CPE Catalog & Events

Surgent's Guide to Payroll Taxes and 1099 Issues

Statutory employees, independent contractors, and possible changes to §530 relief Using SS-8 Payroll Tax Penalties -- Who is a responsible person? Forms W-2, 1099, 1099-NEC, SS-8, W-4, 941, and Form 940 reporting/deposit requirements and due dates Understanding payroll tax responsibilities in the gig economy

Surgent's How to Effectively Represent Clients Under IRS Audit

Why the IRS selects a tax return for audit What happens when the taxpayer disagrees with the results of the audit IRS employees who interact with taxpayers during an audit FATCA audits Types of IRS examinations Potential IRS audit outcomes Substitute for returns Large Partnership Compliance Program IRS’s shift in audit strategies Responding to IRS Notices online Audits of high income and high net-worth individuals The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA) and its impact on auditing partnerships IRS Letters of Concern

Surgent's Mastering Client Management for Accounting and Finance Professionals

The evolving landscape of client expectations in the accounting profession Building strong and lasting client relationships through effective communication, empathy, and proactive service Implementing efficient client onboarding and engagement processes Leveraging technology to streamline communication, enhance collaboration, and deliver personalized service Effectively resolving client concerns and complaints Utilizing client feedback to continually improve your practice

Surgent's Social Security: Dispelling Common Myths with Essential Truths

Will Social Security be there for me? How is my benefit calculated? Can I claim my benefit and work too? When do I stop paying Social Security taxes? Why does my government pension cause my benefits to be reduced? Can I claim spousal benefits now and my own later? What is my breakeven? Can I claim benefits from my ex-spouse? What do you mean I may pay taxes on my income benefits? … and more!

Surgent's What Practitioners Need to Know About Estate Planning and Administering a Client's Estate

The federal transfer tax exemption  What constitutes a valid will Common trust vehicles often used to safeguard assets Consequences of intestacy How to transfer property outside of a will Legal treatment of marital property Transfer of IRAs and retirement plans Probate generally and probate for property held outside of the state of decedent’s residence When an estate tax return should be filed Portability of the Deceased Spousal Unused Exclusion (DSUE) amount

Business Transformation: Critical Skills for CFOs and Controllers

AICPA's Annual Federal Tax Update

Inflation adjustments IRS administrative issues, compliance, and new forms Court cases settled in the last year that provide tax return guidance IRS rulings, procedures, and notices for the last year New, updated, and expiring tax deductions and credits Legislative and regulatory updates affecting tax practitioners Tax matters affecting individuals, C corporations, partnerships, S corporations, estates, and trusts

Surgent's Preparing Not-for-Profit Financial Statements

Key requirements, options, and disclosures related to each of the basic financial statements The reporting of functional and natural expense information Core not-for-profit accounting requirements related to conditional and unconditional contributions, promises to give, restrictions, designations, contributed services, net assets, special events, the classification of expenses, and more

Surgent's Technical Business Practice Issues and Tax Forms for Experienced Practitioners

Bonus depreciation and §179 changes under the OBBBA Schedules K-2 and K-3 and filing exceptions Form 7203  IRS Tax Pro Account  IRS modernization initiatives Information Returns Intake System (IRIS) Identity Theft warnings   IRS guidance for the marijuana industry  “Recycled” Form 1099-NEC to report nonemployee compensation  Form 1065 steps for reporting capital  Centralized audit regime; late filing penalties and small partnership relief  “Substance over Form” argument of shareholder loans  Advanced study of “At-Risk” loans  Employer W-2 correction requests  Don't get caught watching the paint dry -- What is hot and new  What is terminating S corporations today?  Special allocation issues of §704  Final regulations for allocating depreciation recapture to partners and members of LLCs 

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

Surgent's Key Roth IRA and Roth 401(k) Rules for Funding and Tax-free Distributions

