TOPICS
Taxation and Personal Financial Planning
Prerequisite: Basic understanding of taxation
Advanced preparation: None
Category: Taxation
Level: Intermediate
Recommended CPE hours: 6*
Objectives and descriptions are noted below
2009 Federal Income Tax Update
This federal income tax update deals with the latest individual tax changes affecting 2009, including new tax legislation. Topics include: planning after-tax reform, new cases, rulings and regulations, hot planning opportunities, and more. The majority of this course relates to changes affecting individual taxation.
2009 Business Tax Developments
This course focuses on the latest federal income tax changes affecting businesses, including C and S corporations, LLCs/partnerships and sole proprietorships. This course will also discuss any pending or recent tax law changes.
2009 IRS Update
Over the past few years, the IRS has dramatically increased its IRS examinations and enforcement efforts. This course discusses the methods the IRS is using in its new enforcement environment including new examination and collection priorities and procedures, criminal investigation initiatives, Taxpayer Advocate Services Report on problems in the tax system, new procedures at IRS campuses and which are closing, impact of new IRS leadership and more.
New Developments - Estate, Gift and Retirement Planning
This course deals with recent cases and rulings related to estate planning including those affecting business valuations, discounts, hot topics, planning strategies, and more.
Hot Topics in Taxation - 2009
This course addresses some of today's most unique tax considerations confronting practitioners. Topics include: Real estate tax oddities, tax planning opportunities with charitable transfers, using tax conduits, reviewing tax traps (or treasures) for individuals (including the AMT), unraveling interesting basis issues, and more.
Business Tax Planning - 2009
This course will focus on the latest tax planning techniques that can be used in today's tax environment. Topics include: employment tax strategies, structuring the sale of a business, reconsideration of the type of entity to use, family tax strategies, and more.
Taxes for Tough Times
This course explores the tax impact of bankruptcy, divorce, foreclosure, repossession, debt cancellation, and asset protection. Emphasis is given to controlling and eliminating the economic cost of such crisis matters. Methods to anticipate and prevent tax and financial problems will be reviewed and compared. Pre-emptive asset protection, gifting, title and estate-planning will be discussed.
Estate Planning Essentials
Throw away the tax code and regulations and make "greased lightning" sense of estate planning. Learn how to structure an effective estate plan using a highly visual, real-life situation approach. Fantastic diagrams, charts, tables and calculation sheets are used to present key elements of any successful estate plan: from the simplest to the most complex. Imagine a one-page Form 706, a two-minute A-B trust chart, or a 30 second charitable remainder trust diagram. Great "quick kill" graphics for the busy practitioner and even busier client.
Estate Planning Update - 2009
2009 is expected to be a year of significant change in the estate-planning arena. Congress is going to amend the estate and gift tax laws, as we know them. The IRS is going to be working on numerous regulatory projects to address the statutory changes. This program will bring you current with all of the adopted changes and all of proposed changes to the estate and gift tax laws and will also demonstrate how they will be applied to planning for your clients.
Retirement Planning Update
The area of the tax law that most constantly undergoes change involves retirement plans. Many changes occur almost daily, even without Congressional action. As we enter into a new phase with newly elected officials and a Democratic controlled Congress and White House, you no doubt expect a bevy of modifications to the retirement plan rules, some of which have already been passed late in the 2008 session of Congress including technical corrections to the Pension Protection Act of 2006. This session will identify and explain the changes that impact retirement plans, your practice and your own retirement planning.
Investment Update
How the financial bailout will affect the economy, stock market and you! A look at the causes of the market meltdown, recovery of the housing market, the Fed and the economic forecast, and how you can profit from historically low stock prices and a stock market recovery.
Real Estate Taxation Update
This course addresses the numerous tax issues that affect real estate including recent changes. Topics include: how real estate investments should be held; latest in 1031 exchanges; debt forgiveness in foreclosure - new IRS forms to be filed; deal status advantages and disadvantages; various personal real estate issues dealing with the home, using retirement plans to own real estate, and more.
Increasing, Preserving and Transferring Family Wealth
We are in the midst of a period in which trillions of dollars are being transferred from one generation to the next. Some families will transfer their wealth effectively, while others will not. This course will analyze the techniques frequently used to transfer wealth and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Management and Business Consulting
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Prerequisite and advanced preparation: None
Category: Specialized knowledge
Level: Basic unless otherwise noted
Recommended CPE hours: 6*
Objectives and descriptions are noted below
The Financial Meltdown of 2008
This course will review the events that took place during the financial meltdown that began in the summer of 2008. We will explore the various events that led to the collapse of many large financial institutions, resulting in the $700 billion government "bailout" in October 2008 and subsequent government actions. The course will also examine the circumstances leading up to the demise of many of the largest companies in the finance industry, including Lehman Brothers, Washington Mutual, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and AIG.
Investing in a Volatile Financial Climate
Both the real estate and stock markets have dropped significantly in the past year. Interest rates are very low. Major corporations have fallen and many others are in financial trouble. What is an investor to do? This course will focus on the options an investor may have and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Increasing Both the Top and Bottom Lines
To increase the value of a company, a company's revenue and net profit must usually increase. This course will focus on how to do this effectively regardless of the economic environment. It will offer numerous practical tips on how to increase revenue. The instructor will discuss what expenses should be cut, which ones should not, and why. The instructor will also provide many examples from well-known companies to highlight the key points.
Accounting and Auditing
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Prerequisite: Basic understanding of accounting and auditing
Advanced preparation: None
Category: Accounting or Auditing
Level: Intermediate
Recommended CPE hours: 6*
Objectives and descriptions are noted below
2009 FASB, SSARS and SAS Update and Other Developments Affecting the Profession
This course deals with the latest changes in accounting, auditing and compilation and review pronouncements of interest to accountants in public accounting and industry. Topics include: recently issued FASB and AICPA accounting statements, new developments in compilation and review, recently issued auditing pronouncements, practice issues related to peer review, new ethics rulings, and more.
Small Business Accounting and Reporting Issues - 2009
This course explores current issues that are important to small business managers, owners, and their accountants. Some of the issues covered include: big GAAP vs. little GAAP, IFRS for private entities, compilation and review reports, statement of cash flows, and independence issues.
Practice Issues - Compilation and Review
This course consists of an accumulation of practice issues relating to compilation and review engagements that have been addressed in peer reviews, compilation and review alerts and practice bulletins. The course will also cover responsibility for fraud, internal control and growing concern in compilation and review engagements, personal financial statements, compiling pro forma financial information, compiling and reviewing OCBOA statements, legends on financial statements, and more.
*Each course consists of 6 hours of Group Live CPE. In addition to the Group Live CPE offered, participants can choose from a selection of self-study courses that supplement the remainder of their total CPE hours purchased. Recommended CPE hours are based on the NASBA's Registry-QAS measurement of 50 minutes per CPE hour. Certain states grant CPE credit using different measurements. Please consult with your state licensing board.
