Summer is a great time for taking a vacation, evaluating your firm strategy post tax season, and earning your CPE or CE credits. To help out with the third part, we’ve rounded up a list of seven of our best courses for you to take this summer. All courses are offered in webinar and self-study formats.

§199A Small Business Deduction Overview

Instructor: Tanya Baber
Type: CPE/ CE
Credit Hours: 3 parts, 1 credit hour each

Section 199A is by far one of the most complex things to come out of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. If you are like most practitioners, you may be left wondering, now what? What am I supposed to do with this now that I have to figure it out for tax returns?

When it first came into effect, there were many unknowns, and even though we now have the benefit of having final regulations issued, there are still a few things that have not been defined or decided. This course will give you information based on the most recent, corrected final regulations issued February 4, 2019. This course will help make sense of all the calculations and even go over some basic planning ideas.

Audit Defense Strategies & Negotiating with the IRS

Instructor: Dan Pilla
Type: CPE/ CE
Credit Hours: 2 parts, 1 credit hour each

Negotiating with the IRS takes a specific skill set and understanding to ensure you achieve the best outcome for your client. This course will help you understand the due dates, processes, and avenues that you can pursue when negotiating with the IRS during an audit, as well as strategies to avoid being audited. In this course you will also learn how to substantiate expenses, how to negotiate specific points, and learn what courses of action you have if an initial audit goes poorly.

Mergers & Acquisitions for CPA Firms

Instructor: Bill Carlino
Type: CPE
Credit Hours: 1

For most CPA firm owners, a merger will often be the last and most important decision they will make in their business careers. But often, firms that have decided to affiliate are unsure of the process and what’s involved in the complex arena of M&A. This course will give an overview of the steps needed to facilitate a successful merger—from the first meeting to a signed contract and how to avoid deal-killing roadblocks.

Offer in Compromise Basics

Instructor: Tanya Baber
Type: CPE/ CE
Credit Hours: 3 parts, 1 credit hour each

This course is Part 1 of a comprehensive 3-part series intended to help you understand and become savvy with the IRS Offer in Compromise (OIC) program. This course discusses the pros and cons of the OIC program, the qualifications for filing a processable offer, and the three different types of offers. We will discuss the two OIC payment options available and the proper calculation of the Reasonable Collection Potential.

This course will briefly cover IRS rules for processing offer applications, how the offer investigation process works, and some helpful tips for writing better offers.

Independent Contractor vs. Employee - Part 1

Instructor: Tanya Baber
Type: CPE/ CE
Credit Hours: 2 parts, 1 credit hour each

Independent contractors can potentially save your clients money but with increased IRS scrutiny, they could be at risk for penalties and liability. Can you be sure you understand the difference between an employee and independent contractor?

This course is Part 1 of a comprehensive 2-part series that will help you understand the differences between an employee and an independent contractor, what the advantages and disadvantages of each classification are, and what statutory employees and contractors are. We will also cover risks of misclassification and potential liability, when to issue a 1099-MISC vs. a W-2, and go over practical, hands-on tips to keep in compliance. Additionally, you will gain insight into the IRS VCSP program and when it might be a good approach for a client already in trouble.

AICPA Regulatory Ethics

Instructor: Allison McLeod
Type: CPE/ CE
Credit Hours: 4 parts, 1 credit hour each

In this first part of a series, we examine the first portion of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct dealing with integrity, objectivity, and judgement. By using real-world examples, case studies, and scenarios, you will get a better idea of what it means to be ethical in performing job functions. Additionally, the course will explore different ways that a professional could fall into compromising situations and practical ways to address conflicts of interest.

Intro to Tax Resolution - Part 1

Instructor: Tanya Baber
Type: CPE/ CE
Credit Hours: 2 parts, 1 credit hour each

While many tax preparers may understand basic concepts related to tax resolution and even dabble in it from time to time, many fail to understand the complexities and nuances of representation. In this area, what you don’t know can hurt you and your client. This course will help remedy weaknesses you may have in your understanding of what tax resolution really is, go over the background and current landscape, and discuss possible lucrative areas of tax resolution.

We will also go through the types of IRS representatives you may encounter and their roles as you work with them on the front lines while representing your clients’ interests. You will understand your authority granted under Circular 230, as well as some key things to watch for under this authority. We cover the Power of Attorney Form 2848 and Form 8821, as well as best practices for proper submission and acceptance. Additionally, we go over how to obtain and work with confidential taxpayer information in the course of your representation.

You can sign up for these courses and tons of other great CPE and CE courses here.