Funding options for Roth accounts Roth IRA contribution eligibility and income limits Enhanced catch-up contributions and age-based limits The Roth catch-up mandate for employer plans Roth 401(k) contribution rules, including catch-ups Roth SEP and Roth SIMPLE IRAs 529 plan rollovers to Roth IRAs Backdoor Roth strategies and pro-rata considerations The tax impact of rolling a 401(k) to a Roth IRA Who can start the Roth IRA 5-year clock? The 5-year rules for Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s Direct and indirect Roth conversions Direct and indirect rollovers from Roth 401(k) plans Ordering rules for Roth IRA distributions FIFO treatment and when it applies The risk of recapturing the 10% early distribution penalty Case studies and practical cheat sheets to reinforce key concepts

Surgent's Strategies for Maximizing Social Security Benefits

Eligibility rules for retirement, spousal, divorced spouse, survivor, and family benefits Understanding the new age of deemed filing How dual entitlement is calculated and how it affects benefit outcomes Key factors in deciding when to claim Social Security benefits Coordinating work and benefits, including the earnings test and its effect on income Managing Social Security to maximize after-tax cash flow, avoid higher Medicare premiums, and protect the survivor Updates related to recent legislation, including the SSFA and the OBBBA

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

Surgent's The Complete Guide to Payroll Taxes and 1099 Issues

Payroll tax requirements for wages, including wages subject to the .9 percent tax, employee benefits and reimbursements, nonqualified deferred compensation, stock options, and tips Fringe benefits issues, such as health insurance, life insurance, cafeteria plan benefits, accountable and non-accountable plans, standard mileage rates, and per diem rates Special issues -- Using a common paymaster, how to file W-2s after a takeover, merger, or acquisition, and state and local tax withholding Statutory employees, independent contractors, and possible changes to §530 relief Penalties -- Who is a responsible person? Expenses and gross-up calculations Pension issues and payroll taxes including SIMPLE plans, and §401(k) and pension distributions The Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) Forms I-9, W-9, W-2, 1099, 1099-NEC, SS-8, and 940 Understanding payroll tax responsibilities in the gig economy

Surgent's Going Out on Your Own: Entity Types and Accounting Methods

Financial planning pyramid What to consider when picking an entity Single member LLC vs. sole proprietorship Corporations – S vs. C Double taxation

Surgent's Guide and Update to Compilations, Reviews, and Preparations

SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification, and updates to SSARS No. 21 due to the issuance of SSARS No. 23, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services SSARS No. 22, Compilation of Pro Forma Financial Information SSARS No. 24, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services – 2018 SSARS No. 25, Materiality in a Review of Financial Statements and Adverse Conclusions SSARS No. 26, Quality Management for an Engagement Conducted in Accordance with Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services SSARS No. 27, Applicability of AR-C Section 70 to Financial Statements Prepared as Part of a Consulting Services Engagement Sample comprehensive engagement work programs for preparation, compilation, and review engagements

Surgent's Basics of Employment Law for Non-HR Professionals

How the application of policies and employment laws within the workplace can reduce employee complaints, and protect your company from claims of discrimination or wrongful behavior Examining wage and pay practices, FMLA examples, and other challenging workplace questions, to insure actions are consistent with laws/policies Key functions of employment including recruitment, interviewing and selection

Surgent's Guide to the AICPA Quality Management Standards

Quality management standards SAS 146, SSARS No. 26, and SSAE 23 Risk assessment, which forms the basis of the SQM Monitoring and evaluating the SQM

Surgent's Bankruptcy Basics: Understanding the Reorganization and Liquidation Process in These Uncertain Economic Times

Commencement of a bankruptcy proceeding Protections provided to debtors under the Bankruptcy Code Key procedural aspects of bankruptcy The automatic stay Differences between Chapters 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcy cases The bankruptcy discharge Proofs of claim Plans of reorganization Litigation that can arise during bankruptcy Creditor committees Bankruptcy trustees Avoidable preferences and fraudulent transfers Special rights afforded to landlords and secured creditors