in economics from the Claremont Graduate School. He has authored two books and over 50 articles discussing monetary policy and political economy. A former state representative from St. Cloud, he is co-author of the St. Cloud Quarterly Business Report and president of the St. Cloud Economic Development Authority.
Berning, Rick
Richard C. Berning, CPA/ABV, CBA, CVA, CFF, CFP, CMA, is a shareholder of ValuationUSA, a firm dedicated exclusively to providing business valuation and litigation support services. ValuationUSA has been involved in thousands of business valuations involving companies from start-ups to those with revenues over $1 billion. Rick is a frequent speaker locally and nationally on business valuation and litigation-related topics. He has acted as a court-appointed neutral expert and has provided expert witness testimony on more than 150 occasions.
Brownlee, Clay
Clay Brownlee joined Boulay in 2016 and was promoted to Partner in 2023. Throughout his time in public accounting, he’s gained a broad exposure to a number of industries including retail and distribution, manufacturing, healthcare, professional services, and software and technology. After beginning his career in audit, Clay now specializes in providing financial due diligence and valuation consulting services to search fund, private equity, family investment offices and corporate partners. With his primary focus on financial due diligence, Clay provides critical transaction insights and data analysis to support investment decisions and business operations analysis.
Harris, Will
William Harris is a Chartered Financial Analyst and an Accredited Senior Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers. He has a master’s degree in finance from Florida International University. He has also authored or co-authored several articles and presented webinars on business valuation topics. William is also a member of the Valuations Committee of the Trust and Estates Editorial Advisory Board for Wealth Management Magazine. William’s appraisal education also includes various courses offered by the American Society of Appraisers, the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts.
Hitchner, Jim
Jim Hitchner is managing director of Financial Valuation Advisors and president of The Financial Consulting Group. He is also CEO of Valuation Products and Services (VPS). Hitchner has spent over 44 years in valuation services, including as a shareholder with Phillips Hitchner Group, partner-in-charge of valuation services for the Southern Region of Coopers & Lybrand (currently PricewaterhouseCoopers), and senior appraiser with American Appraisal Associates. In the valuation area he has coauthored over 20 courses, taught over 60 courses, published over 150 articles, and has made over 400 conference and webinar presentations.
Turbes, Ryan
Ryan joined Boulay in 2011, became a partner in 2019, and has more than 10 years of experience providing transaction advisory services for private equity, family investment offices, corporate and individual clients (collectively, Private Capital). He has prior experience providing tax, attest and accounting services to Private Capital clients in a variety of industries. Ryan works with his clients to provide critical transaction insights to make informed investment decisions and analyzes business operations to make recommendations for enhancing overall business performance. Prior to joining Boulay, he worked in the audit practice of a regional CPA firm.
Location: Online
K2's Accountant's Artificial Intelligence Conference
11/7/2024
Artificial Intelligence is real, it is ready, and now is the time to begin taking advantage of perhaps the most exciting new technology to appear in over fifty years. Today’s mainstream generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Copilot, are all ready for prime time in business settings to help you get better results in far less time than you may have imagined possible. During this eight-hour event, you will learn how to get started with AI, and how to harness the power of ChatGPT, Bard, and Copilot. You will also learn about potential privacy and security issues – along with solutions – associated with AI, and some of the ancillary issues associated with AI, such as quantum computing. Importantly, you will learn from practical, real-world illustrations demonstrating how you can take advantage of perhaps the most exciting and transformative technology of our time!
Major Topics:
Program Level: Overview
Field of Study: Information Technology (8 CPE)
Advanced Preparation: Fundamental understanding of computer operations
Member Price: $300
Non-member Price: $400
Location: Online
11/7/2024
Artificial Intelligence is real, it is ready, and now is the time to begin taking advantage of perhaps the most exciting new technology to appear in over fifty years. Today’s mainstream generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Copilot, are all ready for prime time in business settings to help you get better results in far less time than you may have imagined possible. During this eight-hour event, you will learn how to get started with AI, and how to harness the power of ChatGPT, Bard, and Copilot. You will also learn about potential privacy and security issues – along with solutions – associated with AI, and some of the ancillary issues associated with AI, such as quantum computing. Importantly, you will learn from practical, real-world illustrations demonstrating how you can take advantage of perhaps the most exciting and transformative technology of our time!
Major Topics:
- How to get started with today’s leading AI tools
- Examples of what you can – and can’t do – with AI
- Potential security and privacy issues associated with AI
- Accountant-centric problems AI can help you solve
- List the three major AI platforms available to individuals today
- Utilize AI tools to help you create documents, manage email, and find answers
- Understand the concept of a Large Language Model and its’ importance to today’s AI platforms
- Identify ways to “coach” your AI so it delivers the responses you need
Program Level: Overview
Field of Study: Information Technology (8 CPE)
Advanced Preparation: Fundamental understanding of computer operations
Member Price: $300
Non-member Price: $400
Location: Online
Free Member Webinar: Current Economic and Market Update
11/8/2024
Instructor:
Location: Live Virtual
11/8/2024
Highlights
- How will the 2024 Presidential election results impact the markets?
- How will the growing federal debt and fiscal deficits affect the US and global economies?
- What impact do international issues have on the markets?
- What are potential plans for decreasing the federal deficit and what is the impact on the economy?
- Does it matter who is in control of Congress?
- Will changes in Tax Policy, Social Security and Medicare affect the markets and economy?
Instructor:
Keith Gredys, Chairman & CEO, Kidder Advisers LLC
Keith J. Gredys, J.D., AIF®, CPFA
CEO & President/Shareholder - The Kidder Company and Kidder Advisers, Inc.
President - The National Association of Plan Advisers (NAPA)
Keith Gredys co-founded the Kidder organization in 1996 with Jim Kidder, CPA and past President of the Iowa Society of CPAs. With more than 40 years of investment, fiduciary, trust and pension administration experience involving billions of investable assets, Keith is a recognized authority with issues related to investment management, fiduciary considerations, qualified and non-qualified plan programs.
Keith received his law degree (J.D.) and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He holds the professional designation of Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) with covers investment fiduciary standards of care and investment due diligence. He has also received the Certified Plan Fiduciary (CPFA) credential from the NAPA. Keith is a regular speaker at conferences and continuing education programs. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the Nebraska Bar Association.
Since 2020, Keith has served on the Leadership Council of NAPA and is currently its President. NAPA represents 20,000 retirement plan advisors who work with about one-third of all 401(k) and Defined Contribution assets in the U.S. NAPA works to enhance retirement savings through its support of regulatory and legislative issues and educational that improve the financial wellness of Americans. Keith also serves on the Board of Directors of the American Retirement Association, the parent organization of NAPA.
Location: Live Virtual
Level II: Semi-Senior Staff Training
11/11/2024 - 11/12/2024
Advance your skills to propel your career. This course is the second in a five-course series, provides the guidance needed to handle small engagements and to complete small audits, reviews and compilations with minimal supervision. Gain knowledge to improve your skills to perform more complex analytical procedures, as well as drafting financial statements and footnotes.
Designed for: Semi-Senior audit staff with 1-2 year's experience
Learning Objectives:
Advanced Prep: A&A Level I Basic Staff Training
Total Credits: 16
Credits: Accounting (6.8), Auditing (5.4), Taxes (2.4), Business Mgmt/Organization (1.4)
Instructor: Bonnie Kennedy
11/11/2024 - 11/12/2024
Advance your skills to propel your career. This course is the second in a five-course series, provides the guidance needed to handle small engagements and to complete small audits, reviews and compilations with minimal supervision. Gain knowledge to improve your skills to perform more complex analytical procedures, as well as drafting financial statements and footnotes.
Designed for: Semi-Senior audit staff with 1-2 year's experience
Learning Objectives:
- Enable more experienced staff to complete smaller audits, reviews and compilations with minimum supervision and maximum profitability.
Advanced Prep: A&A Level I Basic Staff Training
Total Credits: 16
Credits: Accounting (6.8), Auditing (5.4), Taxes (2.4), Business Mgmt/Organization (1.4)
Instructor: Bonnie Kennedy
Level III: Beginning in Charge Training
11/11/2024 - 11/12/2024
Improve your planning, review, audit and other engagement skills. Master techniques for effective communication with clients and colleagues in part three of this five-course series. Discover the secrets to planning and efficiently completing engagements, explore methods for assuming higher levels of responsibility, develop your ability to assess risk and materiality and learn to make non-statistical sampling decisions. Designed to offer audit staff members extensive training in crucial procedural, evaluative and supervisory areas.
Designed for: Semi-Senior audit staff with 1-2 year's experience
Learning Objectives: Enable experienced staff to advance more quickly to higher levels of responsibility and become more profitable to their firms by helping them better plan and efficiently complete audits, supervise staff, review working papers and interact with partners and clients.
Prerequisites: 1 to 2 years and at least one tax season
Advanced Prep: A&A Level II Semi-Senior Staff Training
Total Credits: 16
Credits: Accounting (6.8), Auditing (5.4), Taxes (2.4), Business Mgmt & Organization (1.4)
Instructor: Bonnie Kennedy
11/11/2024 - 11/12/2024
Improve your planning, review, audit and other engagement skills. Master techniques for effective communication with clients and colleagues in part three of this five-course series. Discover the secrets to planning and efficiently completing engagements, explore methods for assuming higher levels of responsibility, develop your ability to assess risk and materiality and learn to make non-statistical sampling decisions. Designed to offer audit staff members extensive training in crucial procedural, evaluative and supervisory areas.
Designed for: Semi-Senior audit staff with 1-2 year's experience
Learning Objectives: Enable experienced staff to advance more quickly to higher levels of responsibility and become more profitable to their firms by helping them better plan and efficiently complete audits, supervise staff, review working papers and interact with partners and clients.
Prerequisites: 1 to 2 years and at least one tax season
Advanced Prep: A&A Level II Semi-Senior Staff Training
Total Credits: 16
Credits: Accounting (6.8), Auditing (5.4), Taxes (2.4), Business Mgmt & Organization (1.4)
Instructor: Bonnie Kennedy
Business & Industry Miniseries Fall
11/14/2024
This is a one day virtual event with multiple speakers that will cover multiple topics and trends in business and industry. This series is designed for people who are, or aspire to be, chief financial officers.
Member Price: $299
Non-member Price: $349
*Prices will Increase by $50 on 11/10
Agenda:
8:30 AM - 10:10 AM
A1. Dynamic Rolling Forecasts vs. Annual Budgets
Carl Siedman, CSP, CPA
While budgeting serves as a roadmap for resource allocation and goal setting, forecasting is critical for agile planning and decision-making. Look at the dynamics of rolling forecasts and how they can help predict future financial outcomes in real time. Discover modeling techniques that update data in minutes and roll forecast scenarios instantaneously. Get tips on driver-focused financial modeling, financial metrics, reporting and performance improvement. Explore real-life methods and leave with a firm grasp of how to integrate rolling forecasts and budgeting into a cohesive financial planning framework that supports effective decision-making, risk mitigation and resource allocation.
Credit: 2 CPE Finance – Technical
10:20 AM – 12:00 PM
B1. Business Fraud Prevention and Deterrence for Management
John Hall, CPA
Every business entity faces the risk of fraud – regardless of size, industry, location or sophistication. And accounting, finance, audit and controls experts like us are looked upon as the experts on effective prevention & deterrence activities and daily behaviors.
In this session we’ll lay out a proven six-part prevention framework for use in any organization. You’ll come away with specific actions to take or avoid as you create, build or strengthen your own or your client’s anti-fraud environment.
Key Takeaways:
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Lunch
12:30 PM – 1:20 PM
C1. Secrets of Rockstar CFOs
Jack McCullough, President & Founder, The CFO Leadership Council
Join Jack McCullough, the visionary behind The CFO Leadership Council, as he unveils the coveted wisdom found in his acclaimed book, "The Secrets of Rock Star CFOs." Delve into McCullough’s in-depth exploration, where he speaks with over forty top-tier CFOs worldwide, spanning from burgeoning Silicon Valley ventures to revered Fortune 50 giants. Uncover the nine defining characteristics that distinguish these financial luminaries and embark on a transformative journey toward mastering the art of CFO success.
Key Takeaways:
1:30 PM – 3:10 PM
D1. Using ChatGPT with Excel
Brian L. Smith, CPE.CITP, CISA
In this innovative course, participants will learn to combine the power of artificial intelligence with the functionality of Microsoft Excel. You will learn how to leverage ChatGPT, OpenAI's powerful language model, to improve your Excel skills and decrease the time it takes to build spreadsheets. The course will include a quick introduction to ChatGPT but the majority of the time will be spent using ChatGPT to create an Excel spreadsheet.
Key Takeaways:
3:20 PM – 4:10 PM
E1. Building Your Personal Board of Directors
Kelsey Buell, Founder, You Flourish Company
In this interactive virtual workshop, "Building Your Personal Board of Directors, " Kelsey Buell with You Flourish Company will lead you through a curated experience where we will explore the power of building a strong support network tailored to your unique needs and aspirations.
This event will differentiate between mere networking and instead how to form more deep, supportive relationships. You will learn how to strategically choose individuals who can offer guidance, support, and diverse perspectives, helping you to achieve your goals with confidence and clarity. You’ll gain insights on leveraging these relationships to overcome obstacles, foster personal growth, and drive professional success.
Key Takeaways:
Location: Online
11/14/2024
This is a one day virtual event with multiple speakers that will cover multiple topics and trends in business and industry. This series is designed for people who are, or aspire to be, chief financial officers.
Member Price: $299
Non-member Price: $349
*Prices will Increase by $50 on 11/10
Agenda:
8:30 AM - 10:10 AM
A1. Dynamic Rolling Forecasts vs. Annual Budgets
Carl Siedman, CSP, CPA
While budgeting serves as a roadmap for resource allocation and goal setting, forecasting is critical for agile planning and decision-making. Look at the dynamics of rolling forecasts and how they can help predict future financial outcomes in real time. Discover modeling techniques that update data in minutes and roll forecast scenarios instantaneously. Get tips on driver-focused financial modeling, financial metrics, reporting and performance improvement. Explore real-life methods and leave with a firm grasp of how to integrate rolling forecasts and budgeting into a cohesive financial planning framework that supports effective decision-making, risk mitigation and resource allocation.
Credit: 2 CPE Finance – Technical
10:20 AM – 12:00 PM
B1. Business Fraud Prevention and Deterrence for Management
John Hall, CPA
Every business entity faces the risk of fraud – regardless of size, industry, location or sophistication. And accounting, finance, audit and controls experts like us are looked upon as the experts on effective prevention & deterrence activities and daily behaviors.
In this session we’ll lay out a proven six-part prevention framework for use in any organization. You’ll come away with specific actions to take or avoid as you create, build or strengthen your own or your client’s anti-fraud environment.
Key Takeaways:
- Identify 5 common mistakes in business fraud prevention efforts
- Analyze the state of readiness in your organization or largest client
- Build a response to those who believe “It simply cannot happen here!”
- Examine a proven six-part prevention framework for use in any organization
- Build your own tailored action list in support of your prevention goals
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Lunch
12:30 PM – 1:20 PM
C1. Secrets of Rockstar CFOs
Jack McCullough, President & Founder, The CFO Leadership Council
Join Jack McCullough, the visionary behind The CFO Leadership Council, as he unveils the coveted wisdom found in his acclaimed book, "The Secrets of Rock Star CFOs." Delve into McCullough’s in-depth exploration, where he speaks with over forty top-tier CFOs worldwide, spanning from burgeoning Silicon Valley ventures to revered Fortune 50 giants. Uncover the nine defining characteristics that distinguish these financial luminaries and embark on a transformative journey toward mastering the art of CFO success.
Key Takeaways:
- Discover how and why the role of the CFO has evolved into a strategic and operational leader.
- Understand the inherent skills and proficiencies your executive team, board, and other key stakeholders expect you to possess from day one.
- Gain an overview of the new responsibilities the CFO role now oversees.
- Learn how a CFO can leverage a nimble strategic and operational mindset designed to deliver value in multiple organizational settings.
- Explore how to effectively partner across functions and up and down an organizational chart in any environment.
