Financial markets represent the lifeblood of our global economy. These mechanisms promote greater economic efficiency by transferring funds from individuals, businesses and governments with an excess of available funds to those with a shortage. Funds are transferred in the financial markets through the purchase and sale of financial instruments (such as stocks and bonds). Short-term financial instruments are available in money markets, while longer-term financial instruments are purchased and sold in the world’s capital markets. Many financial markets have been in existence for hundreds of years; however the modern era has brought along many new innovations such as securitization and the derivatives market.

This course provides an introductory overview of the world’s largest financial markets, including the money, bond, stock, mortgage, foreign currency and derivatives markets. This course reviews the various types of financial risk that impact these markets, as well as the economic variables that influence market activity (such as interest rates and monetary policy).

Legend has it that the original title of the Yellow Book was the “Golden Rule of Government Auditing” and the cover was supposed to be gold. But when it came back from the printer, the cover was yellow. Whoops. Bye-bye catchy title, hello kitschy title—the Yellow Book.

Until very recently, to get the standard, you had to purchase an actual little Yellow Book from the government. Now the standards and all of the related updates are available on the GAO’s website at www.gao.gov. Very handy and very much unlike the AICPA, to whom I recently paid $135 for the latest standards.

Taxes are not taxes - they are dollars in terms of the net return on investment. All tax professionals need to know the tax-economics of investing for themselves and their clients. This need is accentuated by the rapid rise of the Internet as a broad based and effective investment tool.

The tax professional is in a special position to detect a clients need for financial planning. Preparing returns discloses assets, savings, business entities and family members. Knowledge of the clients assets, activities and the tax characteristics of available entities permits investment matching for maximum after-tax return.

The basic tax characteristics of the primary tax entities are explored and analyzed. Their ability to defer, reduce and eliminate tax is examined. Client goals, purposes and risk tolerances are determined and quanitated using the Sharp ratio. Investments and assets are then evaluated using a variety of tools found on the Internet. Finally, investments and entities are matched to produce the best after-tax return for the client.

This course addresses the practical aspects of §469 and the needed skill to handle pragmatic issues. Fundamentals are reviewed, planning opportunities dentified, creative strategies discussed and evaluated along with re-maining traditional approaches. The goal of this instructive program is to understand and solve problems under §469, with emphasis on tax savings ideas. Readers will overview the proper administration of this complex and often cumbersome provision.

This course presents FASB Interpretation No.46R, Consolidation of Variable Entities-An Interpretation of ARB No. 51, as amended by newly issued FASB No. 167, Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46R (FIN 46R),–in a comprehensive format. Following the review of the old rules for consolidation of special purpose entities (SPEs) and the background on consolidations are the general rules of FIN 46R. These include the application of FIN 46R and the special exemptions from FIN 46R. The basic rules of FIN 46R, which include three requirements, are covered in complete detail throughout the remaining course material.

A derivative is a financial product that derives its value based on an underlying asset, liability or other variable (such as an interest rate, foreign currency or commodity price). Derivatives have become very popular tools for hedging (i.e. reducing) financial risk; they have also become an increasingly standard item on big companies balance sheets. Yet understanding how they work, what they are used for and how they can affect the bottom line of a business has proven to be a significant challenge for the accounting and auditing industries.

This course provides an -accountant-friendly- overview of financial risk management and derivative instruments. This overview focuses on the various types of risk that impact financial markets today, as well as the four major categories of derivatives commonly used to hedge these risks (i.e. forwards, futures, swaps and options).

This mini-course examines key individual, business, retirement, and estate tax provisions recently enacted or indexed for inflation in an overview format that is easy to reference. The emphasis is on quick access to major tax changes having special meaning to the tax practitioner and return preparer. The course is a great resource and way for professionals and staff alike to easily get the “big chunks” and bring their professional knowledge up to speed.

