CPE & Event Calendar

The business structure a client chooses influences virtually every tax and financial issue associated with the business, including the business's day-to-day operations, its tax liability, how much of the owners' personal assets are at risk, and much more. For this and many other reasons, it is critical that a client choose a business structure that gives the right balance of legal protections and tax benefits. From a tax perspective, in terms of selecting an entity to do business in, the universe shifted with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted at the end of 2017. The tax rate for C corporations was lowered to 21% and the 199A deduction offered pass-through entities the chance to significantly lower the rate at which they are taxed. But how do all these options work and which option is best for which business? Those questions are at the heart of this webinar. In this program, we discuss whether there is a "best entity" for our clients. Tax practitioners know that re-examining choice of entity determination is at the top of the agenda for client meetings because clients continue to want reassurance that they have the most tax-efficient entity structure. This program will equip you with the knowledge and insights you need to lead those discussions.

Do you love PivotTables? Of course, we all do! Traditional PivotTables are incredible, but they do have limitations. If you have ever encountered one of these limitations, you'll be excited to learn that by using the Data Model as the source for PivotTables, you'll be able to bypass many of the restrictions that exist with traditional PivotTables. The data model (also referred to as Power Pivot) is included in Excel 2016+ for Windows and available as a free download for previous versions (excluding Excel for Mac). Using the data model enables you to build PivotTables that were previously not practical. If you frequently build PivotTables and would like to do more with them, you'll want to understand how to use the data model (Power Pivot) to enhance your reports. Note about Excel versions: Power Pivot is not available in all versions of Excel, including Excel for Mac. If you would like to see if Power Pivot is available in your version of Excel, visit the Microsoft site.

The Accountant role is evolving from data aggregation to knowledge extraction, with a significant emphasis on understanding and leveraging technological advancements. In this era of rapid digital transformation, it is crucial for accountants to grasp the shift towards more analytical roles, learn the tools, and integrate Business Intelligence (BI) and Data Analytics (DA) in their organization and daily practices. This course will focus on raising the accountant's awareness of BI and DA practices, the impact of AI technologies like ChatGPT, and how these can benefit their organization. By embracing these technologies, accountants can enhance their value proposition by transitioning from traditional accounting roles to becoming strategic advisors and decision-makers.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1136754. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.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 how to streamline 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.

Embark on a journey to master Power BI, a powerful tool for data analysis and business intelligence, in our comprehensive course, "Get Started with Power BI." This course is meticulously designed for professionals who seek to understand the full spectrum of Power BI capabilities, including its integration with Excel's Power BI features like Power Pivot and Power Query, and its comparison with standalone Power BI tools such as Power BI Desktop, Power BI Service, and Power BI Report Server. In the first part of the course, participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of Power BI. This includes an overview of Power BI's interface, key features, and its seamless integration with Excel. The course will cover Excel's Power BI tools - Power Pivot, for advanced data modeling, and Power Query, for efficient data transformation and preparation. This segment is essential for understanding how Power BI extends and enhances the data processing and analytical capabilities of Excel. The second section of the course delves into the standalone Power BI tools. Here, participants will explore Power BI Desktop for creating complex data models and sophisticated reports, Power BI Service for cloud-based collaboration and sharing, and Power BI Report Server for on-premises report deployment. This part of the course will focus on the unique features and strengths of these standalone tools, providing attendees with the skills to leverage Power BI in a variety of business contexts. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Professionals often require the ability to utilize professional skepticism, due care and independence when executing their corporate role. Corporate politics can be a combating factor when attempting to comply with those requirements. Leaders must be vigilant about nipping “political” problems in the bud, before they spiral out of control and/or impede those whose job it is to see through political agendas.   Dealing with corporate politics can be one of the most frustrating and confusing experiences for any professional. Unfortunately, selfishness, greed, bickering, lust for power, etc. can creep into your company's culture and impede productivity.   Learning to understand and deal with corporate politics is a prerequisite to being able to maintain an effective career. This course discusses the basics of corporate politics and provides you with alternatives to managing and handling dilemmas that you may face.   This course focuses on the core concepts that impact corporate politics and discusses methods for better understanding when, how, and why the issues occur. This enables professionals to better execute their professional skepticism, due care and independence responsibilities.

Difficult conversations tend to be avoided because professionals shy away from the uncomfortable, and the fear of polarizing their relationships. Participants will learn strategies and tactics to engage in productive conversations which address challenges and deepen relationships. They will understand where and why they are avoiding having difficult conversations. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This course will provide an update on GASB New OPEB Standards regarding accounting and financial reporting. Key GASB Statements for OPEB, including GASB No. 74 (Financial Reporting for Post-employment Benefit Plans Other Than Pension Plans) and No. 75 (Accounting and Financial Reporting for Post-employment Benefits Other Than Pensions), will be reviewed. During the course, participants will gain an understanding of new OPEB standards (GASB Statements No. 74, 75 and 92) and compare them to prior standards for historical context. Class exercises will review a city's ACFR and actuarial valuation and the financial reporting of Net OPEB Liability and related note disclosures.