- Discover how strong CFO leadership can drive tangible value for business growth.
- Discover how to increase the influence of Finance across the business.
1:30 PM – 3:10 PM
D1. Using ChatGPT with Excel
Brian L. Smith, CPE.CITP, CISA
In this innovative course, participants will learn to combine the power of artificial intelligence with the functionality of Microsoft Excel. You will learn how to leverage ChatGPT, OpenAI's powerful language model, to improve your Excel skills and decrease the time it takes to build spreadsheets. The course will include a quick introduction to ChatGPT but the majority of the time will be spent using ChatGPT to create an Excel spreadsheet.
Key Takeaways:
- Identify opportunities to leverage ChatGPT to improve your Excel skills and productivity
- Use ChatGPT with Excel formulas
- Recall the best practices for using ChatGPT with Excel
3:20 PM – 4:10 PM
E1. Building Your Personal Board of Directors
Kelsey Buell, Founder, You Flourish Company
In this interactive virtual workshop, "Building Your Personal Board of Directors, " Kelsey Buell with You Flourish Company will lead you through a curated experience where we will explore the power of building a strong support network tailored to your unique needs and aspirations.
This event will differentiate between mere networking and instead how to form more deep, supportive relationships. You will learn how to strategically choose individuals who can offer guidance, support, and diverse perspectives, helping you to achieve your goals with confidence and clarity. You’ll gain insights on leveraging these relationships to overcome obstacles, foster personal growth, and drive professional success.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding the Role and Value of a Personal Board of Directors: Learn how having a diverse group of advisors can provide deep, meaningful relationships that support your personal and professional goals.
- Practical Steps to Cultivate Your Board: Identify key areas where you need support and find the right people who can help you succeed in those areas.
Location: Online
Employer's Handbook: Health Care, Retirement, and Fringe Benefit Tax Issues
11/14/2024
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. This course provides in-depth coverage of this critical area. It will be updated and supplemented throughout the year to cover breaking developments.
Learning Objectives:
• Identify compliance issues
• Understand how health care mandates apply to employers and individuals
• Explain the nondiscrimination rules that apply to employer-sponsored retirement and health care plans
Major Topics:
• ERISA compliance: employee welfare plans and qualified plans
• Fringe benefit issues: COBRA, Family and Medical Leave Act, and new developments in health care
• Health care plans: HRAs, HSAs, and other employer-sponsored plans
• Qualified plan requirements: eligibility, coverage, and vesting
Instructor: John Lawrence
Field of Study: Business Law (2), Taxes (2)
Designed For: CPAs who need an in-depth understanding of employment issues
Prerequisite: None
Level: Basic
Location: Online - MW Collab
11/14/2024
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. This course provides in-depth coverage of this critical area. It will be updated and supplemented throughout the year to cover breaking developments.
Learning Objectives:
• Identify compliance issues
• Understand how health care mandates apply to employers and individuals
• Explain the nondiscrimination rules that apply to employer-sponsored retirement and health care plans
Major Topics:
• ERISA compliance: employee welfare plans and qualified plans
• Fringe benefit issues: COBRA, Family and Medical Leave Act, and new developments in health care
• Health care plans: HRAs, HSAs, and other employer-sponsored plans
• Qualified plan requirements: eligibility, coverage, and vesting
Instructor: John Lawrence
Field of Study: Business Law (2), Taxes (2)
Designed For: CPAs who need an in-depth understanding of employment issues
Prerequisite: None
Level: Basic
Location: Online - MW Collab
MNCPA AI Unboxed: Using AI to Research and Report
11/15/2024
Location: Online
11/15/2024
Unlock the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance your research and reporting by learning how to leverage AI tools to gather data, analyze trends, and create compelling, data-driven reports in a fraction of the time. Gain cutting-edge techniques to streamline your research process, ensure accuracy, and generate impactful insights.
Major subjects:
- AI for data collection and analysis
- Accelerating research tasks
- AI-assisted reporting techniques
Objectives:
- Understand the role of AI in research in reporting
- Leverage AI for efficient data collection and analysis
- Increase efficiency of research processes with AI tools
- Implement AI in your reporting workflow
Designed for: Accounting and financial professionals seeking to learn how to use artificial intelligence to improve business processes
Credits: 1.5 (NASBA FOS: Information Technology)
Speaker: Jennifer Elder
Prerequisites: None
Level: Basic
Member Price: $75
Non-member Price: $105
Location: Online
Level IV: Management and Leadership Essentials Training
11/18/2024 - 11/21/2024
Develop your soft skills in training courses that benefit both the person attending and their organization. This course, part four of the five-course series, is applicable for various accounting departments (i.e. audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services) but because these are universal leadership concepts, they are equally applicable to other professional business leaders. AHI soft skills training will help improve efficiency, make managers and senior managers more effective with others, and increase the organization’s bottom line. Also, as these courses often include other industries besides accounting, there is an opportunity to work and network with leadership professionals from other industries
Designed for: Managers and Senior Managers in audit, tax, consulting and accounting services Sole practitioners
Learning Objectives: Help more experienced staff develop the nontechnical skills needed to make their firm more profitable by improving their ability to profitably manage multiple engagements, communicate with staff, partners, clients and recognize and deliver value-added services.
Prerequisites: 3 to 4+ years
Advanced Prep: A&A Level III Beginning In-Charge Staff Training
Total Credits: 24
Credits: Business Mgmt/Organization (4.2), Personal Development (3.6), Communications/Marketing (8..8), Personnel/Human Resources (7.4)
Instructor: Steve Garrett
11/18/2024 - 11/21/2024
Develop your soft skills in training courses that benefit both the person attending and their organization. This course, part four of the five-course series, is applicable for various accounting departments (i.e. audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services) but because these are universal leadership concepts, they are equally applicable to other professional business leaders. AHI soft skills training will help improve efficiency, make managers and senior managers more effective with others, and increase the organization’s bottom line. Also, as these courses often include other industries besides accounting, there is an opportunity to work and network with leadership professionals from other industries
Designed for: Managers and Senior Managers in audit, tax, consulting and accounting services Sole practitioners
Learning Objectives: Help more experienced staff develop the nontechnical skills needed to make their firm more profitable by improving their ability to profitably manage multiple engagements, communicate with staff, partners, clients and recognize and deliver value-added services.
Prerequisites: 3 to 4+ years
Advanced Prep: A&A Level III Beginning In-Charge Staff Training
Total Credits: 24
Credits: Business Mgmt/Organization (4.2), Personal Development (3.6), Communications/Marketing (8..8), Personnel/Human Resources (7.4)
Instructor: Steve Garrett
Live Webinar K2’s Advanced QuickBooks Tips And Techniques
11/19/2024
The QuickBooks platform – including the desktop and online environments – is one of the leading accounting solutions for small and growing businesses. Further, Intuit has incorporated numerous advanced features and changes into the tools over the past few releases. This seminar will teach you how to use many new and advanced features in the desktop and online environments to help you solve critical issues. For example, you will learn advanced inventory management techniques, including changing the default costing methodology and implementing lot and serial number tracking. You will also learn how to build complete sets of financial statements in Excel that link in real-time to underlying QuickBooks data files and how to create multi-company financial statements. Additionally, you will learn how to use the Client Data Review feature to streamline how to identify and correct errors and close accounting periods in QuickBooks.
Knowing how to take advantage of the advanced tools and features available can determine your level of success when working with QuickBooks. So, take advantage of this opportunity to learn about QuickBooks’ “deep” features to maximize your effectiveness with QuickBooks.
Major Topics:
• Tips for improving efficiency with QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
• Better reporting when working in QuickBooks environments
• Tips for cleaning up QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online instances
• Managing inventory more effectively when working with QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
Learning Objectives:
• Identify techniques for handling advanced reporting issues, including the QuickBooks Statement Writer, QuickBooks Online Management Reports, linking QuickBooks data into other applications via Open Database Connectivity, and multi-company reporting
• Manage inventory more effectively in QuickBooks, including using Items, changing inventory costing methodologies, creating Assembly items, adjusting inventory quantities and valuations, and listing the advantages associated with QuickBooks’ Advanced Inventory feature
• Differentiate between various techniques for exchanging QuickBooks data with others, including QuickBooks Accountants’ Copy feature, Portable Company Files, and backup files
• Utilize QuickBooks’ Client Data Review feature to streamline the process of cleaning up QuickBooks data files and closing accounting periods
Who Should Attend: Accounting and financial professionals who want to learn about advanced features and techniques associated with QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
Program Level: Advanced
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
11/19/2024
The QuickBooks platform – including the desktop and online environments – is one of the leading accounting solutions for small and growing businesses. Further, Intuit has incorporated numerous advanced features and changes into the tools over the past few releases. This seminar will teach you how to use many new and advanced features in the desktop and online environments to help you solve critical issues. For example, you will learn advanced inventory management techniques, including changing the default costing methodology and implementing lot and serial number tracking. You will also learn how to build complete sets of financial statements in Excel that link in real-time to underlying QuickBooks data files and how to create multi-company financial statements. Additionally, you will learn how to use the Client Data Review feature to streamline how to identify and correct errors and close accounting periods in QuickBooks.
Knowing how to take advantage of the advanced tools and features available can determine your level of success when working with QuickBooks. So, take advantage of this opportunity to learn about QuickBooks’ “deep” features to maximize your effectiveness with QuickBooks.
Major Topics:
• Tips for improving efficiency with QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
• Better reporting when working in QuickBooks environments
• Tips for cleaning up QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online instances
• Managing inventory more effectively when working with QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
Learning Objectives:
• Identify techniques for handling advanced reporting issues, including the QuickBooks Statement Writer, QuickBooks Online Management Reports, linking QuickBooks data into other applications via Open Database Connectivity, and multi-company reporting
• Manage inventory more effectively in QuickBooks, including using Items, changing inventory costing methodologies, creating Assembly items, adjusting inventory quantities and valuations, and listing the advantages associated with QuickBooks’ Advanced Inventory feature
• Differentiate between various techniques for exchanging QuickBooks data with others, including QuickBooks Accountants’ Copy feature, Portable Company Files, and backup files
• Utilize QuickBooks’ Client Data Review feature to streamline the process of cleaning up QuickBooks data files and closing accounting periods
Who Should Attend: Accounting and financial professionals who want to learn about advanced features and techniques associated with QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
Program Level: Advanced
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Working Remotely – The New Normal
11/19/2024
Many team members now work remotely, whether by choice or necessity. As a result, questions abound about remote access to desktops and data, security, communications, collaboration, and other considerations in this new normal. When implemented correctly, remote work strategies can be a “win-win” for all involved; however, failed implementations may lead to inefficiencies, security issues, and dissatisfied team members.
This session will teach you today’s best practices for working remotely. Specifically, you will learn about various remote access tools, communication and collaboration options, and security best practices. You will also learn about managing and monitoring workflows in remote work environments and tools you can use. After completing this session, you can implement a remote work strategy that yields efficiency, security, and satisfaction to all involved.
Major Topics:
• Key technologies that facilitate remote work options
• Cybersecurity issues impacting remote work environments
• How to communicate and collaborate when working remotely
Learning Objectives:
• Differentiate between options for remotely accessing your computer, applications, and data
• Identify recommended security practices for remote access and related tools and services
• List examples of Cloud-based services and suites that can contribute to working remotely
• Distinguish between communication and collaboration tools for remote workers
Who Should Attend: CPAs and other business professionals who are seeking the best ways to implement remote work and work-from-home strategies
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Information Technology (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of computer applications
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
11/19/2024
Many team members now work remotely, whether by choice or necessity. As a result, questions abound about remote access to desktops and data, security, communications, collaboration, and other considerations in this new normal. When implemented correctly, remote work strategies can be a “win-win” for all involved; however, failed implementations may lead to inefficiencies, security issues, and dissatisfied team members.
This session will teach you today’s best practices for working remotely. Specifically, you will learn about various remote access tools, communication and collaboration options, and security best practices. You will also learn about managing and monitoring workflows in remote work environments and tools you can use. After completing this session, you can implement a remote work strategy that yields efficiency, security, and satisfaction to all involved.
Major Topics:
• Key technologies that facilitate remote work options
• Cybersecurity issues impacting remote work environments
• How to communicate and collaborate when working remotely
Learning Objectives:
• Differentiate between options for remotely accessing your computer, applications, and data
• Identify recommended security practices for remote access and related tools and services
• List examples of Cloud-based services and suites that can contribute to working remotely
• Distinguish between communication and collaboration tools for remote workers
Who Should Attend: CPAs and other business professionals who are seeking the best ways to implement remote work and work-from-home strategies
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Information Technology (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of computer applications
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Excel Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Accountants
11/20/2024
Excel is the accountant’s tool of choice for analyzing and reporting financial data, yet many use time-consuming and error-prone processes to complete everyday tasks. Regardless of your experience level, if you use Excel, you need this course to learn more efficient and effective ways to work with Excel. In this course, you will discover countless tips, tricks, and techniques to improve your general level of productivity, reduce the amount of time you spend on mundane tasks, such as formatting, and customize Excel for greater accuracy and efficiency. You will also learn valuable formula-building skills, best practices for linking Excel data from other worksheets and workbooks, and streamlining report generation and printing processes.
Your K2 instructor will reinforce key learning points throughout the program with practical, real-world examples to improve your understanding and comprehension of the topics presented. This highly acclaimed course draws on over twenty-five years of experience delivering spreadsheet training to accounting and financial professionals, assuring you of the relevance and usefulness of the information and guidance provided during the program.
Major Topics:
• Fundamental Excel techniques all accounting and financial professionals should know and use
• Creating date-based calculations in Excel
• How to create Excel templates
• Key options you should enable in Excel
• Linking data in Excel
Learning Objectives:
• Implement tools and techniques for formatting data in Excel, including multiline column headings, the Accounting Format, custom date and number formats, and Conditional Formatting
• Customize Excel’s user environment, including the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar, adjust Excel’s Options to improve efficiency, and create and use Templates to increase efficiency and productivity
• Utilize various formula-building tools to create formulas more efficiently and create multiple types of formulas, including formulas to manipulate text and dates, formulas containing XLOOKUP functions, formulas that contain conditional calculations, and formulas that contain circular references
• Link data across multiple Excel worksheets and workbooks, update and manage links, and create sum-through formulas and rolling reports
Who Should Attend: Accounting and financial professionals who want to learn how to use Excel more efficiently and effectively
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: 4 hours Accounting and 4 hours Computer Software and Applications
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of Microsoft Office Excel 2019 or newer
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
11/20/2024
Excel is the accountant’s tool of choice for analyzing and reporting financial data, yet many use time-consuming and error-prone processes to complete everyday tasks. Regardless of your experience level, if you use Excel, you need this course to learn more efficient and effective ways to work with Excel. In this course, you will discover countless tips, tricks, and techniques to improve your general level of productivity, reduce the amount of time you spend on mundane tasks, such as formatting, and customize Excel for greater accuracy and efficiency. You will also learn valuable formula-building skills, best practices for linking Excel data from other worksheets and workbooks, and streamlining report generation and printing processes.
Your K2 instructor will reinforce key learning points throughout the program with practical, real-world examples to improve your understanding and comprehension of the topics presented. This highly acclaimed course draws on over twenty-five years of experience delivering spreadsheet training to accounting and financial professionals, assuring you of the relevance and usefulness of the information and guidance provided during the program.
