DETAILED COURSE
DESCRIPTIONS

Seminar dates are on "Home" 
and "Seminar Calendar" pages. 

One-Day Webinars (8 CPE hours)
start at 8:00 a.m. pacific time
and end at 3:40 p.m.
with a half-hour lunch at 12:00. 
Webinar access code will be sent 
two days before webinar. 

“As always, excellent.  Very helpful and useful. 
Walter remains the best." -Michigan participants  

Learning Objectives:  
This course includes an analysis of all of the relevant authoritative pronouncements that a CPA must have an understanding of in order to properly perform preparation, compilation and review engagements. This course will address the changes made by SSARS 25 that was issued in the spring of 2020 and SSARS 26 that was issued in 2022 along with implementation guidance!  Troublesome areas as identified in peer reviews and litigation will be highlighted. Participants who take this course will enjoy a smooth sailing in their peer reviews … guaranteed! This course also includes the “new” Quality Management Standards that replace the Quality Control Standards and their impact on Preparation, Compilation and Review service engagements.

Major Subjects:  

• Analysis of the SSARS statements and interpretations issued the past 18 months including SSARS 25  that was issued in the spring of 2020 and SSARS 26 that was issued in 2022
  
  
• Analysis of the “Preparation of Financial Statements” standards as amended by SSARS 26 with implementation guidance

• Analysis of the “Compilation” standards as amended by SSARS 26 with implementation guidance.

• Analysis of the “Review” standards as amended by SSARS 26 with detailed implementation guidance.

• Common mistakes made in preparation, compilation and review engagements as identified in peer reviews and in litigation.

• The impact of the new Quality Management Standards that will replace the Quality Control Standards will be discussed.

Designed For:  This course is designed to enable participants to understand and implement the pronouncements, interpretations and technical practice aids that apply to SSARS engagements. This course is also designed to make practitioners aware of common deficiencies in SSARS engagements  and how to avoid them.

Field of Study:  Accounting and auditing 

Advance Preparation:  None

Course Ratings:  The 2022 course were over 4.7 and the participants overall course presentation and satisfaction ratings were over 4.8 for both the classroom and webinar formats!  A common comment on the webinar format is that “it was great, Walter, just like we’re there in person!”

Program Level: Update / intermediate

Prerequisites: None

Instruction Delivery Method(s): Lecture, self-assessment questions, and discussion of participant questions asked during presentation

Program Length: One day

Recommended CPE Credits/Hours:  Eight 

What participants say about this course:

“If you really want to learn the standards and prepare financial statements correctly, go to this course.” - Washington participant  

“Must take annually … the best.” -Virginia participant

Learning Objectives:  

This course provides an update and review of the financial reporting frameworks commonly used by small- and medium-sized entities (SMEs); namely,  the U.S. GAAP Financial Reporting Framework principles that apply to SMEs, the tax and cash special purpose frameworks, and the AICPA Financial Reporting Framework for SMEs.  Troublesome areas in these financial reporting frameworks as identified in peer reviews and litigation will be highlighted.

Major Subjects:                 

• Amendments to the U.S. Accounting Standards Codification (i.e. - U.S. GAAP) that impact SMEs issued during the 18-month period prior to the program
• Update and review of the tax and cash special purpose frameworks
• Update and Review of the AICPA Financial Reporting Framework for SMEs
• Update on common financial statement errors and deficiencies as identified in peer reviews and in litigation

Designed For:  This course is designed for practitioners who need to update their knowledge of the accounting standards issued during the past year that affect the preparation of financial statements of small and medium-sized entities and who need to become aware of and learn how to handle common financial statement deficiencies.

Field of Study:  Accounting and auditing

Advance Preparation:  None

Course Ratings:  The 2022 course were ratings over 4.6 and the participants overall course presentation and satisfaction ratings were over 4.8 for both the classroom and webinar formats!  A common comment on the webinar format is that “it was great, Walter, just like we’re there in person!”

Program Level:  Update / intermediate

Prerequisites: None

Instruction Delivery Method(s): Lecture, self-assessment questions, and discussion of participant questions asked during presentation

Program Length:  One day

Recommended CPE Credits/Hours:  Eight

Learning Objectives:  This course will enable practitioners to understand and apply the AICPA “clarification” auditing standards.  Further, this course will provide guidance on how to perform an effective, efficient and profitable audit engagement that is in compliance with the standards.  The course is loaded with practical practice aids to help enable participants to comply with the standards.  Troublesome areas as identified peer reviews and litigation will be covered including risk assessment, documentation and independence.  This is a must class for CPAs who perform audits, inside CPAs who oversee audits, and CPAs who are on audit committees.    Participants who take this course will enjoy a smooth sailing in their peer reviews and substantially increase their firm profits … guaranteed!  Further, this course will enable firms to increase their profits on audit engagements exponentially.   This course also includes the “new” Quality Management Standards that replace the Quality Control Standards.