For many small businesses, the standards issued by the FASB may have little to no effect as they impact topics that do not reflect the type of transactions that these entities most frequently experience. This class will focus on the Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs) that are most likely to impact small businesses with a focus on ASUs initiated by the Private Company Council (PCC). We'll then look at alternative reporting options to GAAP including FRF for SMEs and IFRS for SMEs for entities who don't necessarily need to prepare GAAP financial statements but want to use accrual accounting. Finally, we will transition to audit standards that small business auditors will need to implement. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This course will cover all pronouncements of the FASB relevant to nonpublic entities. It will be presented in two distinct sections: First, we will identify all Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs) issued by the FASB in 2023 and 2024, as well as those ASUs issued in prior years that become effective in 2024. For each pronouncement, we will identify the topic or topics affected, the most significant provisions, how the provisions affect financial reporting and disclosure, and, when possible, the reasons for the change. This will enable those associated with the GAAP financial statements of nonpublic entities to determine which pronouncements affect them or their clients, requiring further research. In the second segment, we will look at the most common financial statement elements that have changed in recent years. It will include an in-depth analysis that will demonstrate how these elements have traditionally been accounted for and how they have evolved, concluding with the current requirements for reporting and disclosing.

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.

Auditing Accounts Receivable - Focusing Procedures for Testing Existence and Valuation will explain tips and best practice techniques for auditing common accounts receivable risks, primarily focusing on existence and valuation. Accounts receivable tends to carry higher risk of material misstatement due to the complexity and subjectivity involved with initial recognition, subsequent measurement, and valuation. In addition, revenue recognition is presumed to be a significant fraud risk. Note: This course is recommended as a part of a 16-hour audit skills curriculum for experienced staff auditors, while it is also appropriate for anyone who has responsibilities for auditing accounts receivable. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Our session will include a discussion regarding indirect rate strategies for cost recovery.  We will cover negotiating indirect rates with pass-through entities and alternative indirect cost recovery methods. A look at applying the PPP Loan Forgiveness credit.  Understanding the definition of sub-awards and the MTDC allocation base, and where best  to allocate bonus expense.  Included in this session will be a selected review of the Uniform Guidance FAQs regarding indirect rates for States and Municipalities, as well as recently issued FAQs that impact indirect rates and cost recovery.  

Unlike a traditional financial audit objective (Are the financial statements materially misstated), performance auditing can address a wide variety of objectives.  Is this program working? Can it be improved? Where can we save money? How can we operate more efficiently and effectively? Are management’s assertions supported? And so forth.  This session will explain what a performance audit is, describe the applicable standards, and provide examples that indicate the value of a performance audit.  Performance audits can add value to any entity and practitioners can profit from adding these assurance services to their practices.

This segment will focus on the analytical process required to derive a logical and supportable estimate of value for a regulated marijuana businesses and related intellectual property rights. Valuing recreational and medical license rights for marijuana cultivation, processing or retailing will be emphasized with a focus on use of the income and market approaches to value. A sample sanitized appraisal report will be provided and discussed. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This webinar presents a variety of time-saving ideas, shortcuts, and tips that are sure to boost personal productivity. We discuss better summing, address one of the biggest pitfalls that Excel users have faced over the past 25 years, present the most important keyboard shortcuts, demonstrate a better alternative to hiding rows or columns, illustrate how to quickly navigate to other workbooks and files, and demonstrate using Excel with styles.

Since the early 2000s, the estate tax burden on taxpayers has gradually decreased along with the number of practitioners specializing in the field. Nevertheless, some of your most wealthy clients will have a taxable estate. For these select clients, making large gifts before death can be extremely tax efficient for the client and profitable for the practitioner filing the gift tax return. Learning how to file a basic gift tax return can help you attract and retain clients, increase your value-add, and generate revenue.

Introductory Session of Borenstein's Form 990 Foundational Series: This "initiation and introduction to" the Form 990's mechanics and importance will prevent you from drowning in the Form 990's force-field! More than 80% of the Form's inputs and relevant definitions are NOT found in the statutes and Regulations that apply to the exempt sector, a reality that can be overwhelming for both novices and more advanced preparers. This session provides an easy-to-digest synopsis of the entirety of the Form's key definitions as well as the mechanics that preparers need embrace from the moment they first approach preparing a 990. Packed with practical tips and perspectives on data gathering, this class is a "must" gateway for beginning (and even more experienced) preparers to learn "how to befriend Form 990 preparation." This webinar will vault preparers past all the initially confounding problems of the Form 990, providing baseline info on the critical nuances the form uses. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Trusts are not cookie-cutter documents. In fact, they can be rather unwieldy, especially in explaining the functions to a client and then having the client comply with the trust terms. This course delves into best practices. Given common scenarios, what are the best trusts to use? And how can the client be best protected?

The course provides general information on how to identify money laundering activities during the conduct of normal tax audits. Discover key resources and tools available for effective detection and deterrence. Explore the impact of money laundering on ethical decision-making, and how examiners and auditors can assist criminal investigators in countering money laundering. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.