Major Topics:
• Fundamental Excel techniques all accounting and financial professionals should know and use
• Creating date-based calculations in Excel
• How to create Excel templates
• Key options you should enable in Excel
• Linking data in Excel
Learning Objectives:
• Implement tools and techniques for formatting data in Excel, including multiline column headings, the Accounting Format, custom date and number formats, and Conditional Formatting
• Customize Excel’s user environment, including the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar, adjust Excel’s Options to improve efficiency, and create and use Templates to increase efficiency and productivity
• Utilize various formula-building tools to create formulas more efficiently and create multiple types of formulas, including formulas to manipulate text and dates, formulas containing XLOOKUP functions, formulas that contain conditional calculations, and formulas that contain circular references
• Link data across multiple Excel worksheets and workbooks, update and manage links, and create sum-through formulas and rolling reports
Who Should Attend: Accounting and financial professionals who want to learn how to use Excel more efficiently and effectively
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: 4 hours Accounting and 4 hours Computer Software and Applications
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of Microsoft Office Excel 2019 or newer
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
A Complete Tax Guide to Exit Planning
11/21/2024
When exit planning, it is important to weigh various issues, including tax implications, to achieve an effective management and/or ownership change. Many envision tax-free reorganizations being the most preferable structure to avoid capital gains tax, but the opportunities come at a cost to the seller. This course will provide a well-rounded discussion of the various strategies to consider when advising on exiting a business.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand key issues regarding exit planning
• Discuss tax implications of exit planning strategies
• Compare exit planning between entity types (C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, etc.)
Major Topics:
• Gain exclusion and tax-free reorganization planning
• Gain exclusion with sales of C corporation stock – Section 1202
• Deferral of gain with installment reporting
• Gain planning with partnerships
• Basis planning – basis step-up at death, gifts of interests to family
• Restructuring the business entity – C vs. S corporation, partnerships, LLCs
• Real estate planning – retention vs sales, like-kind exchanges
• Employee stock ownership plans – special tax incentives
• Employee benefit planning with ownership change
• Taxes other than the federal income tax – state tax, estate, gift and generation-skipping taxes, and property taxes
• Prospects for tax law change
Instructor: Bill Murphy
Field of Study: Taxes (2)
Designed For: CPAs in industry and public accounting who want to gain an understanding of exit planning considerations for their clients
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of tax issues and entity structures
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
11/21/2024
When exit planning, it is important to weigh various issues, including tax implications, to achieve an effective management and/or ownership change. Many envision tax-free reorganizations being the most preferable structure to avoid capital gains tax, but the opportunities come at a cost to the seller. This course will provide a well-rounded discussion of the various strategies to consider when advising on exiting a business.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand key issues regarding exit planning
• Discuss tax implications of exit planning strategies
• Compare exit planning between entity types (C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, etc.)
Major Topics:
• Gain exclusion and tax-free reorganization planning
• Gain exclusion with sales of C corporation stock – Section 1202
• Deferral of gain with installment reporting
• Gain planning with partnerships
• Basis planning – basis step-up at death, gifts of interests to family
• Restructuring the business entity – C vs. S corporation, partnerships, LLCs
• Real estate planning – retention vs sales, like-kind exchanges
• Employee stock ownership plans – special tax incentives
• Employee benefit planning with ownership change
• Taxes other than the federal income tax – state tax, estate, gift and generation-skipping taxes, and property taxes
• Prospects for tax law change
Instructor: Bill Murphy
Field of Study: Taxes (2)
Designed For: CPAs in industry and public accounting who want to gain an understanding of exit planning considerations for their clients
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of tax issues and entity structures
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
Live Webinar K2’s Advanced Excel
11/21/2024
If you are an experienced Excel user seeking to elevate your skills, join the K2 team for K2’s Advanced Excel. In this laptop-friendly program, you will learn critical advanced Excel skills in six key areas: 1) collaborating with other users and securing workbooks, 2) using tables to analyze and report data, 3) integrating and manipulating data from external sources, 4) creating and auditing complex formulas, 5) advanced data analysis tools, and 6) visualization techniques to analyze and communicate information.
The course draws from over twenty-five years of experience delivering Excel training to accountants and other business professionals. Throughout the program, relevant, real-world examples reinforce the topics presented. Take advantage of this opportunity to become more efficient and proficient in Microsoft Office Excel, the tool of choice for accounting and financial professionals. This course covers advanced Excel topics found in Excel 2019 and newer.
Major Topics:
• Collaboration and security techniques
• Tables, data models, and PivotTables
• Advanced formulas
• Data queries
• Creating effective visualizations
Learning Objectives:
• Identify and implement the best techniques to secure sensitive information in Excel workbooks and collaborate with other users to improve accuracy and efficiency
• Create tables and take advantage of their advanced features, such as dynamic data ranges, structured reference formulas, and the ability to relate multiple tables together into a Data Model
• Import and link data into Excel from external sources – including text, Access, and SQL Server – and use advanced tools, such as Power Query and various cleanup tools, to manipulate the data to meet specific needs
• Use advanced functions, such as SUMPRODUCT, XLOOKUP, MATCH, INDEX, NETWORKDAYS, RAND, RANDBETWEEN, NPV, IRR, XNPV, and XIRR, to create and audit complex formulas
• Analyze worksheet data using techniques such as Data Tables, Subtotals, Slicers, Filters, and PivotTables
• Describe techniques used to create, manipulate, and customize charts for analyzing and communicating information
Who Should Attend: Business professionals who work with Excel 2019 or newer and want to extend their knowledge with advanced features and functions
Program Level: Advanced
Field of Study: Accounting (4 CPE) and Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Experienced Excel user
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
11/21/2024
If you are an experienced Excel user seeking to elevate your skills, join the K2 team for K2’s Advanced Excel. In this laptop-friendly program, you will learn critical advanced Excel skills in six key areas: 1) collaborating with other users and securing workbooks, 2) using tables to analyze and report data, 3) integrating and manipulating data from external sources, 4) creating and auditing complex formulas, 5) advanced data analysis tools, and 6) visualization techniques to analyze and communicate information.
The course draws from over twenty-five years of experience delivering Excel training to accountants and other business professionals. Throughout the program, relevant, real-world examples reinforce the topics presented. Take advantage of this opportunity to become more efficient and proficient in Microsoft Office Excel, the tool of choice for accounting and financial professionals. This course covers advanced Excel topics found in Excel 2019 and newer.
Major Topics:
• Collaboration and security techniques
• Tables, data models, and PivotTables
• Advanced formulas
• Data queries
• Creating effective visualizations
Learning Objectives:
• Identify and implement the best techniques to secure sensitive information in Excel workbooks and collaborate with other users to improve accuracy and efficiency
• Create tables and take advantage of their advanced features, such as dynamic data ranges, structured reference formulas, and the ability to relate multiple tables together into a Data Model
• Import and link data into Excel from external sources – including text, Access, and SQL Server – and use advanced tools, such as Power Query and various cleanup tools, to manipulate the data to meet specific needs
• Use advanced functions, such as SUMPRODUCT, XLOOKUP, MATCH, INDEX, NETWORKDAYS, RAND, RANDBETWEEN, NPV, IRR, XNPV, and XIRR, to create and audit complex formulas
• Analyze worksheet data using techniques such as Data Tables, Subtotals, Slicers, Filters, and PivotTables
• Describe techniques used to create, manipulate, and customize charts for analyzing and communicating information
Who Should Attend: Business professionals who work with Excel 2019 or newer and want to extend their knowledge with advanced features and functions
Program Level: Advanced
Field of Study: Accounting (4 CPE) and Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Experienced Excel user
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
AI and Data Analytics for Auditing - The Big Picture
11/26/2024
This course is designed for firm partners and managers to explore ways to incorporate data analytics and related technologies in their audit practices. Participants explore how small and mid-size firms are using these tools to improve engagement efficiency and quality while providing opportunities for value-added services to clients
Designed for: Firm partners and managers interested in how to use data analytics and AI in their audit and accounting practices.
Learning Objectives: Assist CPA firm managers and partners in their technology adoption decisions. Understand factors relevant to the decision to adopt new technology, as well as the skills that staff and managers need to develop for successful implementation of data analytics and AI in auditing and accounting.
Prerequisites: None
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 2
Credits: Business Management/Organization (1), Auditing (1)
Instructor: Bonnie Kennedy
Location: Online
11/26/2024
This course is designed for firm partners and managers to explore ways to incorporate data analytics and related technologies in their audit practices. Participants explore how small and mid-size firms are using these tools to improve engagement efficiency and quality while providing opportunities for value-added services to clients
Designed for: Firm partners and managers interested in how to use data analytics and AI in their audit and accounting practices.
Learning Objectives: Assist CPA firm managers and partners in their technology adoption decisions. Understand factors relevant to the decision to adopt new technology, as well as the skills that staff and managers need to develop for successful implementation of data analytics and AI in auditing and accounting.
Prerequisites: None
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 2
Credits: Business Management/Organization (1), Auditing (1)
Instructor: Bonnie Kennedy
Location: Online
Level V: Advanced Management and Leadership Essentials
11/26/2024
This 2-hour mini course is from our Level V course, which highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers in CPA firms. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people.
Leading Others - Coaching & Developing Staff - prioritizing the coaching and development of staff in a post-pandemic work environment, including delegation for development, effective feedback, and managing virtual employees. Building Leadership Communication Skills - strategies to influence and lead others through effective communication in both individual and group settings. Helping the Firm Grow - the three levels of helping the firm grow and how to involve the entire team in expanding services to existing clients and generating referrals to new clients.
Designed for: Experienced managers and senior managers in audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services. Directors and above who wish to build their leadership skills. Sole practitioners.
Learning Objectives: Enable managers and senior managers of CPA firms to continue developing the management and leadership skills necessary to be successful in their firms.
Prerequisites: 3 to 4+ years experience
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 2
Credits: Business Mgmt/Organization (0.2), Personal Development (4.6), Communications/Marketing (1.2), Personnel/Human Resources (0.6)
Instructor: Steve Garrett
11/26/2024
This 2-hour mini course is from our Level V course, which highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers in CPA firms. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people.
Leading Others - Coaching & Developing Staff - prioritizing the coaching and development of staff in a post-pandemic work environment, including delegation for development, effective feedback, and managing virtual employees. Building Leadership Communication Skills - strategies to influence and lead others through effective communication in both individual and group settings. Helping the Firm Grow - the three levels of helping the firm grow and how to involve the entire team in expanding services to existing clients and generating referrals to new clients.
Designed for: Experienced managers and senior managers in audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services. Directors and above who wish to build their leadership skills. Sole practitioners.
Learning Objectives: Enable managers and senior managers of CPA firms to continue developing the management and leadership skills necessary to be successful in their firms.
Prerequisites: 3 to 4+ years experience
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 2
Credits: Business Mgmt/Organization (0.2), Personal Development (4.6), Communications/Marketing (1.2), Personnel/Human Resources (0.6)
Instructor: Steve Garrett
Surgent's Individual Tax Planning Ideas
11/26/2024
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. Continuously updated for the latest legislation and IRS guidance.
Learning Objectives:
• Identify areas where individual taxpayers are not taking full advantage of the Code
• Know the directions in which taxes are changing or are likely to change and how that affects planning
Major Topics:
• Comprehensive coverage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and SECURE Act 2.0
• Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation
• Retirement planning in light of IRA and RMD changes
• Review of pertinent changes from recent legislation
• Reading a tax return for developing client-specific tax strategies
• Identifying tax opportunities: reviewing the prior-year return to develop a plan for the future
• Compensation and fringe benefit issues
• Identify clients with net investment income tax problems and the potential ways to reduce or eliminate them
• All in the family: Tax tactics for spouses, children, and parents
• Understanding the environment: what’s new, what’s expired or expiring, and what’s likely to change
Instructor: John Kilroy
Field of Study: Taxes (4)
Designed For: All practitioners involved in tax planning for individuals who need to go beyond basic tax and financial planning techniques
Prerequisite: Experience in individual income tax planning and income tax return preparation
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
11/26/2024
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. Continuously updated for the latest legislation and IRS guidance.
Learning Objectives:
• Identify areas where individual taxpayers are not taking full advantage of the Code
• Know the directions in which taxes are changing or are likely to change and how that affects planning
Major Topics:
• Comprehensive coverage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and SECURE Act 2.0
• Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation
• Retirement planning in light of IRA and RMD changes
• Review of pertinent changes from recent legislation
• Reading a tax return for developing client-specific tax strategies
• Identifying tax opportunities: reviewing the prior-year return to develop a plan for the future
• Compensation and fringe benefit issues
• Identify clients with net investment income tax problems and the potential ways to reduce or eliminate them
• All in the family: Tax tactics for spouses, children, and parents
• Understanding the environment: what’s new, what’s expired or expiring, and what’s likely to change
Instructor: John Kilroy
Field of Study: Taxes (4)
Designed For: All practitioners involved in tax planning for individuals who need to go beyond basic tax and financial planning techniques
Prerequisite: Experience in individual income tax planning and income tax return preparation
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
Federal Tax Update with Ron Roberson
12/2/2024
This no-frills course has been designed to review all changes affecting for-profit taxpayers, combining the individual update with the business update without all of the planning and compliance discussion available in the more specialized updates. Just the facts without the frills! Updated throughout the year for up-to-the-minute rile changes and court cases, the FTU-Ind/Bus course will keep you in the loop for the latest changes.
The course has been updated for the effects of the end-of-2019 Secure Act, both March 2020 tax bills, and Both PPP and PPPFA Bills, with in-depth discussion and examples of those changes! 2020 changes are all coming together with 5 different bills into a massive year of tax changes.
Learning Objectives:
Upon the completion of this course, you will be able to:
Field of Study: Taxes (16)
Designed For: CPAs in public accounting or corporate finance in need of a power-packed two-day Federal individual and business income tax update course before tax season
Prerequisite: 1 year tax preparation experience
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
12/2/2024
This no-frills course has been designed to review all changes affecting for-profit taxpayers, combining the individual update with the business update without all of the planning and compliance discussion available in the more specialized updates. Just the facts without the frills! Updated throughout the year for up-to-the-minute rile changes and court cases, the FTU-Ind/Bus course will keep you in the loop for the latest changes.
The course has been updated for the effects of the end-of-2019 Secure Act, both March 2020 tax bills, and Both PPP and PPPFA Bills, with in-depth discussion and examples of those changes! 2020 changes are all coming together with 5 different bills into a massive year of tax changes.
Learning Objectives:
Upon the completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Apply the latest tax law changes to the current Form 1040/1120/1120S/1065 tax returns you prepare
- Properly use many federal tax provisions prior to their expiration date
- Determine if your clients had job related business expenses
- Determine if your clients had any work related education expenses
- Summarize the various methods of accounting that are available
- Advise clients on how to properly account for inventory
- Determine when a change in accounting method has occurred, when IRS approval is needed and when it is not needed, and what situations qualify for automatic approval
Field of Study: Taxes (16)
Designed For: CPAs in public accounting or corporate finance in need of a power-packed two-day Federal individual and business income tax update course before tax season
Prerequisite: 1 year tax preparation experience
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
Live Webinar K2’s QuickBooks For Accountants
12/4/2024
The QuickBooks platform is robust with features and capabilities that many users are unaware of or do not know how to utilize effectively. This course helps you get more out of QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online and resolve the issues even experienced QuickBooks users struggle with, such as locking down prior periods. This program starts fast with a chapter covering the top issues accountants face with QuickBooks. Then, the day continues with practical guidance and solutions designed to help accountants get the most out of QuickBooks for themselves or their clients. You will learn about issues like setting up a new company, configuring and customizing QuickBooks preferences, and enabling system security and password protection features. Also, you will learn how to lock down transactions in prior periods, use the audit trail, customize reports, export reports to Excel, and extend QuickBooks’ usefulness with tools such as the Fixed Asset Manager and Loan Manager.
