Professional Development and Event Catalog

Although the IRS continues to lose its audit workforce due to budget cuts, it continues to examine specific individuals and small business taxpayers. Now, more than ever, Accounting and Financial Professionals need clients to understand the need for documentation and procedures to substantiate what IRS examiners are pursuing. Learn the high audit risk areas and ways to help clients survive an IRS audit with little or no change. It is critical for Accounting and Financial Professionals in public accounting to understand the risk to clients and to themselves in tax return preparation and planning since the IRS has currently increased its audit coverage and is examining more taxpayers than in the recent past.

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.

*IMPORTANT:  This is a virtual conference being run in partnership with the Iowa Society of CPAs The ISCPA Financial Institutions Conference brings together CPAs and other professionals working in or with the banking industry to discuss the latest trends, innovations and challenges facing the industry today. Gain valuable insights, connect with industry leaders, and expand your network. Please note that the Class Pass does not apply to this program.

*IMPORTANT:  This is the VIRTUAL option for the Employee Benefit Plans Conference While we are planning for all speakers to attend in person, due to the uncertainty of today’s environment and varying company policies, some speakers may need to appear via livestream if circumstances necessitate it. This CTCPA conference updates practitioners on a variety of topics in the employee benefit plans area.

*IMPORTANT:  This is the VIRTUAL option for the Employee Benefit Plans Conference While we are planning for all speakers to attend in person, due to the uncertainty of today’s environment and varying company policies, some speakers may need to appear via livestream if circumstances necessitate it. This CTCPA conference updates practitioners on a variety of topics in the employee benefit plans area.  

In the ever-evolving field of estate planning, addressing the complex issues that arise upon a client's death is of utmost importance. Postmortem estate planning plays a critical role in managing various aspects, including the decedent's estate tax return, final income tax return, estate income tax return, and the financial planning of the heirs. This comprehensive course equips practitioners with a thorough understanding of after-death planning issues related to a decedent's estate.

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. All of AHI's courses rely heavily on participant interaction and these virtual programs have co-opted many of Zoom's features to preserve the same strengths of the in-person training: visual interaction between the instructor and all participants (plan to be "on screen" throughout the program); breakout rooms to ensure small group engagement; and instructor interaction screen share for small group presentations, easy delivery of video presentations, and fillable PDF for online note-taking in the course materials.

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. All of AHI's courses rely heavily on participant interaction and these virtual programs have co-opted many of Zoom's features to preserve the same strengths of the in-person training: visual interaction between the instructor and all participants (plan to be "on screen" throughout the program); breakout rooms to ensure small group engagement; and instructor interaction screen share for small group presentations, easy delivery of video presentations, and fillable PDF for online note-taking in the course materials.

The accounting profession and financial markets have been plagued during the past several years with numerous cases of financial reporting problems. This course will go through some real life examples of financial statement fraud and/or failed audits. The course will cover how to recognize deceptive practices related to revenue recognition, detail related party and off-balance sheet schemes, and how earnings can be manipulated through inappropriate estimates.

This course provides an overview of cryptocurrency basics and use cases. Learn the latest trends in crypto applications and the current state of accounting applications of cryptocurrency. It will cover the appropriate accounting for cryptocurrency and address some of the challenges in accounting for cryptocurrency.

FASB ASC topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, has a significant impact on all reporting entities across all industries because it applies broadly to financial instruments, including accounts receivable. It also has far-reaching implications for companies because it impacts operations, data management, and internal controls over financial reporting. This course will offer tips on complying with the guidance and what the appropriate governance is related to the guidance in this topic.

This course gives CPAs the knowledge to help their clients plan for retirement by evaluating how much retirement income they will require and planning for how to reach their retirement goals.

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 IDEASc approach to using data analytics on engagements to ensure compliance with audit and review standards and to provide value-added services to clients. All of AHI's courses rely heavily on participant interaction and these virtual programs have co-opted many of Zoom's features to preserve the same strengths of the in-person training: visual interaction between the instructor and all participants (plan to be "on screen" throughout the program); breakout rooms to ensure small group engagement; and instructor interaction screen share for small group presentations, easy delivery of video presentations, and fillable PDF for online note-taking in the course materials.

Estate planning, financial strategizing, and asset protection aren't isolated endeavors; they intricately intertwine, each exerting significant influence on the others. This course unveils the intricate web of relationships between these planning facets and imparts the essential sequence for orchestrating planning endeavors within them. This comprehensive course addresses special scenarios like single-parent considerations within this comprehensive framework. Practitioners seeking to provide comprehensive planning services to their clients will find this course an indispensable addition to their skillset

Accounting and financial reporting for construction contractors may be the most difficult area to be in compliance with the various standards. Construction engagements are, in many instances, more "dangerous" than most lines of business due to the many users of the financial statements. In this course, we will discuss why construction accounting and financial reporting are so complex and discuss the relationship between the contractor and the surety, both from an underwriting and claims perspective. We will also explore what the surety looks for in order to maximize potential bond credit, and we will discuss key areas of tax compliance concentrating on those areas which make construction unique, including the impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry.

One of the most favored employee benefit plans, the 401(k) plan, provides unique challenges for auditors. Also, as many 401(k) plan administrators opt for ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audits, audits of 401(k) plans will be significantly impacted by the now-effective SAS 136, the AICPA's new employee benefit plan auditing standard. Through this course, auditors will obtain an understanding of the rules and regulations unique to employee benefit plans and obtain practical guidance on applying them. Auditors will enhance their knowledge of the performance and reporting requirements of SAS 136 through real-world examples, best practices, and efficient audit techniques that can be utilized in various audit engagements. Make sure your audits don't trigger a DOL inspection by conforming to all applicable rules and regulations.

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.