CPE Catalog & Events

Accounting and Tax Ethics: Standards, Issues, & Case Studies 25-26

AICPA Code of Professional Conduct Threats to compliance with Code of Ethics Updated Statement of Standards for Taxpayer Services (SSTS) Ethical challenges in selecting appropriate GAAP alternatives

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.

Ethical Considerations in Working with Cannabis

The major topics covered in this class include:Framework for assessing the propriety of offering services within the state legal, regulated cannabis industryAssist in identifying key stakeholders to be considered in conjunction to providing cannabis industry services, including:partnersstaffclientsBanking relationshipsMalpractice insurance

Ethics and Civility in the Workplace

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:What is civility and how it is tied to the bottom line?Principles of CivilityGiving the Benefit of the DoubtInclusivityCommunication Review of ethical values and principles with an emphasis on:RespectCourageCompassionHonor Accountability 

AI in Review: Updates from the Past Third Quarter and Implications for CPA Firms (Q3 Update)

Navigating IRS Correspondence: Responding to IRS Letters

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Types of IRS letters: General notices, audits, collections, return requests, and errors.Deadlines for responding to IRS correspondence.Communication best practices for dealing with the IRS.Avoiding escalation and penalties through proactive responses.Ensuring compliance when addressing IRS correspondence.Real-world examples of successful IRS communications.Common pitfalls in handling IRS letters and how to avoid them.Strategies for advising clients on IRS correspondence.

Becoming Conflict Competent

Major topics covered in this course include:Levels of conflictStrategies to de-escalate conflictDistinction between miscommunication and conflictResponses to conflictTactics to address, rather than avoid, conflict

How Fraud Can Affect Smaller Organizations

The major topics included in this course include:The reasons for fraudFraudulent acts that are initiated against smaller organizationsMethods to stop fraud attempts against small businesses

Mastering Microsoft 365 Copilot for CPAs

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Overview of Microsoft 365 Copilot featuresAutomating tasks with AI assistanceEnhancing content creation and data analysisCollaboration tools powered by AIBest practices for maximizing Copilot's benefits

Surgent's Food, Beverage, and Entertainment Expensing

The 50% deduction for meals that are ordinary and necessary in carrying on a trade or business Elimination of the temporary rules that applied for 2021 and 2022 which allowed for 100% deductibility for ordinary and necessary business-related meals When meals are still 100% deductible IRS rules relating to the nondeducibility of activities considered entertainment or amusement What constitutes entertainment/amusement for tax purposes? When employers may deduct food and beverages provided to employees 50% deductibility for occasional employee meals and for overtime meals 50% deductibility for business meals during business meetings Business meals incurred during business travel Invoice meals separately from entertainment

Surgent's Hiring New Workers and Payroll Taxes

Form W-4 Form I-9 Form W-9 End-of-year compliance Payroll tax returns Unemployment insurance

Love it or Leave It: Engagement and Retention at Work

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Ethical Values and Engagement and RetentionEnhancing Employee engagementStrategic/Intentional Actions to Enhance RetentionGeneration X

Surgent's Current Issues in Accounting and Auditing: An Annual Update

Recently issued but newly implemented Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs), the PCC Update, and items on the FASB’s Technical Agenda New ASUs covering disaggregated expenses, crypto assets (e.g., cryptocurrency), and business combinations Results and findings of the FASB’s Final (Stage 3) Post-Implementation Review (PIR) Report on Topic 606 Recently issued SASs and other AICPA activity through SAS No. 149 Detailed review of the three new Statement on Quality Management Standards (SQMS 1, SQMS 2, and SQMS 3) Other important A&A practice matters

Surgent's Data Security: Best Practices to Protect Your Business and Yourself

Ethical duty to safeguard employee, client, and litigant data Common threats, including phishing, ransomware, and bad password management Security management of business and personal electronic devices Best practices for creating and securing passwords Insight into how our personal information is exploited in our daily lives

Income Tax Analysis: Exploring In-Depth Concepts

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Introduction to GAAP and IRC FrameworksKey Differences Between Financial Reporting and Tax ReportingUnderstanding Timing DifferencesRecognition of Revenue and Expenses Under GAAP vs. IRCDiscussion of Deferred Tax AssetsImpact of Deferred Tax LiabilitiesPermanent vs. Temporary DifferencesReconciliation of Book Income to Taxable Income

Surgent's Nuts & Bolts of Cryptocurrency Taxation

What is blockchain technology? How do you buy crypto? How do you store crypto? Use cases of cryptocurrency Blockchain technology  Use cases of cryptocurrency Tax overview How taxes work for cryptocurrency investors How taxes work for cryptocurrency mining Taxation of other transactions Foreign reporting requirements and crypto How to use a tool like CoinTracker to calculate capital gains and losses New developments in the space Tax planning opportunities  Why do accountants need to care?

Comprehensive Audit & SSARS Update

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:AICPA Accounting and Review Services Committee standards update and new practice aidAICPA Auditing Standards Board standards update including recent changes to the audit and attestation standardsAICPA’s new Quality Management Standards - Overview, implementation considerations, timeline, and AICPA implementation resourcesPCAOB, IAASB standard-setting agenda and potential future AICPA ASB standards changesUpdate on AICPA’s Enhancing Audit Quality InitiativeTrends in audit quality including the DOL’s audit quality studyFrequent peer review findings and practice tips for achieving high practice qualityLatest on the DOL’s audit quality study

Leadershift Ethics: Things Must Change!

The major topics covered in this course include:The litmus test for all of your decisions and actionsEthical principles when managing through changePressures that threaten ethical change managementCase studies of what can go sideways when ethics are not part of every stage of changeWinning strategies for ethical self-regulation

Ethics: IRS Criminal Investigations: Key Lessons for Accountants

Snapshot of IRS Criminal InvestigationsGeneral tax fraudAbusive tax schemesRefund fraudEmployment tax fraudIdentity theftData compromisesMoney launderingPublic corruptionCorporate fraudGeneral fraudsCyber crimesGlobal tax and economic crimesNarcotics, counter-terrorism and transnational organized crimeSelected Field Office Case Files from Across USNew EnglandMiddle AtlanticEast NorthCentralWest North CentralSouth AtlanticEast South Central West South CentralMountainPacificHow accountants can add value to their operations by aiding law enforcement and fighting economic crime

Mastering the Excel Lookup Functions

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:A review of the various lookup functions, beyond VLOOKUPLearn which lookup works best for your situationHow to apply the many lookup functionsDiscover advanced lookup techniques like nested lookups, approximate matching, and handling errors effectivelyAn in-depth review of the following functions:VLOOKUP / HLOOKUPXLOOKUPMATCH / INDEXXMATCHINDIRECTFILTERSORT / SORTBYUNIQUEAn overview of some newer functions