Major Topics:
• New features in QuickBooks Desktop and Online
• Enhancing internal controls in QuickBooks-based environments
• Improving financial and operational reporting when using QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
• Best practices for setting up companies
Learning Objectives:
• Identify appropriate responses to common QuickBooks user issues, such as closing accounting periods, eliminating payables and receivables from cash-basis financial statements, purging old transactions from QuickBooks, voiding checks in prior periods, viewing underlying debit and credit entries, and recommended end-of-period procedures
• List new features added to recent versions of QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online and apply these features; additionally, differentiate between the different products in the QuickBooks family
• Define appropriate procedures for setting up client data files in QuickBooks, including converting data from other accounting applications, creating data files, using templates, entering beginning balances, establishing user access and security rights and privileges, and establishing preferences
• Identify techniques for making reports and analyzing data in QuickBooks, including creating and customizing reports and exporting reports to Excel
• Identify situations where QuickBooks Online may be an appropriate solution for a business currently using or considering using QuickBooks
Who Should Attend: Accountants and other business professionals who use or support clients who use QuickBooks or QuickBooks Online
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Accounting (4 CPE) and Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of basic QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online operations
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
12/4/2024
The QuickBooks platform is robust with features and capabilities that many users are unaware of or do not know how to utilize effectively. This course helps you get more out of QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online and resolve the issues even experienced QuickBooks users struggle with, such as locking down prior periods. This program starts fast with a chapter covering the top issues accountants face with QuickBooks. Then, the day continues with practical guidance and solutions designed to help accountants get the most out of QuickBooks for themselves or their clients. You will learn about issues like setting up a new company, configuring and customizing QuickBooks preferences, and enabling system security and password protection features. Also, you will learn how to lock down transactions in prior periods, use the audit trail, customize reports, export reports to Excel, and extend QuickBooks’ usefulness with tools such as the Fixed Asset Manager and Loan Manager.
Major Topics:
• New features in QuickBooks Desktop and Online
• Enhancing internal controls in QuickBooks-based environments
• Improving financial and operational reporting when using QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
• Best practices for setting up companies
Learning Objectives:
• Identify appropriate responses to common QuickBooks user issues, such as closing accounting periods, eliminating payables and receivables from cash-basis financial statements, purging old transactions from QuickBooks, voiding checks in prior periods, viewing underlying debit and credit entries, and recommended end-of-period procedures
• List new features added to recent versions of QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online and apply these features; additionally, differentiate between the different products in the QuickBooks family
• Define appropriate procedures for setting up client data files in QuickBooks, including converting data from other accounting applications, creating data files, using templates, entering beginning balances, establishing user access and security rights and privileges, and establishing preferences
• Identify techniques for making reports and analyzing data in QuickBooks, including creating and customizing reports and exporting reports to Excel
• Identify situations where QuickBooks Online may be an appropriate solution for a business currently using or considering using QuickBooks
Who Should Attend: Accountants and other business professionals who use or support clients who use QuickBooks or QuickBooks Online
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Accounting (4 CPE) and Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of basic QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online operations
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
MNCPA 2024 Federal Tax Update
12/4/2024
Review current-year developments and planning ideas affecting individual, corporate and business income taxation. Walk through major new tax legislation, as well as other significant tax developments that affect 2024 tax return preparation and tax planning for individuals, corporations and non-corporate businesses. Come away with practical solutions to problems and an understanding of current tax planning opportunities.
Major subjects
CPAs and tax professionals involved in tax return preparation and tax planning
Prerequisites: None
Advance prep: None
Field(s) of study: Taxes - Technical (8.0)
Level: Update
Format: Group Internet Based
Instructor: David Peters, CPA, CGMA, CPCU, ChFC, CLU, CFP
David Peters, CPA, CGMA, CPCU, ChFC, CLU, CFP, is the founder and owner of Peters Professional Education and Peters Tax Preparation & Consulting, PC. He is also a financial advisor for CFO Capital Management. David has over 15 years of experience in financial services, including three years in the hedge fund industry and six years in the insurance industry. In addition, David is a national instructor for the AICPA, Surgent, Kaplan and Don Farmer Tax Seminars. He regularly teaches courses in accounting, finance, insurance, financial planning and ethics.
Member Price: $349
Non-member Price: $449
*Prices will Increase by $50 on 11/2
Location: Online
12/4/2024
Review current-year developments and planning ideas affecting individual, corporate and business income taxation. Walk through major new tax legislation, as well as other significant tax developments that affect 2024 tax return preparation and tax planning for individuals, corporations and non-corporate businesses. Come away with practical solutions to problems and an understanding of current tax planning opportunities.
Major subjects
- Latest law provisions affecting 2024 returns, including developments related to SECURE 2.0 and the Inflation Reduction Act
- Review of any tax legislation enacted in 2024
- FinCEN's beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting rules
- Regulations modifying the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules for 2024
- Developments related to energy credits, including energy efficient improvements to residences and electric vehicles
- Employee retention credit developments
- 1099-K reporting rules for 2024
- Digital asset developments
- New tax cases, rulings and regulations expected to have the most significant impact on individuals and businesses, and the related planning opportunities
- Review major developments in federal income taxation for individuals, corporations and other businesses
- Understand developments affecting 2024 returns and tax planning, including any new 2024 legislation, important regulations, rulings and court cases
CPAs and tax professionals involved in tax return preparation and tax planning
Prerequisites: None
Advance prep: None
Field(s) of study: Taxes - Technical (8.0)
Level: Update
Format: Group Internet Based
Instructor: David Peters, CPA, CGMA, CPCU, ChFC, CLU, CFP
David Peters, CPA, CGMA, CPCU, ChFC, CLU, CFP, is the founder and owner of Peters Professional Education and Peters Tax Preparation & Consulting, PC. He is also a financial advisor for CFO Capital Management. David has over 15 years of experience in financial services, including three years in the hedge fund industry and six years in the insurance industry. In addition, David is a national instructor for the AICPA, Surgent, Kaplan and Don Farmer Tax Seminars. He regularly teaches courses in accounting, finance, insurance, financial planning and ethics.
Member Price: $349
Non-member Price: $449
*Prices will Increase by $50 on 11/2
Location: Online
Level III: Beginning in Charge Training
12/5/2024 - 12/6/2024
Improve your planning, review, audit and other engagement skills. Master techniques for effective communication with clients and colleagues in part three of this five-course series. Discover the secrets to planning and efficiently completing engagements, explore methods for assuming higher levels of responsibility, develop your ability to assess risk and materiality and learn to make non-statistical sampling decisions. Designed to offer audit staff members extensive training in crucial procedural, evaluative and supervisory areas.
Designed for: Beginning in-charge audit staff with 2-3 years experience
Learning Objectives: Enable experienced staff to advance more quickly to higher levels of responsibility and become more profitable to their firms by helping them better plan and efficiently complete audits, supervise staff, review working papers and interact with partners and clients.
Prerequisites: 2 to 3 years
Advanced Prep: A&A Level II Semi-Senior Staff Training
Total Credits: 16
Credits: Auditing (14.8), Business Mgmt/Organization (1.2)
Instructor: Rich Ferdinand
12/5/2024 - 12/6/2024
Improve your planning, review, audit and other engagement skills. Master techniques for effective communication with clients and colleagues in part three of this five-course series. Discover the secrets to planning and efficiently completing engagements, explore methods for assuming higher levels of responsibility, develop your ability to assess risk and materiality and learn to make non-statistical sampling decisions. Designed to offer audit staff members extensive training in crucial procedural, evaluative and supervisory areas.
Designed for: Beginning in-charge audit staff with 2-3 years experience
Learning Objectives: Enable experienced staff to advance more quickly to higher levels of responsibility and become more profitable to their firms by helping them better plan and efficiently complete audits, supervise staff, review working papers and interact with partners and clients.
Prerequisites: 2 to 3 years
Advanced Prep: A&A Level II Semi-Senior Staff Training
Total Credits: 16
Credits: Auditing (14.8), Business Mgmt/Organization (1.2)
Instructor: Rich Ferdinand
Live Webinar K2’s Small Business Internal Controls, Security, and Fraud Preventionand Detection
12/5/2024
Internal controls are more important than ever, and their importance increases daily. However, internal controls present a challenge for many smaller organizations. This program will teach you how to evaluate, develop, and implement an effective internal control structure in a small business environment. You will identify how to assess risk in smaller organizations and implement preventive, detective, deterrent, and compensating controls to mitigate these risks, even without proper segregation of duties. Additionally, participating in this program will teach you technology-focused techniques for preventing and detecting fraud and securing information systems and sensitive data.
For small organizations, maintaining an effective system of internal controls presents a significant challenge. Realistically, implementing many theoretical concepts surrounding internal controls may sometimes be impossible. Consequently, many internal control structures foster an environment where too much risk exists. This factor and uncontrolled information systems can often lead to disastrous results. Participate in this program to learn the necessary insights and tools to design, implement, and monitor small organizations' internal controls, security, and anti-fraud measures.
Major Topics:
• Common challenges associated with implementing appropriate internal controls in small business environments
• Fraud in small business environments
• Internal control options in small business accounting software
• Understanding the need for application controls and general controls
Learning Objectives:
• Cite internal control fundamentals, including definitions and concepts, types of internal control activities, and the need for internal controls
• Identify common small business control deficiencies and issues, including concentration of ownership and inadequate segregation of duties, and list five key risk areas for small businesses
• Recognize the common types of fraud schemes occurring in small businesses and implement internal control measures to reduce the threat of becoming a victim
• List the objectives and common deficiencies of small business accounting systems
• Define the purpose of general controls and list examples of typical control techniques in small businesses
• Implement technology tools to prevent and detect occupational fraud
• List opportunities to enhance security over information systems and sensitive data
Who Should Attend: Business professionals responsible for internal control and fraud prevention and detection
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Auditing (8 CPE)
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of internal controls and accounting and administrative processes in smaller organizations
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
12/5/2024
Internal controls are more important than ever, and their importance increases daily. However, internal controls present a challenge for many smaller organizations. This program will teach you how to evaluate, develop, and implement an effective internal control structure in a small business environment. You will identify how to assess risk in smaller organizations and implement preventive, detective, deterrent, and compensating controls to mitigate these risks, even without proper segregation of duties. Additionally, participating in this program will teach you technology-focused techniques for preventing and detecting fraud and securing information systems and sensitive data.
For small organizations, maintaining an effective system of internal controls presents a significant challenge. Realistically, implementing many theoretical concepts surrounding internal controls may sometimes be impossible. Consequently, many internal control structures foster an environment where too much risk exists. This factor and uncontrolled information systems can often lead to disastrous results. Participate in this program to learn the necessary insights and tools to design, implement, and monitor small organizations' internal controls, security, and anti-fraud measures.
Major Topics:
• Common challenges associated with implementing appropriate internal controls in small business environments
• Fraud in small business environments
• Internal control options in small business accounting software
• Understanding the need for application controls and general controls
Learning Objectives:
• Cite internal control fundamentals, including definitions and concepts, types of internal control activities, and the need for internal controls
• Identify common small business control deficiencies and issues, including concentration of ownership and inadequate segregation of duties, and list five key risk areas for small businesses
• Recognize the common types of fraud schemes occurring in small businesses and implement internal control measures to reduce the threat of becoming a victim
• List the objectives and common deficiencies of small business accounting systems
• Define the purpose of general controls and list examples of typical control techniques in small businesses
• Implement technology tools to prevent and detect occupational fraud
• List opportunities to enhance security over information systems and sensitive data
Who Should Attend: Business professionals responsible for internal control and fraud prevention and detection
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Auditing (8 CPE)
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of internal controls and accounting and administrative processes in smaller organizations
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
Key Partnership and S Corporation Tax Planning Strategies
12/6/2024
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.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand how the strategies and techniques in business-related tax planning are modified for pass-throughs
• Understand the special problems when transactions involve the business, its investors, and related businesses and individuals
Major Topics:
• Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation
• Tax consequences of retiring partners seeking liquidating distributions/redemptions and S corporation shareholders seeking the redemption of their shares
• At-risk and passive activity loss considerations
• Basis planning
• Related party transactions: making them work
• Income splitting and shifting with family can create considerable benefits
• Sale of ownership interest and NIIT considerations
Instructor: John Evanich
Field of Study: Taxes (4)
Designed For: All tax practitioners, both those working in public accounting as well as those in private industry, who are responsible for tax planning for their clients and/or companies
Prerequisite: Experience with business clients
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
12/6/2024
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.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand how the strategies and techniques in business-related tax planning are modified for pass-throughs
• Understand the special problems when transactions involve the business, its investors, and related businesses and individuals
Major Topics:
• Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation
• Tax consequences of retiring partners seeking liquidating distributions/redemptions and S corporation shareholders seeking the redemption of their shares
• At-risk and passive activity loss considerations
• Basis planning
• Related party transactions: making them work
• Income splitting and shifting with family can create considerable benefits
• Sale of ownership interest and NIIT considerations
Instructor: John Evanich
Field of Study: Taxes (4)
Designed For: All tax practitioners, both those working in public accounting as well as those in private industry, who are responsible for tax planning for their clients and/or companies
Prerequisite: Experience with business clients
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
Level V: Advanced Management and Leadership Essentials
12/9/2024 - 12/12/2024
Develop your soft skills in training courses that benefit both the person attending and their organization. This course, the final course of the five-course series, is applicable for various accounting departments (i.e. audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services) but because these are universal leadership concepts, they are equally applicable to other professional business leaders. The Level V course highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers of organizations. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people.
Designed for: Experienced managers and senior managers in audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services. Directors and above who wish to build their leadership skills. Sole practitioners.
Learning Objectives: Enable managers and senior managers to continue developing leadership skills and examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people
Prerequisites: 5+ years
Advanced Prep: A&A Level IV Management & Leadership Essentials
Total Credits: 16
Credits: Business Mgmt/Organization (2.4), Personal Development (4.6), Communications/Marketing (5.8), Personnel/Human Resources (3.2)
Instructor: Steve Garrett
12/9/2024 - 12/12/2024
Develop your soft skills in training courses that benefit both the person attending and their organization. This course, the final course of the five-course series, is applicable for various accounting departments (i.e. audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services) but because these are universal leadership concepts, they are equally applicable to other professional business leaders. The Level V course highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers of organizations. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people.
Designed for: Experienced managers and senior managers in audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services. Directors and above who wish to build their leadership skills. Sole practitioners.
Learning Objectives: Enable managers and senior managers to continue developing leadership skills and examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people
Prerequisites: 5+ years
Advanced Prep: A&A Level IV Management & Leadership Essentials
Total Credits: 16
Credits: Business Mgmt/Organization (2.4), Personal Development (4.6), Communications/Marketing (5.8), Personnel/Human Resources (3.2)
Instructor: Steve Garrett
Live Webinar K2’s Excel Essentials for Staff Accountants
12/9/2024
Staff accountants have specific needs when working with Excel. Unfortunately, their existing Excel knowledge often does not meet these needs. Chief among these are summarizing data quickly and accurately, generating accurate and aesthetically pleasing reports, and creating accounting-centric calculations for elements such as depreciation, amortization, and interest. By participating in this eight-hour session, staff accountants will gain the essential skills to maximize efficiency and accuracy when working with Excel.
This session begins with a quick overview of Excel best practices. It then progresses rapidly into discussions that address PivotTables, sophisticated formulas, Tables, formatting, and working with dates in Excel. Throughout the session, you will learn from accounting-centric examples to reinforce key learning points. In this session, you will learn in a “laptop-friendly” environment, and participants will have access to all the demonstration files. In sum, this seminar is a “must” for all staff accountants seeking to improve their efficiency and accuracy when working with Excel.
Major Topics:
• Best practices for creating and working with Excel workbooks
• Effectively using Excel functions when creating formulas
• The importance of PivotTables in modern reporting environments
• Best practices for formatting your workbooks
Learning Objectives:
• List five critical best practices associated with creating workbooks and constructing workbooks that comply with these principles
• Utilize PivotTables and PivotCharts to quickly summarize and present data without generating formulas
• Build sophisticated formulas to assist with reporting and analysis, including those that use functions such as VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, CHOOSE, XNPV, XIRR, PMT, IPMT, ACCRINT, and TRIM
• Create Tables from ranges of Excel data and identify the primary advantages of working with Tables
• Apply formats quickly and efficiently to Excel reports and understand the importance of features such as the Accounting format, Accounting Underlines, Precision as Displayed, Center Across Selection, and Flash Fill
• Work with date-oriented data in Excel and create calculations – such as those involving depreciation expense and interest accruals – involving the passage of time
Who Should Attend: Accounting and financial professionals who want to use the power of Excel in common business situations to summarize and analyze data
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (8 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of Microsoft Office Excel 2019 or newer
Instructor: Lawrence MacLelland
Location: Virtual
12/9/2024
Staff accountants have specific needs when working with Excel. Unfortunately, their existing Excel knowledge often does not meet these needs. Chief among these are summarizing data quickly and accurately, generating accurate and aesthetically pleasing reports, and creating accounting-centric calculations for elements such as depreciation, amortization, and interest. By participating in this eight-hour session, staff accountants will gain the essential skills to maximize efficiency and accuracy when working with Excel.