International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) represents the future of financial accounting and reporting in the United States. Most of the world already communicates with investors and stakeholders about corporate financial performance in the language of IFRS. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and their U.S. equivalent (the FASB) have made commitments towards the convergence U.S. GAAP and IFRS and are working to eliminate as many differences between the two Standards as possible. The Securities and Exchange Commission has endorsed the outright adoption of IFRS in the United States. This growing acceptance of IFRS as a basis for U.S. financial reporting represents a fundamental change for the U.S. accounting profession.

This course provides an introductory overview of International Financial Reporting Standards, including detailed discussions of the impact that IFRS will have on U.S. businesses. This course also includes comprehensive reviews of the IASB structure and its standard-setting process, the basic framework that serves as the foundation for IFRS and the differences that exist between U.S. GAAP and IFRS.

This course covers the more basic aspects of QuickBooks Pro 2009, teaching the student how to

• Set up a QuickBooks company file
• Work with preferences, items, lists, and forms
• Work with the Fixed Asset Item List
• Create purchase orders, accounts payable transactions, and automated and manual checks
• Create customer invoices, and receive payments and make deposits
• Process payroll transactions and create payroll checks
• Modify forms to create a customized appearance
• Create journal entries and understand when they are needed
• Reconcile bank accounts
• Create, modify, and export reports
• Maintain QuickBooks company data files

A refresher course on the basic concepts and tools of business. Every functional aspect of business is covered. Topics covered are management, organization, human resource management, purchasing, production/operations, accounting, finance, marketing, quantitative methods, legal environment, information technology, business ethics, and international business.

During 2008 and at the beginning of 2009, Congress produced massive legislation to “jumpstart” the economy. This course presents the main tax provisions of seven Congressional Acts passed and enacted during this critical time. Included in these Acts are provisions for agriculture, conservation, energy, housing, and individual and business tax credits and deductions. These Acts impact taxation of individual taxpayers, farmers, servicemen and women, small business owners, and large corporations. No one is left out of this package!

This course focuses on key tax provisions enacted under the $800 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 by analyzing tax issues affecting individuals and businesses contained in this first installment of President Obama’s massive economic and recovery agenda. Individual provisions include a new "making work pay” tax credit, an AMT patch, a sales tax deduction, tax credits for education and first-time homebuyers and enhanced tax benefits for energy efficient improvements to homes. Business provisions include the treatment of such issues as extended bonus depreciation, a limited five-year net operating loss carryback period, small business expensing and capital gains, estimated tax payments, and COBRA coverage. In addi-tion, the course discusses new energy incentives and changes made to former energy regulations.

Personal Life Insurance Planning is divided into six lessons that include the following:

1. An Introduction to Human Life Value and Needs Analysis
2. Gathering Client Information
3. Identifying & Calculating Lump-sum Needs at Death
4. Social Security Survivor Benefits
5. Identifying Survivor Income Needs at Death
6. Calculating Survivor Income Needs at Death

• Creating Range Names in a SERIES formula
• Using OFFSET and Count functions for charting purposes
• Self Expanding Charts
• Displaying the last x number of data points
• Selecting a beginning and ending point for a data series
• Creating and using Spinners
• Linking a Chart Title to a Cell

There are practice exercises for you to try and each class file has the answer to the practice exercise so that you can compare your results if necessary.

This course contains 3 hours or regulatory ethics and 1 hour or behavioral ethics, and is designed to meet the 4 hour ethics CPE requirement for Hawaii. It also covers standards of professional conduct and business practices adhered to by accountants such as CPAs, CMAs, and CFMs in order to enhance their profession and maximize idealism, justice and fairness when dealing with the public, clients and other members of their profession. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on business ethics and the CPA’s responsibilities are summarized.

This course contains 3 hours of regulatory ethics and 1 hour of behavioral ethics, and is designed to meet the 4 hour ethics CPE requirement for Maryland CPAs. It covers standards of professional conduct and business practices adhered to by accountants in order to enhance their profession and maximize idealism, justice and fairness when dealing with the public, clients and other members of their profession. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on business ethics and the CPA’s responsibilities are summarized.

This course is designed to meet the 4 hour ethics CPE requirement for Massachusetts CPAs. It covers standards of professional conduct and business practices adhered to by accountants in order to enhance their profession and maximize idealism, justice and fairness when dealing with the public, clients and other members of their profession. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on business ethics and the CPA’s responsibilities are summarized.

