CPE Catalog & Events

Surgent's Top Ten Questions from Partnership Clients Regarding the Section 754 Election

How does a partner compute his or her basis in a partnership? What is the difference between a partner’s inside and outside basis? What is the difference between a partner’s capital account and partner’s outside basis? How does Section 732(d) impact the buyer of a partnership interest? How does a partnership report a Section 754 election on the partnership’s tax return? How does a partnership make a Section 754 election? How does a partnership make a Section 743(b) adjustment? How does a partnership make a Section 734(b) adjustment? How is a Section 743(b) adjustment or Section 734(b) adjustment allocated to the assets of a partnership? How is a Section 743(b) adjustment allocated within the class of ordinary income property and capital gain property?

Mastering the Art of Conflict: CPA Transformative Strategies

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Common conflicts CPAs faceThe impacts of having/not having crucial conversations Learn your conflict style and how to elevate your conflict capabilitiesIdentifying conflict triggersBest practices using an integrated approach from Crucial Conversations, Fierce Conversations, and Leading with Questions.Interviews from CPAs and real-life scenarios they faced and what crucial conversation approaches they used.

Finance and Innovation: Reinvent Your Organization and Dept.

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:What is innovation?The different forms of innovation, e.g., sustaining and disruptive.The five discovery skills needed to be innovative?The value of why we need to find ways to say, “Yes!” How to change your processes, rules and departments to be more innovative? Lessons learned from innovative businesses with examples.How does innovation happen and how to make innovation stick?The need to improvise and embrace broad experiences.

Surgent's Audits of 401(k) Plans: New Developments and Critical Issues

Proper planning of benefit plan audit engagements and developing audit strategy while improving overall efficiency Common pitfalls in planning and detailed audit procedures Changes affecting 401(k) plans, including recently issued SASs Common mistakes as noted in peer reviews and DOL inspections

Surgent's Latest Developments in Government and Nonprofit Accounting and Auditing

Developing issues related to the Yellow Book and single audits Key AICPA developments affecting audits of governments and nonprofits The implementation of GASB No. 103 on financial reporting model improvements  GASB No. 104 addressing disclosure of certain capital assets Impacts of recently applied governmental standards, recently issued implementation guide questions, and additional GASB projects (e.g., subsequent events) The essential disclosure requirements specific to not-for-profit organizations and strategies for enhancing clarity and value  The advantages, challenges, and best practices for effectively presenting a measure of operations

Money Laundering Awareness for Accountants

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Money laundering overviewRole of tax examiners and auditorsTax return examinationPre-audit indicatorsAudit flagsReal estate issuesCash indicatorsInternational trade signalsLoan considerationsProfessional service provider concernsMoney laundering and ethics

No Tax on Overtime: Payroll Compliance

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Overview of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime provisionsDefinition of a “workweek” and the 40-hour thresholdTime-and-a-half requirement and exclusions from overtime payExempt vs. nonexempt employee classifications (executive, administrative, professional, and industry-specific exemptions)Excluded payments (discretionary bonuses, reimbursements, retirement contributions)Step-by-step calculation examples for different compensation structuresBest practices for documentation and payroll systemsCase studies illustrating misclassification and miscalculation issues

Introduction to Ethics & Professional Skepticism

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:The Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants.The pressures, opportunities, and rationalizations that lead to instances of fraud. Interactive examples to illustrate various scenarios of noncompliance during engagements. 

Understanding Internal Control Constructs

The major topics covered in this course include:Underlying concepts of internal controlThe importance of control measure interdependency

Financial & Tax Accounting for S Corporations & Partnerships

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Review the Accounting Standards Codification, OCBOA/Special Purpose Frameworks, and AICPA financial reporting framework and their application to partnerships, LLCs and S corporationsFinancial accounting issues arising from changes in ownershipFinancial vs. tax accounting for partnership/LLC capital accountsSection 704(b) substantial economic effect rules and their relation to financial accountingThe integration of financial accounting with Forms 1065 and 1120SFinancial accounting basis for ownership interests vs. tax accounting basis for ownership interestsDeferred tax accounting for partnerships/LLCs and S corporationsFinancial accounting for the operations of a partnership/LLCFinancial accounting impact of the C to S election and the S to C electionFinancial and tax accounting for S corporation shareholder equity and partner capital accountsFinancial vs. tax accounting for loans to and from S corporations and their shareholders

Finding Errors in Excel Spreadsheets

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Understanding Common Excel Errors: Gain insights into the most common types of errors encountered in Excel, including formula errors, reference errors, and logic errors.Advanced Formulas and Functions: Learn to use advanced Excel functions and formulas that are crucial for error detection and data analysis.Data Validation Techniques: Master the art of data validation to prevent errors before they occur. This includes setting up data validation rules and using conditional formatting to highlight potential inaccuracies.Error Tracing and Auditing Tools: Delve into Excel's auditing tools to trace and fix errors. Learn to use Trace Precedents, Trace Dependents, and the Error Checking tool effectively.