This session begins with a quick overview of Excel best practices. It then progresses rapidly into discussions that address PivotTables, sophisticated formulas, Tables, formatting, and working with dates in Excel. Throughout the session, you will learn from accounting-centric examples to reinforce key learning points. In this session, you will learn in a “laptop-friendly” environment, and participants will have access to all the demonstration files. In sum, this seminar is a “must” for all staff accountants seeking to improve their efficiency and accuracy when working with Excel.
Major Topics:
• Best practices for creating and working with Excel workbooks
• Effectively using Excel functions when creating formulas
• The importance of PivotTables in modern reporting environments
• Best practices for formatting your workbooks
Learning Objectives:
• List five critical best practices associated with creating workbooks and constructing workbooks that comply with these principles
• Utilize PivotTables and PivotCharts to quickly summarize and present data without generating formulas
• Build sophisticated formulas to assist with reporting and analysis, including those that use functions such as VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, CHOOSE, XNPV, XIRR, PMT, IPMT, ACCRINT, and TRIM
• Create Tables from ranges of Excel data and identify the primary advantages of working with Tables
• Apply formats quickly and efficiently to Excel reports and understand the importance of features such as the Accounting format, Accounting Underlines, Precision as Displayed, Center Across Selection, and Flash Fill
• Work with date-oriented data in Excel and create calculations – such as those involving depreciation expense and interest accruals – involving the passage of time
Who Should Attend: Accounting and financial professionals who want to use the power of Excel in common business situations to summarize and analyze data
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (8 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of Microsoft Office Excel 2019 or newer
Instructor: Lawrence MacLelland
Location: Virtual
Technology Conference
12/10/2024 - 12/11/2024
Location: Virtual
12/10/2024 - 12/11/2024
The Technology Conference offers up to sixteen hours of fast-paced presentations designed to make you more productive and efficient when using technology. K2 Enterprises’ nationally recognized speakers provide you with practical solutions to the real-world issues faced by accounting, financial, and other business professionals. You will receive helpful tips and advanced techniques, along with the tools and skills necessary to keep up with the ever-increasing pace of changes in technology.
Designed For: Busy accounting and financial professionals who want to improve their personal and organizational productivity.
CPE Credits: Up to 16 in various fields of study
Developer: K2 Enterprises
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of hardware, software, and technology trends.
Advance Preparation: None
Member Price: $475
Non-member Price: $525
One-day Member Price: $375
One-day Non-member Price: $425
*Prices will Increase by $50 on 12/3
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Excel Best Practices
12/12/2024
As spreadsheets evolve, so must your creating, editing, and auditing practices. In this program, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the best ways to work with Excel by learning best practices associated with Excel spreadsheets in each of the following areas: creating and editing Excel workbooks, securing Excel workbooks, collaborating with others in Excel, and reporting on data contained in Excel.
Today’s best practices for Excel differ significantly from those used in the past, and you will learn the best ways to work with Excel spreadsheets in this “must-see” CPE program. Course materials include relevant examples to enhance your learning experience. Join us for this program to help you utilize Excel fully.
Major Topics:
• Best practices associated with creating Excel workbooks, including managing workbooks
• How to secure Excel workbooks
• Collaboration options and best practices in Excel
• Effective reporting techniques in Excel
Learning Objectives:
• List critical spreadsheet design fundamentals
• Identify techniques used to minimize data input errors
• Utilize Excel’s Table feature as a foundational component of spreadsheets
• Identify and implement three different methods for consolidating data
• Utilize various Excel features, such as Go To Special, to solve specific spreadsheet issues
• List and apply four techniques for sharing an Excel workbook and collaborating with others
• Implement different practices for auditing and error-checking Excel workbooks, including Trace Precedents, Trace Dependents, and Formula Auditing
• Identify the advantages of working with Defined Names in Excel
• List and apply six techniques for securing Excel data
Who Should Attend: Excel users who want to learn best practices for working with spreadsheets
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (8 CPE)
Prerequisites: Experienced Excel user
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
12/12/2024
As spreadsheets evolve, so must your creating, editing, and auditing practices. In this program, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the best ways to work with Excel by learning best practices associated with Excel spreadsheets in each of the following areas: creating and editing Excel workbooks, securing Excel workbooks, collaborating with others in Excel, and reporting on data contained in Excel.
Today’s best practices for Excel differ significantly from those used in the past, and you will learn the best ways to work with Excel spreadsheets in this “must-see” CPE program. Course materials include relevant examples to enhance your learning experience. Join us for this program to help you utilize Excel fully.
Major Topics:
• Best practices associated with creating Excel workbooks, including managing workbooks
• How to secure Excel workbooks
• Collaboration options and best practices in Excel
• Effective reporting techniques in Excel
Learning Objectives:
• List critical spreadsheet design fundamentals
• Identify techniques used to minimize data input errors
• Utilize Excel’s Table feature as a foundational component of spreadsheets
• Identify and implement three different methods for consolidating data
• Utilize various Excel features, such as Go To Special, to solve specific spreadsheet issues
• List and apply four techniques for sharing an Excel workbook and collaborating with others
• Implement different practices for auditing and error-checking Excel workbooks, including Trace Precedents, Trace Dependents, and Formula Auditing
• Identify the advantages of working with Defined Names in Excel
• List and apply six techniques for securing Excel data
Who Should Attend: Excel users who want to learn best practices for working with spreadsheets
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (8 CPE)
Prerequisites: Experienced Excel user
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Better Productivity Through Artificial Intelligence And Automation Tools
12/13/2024
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation tools offer incredible opportunities for all business professionals to improve productivity and accuracy. For example, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Bard can be beneficial when conducting research or drafting reports and correspondence. Likewise, Microsoft’s Power Automate platform and similar tools such as Zapier can help you elevate efficiency to levels you may have thought unattainable. If this sounds appealing, plan to participate in this session to modernize your workflows and take advantage of these tools.
This session will teach you practical applications of today’s AI and automation tools. Moving beyond fundamental discussions, you will learn how to use AI and automation to streamline workflows, improve internal control, maximize productivity, and even improve team member morale. In addition, you will learn about some potential pitfalls associated with these technologies and how to avoid making mistakes when using these tools. In sum, this session is “must-see CPE,” and you should plan to participate in this class today.
Major Topics:
• Practical opportunities to leverage artificial intelligence and automation in business settings
• Potential risks associated with using AI and automation, including inherent ethical issues
• Pros and cons associated with tools such as ChatGPT, Bard, Power Automate, and Zapier
Learning Objectives:
• List potential benefits and risks associated with artificial intelligence and automation
• Identify examples of tasks that you can improve using AI
• List examples of how you can use Power Automate and similar tools to automate tasks
• Specify characteristics of tasks that lend themselves to automated workflows
Who Should Attend: CPAs and other accounting, financial, and business professionals who want to work more efficiently using AI and automation
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental understanding of business technologies and workflows
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
12/13/2024
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation tools offer incredible opportunities for all business professionals to improve productivity and accuracy. For example, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Bard can be beneficial when conducting research or drafting reports and correspondence. Likewise, Microsoft’s Power Automate platform and similar tools such as Zapier can help you elevate efficiency to levels you may have thought unattainable. If this sounds appealing, plan to participate in this session to modernize your workflows and take advantage of these tools.
This session will teach you practical applications of today’s AI and automation tools. Moving beyond fundamental discussions, you will learn how to use AI and automation to streamline workflows, improve internal control, maximize productivity, and even improve team member morale. In addition, you will learn about some potential pitfalls associated with these technologies and how to avoid making mistakes when using these tools. In sum, this session is “must-see CPE,” and you should plan to participate in this class today.
Major Topics:
• Practical opportunities to leverage artificial intelligence and automation in business settings
• Potential risks associated with using AI and automation, including inherent ethical issues
• Pros and cons associated with tools such as ChatGPT, Bard, Power Automate, and Zapier
Learning Objectives:
• List potential benefits and risks associated with artificial intelligence and automation
• Identify examples of tasks that you can improve using AI
• List examples of how you can use Power Automate and similar tools to automate tasks
• Specify characteristics of tasks that lend themselves to automated workflows
Who Should Attend: CPAs and other accounting, financial, and business professionals who want to work more efficiently using AI and automation
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental understanding of business technologies and workflows
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Ethics And Technology
12/13/2024
With the explosion of technology over the past thirty years, one fair question is, “what are the ethical considerations and impacts related to this technology?” Of course, practical technology issues such as data privacy and security undoubtedly carry ethical considerations. However, technology also affects the ethics associated with work-life balance, the digital divide, training needs, copyrights, and fraud, to name a few.
This course will teach you about “technoethics” and its implications for individuals and organizations. To that end, you will explore many current and emerging issues associated with ethics and technology, such as copyrights, cybercrimes, privacy versus security, and geo-tracking technologies. Given the profound implications of ethics and technology, this could be the most impactful session you will ever attend.
Major Topics:
• Understanding the differences between ethics, morals, and laws
• Key technology issues that can impact ethical behavior in businesses
• Examples of potential ethical conflicts precipitated by modern technologies
Learning Objectives:
• Distinguish between morals and ethics
• Define “technoethics” and identify examples of business ethics issues and how they are affected by technology
• Recognize the influence of ethics requirements in Codes of Conduct
• List at least five examples of potential ethical issues associated with leading technologies today
Who Should Attend: CPAs who desire a deeper understanding of critical ethical issues facing accountants today
Program Level: Basic
Field of Study: Behavioral Ethics (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
12/13/2024
With the explosion of technology over the past thirty years, one fair question is, “what are the ethical considerations and impacts related to this technology?” Of course, practical technology issues such as data privacy and security undoubtedly carry ethical considerations. However, technology also affects the ethics associated with work-life balance, the digital divide, training needs, copyrights, and fraud, to name a few.
This course will teach you about “technoethics” and its implications for individuals and organizations. To that end, you will explore many current and emerging issues associated with ethics and technology, such as copyrights, cybercrimes, privacy versus security, and geo-tracking technologies. Given the profound implications of ethics and technology, this could be the most impactful session you will ever attend.
Major Topics:
• Understanding the differences between ethics, morals, and laws
• Key technology issues that can impact ethical behavior in businesses
• Examples of potential ethical conflicts precipitated by modern technologies
Learning Objectives:
• Distinguish between morals and ethics
• Define “technoethics” and identify examples of business ethics issues and how they are affected by technology
• Recognize the influence of ethics requirements in Codes of Conduct
• List at least five examples of potential ethical issues associated with leading technologies today
Who Should Attend: CPAs who desire a deeper understanding of critical ethical issues facing accountants today
Program Level: Basic
Field of Study: Behavioral Ethics (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Steve Yoss
Location: Virtual
MNCPA AI Unboxed: Using AI and Excel
12/13/2024
Location: Online
12/13/2024
Master the powerful combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and Excel. Learn how to enhance your Excel skills with AI-driven tools to automate tasks, analyze data, and uncover hidden insights. Find out how AI can supercharge your spreadsheets, streamline workflows and improve decision-making by transforming complex data into actionable intelligence. Whether you’re handling large datasets or looking to simplify routine tasks, this course will help you harness the full potential of AI and Excel to boost your productivity and efficiency!
Major subjects:
- AI and Excel integration
- Automating tasks with AI in Excel
- AI-enhanced data analysis in Excel
- AI for predictive modeling and forecasting in Excel
- Data visualization with AI in Excel
- Learn how AI tools and features are incorporated into Excel to enhance its functionality and usability.
- Gain skills to automate repetitive tasks such as data entry, trend recognition and insights generation in Excel.
- Understand how AI-enhanced Excel tools can be applied to accounting and finance.
Designed for: Accounting and financial professionals seeking to learn how to use artificial intelligence to improve business processes
Credits: 1.5 (NASBA FOS: Information Technology)
Speaker: Tommy Stephens
Prerequisites:
- Fundamental understanding of basic AI concepts
- The ability to create AI prompts
- Understanding of the key differences between the most common AI platforms
Level: Intermediate
Member Price: $75
Non-member Price: $105
Location: Online
Financial Statement Disclosures: A Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
12/16/2024
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, especially 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, so these disclosures need to be well-written and follow applicable standards. This course will focus on key balance sheet and income statement disclosure as well as those relating to adoption of new accounting standards related to revenue (ASC 606) and leases (ASC 842), 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.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand and apply the professional requirements and guidance for preparing financial statement disclosures for all entities, including small and medium-sized businesses
• Identify balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows presentation issues
• Review disclosure examples from all sized entities, including small and medium-sized businesses
• Be familiar with developing disclosure issues, such as those related to the adoption of new accounting pronouncements
• Utilize hands-on examples and illustrations to increase your overall understanding and application of the material
Major Topics:
• Financial statement disclosures for small and medium-sized businesses
• Balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows presentation and disclosure issues
• Disclosure examples from all sized entities which you can use to base your disclosures on
• Developing disclosure issues, including disclosures related to the adoption of Topic 606
Instructor: Daryll Krause
Field of Study: Accounting (4)
Designed For: CPAs and other accounting professionals in public practice and business and industry involved in preparing financial statement disclosures for small and medium-sized businesses
Prerequisite: None
Level: Basic
Location: Online - MW Collab
12/16/2024
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, especially 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, so these disclosures need to be well-written and follow applicable standards. This course will focus on key balance sheet and income statement disclosure as well as those relating to adoption of new accounting standards related to revenue (ASC 606) and leases (ASC 842), 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.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand and apply the professional requirements and guidance for preparing financial statement disclosures for all entities, including small and medium-sized businesses
• Identify balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows presentation issues
• Review disclosure examples from all sized entities, including small and medium-sized businesses
• Be familiar with developing disclosure issues, such as those related to the adoption of new accounting pronouncements
• Utilize hands-on examples and illustrations to increase your overall understanding and application of the material
Major Topics:
• Financial statement disclosures for small and medium-sized businesses
• Balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows presentation and disclosure issues
• Disclosure examples from all sized entities which you can use to base your disclosures on
• Developing disclosure issues, including disclosures related to the adoption of Topic 606
Instructor: Daryll Krause
Field of Study: Accounting (4)
Designed For: CPAs and other accounting professionals in public practice and business and industry involved in preparing financial statement disclosures for small and medium-sized businesses
Prerequisite: None
Level: Basic
Location: Online - MW Collab
Innovative Forecasting and Budgeting: Moving Beyond the Traditional Techniques
12/16/2024
Did 2020 show us that planning doesn’t work? It might seem that way. But, obviously some organizations survived far better than others due to their ability to handle unexpected change. 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. The pandemic has shown us that our planning process must be far nimbler and allow our organization to shift rapidly. 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.
Learning Objectives:
• Develop a one-year operating plan (formerly referred to as a budget)
• Avoid the political pitfalls that often come with the forecasting and budgeting processes and inhibit change
• Maximize the usefulness of the forecasts developed for the organization
• Perform a financial risk analysis
• Perform an EVA analysis (PV, ROI and Modified ROI)
• Be familiar with the results of the case studies and exercises that reinforce key learning points throughout the course
Major Topics:
• Building change into the planning process
• Sales/income plan
• Intermediate planning
• Technology plan
• Capital equipment planning
• One-year operating plan
• Monthly planning
• Cash plan
• Risk plan
Instructor: Arthur Pulis
Field of Study: Management Services (4)
Designed For: CFOs, controllers, and finance professionals
Prerequisite: Experience in financial management of a small or midsize company
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
12/16/2024
Did 2020 show us that planning doesn’t work? It might seem that way. But, obviously some organizations survived far better than others due to their ability to handle unexpected change. 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. The pandemic has shown us that our planning process must be far nimbler and allow our organization to shift rapidly. 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.