This course contains 3 hours or regulatory ethics and 1 hour of behavioral ethics, and is designed to meet the 4 hour ethics CPE requirement for Virginia CPAs. It covers standards of professional conduct and business practices adhered to by accountants in order to enhance their profession and maximize idealism, justice and fairness when dealing with the public, clients and other members of their profession. The course outlines the Board of Accountancy (BOA) disciplinary process, the process followed by BOA for regulatory changes, and actual BOA enforcement cases. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on business ethics and the CPA’s responsibilities are also summarized.

Please note that the Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) will NOT accept Virginia ethics CPE credits obtained after January 31 for the previous years course.

Learn some cool and useful tips as well as some of Excel 2007s new features. Tips include how to: move around a spreadsheet efficiently; nest subtotals; copy subtotals; remove duplicates; create and manage pivot tables, do an INDEX MATCH lookup and how to link Excel charts into PowerPoint. This course does not include any exercise files.

This course contains 3 hours of regulatory ethics and 1 hour of behavioral ethics, and is designed to meet the 3 hour ethics CPE requirement for Louisiana CPAs. It also covers standards of professional conduct and business practices adhered to by accountants such as CPAs, CMAs, and CFMs in order to enhance their profession and maximize idealism, justice and fairness when dealing with the public, clients and other members of their profession. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on business ethics and the CPA’s responsibilities are summarized.

“15 Quick Tips on Becoming a GREAT Consultant” is intended for:

1. CPAs, accountants, IT professionals and others who want to learn new skills to become amazing consultants.
2. Students and others who want to learn more about the subject.
3. Consulting firms, and firms that are conducting training programs for consultants.

The course is easy to use and should assist the student in becoming aware of non-technical issues that are very important to any consultant. This course is designed to give students practical considerations and ideas to use in any consulting project. Each one of the five chapters presents three tips to improve your consulting experience and to make you one of the best professionals out there.

How can someone become a great consultant? Read on…

This course is designed as an overview of the International Financial Reporting Standards Roadmap. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a common set of accounting principles used for public reporting in over 100 countries. It was adopted by the 25 member states of the European Union In 2005. Currently, it is expected that Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico and South Korea will be transitioning to IFRS over the next two years. Due to its increasing global acceptance, IFRS is thought to have the potential to become a common platform on which companies can report and investors can compare financial information. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed an IFRS Roadmap that establishes the potential for IFRS adoption by U.S. public companies over the next five to seven years. Currently, IFRS is acceptable to the SEC as a reporting basis for foreign private issuers. No reconciliation to U.S. GAAP is required for these foreign private issuers

Taxes are not taxes - they are dollars in terms of the net return on investment. All tax professionals need to know the tax-economics of investing for themselves and their clients. The tax professional is in a special position to detect a clients need for financial planning. Preparing returns discloses assets, savings, business entities, and family members.

This mini-course explores and analyzes the basic concepts of cash management, budgeting, savings, investment goals and asset selection using a variety of tools found on the Internet. The rapid rise of the Internet as a broad-based and effective investment tool accentuates the practitioners need for Internet familiarity.

This course contains 1 hour or regulatory ethics and 1 hour behavioral ethics, and is designed to meet the 2 hour ethics CPE requirement for Idaho. It also covers standards of professional conduct and business practices adhered to by accountants such as CPAs, CMAs, and CFMs in order to enhance their profession and maximize idealism, justice and fairness when dealing with the public, clients and other members of their profession. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on business ethics and the CPA’s responsibilities are summarized.

This course contains 1 hours regulatory ethics and 1 hour behavioral ethics, and is designed to meet the Montana 2 hour ethics CPE requirement for Montana CPAs. It also covers standards of professional conduct and business practices adhered to by accountants such as CPAs, CMAs, and CFMs in order to enhance their profession and maximize idealism, justice and fairness when dealing with the public, clients and other members of their profession. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on business ethics and the CPA’s responsibilities are summarized.