Major Subjects:

• AICPA auditing standards issued during the 18-month period prior to the program
• The new SAS 145 risk assessment requirements
• How to fulfill responsibility to detect fraud under AU-C Section 240
• How to assess risk of material misstatements under AU-C Section 315
• How to help clients fulfill their responsibility to design, implement and maintain their internal controls
• Common deficiencies in audit engagements performed under AICPA audit standards
• How to perform profitable audits
• The Quality Management Standards that replace the Quality Control Standards

Designed For:  This course is designed for practitioners in public practice who must understand and implement the clarification auditing standards, who need to be aware of common audit engagement deficiencies, and who are responsible for making audit engagements more profitable.  It is also designed for inside accountants who oversee audits of their entities. 

Field of Study:  Accounting and auditing

Advance Preparation:  None

Material Ratings: The 2022 course  material ratings were over 4.6 and the participants overall course presentation and satisfaction ratings were over 4.8 for both the classroom and webinar formats!  A common comment on the webinar format is that “it was great, Walter, just like we’re there in person!"

Program level:  Update / intermediate

Prerequisites:  None

Instruction Delivery Method(s): Lecture, self-assessment questions, and discussion of participant questions asked during presentation

Program Length:  One day

Recommended CPE Credits/Hours:  Eight

Learning Objectives:  This course has significantly changed for the better the lives of a significant number of practitioners and their clients.  Participants will learn a step-by-step process for performing an annual personal financial health checkup for themselves, family members, employers, and, if in the practice of accounting, their clients.  This course will enable practitioners to add a huge value to their tax preparation services.

Major Subjects:                

• Preparing a personal financial statement following U.S. GAAP
• Recasting U.S. GAAP personal financial statements into powerful management tool
• Identifying the key factors that must be managed in order to achieve financial self-sufficiency
• Key personal planning documents including HIPAA Medical Disclosure Document , Living Will, Medical Durable Power of Attorneys, and Letter of Instruction at Death
• How to create “goal” statements that achieve results 

Designed For: This course is designed for practitioners who are involved in personal financial statement preparation engagements and personal financial planning engagements. It is also designed for individuals who desire to become or remain financially self-sufficient.

Field of Study:  Accounting and auditing

Advance Preparation:  None

Course Ratings:  The 2022 course  material ratings were over 4.6 and the participants overall course presentation and satisfaction ratings were over 4.8 for both the classroom and webinar formats!  A common comment on the webinar format is that “it was great, Walter, just like we’re there in person!”

Program Level:  Update / intermediate

Prerequisites:  None

Instruction Delivery Method: Lecture, self-assessment questions, and discussion of participant questions asked during presentation

Program Length:  One day

Recommended CPE Credits/Hours:  Eight

Learning Objectives:

This course fills an important need for both financial managers of small- and medium-sized entities and accountants in the practice of public accounting providing services to those entities by offering the tools to help ensure the future success of a business.  This course also provides practical guidance for the effective use of benchmarking and analytical procedures. 

Major Subjects:      

• The importance of managing the “control environment” of an entity to be successful and determining the state of the “control environment” of an entity 
• How to create "goal" statements that achieve results
• How to use analytical procedures to identify misstatements in financial information
• How to use analytical procedures as a management tool to identify areas hindering the profitability of the entity
• Techniques for developing a “workable” business plan
• Recasting GAAP financial statements into powerful management tools
• Developing and using benchmarks
• Identifying and interpreting profitability key factors
• The relationship of internal controls and the health of an entity plus common weaknesses in internal controls using the guidelines in the COSO Report on Internal Controls and common internal controls to address those weaknesses.

Designed for: This course is designed for practitioners who have the responsibility of analyzing the financial condition and organizational health of closely held companies. 

Field of Study:  Accounting and auditing

Advance Preparation:  None

Course Ratings: The 2022 course material ratings were over 4.6 and the participants overall course presentation and satisfaction ratings were over 4.8 for both the classroom and webinar formats!  A common comment on the webinar format is that “it was great, Walter, just like we’re there in person!”

Program Level:  Update / intermediate

Prerequisites:  None

Presentation Method: Lecture, self-assessment questions, and discussion of participant questions asked during presentation

Program Length:  One day

Recommended CPE Credits/Hours:  Eight