Corporate Finance Technology Selection: Practical Frameworks

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:The changing finance technology landscape: continuous processing, modular ecosystems, automated controls, and real-time visibility (and the risks these shifts introduce)Technology trends and “AI” definitions: automation vs. machine learning vs. generative AI vs. agentic AI—what each means for governance and auditabilityFive common challenges in finance tech projects and how to address them:Cutting through vendor claims and AI hypeIntegration complexity and hidden costsChange management and proving ROIData quality readiness for AI and automationRisk, security, and governanceVendor Evaluation Scorecard: 20 criteria across five categories, including control “deal-breakers” (audit trails, segregation of duties, logging, SOC reporting, error handling)Five-Year Total Cost Framework: software, implementation, data migration/cleanup, integration build & maintenance, internal costs, training, and ongoing operations (plus common underestimates)Industry-specific considerations (manufacturing, distribution/wholesale, SaaS/tech, professional services)Four-phase implementation roadmap with checkpoints and red flags: Assessment & Planning; Selection & Negotiation; Implementation & Testing; Optimization & Ongoing GovernanceWorking with external advisers (CPA/auditor involvement, implementation partner expectations, and common deficiencies to avoid)

Entertainment, Meals & Travel Expenses: Review and Update

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Definition of what qualifies as an entertainment expenseStrategies to deduct business entertainment expensesDeductibility of mealsSituations not subject to the 50% meals and entertainment reductionHow to handle automobile issues related to employer-provided parkingProper accounting for deductible vs. non-deductible expendituresThe four steps to analyze business expensesThe latest federal legislation, cases and rulings

Nuts & Bolts of Cryptocurrency Taxation & 1099-DAs

Protecting Digital Data - More Important Now Than Ever Before

This session is taught using the latest information and projections about the growth and use of digital content. The topics discussed in this session include: Securing individual documents. Protecting information resident in the Cloud. Securing data stored on or accessed by mobile devices.

Ethics, Tax Practice & Understanding Circular 230

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Importance of ethics in tax practiceOverview of Circular 230 and its application to tax practitionersCommon ethical violations and penaltiesProcedures to promote compliance with ethical standardsReal-life scenarios illustrating ethical decision-making in tax preparationCircular 230 provisions related to tax return preparation and representationBest practices for maintaining professional integrity and compliance

Fundamentals of Form 1040 -- Individual

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Form 1040 essentials: filing requirements, due dates, and key schedulesFiling status, dependency rules, and taxable income sources (wages, investment income)Adjustments to income, deductions and tax credits (standard vs. itemized deductions, EITC, Child Tax Credit, Education Credits)Preparer due diligence, Circular 230 compliance and taxpayer rightsIRS cybersecurity considerations and best practices for taxpayer data securityLegislative updates

Surgent's Individual and Financial-Planning Tax Camp

Comprehensive coverage of the One Big Beautiful Tax Bill Act Reading a tax return for developing client-specific tax strategies Changes to the lifetime estate tax exemption considering proposed regulations  The net investment income tax: planning for compliance Family income-splitting strategies that need to be considered Income tax issues: impact on timing of other income Selling a principal residence Two principal residences at the same time Use of life insurance to protect families: Whole Life Insurance, Term Life Insurance, Universal Life Insurance, and Variable Life Insurance Using Roth IRAs and Roth contribution programs to best advantage Conversions: do they still make sense? Taking distributions: matching timing to client requirements Qualified plan contributions to reduce current income and Social Security tax: implications for business owners and self-employed Social Security - the latest on the looming solvency crisis Incentive Stock Options and Employee Stock Purchase Plan considerations What to do about itemized deductions Trans-generational planning: conversions, income, and gain-splitting Tax benefits of HSAs and other tax-advantaged accounts Identifying tax opportunities: reviewing the prior-year return to develop a plan for the future Planning for middle-income taxpayers: financial planning for the young, the working, and those approaching or in retirement Best financial planning ideas for young people

Internal Controls Over Compliance vs Compliance

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Testing internal ControlsAlign internal controls with specific compliance requirementsThe misidentification of controls and the confusion between compliance and control processes

SEC Case Studies: Ethical Dilemmas in Finance and Accounting

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Introduction to Ethics and Ethical DilemmasEthical Codes and Professional StandardsFraud and the Fraud TriangleEthical Decision-Making ModelsFinancial Statement Manipulation TacticsCash Flow and Key Metrics Misrepresentations