Learning Objectives:
• Develop a one-year operating plan (formerly referred to as a budget)
• Avoid the political pitfalls that often come with the forecasting and budgeting processes and inhibit change
• Maximize the usefulness of the forecasts developed for the organization
• Perform a financial risk analysis
• Perform an EVA analysis (PV, ROI and Modified ROI)
• Be familiar with the results of the case studies and exercises that reinforce key learning points throughout the course
Major Topics:
• Building change into the planning process
• Sales/income plan
• Intermediate planning
• Technology plan
• Capital equipment planning
• One-year operating plan
• Monthly planning
• Cash plan
• Risk plan
Instructor: Arthur Pulis
Field of Study: Management Services (4)
Designed For: CFOs, controllers, and finance professionals
Prerequisite: Experience in financial management of a small or midsize company
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
Live Webinar K2’s Excel Charting And Visualizations
12/16/2024
Charts and graphs are nothing new. However, many professionals struggle with building compelling visualizations. If that statement describes you, participate in this session to improve your skills in creating Excel charts and other visualizations. As a result, you will create visualizations to enhance your communication skills.
This session is much more than just a seminar on fundamental charts. Instead, in this session, you will learn how to create advanced charts that are interactive, dynamic, and aesthetically pleasing – three qualities that will help to ensure that your readers and audience will understand the data you are presenting. This seminar is a must if you want to improve your communication skills.
Major Topics:
• Understanding the best types of visualizations to use in specific situations
• Creating compelling visualizations using Excel
• Adding interactivity to your Excel-based visualizations
Learning Objectives:
• Identify the types of visualizations that you should use to communicate specific messages
• List the steps to creating compelling visualizations in Excel and other Microsoft
Office applications
• Identify options for creating interactive visualizations
• Utilize Sparklines and Conditional Formatting to enhance visualizations in Excel
• Identify options for linking Excel-based data and visualizations into Word and PowerPoint
Who Should Attend: CPAs and other accounting, financial, and business professionals who want to learn how to create more effective charts and visualizations in Excel
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental understanding of creating charts in Microsoft Office applications
Instructor: Lawrence MacClelland
Location: Virtual
12/16/2024
Charts and graphs are nothing new. However, many professionals struggle with building compelling visualizations. If that statement describes you, participate in this session to improve your skills in creating Excel charts and other visualizations. As a result, you will create visualizations to enhance your communication skills.
This session is much more than just a seminar on fundamental charts. Instead, in this session, you will learn how to create advanced charts that are interactive, dynamic, and aesthetically pleasing – three qualities that will help to ensure that your readers and audience will understand the data you are presenting. This seminar is a must if you want to improve your communication skills.
Major Topics:
• Understanding the best types of visualizations to use in specific situations
• Creating compelling visualizations using Excel
• Adding interactivity to your Excel-based visualizations
Learning Objectives:
• Identify the types of visualizations that you should use to communicate specific messages
• List the steps to creating compelling visualizations in Excel and other Microsoft
Office applications
• Identify options for creating interactive visualizations
• Utilize Sparklines and Conditional Formatting to enhance visualizations in Excel
• Identify options for linking Excel-based data and visualizations into Word and PowerPoint
Who Should Attend: CPAs and other accounting, financial, and business professionals who want to learn how to create more effective charts and visualizations in Excel
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental understanding of creating charts in Microsoft Office applications
Instructor: Lawrence MacClelland
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Mastering Advanced Excel Functions
12/16/2024
With approximately 500 functions now available in Excel, some newer and more powerful tools are easy to overlook. But, if you do that, your productivity will suffer. In this session, you will learn how to take advantage of many of Excel’s more advanced features – some new and some legacy – to elevate your productivity to higher levels.
In this session, you will learn about many of Excel’s newer tools, including XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, SWITCH, and STOCKHISTORY. Also included in this session are discussions of advanced financial functions, such as IPMT and PPMT, and how to retrieve summarized data easily using GETPIVOTDATA and CUBEVALUE. Additionally, you will learn how to make sophisticated calculations easier with Dynamic Array formulas, harness the AGGREGATE function's power, and create more accurate forecasts with Excel’s FORECAST.ETS function. No matter your experience working with Excel, participating in this course will help you work more efficiently and effectively in Excel.
Major Topics:
• Powerful new functions and features in Excel, such as XLOOKUP and Dynamic Arrays
• How to use “legacy” features and functions such as AGGREGATE
• Creating effective forecasts in Excel
Learning Objectives:
• List examples of best practices for constructing formulas in Excel spreadsheets
• Identify situations in which each of the following functions might be useful: SUMIFS, SWITCH,
and STOCKHISTORY
• Distinguish between the XLOOKUP function and legacy Excel functions such as VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, INDEX,
and MATCH
• Cite examples of when using Dynamic Arrays would be useful
• Differentiate between Excel’s AGGREGATE and SUBTOTAL functions
• Identify conditions in which the FORECAST.ETS function is preferable to the FORECAST function
Who Should Attend: Business professionals who work with Excel and want to extend their knowledge of advanced features and functions to become more accurate, effective, and efficient with spreadsheets
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of Excel 2019 and newer
Instructor: Lawrence MacClelland
Location: Virtual
12/16/2024
With approximately 500 functions now available in Excel, some newer and more powerful tools are easy to overlook. But, if you do that, your productivity will suffer. In this session, you will learn how to take advantage of many of Excel’s more advanced features – some new and some legacy – to elevate your productivity to higher levels.
In this session, you will learn about many of Excel’s newer tools, including XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, SWITCH, and STOCKHISTORY. Also included in this session are discussions of advanced financial functions, such as IPMT and PPMT, and how to retrieve summarized data easily using GETPIVOTDATA and CUBEVALUE. Additionally, you will learn how to make sophisticated calculations easier with Dynamic Array formulas, harness the AGGREGATE function's power, and create more accurate forecasts with Excel’s FORECAST.ETS function. No matter your experience working with Excel, participating in this course will help you work more efficiently and effectively in Excel.
Major Topics:
• Powerful new functions and features in Excel, such as XLOOKUP and Dynamic Arrays
• How to use “legacy” features and functions such as AGGREGATE
• Creating effective forecasts in Excel
Learning Objectives:
• List examples of best practices for constructing formulas in Excel spreadsheets
• Identify situations in which each of the following functions might be useful: SUMIFS, SWITCH,
and STOCKHISTORY
• Distinguish between the XLOOKUP function and legacy Excel functions such as VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, INDEX,
and MATCH
• Cite examples of when using Dynamic Arrays would be useful
• Differentiate between Excel’s AGGREGATE and SUBTOTAL functions
• Identify conditions in which the FORECAST.ETS function is preferable to the FORECAST function
Who Should Attend: Business professionals who work with Excel and want to extend their knowledge of advanced features and functions to become more accurate, effective, and efficient with spreadsheets
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of Excel 2019 and newer
Instructor: Lawrence MacClelland
Location: Virtual
Surgent's S Corporation, Partnership, and LLC Tax Update
12/16/2024
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 to reflect enacted legislation.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand the current planning issues for businesses
• Understand how recent legislation impacts planning for pass-throughs
• Understand what pass-throughs can do in light of tax law changes
Major Topics:
• Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation
• Schedules K-2 and K-3 reporting requirements, including the domestic filing exception and Form 1116 exemption
• Form 7203, S Corporation Shareholder Stock and Debt Basis Limitations with examples of how to calculate stock basis
• A review of like-kind exchange transactions under section 1031
• Guidance on the impact of recent legislation on S corporations and partnership entities
• New Form 1099-K reporting requirements
• Bonus depreciation
• Section 163(j)
• Section 174 Research and Experimental Expenditures
• FinCEN reporting requirements in 2024
• Employee vs independent contractor considerations that companies should be aware of
• A review of the key cases, rulings, and tax law changes affecting S corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and limited liability partnerships
Instructor: John Lawrence
Field of Study: Taxes (4)
Designed For: All tax practitioners, both those working in public accounting as well as those in private industry, who need the latest information on tax changes affecting their business clients or employers
Prerequisite: Experience with pass-through entity clients
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
12/16/2024
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 to reflect enacted legislation.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand the current planning issues for businesses
• Understand how recent legislation impacts planning for pass-throughs
• Understand what pass-throughs can do in light of tax law changes
Major Topics:
• Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation
• Schedules K-2 and K-3 reporting requirements, including the domestic filing exception and Form 1116 exemption
• Form 7203, S Corporation Shareholder Stock and Debt Basis Limitations with examples of how to calculate stock basis
• A review of like-kind exchange transactions under section 1031
• Guidance on the impact of recent legislation on S corporations and partnership entities
• New Form 1099-K reporting requirements
• Bonus depreciation
• Section 163(j)
• Section 174 Research and Experimental Expenditures
• FinCEN reporting requirements in 2024
• Employee vs independent contractor considerations that companies should be aware of
• A review of the key cases, rulings, and tax law changes affecting S corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and limited liability partnerships
Instructor: John Lawrence
Field of Study: Taxes (4)
Designed For: All tax practitioners, both those working in public accounting as well as those in private industry, who need the latest information on tax changes affecting their business clients or employers
Prerequisite: Experience with pass-through entity clients
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
Current Issues in Accounting and Auditing: An Annual Update
12/17/2024
Designed for accounting and attestation practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides a detailed review of SAS No. 145 and brings you up to date on FASB and AICPA standards issued over the past few years. The course also provides many hands-on examples and illustrations to help apply the guidance in practice and discusses other important practice matters to be aware of, including an update on peer review and audit quality.
Learning Objectives:
• Recall and apply recently issued and proposed FASB and AICPA pronouncements
• Recall and apply guidance from ASC Topic 842, Leases
• Understand SAS Nos. 142 and 145
• Identify other important A&A practice matters to be aware of
• Utilize hands-on examples and illustrations to demonstrate an overall understanding and application of the material
Major Topics:
• Recently issued FASB Accounting Standards Updates, the PCC Update, and items on the FASB’s Technical Agenda
• Leases – Topic 842
• Review of SAS No. 142 – Audit Evidence
• Recently issued SASs and other AICPA activity
• Detailed review of SAS No. 145
• Other important A&A practice matters
Instructor: Martin Birr
Field of Study: Accounting (2), Auditing (2)
Designed For: Accounting and attestation practitioners at all levels desiring to remain up to date on recent pronouncements and other standard setters’ activities
Prerequisite: Experience in accounting and attestation
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
12/17/2024
Designed for accounting and attestation practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides a detailed review of SAS No. 145 and brings you up to date on FASB and AICPA standards issued over the past few years. The course also provides many hands-on examples and illustrations to help apply the guidance in practice and discusses other important practice matters to be aware of, including an update on peer review and audit quality.
Learning Objectives:
• Recall and apply recently issued and proposed FASB and AICPA pronouncements
• Recall and apply guidance from ASC Topic 842, Leases
• Understand SAS Nos. 142 and 145
• Identify other important A&A practice matters to be aware of
• Utilize hands-on examples and illustrations to demonstrate an overall understanding and application of the material
Major Topics:
• Recently issued FASB Accounting Standards Updates, the PCC Update, and items on the FASB’s Technical Agenda
• Leases – Topic 842
• Review of SAS No. 142 – Audit Evidence
• Recently issued SASs and other AICPA activity
• Detailed review of SAS No. 145
• Other important A&A practice matters
Instructor: Martin Birr
Field of Study: Accounting (2), Auditing (2)
Designed For: Accounting and attestation practitioners at all levels desiring to remain up to date on recent pronouncements and other standard setters’ activities
Prerequisite: Experience in accounting and attestation
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
Ethical Considerations for CPAs
12/17/2024
CPAs today face greater challenges than ever to maintain the high ethical standards of their profession. This course provides a framework within which to consider the ethical challenges facing CPAs and focuses on ethical requirements that CPAs must adhere to in their everyday practice, including practical examples of potential ethical dilemmas that practitioners may encounter.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand the attributes of ethics and professional conduct
• Identify ethical issues that occur every day in the work environment
• Understand those deliberative, emotional, and social skills that enable a CPA to put their knowledge of the rules into practice in ways that are applicable to any situation
Major Topics:
• The CPA’s role in today’s economy
• The similarities and differences between individual and business ethics
• The link between ethics, integrity and scruples
• The basic attributes of ethics and professional conduct
• The history of the CPA profession and the CPA’s requirement to adhere to ethics policies and codes of conduct
• The AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct and a CPA’s responsibility to the public, clients, and colleagues
• The common rules and statutes faced daily in the CPA profession. Case studies may also be utilized to present potential ethical dilemmas CPAs may face during their careerson
Instructor: Martin Birr
Field of Study: Ethics (Behavioral) (4)
Designed For: All CPAs
Prerequisite: Experience in financial reporting
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
12/17/2024
CPAs today face greater challenges than ever to maintain the high ethical standards of their profession. This course provides a framework within which to consider the ethical challenges facing CPAs and focuses on ethical requirements that CPAs must adhere to in their everyday practice, including practical examples of potential ethical dilemmas that practitioners may encounter.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand the attributes of ethics and professional conduct
• Identify ethical issues that occur every day in the work environment
• Understand those deliberative, emotional, and social skills that enable a CPA to put their knowledge of the rules into practice in ways that are applicable to any situation
Major Topics:
• The CPA’s role in today’s economy
• The similarities and differences between individual and business ethics
• The link between ethics, integrity and scruples
• The basic attributes of ethics and professional conduct
• The history of the CPA profession and the CPA’s requirement to adhere to ethics policies and codes of conduct
• The AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct and a CPA’s responsibility to the public, clients, and colleagues
• The common rules and statutes faced daily in the CPA profession. Case studies may also be utilized to present potential ethical dilemmas CPAs may face during their careerson
Instructor: Martin Birr
Field of Study: Ethics (Behavioral) (4)
Designed For: All CPAs
Prerequisite: Experience in financial reporting
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
Level V: Advanced Management and Leadership Essentials
12/17/2024
This 2-hour mini course is from our Level V course, which highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers in CPA firms. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people.
Leading Others - Coaching & Developing Staff - prioritizing the coaching and development of staff in a post-pandemic work environment, including delegation for development, effective feedback, and managing virtual employees. Building Leadership Communication Skills - strategies to influence and lead others through effective communication in both individual and group settings. Helping the Firm Grow - the three levels of helping the firm grow and how to involve the entire team in expanding services to existing clients and generating referrals to new clients.
Designed for: Experienced managers and senior managers in audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services. Directors and above who wish to build their leadership skills. Sole practitioners.
Learning Objectives: Enable managers and senior managers of CPA firms to continue developing the management and leadership skills necessary to be successful in their firms.
Prerequisites: 3 to 4+ years experience
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 2
Credits: Business Mgmt/Organization (0.2), Personal Development (4.6), Communications/Marketing (1.2), Personnel/Human Resources (0.6)
Instructor: Steve Garrett
12/17/2024
This 2-hour mini course is from our Level V course, which highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers in CPA firms. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people.
Leading Others - Coaching & Developing Staff - prioritizing the coaching and development of staff in a post-pandemic work environment, including delegation for development, effective feedback, and managing virtual employees. Building Leadership Communication Skills - strategies to influence and lead others through effective communication in both individual and group settings. Helping the Firm Grow - the three levels of helping the firm grow and how to involve the entire team in expanding services to existing clients and generating referrals to new clients.
Designed for: Experienced managers and senior managers in audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services. Directors and above who wish to build their leadership skills. Sole practitioners.
Learning Objectives: Enable managers and senior managers of CPA firms to continue developing the management and leadership skills necessary to be successful in their firms.
Prerequisites: 3 to 4+ years experience
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 2
Credits: Business Mgmt/Organization (0.2), Personal Development (4.6), Communications/Marketing (1.2), Personnel/Human Resources (0.6)
Instructor: Steve Garrett
Live Webinar K2’s Microsoft 365/Office 365 - All the things You Need to Know
12/17/2024
Microsoft 365/Office 365 continues to grow and evolve, yet most utilize only a fraction of the tools available in their subscription. For example, powerful resources such as SharePoint Online and audio and video conferencing can change how your organization communicates and collaborates. In contrast, more personal apps such as Teams, Planner, Flow, and Sway allow individuals to work more efficiently and effectively in virtually all facets of their jobs. Further, security enhancements to Office 365 mean that your organization can take advantage of all these features in a highly secure environment.
Isn’t it time you learned how to move beyond the traditional Microsoft 365/Office 365 applications such as Excel, Word, and Outlook and unleash all your subscription offers? Join us in this fast-paced and highly interactive seminar where you will learn what you need to know to succeed with Microsoft 365/Office 365.
Major Topics:
• Understanding the Microsoft 365/Office 365 subscription model
• Working with vital 365-based apps and services
• Using Teams as your primary collaboration tool
• Taking advantage of lesser-known features and services in a Microsoft 365/Office 365 subscription
Learning Objectives:
• Implement tools and techniques for securing your Microsoft 365/Office 365 implementations
• List key Microsoft 365/Office 365 apps that can improve collaboration and productivity
• Identify opportunities to utilize SharePoint Online to improve team efficiency
• Utilize Microsoft 365/Office 365 apps to communicate more effectively with others
Who Should Attend: Business professionals seeking to maximize their return on investment in Microsoft 365/Office 365
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (8 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental understanding of computer operations
Instructor: Lawrence MacLelland
Location: Virtual
12/17/2024
Microsoft 365/Office 365 continues to grow and evolve, yet most utilize only a fraction of the tools available in their subscription. For example, powerful resources such as SharePoint Online and audio and video conferencing can change how your organization communicates and collaborates. In contrast, more personal apps such as Teams, Planner, Flow, and Sway allow individuals to work more efficiently and effectively in virtually all facets of their jobs. Further, security enhancements to Office 365 mean that your organization can take advantage of all these features in a highly secure environment.
Isn’t it time you learned how to move beyond the traditional Microsoft 365/Office 365 applications such as Excel, Word, and Outlook and unleash all your subscription offers? Join us in this fast-paced and highly interactive seminar where you will learn what you need to know to succeed with Microsoft 365/Office 365.
Major Topics:
• Understanding the Microsoft 365/Office 365 subscription model
• Working with vital 365-based apps and services
• Using Teams as your primary collaboration tool
• Taking advantage of lesser-known features and services in a Microsoft 365/Office 365 subscription
Learning Objectives:
• Implement tools and techniques for securing your Microsoft 365/Office 365 implementations
• List key Microsoft 365/Office 365 apps that can improve collaboration and productivity
• Identify opportunities to utilize SharePoint Online to improve team efficiency
• Utilize Microsoft 365/Office 365 apps to communicate more effectively with others
Who Should Attend: Business professionals seeking to maximize their return on investment in Microsoft 365/Office 365
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (8 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental understanding of computer operations
Instructor: Lawrence MacLelland
Location: Virtual
Reviewing Individual Tax Returns: What Are You Missing?
12/17/2024
The sheer mass of Internal Revenue Code provisions affecting individual taxpayers presents a considerable challenge for CPAs and tax professionals. These provisions combined with the potential for input error when utilizing the array of income tax software available, create the potential for a multitude of errors that can occur when preparing your client’s tax return.
Join us as we discuss the common errors practitioners make on individual tax returns that are often missed by review staff. Sharpen your reviewing skills by examining case studies discussing issues for which additional information from the client may be warranted, and areas of tax law that require additional analysis and information.
Learning Objectives:
When you complete this course, you will be able to:
• Identify potential errors or omissions of information on tax returns.
• Recognize planning opportunities for your clients based upon information reported on a tax return.
• Determine the proper tax treatment for certain rental property activities.
• Determine the proper tax treatment for various start-up costs by a new business.
• Recognize some potential issues surrounding the qualified business income deduction and certain service businesses.
• Determine proper tax return reporting of a like-kind exchange transaction.
Major Topics:
Common errors made involving the following tax topics:
• Section 199A qualified business income deduction
• Home office
• Hobby losses
• Self-employment health insurance
• Business start-up costs
• Depreciation
• Unreported income
• Schedule C issues
• Like-kind exchanges
• Self-employment tax
• Sections 1202 and 1244 stock
• Charitable contributions of property
Instructor: James DiGesu
Field of Study: Taxes (4)
Designed For: CPAs working with clients requiring expertise in individual income taxation for the current tax season
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of individual income taxation
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
12/17/2024
The sheer mass of Internal Revenue Code provisions affecting individual taxpayers presents a considerable challenge for CPAs and tax professionals. These provisions combined with the potential for input error when utilizing the array of income tax software available, create the potential for a multitude of errors that can occur when preparing your client’s tax return.
Join us as we discuss the common errors practitioners make on individual tax returns that are often missed by review staff. Sharpen your reviewing skills by examining case studies discussing issues for which additional information from the client may be warranted, and areas of tax law that require additional analysis and information.
Learning Objectives:
When you complete this course, you will be able to:
• Identify potential errors or omissions of information on tax returns.
• Recognize planning opportunities for your clients based upon information reported on a tax return.
• Determine the proper tax treatment for certain rental property activities.
• Determine the proper tax treatment for various start-up costs by a new business.
• Recognize some potential issues surrounding the qualified business income deduction and certain service businesses.
• Determine proper tax return reporting of a like-kind exchange transaction.
Major Topics:
Common errors made involving the following tax topics:
• Section 199A qualified business income deduction
• Home office
• Hobby losses
• Self-employment health insurance
• Business start-up costs
• Depreciation
• Unreported income
• Schedule C issues
• Like-kind exchanges
• Self-employment tax
• Sections 1202 and 1244 stock
• Charitable contributions of property
Instructor: James DiGesu
Field of Study: Taxes (4)
Designed For: CPAs working with clients requiring expertise in individual income taxation for the current tax season
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of individual income taxation
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
Live Webinar K2’s Next Generation Excel Reporting
12/18/2024
New features in Excel provide tremendous opportunities to improve Excel-based operational and financial reports. For example, Data Models, Power Query, Data Analysis Expressions, Power Pivot, and many others can help you create more powerful summaries and schedules in less time than ever. Bundle these tools with some of Excel’s “legacy” features, and you have significant new opportunities to improve your Excel-based reporting environments.
In this fast-paced seminar, you will learn about the importance of using Power Query to link data into Excel data models and how you can manage these data models to facilitate better and more efficient reporting. Additionally, you will learn how to incorporate Key Performance Indicators, Slicers, and Timelines into your reports to enhance the analytics and understandability of the data. Further, you will learn best practices to format your spreadsheets quickly and efficiently to give them a polished and professional appearance. This course should be at the top of your professional development list if you use Excel for any reporting process.
Major Topics:
• Identifying weaknesses in traditional reporting processes
• Using leading-edge features in Excel to improve reporting practices
• How to work with Power Query to solve common reporting challenges
• Adding Slicers and Timelines to your Excel-based reports
Learning Objectives:
• Name at least three deficiencies associated with traditional Excel-based reporting practices
• Distinguish between the roles of tools such as Power Query, Power Pivot, and Data Analysis Expressions in next-generation Excel-based reports
• Cite the steps for creating data queries and transformations using Power Query
• Identify the opportunities for managing Data Models in Power Pivot
• List the steps necessary for summarizing data from a Data Model using a PivotTable
• Specify examples of formatting options and tools that you can use to enhance the appearance of an Excel-based report
Who Should Attend: Excel users who want to improve Excel-based reporting processes to create accurate reports quickly and easily
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Accounting (8 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of Microsoft Office Excel 2019 or newer
Instructor: Lawrence MacLelland
Location: Virtual
12/18/2024
New features in Excel provide tremendous opportunities to improve Excel-based operational and financial reports. For example, Data Models, Power Query, Data Analysis Expressions, Power Pivot, and many others can help you create more powerful summaries and schedules in less time than ever. Bundle these tools with some of Excel’s “legacy” features, and you have significant new opportunities to improve your Excel-based reporting environments.
In this fast-paced seminar, you will learn about the importance of using Power Query to link data into Excel data models and how you can manage these data models to facilitate better and more efficient reporting. Additionally, you will learn how to incorporate Key Performance Indicators, Slicers, and Timelines into your reports to enhance the analytics and understandability of the data. Further, you will learn best practices to format your spreadsheets quickly and efficiently to give them a polished and professional appearance. This course should be at the top of your professional development list if you use Excel for any reporting process.
Major Topics:
• Identifying weaknesses in traditional reporting processes
• Using leading-edge features in Excel to improve reporting practices
• How to work with Power Query to solve common reporting challenges
• Adding Slicers and Timelines to your Excel-based reports
Learning Objectives:
• Name at least three deficiencies associated with traditional Excel-based reporting practices
• Distinguish between the roles of tools such as Power Query, Power Pivot, and Data Analysis Expressions in next-generation Excel-based reports
• Cite the steps for creating data queries and transformations using Power Query
• Identify the opportunities for managing Data Models in Power Pivot
• List the steps necessary for summarizing data from a Data Model using a PivotTable
• Specify examples of formatting options and tools that you can use to enhance the appearance of an Excel-based report
Who Should Attend: Excel users who want to improve Excel-based reporting processes to create accurate reports quickly and easily
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Accounting (8 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of Microsoft Office Excel 2019 or newer
Instructor: Lawrence MacLelland
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Artificial Intelligence For Accounting And Financial Professionals
12/30/2024
Discover the real-world power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and equip yourself with the skills to conquer modern challenges in accounting and finance. In this engaging course, we demystify AI and unveil its practical applications, transforming it from theory into a hands-on tool. Learn the essential AI fundamentals and unlock its remarkable potential to boost your productivity and effectiveness alongside your team.
Explore the specific problem-solving capabilities of AI, tailored to address the unique challenges faced by accounting and financial professionals. Gain expertise in leveraging AI features integrated into everyday applications, including the ubiquitous Excel. Uncover how these features enable you to effortlessly detect fraud, identify potential transaction errors, and elevate your financial operations to new heights. Witness firsthand how AI is reshaping the present and future of your profession, positioning you at the forefront of this revolutionary wave.
Major Topics:
• Exploring AI applications in accounting and finance
• Understanding AI features in everyday tools
• Embracing the future: AI's impact on finance and accounting
Learning Objectives:
• Recognize essential components of Artificial Intelligence.
• Distinguish AI, Machine Learning, and Robotic Process Automation.
• Explore practical AI applications in accounting and finance.
• Identify AI features in applications like Excel.
• Evaluate AI's impact on accounting and financial fields.
Who Should Attend: Accounting and financial professionals seeking to learn how to use Artificial Intelligence to work more efficiently and improve business processes
Program Level: Basic
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
12/30/2024
Discover the real-world power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and equip yourself with the skills to conquer modern challenges in accounting and finance. In this engaging course, we demystify AI and unveil its practical applications, transforming it from theory into a hands-on tool. Learn the essential AI fundamentals and unlock its remarkable potential to boost your productivity and effectiveness alongside your team.
Explore the specific problem-solving capabilities of AI, tailored to address the unique challenges faced by accounting and financial professionals. Gain expertise in leveraging AI features integrated into everyday applications, including the ubiquitous Excel. Uncover how these features enable you to effortlessly detect fraud, identify potential transaction errors, and elevate your financial operations to new heights. Witness firsthand how AI is reshaping the present and future of your profession, positioning you at the forefront of this revolutionary wave.
Major Topics:
• Exploring AI applications in accounting and finance
• Understanding AI features in everyday tools
• Embracing the future: AI's impact on finance and accounting
Learning Objectives:
• Recognize essential components of Artificial Intelligence.
• Distinguish AI, Machine Learning, and Robotic Process Automation.
• Explore practical AI applications in accounting and finance.
• Identify AI features in applications like Excel.
• Evaluate AI's impact on accounting and financial fields.
Who Should Attend: Accounting and financial professionals seeking to learn how to use Artificial Intelligence to work more efficiently and improve business processes
Program Level: Basic
Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Case Studies In Fraud And Technology Controls
12/30/2024
Fraud continues to plague businesses at epidemic levels, and technology control failures are a significant reason fraud occurs. Using a case study approach, in this session, you will learn about the pervasiveness of fraud, the control failures contributing to fraud, and what you can do to mitigate fraud risk.
A specific focus of this course is applying information technology general controls and information technology application controls. In this course, you will examine numerous reported fraud cases and identify the general and application control failures that contributed to each fraud. By learning through these real-world case studies, you will be positioned better to reduce fraud risk.
Major Topics:
• Key fraud risks impacting businesses today
• Examples of fraud and the monetary impact on victims
• How to create, implement, and assess technology-based internal controls to reduce the probability of becoming a fraud victim
Learning Objectives:
• Define information technology general controls and information technology application controls and distinguish between the two
• List examples of critical information technology controls
• Recognize control failures and weaknesses that can lead to fraud
• List recommendations for improving internal controls in an organization
Who Should Attend: CPAs and other accounting auditing, and business professionals who are seeking to reduce fraud risk
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Auditing (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental understanding of internal controls
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
12/30/2024
Fraud continues to plague businesses at epidemic levels, and technology control failures are a significant reason fraud occurs. Using a case study approach, in this session, you will learn about the pervasiveness of fraud, the control failures contributing to fraud, and what you can do to mitigate fraud risk.
A specific focus of this course is applying information technology general controls and information technology application controls. In this course, you will examine numerous reported fraud cases and identify the general and application control failures that contributed to each fraud. By learning through these real-world case studies, you will be positioned better to reduce fraud risk.
Major Topics:
• Key fraud risks impacting businesses today
• Examples of fraud and the monetary impact on victims
• How to create, implement, and assess technology-based internal controls to reduce the probability of becoming a fraud victim
Learning Objectives:
• Define information technology general controls and information technology application controls and distinguish between the two
• List examples of critical information technology controls
• Recognize control failures and weaknesses that can lead to fraud
• List recommendations for improving internal controls in an organization
Who Should Attend: CPAs and other accounting auditing, and business professionals who are seeking to reduce fraud risk
Program Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Auditing (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Fundamental understanding of internal controls
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
Live Webinar K2’s Accountants Guide to QuickBooks Online
12/31/2024
If you are an experienced Excel user seeking to elevate your skills, join the K2 team for K2’s Advanced Excel. In this laptop-friendly program, you will learn critical advanced Excel skills in six key areas: 1) collaborating with other users and securing workbooks, 2) using tables to analyze and report data, 3) integrating and manipulating data from external sources, 4) creating and auditing complex formulas, 5) advanced data analysis tools, and 6) visualization techniques to analyze and communicate information.
The course draws from over twenty-five years of experience delivering Excel training to accountants and other business professionals. Throughout the program, relevant, real-world examples reinforce the topics presented. Take advantage of this opportunity to become more efficient and proficient in Microsoft Office Excel, the tool of choice for accounting and financial professionals. This course covers advanced Excel topics found in Excel 2019 and newer.
Major Topics:
• Collaboration and security techniques
• Tables, data models, and PivotTables
• Advanced formulas
• Data queries
• Creating effective visualizations
Learning Objectives:
• Identify and implement the best techniques to secure sensitive information in Excel workbooks and collaborate with other users to improve accuracy and efficiency
• Create tables and take advantage of their advanced features, such as dynamic data ranges, structured reference formulas, and the ability to relate multiple tables together into a Data Model
• Import and link data into Excel from external sources – including text, Access, and SQL Server – and use advanced tools, such as Power Query and various cleanup tools, to manipulate the data to meet specific needs
• Use advanced functions, such as SUMPRODUCT, XLOOKUP, MATCH, INDEX, NETWORKDAYS, RAND, RANDBETWEEN, NPV, IRR, XNPV, and XIRR, to create and audit complex formulas
• Analyze worksheet data using techniques such as Data Tables, Subtotals, Slicers, Filters, and PivotTables
• Describe techniques used to create, manipulate, and customize charts for analyzing and communicating information
Who Should Attend: Business professionals who work with Excel 2019 or newer and want to extend their knowledge with advanced features and functions
Program Level: Advanced
Field of Study: Accounting (4 CPE) and Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Experienced Excel user
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
12/31/2024
If you are an experienced Excel user seeking to elevate your skills, join the K2 team for K2’s Advanced Excel. In this laptop-friendly program, you will learn critical advanced Excel skills in six key areas: 1) collaborating with other users and securing workbooks, 2) using tables to analyze and report data, 3) integrating and manipulating data from external sources, 4) creating and auditing complex formulas, 5) advanced data analysis tools, and 6) visualization techniques to analyze and communicate information.
The course draws from over twenty-five years of experience delivering Excel training to accountants and other business professionals. Throughout the program, relevant, real-world examples reinforce the topics presented. Take advantage of this opportunity to become more efficient and proficient in Microsoft Office Excel, the tool of choice for accounting and financial professionals. This course covers advanced Excel topics found in Excel 2019 and newer.
Major Topics:
• Collaboration and security techniques
• Tables, data models, and PivotTables
• Advanced formulas
• Data queries
• Creating effective visualizations
Learning Objectives:
• Identify and implement the best techniques to secure sensitive information in Excel workbooks and collaborate with other users to improve accuracy and efficiency
• Create tables and take advantage of their advanced features, such as dynamic data ranges, structured reference formulas, and the ability to relate multiple tables together into a Data Model
• Import and link data into Excel from external sources – including text, Access, and SQL Server – and use advanced tools, such as Power Query and various cleanup tools, to manipulate the data to meet specific needs
• Use advanced functions, such as SUMPRODUCT, XLOOKUP, MATCH, INDEX, NETWORKDAYS, RAND, RANDBETWEEN, NPV, IRR, XNPV, and XIRR, to create and audit complex formulas
• Analyze worksheet data using techniques such as Data Tables, Subtotals, Slicers, Filters, and PivotTables
• Describe techniques used to create, manipulate, and customize charts for analyzing and communicating information
Who Should Attend: Business professionals who work with Excel 2019 or newer and want to extend their knowledge with advanced features and functions
Program Level: Advanced
Field of Study: Accounting (4 CPE) and Computer Software and Applications (4 CPE)
Prerequisites: Experienced Excel user
Instructor: Brian Tankersley
Location: Virtual
Level I: Basic Staff Training
1/6/2025 - 1/9/2025
Part one of a five-course series, address common issues new staff members face. Focus on strategies to improve efficiency and quality control, build technical skills, and make valuable contributions to a company. Dive into the fundamentals: workpaper techniques, analytical procedures, compilation and review services, tax recognition and research techniques, understanding audit objectives, and auditing and reviewing selected accounts.
Designed for: New audit staff with less than one year of experience
Learning Objectives:
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 24
Credits: Accounting (4.2), Auditing (15), Taxes (2.4), Business Mgmt/Organization (2.4)
Instructor: Rich Ferdinand
1/6/2025 - 1/9/2025
Part one of a five-course series, address common issues new staff members face. Focus on strategies to improve efficiency and quality control, build technical skills, and make valuable contributions to a company. Dive into the fundamentals: workpaper techniques, analytical procedures, compilation and review services, tax recognition and research techniques, understanding audit objectives, and auditing and reviewing selected accounts.
Designed for: New audit staff with less than one year of experience
Learning Objectives:
- Improve inexperienced staff members′ knowledge, skills and attitude to enable them to be more productive and profitable on audits, reviews and compilations
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 24
Credits: Accounting (4.2), Auditing (15), Taxes (2.4), Business Mgmt/Organization (2.4)
Instructor: Rich Ferdinand
Level V: Advanced Management and Leadership Essentials
1/7/2025
This 2-hour mini course is from our Level V course, which highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers in CPA firms. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people.
Leading Others - Coaching & Developing Staff - prioritizing the coaching and development of staff in a post-pandemic work environment, including delegation for development, effective feedback, and managing virtual employees. Building Leadership Communication Skills - strategies to influence and lead others through effective communication in both individual and group settings. Helping the Firm Grow - the three levels of helping the firm grow and how to involve the entire team in expanding services to existing clients and generating referrals to new clients.
Designed for: Experienced managers and senior managers in audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services. Directors and above who wish to build their leadership skills. Sole practitioners.
Learning Objectives: Enable managers and senior managers of CPA firms to continue developing the management and leadership skills necessary to be successful in their firms.
Prerequisites: 3 to 4+ years experience
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 2
Credits: Business Mgmt/Organization (0.2), Personal Development (4.6), Communications/Marketing (1.2), Personnel/Human Resources (0.6)
Instructor: Steve Garrett
1/7/2025
This 2-hour mini course is from our Level V course, which highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers in CPA firms. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people.
Leading Others - Coaching & Developing Staff - prioritizing the coaching and development of staff in a post-pandemic work environment, including delegation for development, effective feedback, and managing virtual employees. Building Leadership Communication Skills - strategies to influence and lead others through effective communication in both individual and group settings. Helping the Firm Grow - the three levels of helping the firm grow and how to involve the entire team in expanding services to existing clients and generating referrals to new clients.
Designed for: Experienced managers and senior managers in audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services. Directors and above who wish to build their leadership skills. Sole practitioners.
Learning Objectives: Enable managers and senior managers of CPA firms to continue developing the management and leadership skills necessary to be successful in their firms.
Prerequisites: 3 to 4+ years experience
Advanced Prep: None
Total Credits: 2
Credits: Business Mgmt/Organization (0.2), Personal Development (4.6), Communications/Marketing (1.2), Personnel/Human Resources (0.6)
Instructor: Steve Garrett
Getting Ready for Busy Season: Key Changes Every Tax Practitioner Should Know
1/8/2025
Getting ready for busy season involves not only knowing what’s new for the current year, but also understanding how the changing limits, phaseouts and other rules apply to current-year returns. With major legislation enacted over the past few years, the present course will constitute a one-stop "shop" that brings you the essential individual tax information. In addition, this course provides an up-to-date review of important tax form changes, new tax forms, new limitations, key developments as they are reflected in the IRS forms, and IRS filing issues and deadlines that will be invaluable to attendees who prepare tax returns during busy season.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand which income tax returns and schedules have changed for individuals and pass-through entities
• Identify the legislative, administrative, and judicial developments that affect the income tax returns and schedules of individuals and pass-through entities
Major Topics:
• Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation
• A tour of the most recent changes starting from gross income and ending with alternative minimum tax (AMT) and selected credits including the latest IRS guidance on recent tax legislation
• Hot, hidden, or miscellaneous developments affecting the upcoming tax season
• Review of new laws and changes in old forms to provide a familiarity for the upcoming tax season
• Key new tax and practice developments and how they impact the current-year tax forms for individuals
Instructor: John Evanich
Field of Study: Taxes (4)
Designed For: Any tax practitioner preparing or reviewing individual income tax returns for the current tax year
Prerequisite: Basic familiarity with tax rules relating to individual and pass-through entity taxation for the current tax year
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
1/8/2025
Getting ready for busy season involves not only knowing what’s new for the current year, but also understanding how the changing limits, phaseouts and other rules apply to current-year returns. With major legislation enacted over the past few years, the present course will constitute a one-stop "shop" that brings you the essential individual tax information. In addition, this course provides an up-to-date review of important tax form changes, new tax forms, new limitations, key developments as they are reflected in the IRS forms, and IRS filing issues and deadlines that will be invaluable to attendees who prepare tax returns during busy season.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand which income tax returns and schedules have changed for individuals and pass-through entities
• Identify the legislative, administrative, and judicial developments that affect the income tax returns and schedules of individuals and pass-through entities
Major Topics:
• Timely coverage of breaking tax legislation
• A tour of the most recent changes starting from gross income and ending with alternative minimum tax (AMT) and selected credits including the latest IRS guidance on recent tax legislation
• Hot, hidden, or miscellaneous developments affecting the upcoming tax season
• Review of new laws and changes in old forms to provide a familiarity for the upcoming tax season
• Key new tax and practice developments and how they impact the current-year tax forms for individuals
Instructor: John Evanich
Field of Study: Taxes (4)
Designed For: Any tax practitioner preparing or reviewing individual income tax returns for the current tax year
Prerequisite: Basic familiarity with tax rules relating to individual and pass-through entity taxation for the current tax year
Level: Intermediate
Location: Online - MW Collab
Federal Tax Update with Ron Roberson
1/13/2025
This no-frills course has been designed to review all changes affecting for-profit taxpayers, combining the individual update with the business update without all of the planning and compliance discussion available in the more specialized updates. Just the facts without the frills! Updated throughout the year for up-to-the-minute rile changes and court cases, the FTU-Ind/Bus course will keep you in the loop for the latest changes.
The course has been updated for the effects of the end-of-2019 Secure Act, both March 2020 tax bills, and Both PPP and PPPFA Bills, with in-depth discussion and examples of those changes! 2020 changes are all coming together with 5 different bills into a massive year of tax changes.
Learning Objectives:
Upon the completion of this course, you will be able to:
Field of Study: Taxes (16)
Designed For: CPAs in public accounting or corporate finance in need of a power-packed two-day Federal individual and business income tax update course before tax season
Prerequisite: 1 year tax preparation experience
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
1/13/2025
This no-frills course has been designed to review all changes affecting for-profit taxpayers, combining the individual update with the business update without all of the planning and compliance discussion available in the more specialized updates. Just the facts without the frills! Updated throughout the year for up-to-the-minute rile changes and court cases, the FTU-Ind/Bus course will keep you in the loop for the latest changes.
The course has been updated for the effects of the end-of-2019 Secure Act, both March 2020 tax bills, and Both PPP and PPPFA Bills, with in-depth discussion and examples of those changes! 2020 changes are all coming together with 5 different bills into a massive year of tax changes.
Learning Objectives:
Upon the completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Apply the latest tax law changes to the current Form 1040/1120/1120S/1065 tax returns you prepare
- Properly use many federal tax provisions prior to their expiration date
- Determine if your clients had job related business expenses
- Determine if your clients had any work related education expenses
- Summarize the various methods of accounting that are available
- Advise clients on how to properly account for inventory
- Determine when a change in accounting method has occurred, when IRS approval is needed and when it is not needed, and what situations qualify for automatic approval
Field of Study: Taxes (16)
Designed For: CPAs in public accounting or corporate finance in need of a power-packed two-day Federal individual and business income tax update course before tax season
Prerequisite: 1 year tax preparation experience
Level: Update
Location: Online - MW Collab
MNCPA Federal Tax Update: Individual and Business Current Developments
1/13/2025
With the increasing complexity and ever-changing nature of tax laws and issues, today's accountant needs a one-day fast-paced update course focusing on the hottest federal income tax topics affecting individuals, businesses and their owners with an emphasis of newly enacted income tax legislation. This fast-paced session is a comprehensive review of newly enacted income tax legislation, issuance of income tax regulations, court cases, IRS notices, revenue procedures and private letter rulings affecting individuals and businesses.
Major subjects
Learning objective(s)
Who should take this program?
Tax accountants in public or private practice in need of a power-packed federal individual and business income tax update course
Prerequisites: Background in individual and business income tax law
Advance prep: None
Area of study: Taxation
Field(s) of study: Taxes - Technical (8.0)
Level: Update
Format: Group Internet Based
Instructor: J. Patrick Garverick, CPA, MT, CFP
J. Patrick (Pat) Garverick, CPA, MT, CFP, after receiving his Master of Taxation (MT) degree from Arizona State University in 1992, began operating his own tax and financial planning business. In 1993, Pat started writing, reviewing, and teaching tax and financial planning continuing professional education courses around the country. As an award-winning speaker and author, Pat's knowledge, expertise and high energy has made him one of the profession's highest rated speakers.
Member Price: $349
Non-member Price: $449
*Prices will Increase by $50 on 1/14
Location: Live Virtual
1/13/2025
With the increasing complexity and ever-changing nature of tax laws and issues, today's accountant needs a one-day fast-paced update course focusing on the hottest federal income tax topics affecting individuals, businesses and their owners with an emphasis of newly enacted income tax legislation. This fast-paced session is a comprehensive review of newly enacted income tax legislation, issuance of income tax regulations, court cases, IRS notices, revenue procedures and private letter rulings affecting individuals and businesses.
Major subjects
- Newly enacted income tax legislation
- Issuance of income tax regulations
- Court cases
- IRS notices
- Revenue procedures
- Private letter rulings affecting individuals and businesses
Learning objective(s)
- Understand the major federal income tax laws impacting individuals, C and S corporations, partnerships, LLCs and LLPs
- Identify and comprehend any newly enacted legislation, changes and IRS guidance affecting individual and business income tax returns
- Discuss the most recent individual and business income tax legislation passed to date
- Walk through major tax changes to corporations, partnerships and/or individuals and any changes to the income tax forms and other related schedules
- Review numerous business income tax provisions including but not limited to the 20% qualified business income (QBI) deduction; changes to NOLs, Section 461(l) business loss limitations, accounting method changes, depreciation, retirement plans, fringe benefits and entertainment expenses
- Brush up on the individual and business income tax rates (e.g., income tax rates, capital gain tax rates, self-employment tax and alternative minimum tax (AMT), 3.8% net investment income tax)
- Discuss other individual income tax topics and changes to filing status, personal exemptions, itemized deductions, exclusions from income, adjustments to income and income tax credits (e.g., child tax credit and dependent care credit)
- Walk through the NEW final required minimum distribution (RMD) regulations
- Review other important IRS audit areas such as basis and at-risk limitations for S shareholders and partners, passive activity losses and real estate professionals and self-employment taxes
Who should take this program?
Tax accountants in public or private practice in need of a power-packed federal individual and business income tax update course
Prerequisites: Background in individual and business income tax law
Advance prep: None
Area of study: Taxation
Field(s) of study: Taxes - Technical (8.0)
Level: Update
Format: Group Internet Based
Instructor: J. Patrick Garverick, CPA, MT, CFP
J. Patrick (Pat) Garverick, CPA, MT, CFP, after receiving his Master of Taxation (MT) degree from Arizona State University in 1992, began operating his own tax and financial planning business. In 1993, Pat started writing, reviewing, and teaching tax and financial planning continuing professional education courses around the country. As an award-winning speaker and author, Pat's knowledge, expertise and high energy has made him one of the profession's highest rated speakers.
Member Price: $349
Non-member Price: $449
*Prices will Increase by $50 on 1/14
Location: Live Virtual
Professional Ethics: The AICPA's Comprehensive Course
1/15/2025
Location: On-Demand
1/15/2025
Professional Ethics: The AICPA's Comprehensive Course On-Demand (For Licensure)
Product# 155906
Upon purchase of this course you will be sent a link to access the course online. This link is good for one year.
You must pass this course with a score of 90% or higher.
This revised course teaches you the AICPA, SEC and GAO independence rules in an inventive and creative way. Through interactive case studies, exercises and illustrative graphics, you will learn the most up-to-date AICPA, SEC and GAO rules.
This CPE course also explains the revised AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and conceptual framework, which all members of the AICPA must follow. It covers the basic tenets of ethical and professional conduct, covering the principles of ethics, and it explains why the code is necessary and how it is organized.
Location: On-Demand
MNCPA AI Unboxed: Financial Statement Analysis with AI
1/17/2025
Location: Online
1/17/2025
Use the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline financial analysis, uncover deeper insights, and enhance decision-making. Learn how to leverage AI tools to analyze financial statements more efficiently, identify trends and anomalies, and make data-driven recommendations with confidence. Gain cutting-edge techniques to elevate your financial analysis to drive strategic outcomes.
Major subjects:
- How AI is transforming financial statement analysis
- Automating financial data collection and processing
- Detecting anomalies and trends with AI
- Predictive analytics and forecasting
- Enhancing reporting and visualization with AI
- Understand AI’s role in financial analysis.
- Gain skills to use AI for efficiently gathering and processing financial data from statements and other sources.
- Develop the ability to leverage AI for analyzing key financial statements, ratios and performance metrics.
Designed for: Accounting and financial professionals seeking to learn how to use artificial intelligence to improve business processes
Credits: 1.5 (NASBA FOS: Information Technology)
Speaker: Tommy Stephens
Prerequisites:
- Comprehension of basic AI capabilities and concepts
- Fundamental understanding of privacy and security risks
- Understanding of basic Excel commands
Level: Intermediate
Member Price: $75
Non-member Price: $105
Location: Online
