**INCLUDED IN ALL-ACCESS PASS | IN PERSON ONLY**
The PFS™ Experienced CPA Pathway provides a streamlined approach to getting the PFS credential. This live workshop is a convenient event to obtain the final required education, which combined with your PFP experience, will prepare you to take and pass your PFS Experienced CPA Assessment by the end of Day 2 and then apply on-site for your PFS!

Pre-requisites:
• Completion of PFS Experienced Path Pre-Work (available on the aicpa.org storefront)
• A minimum of 7,500 hours of PFP experience within the last 5-7 years
• At least 91 hours of PFP related CPE

Learning Objectives:

• Apply concepts from the PFP Body of Knowledge to solve the case studies.
• Determine which types of financial plans will best suit the fact patterns of each case.

**INCLUDED IN ALL-ACCESS PASS | IN PERSON ONLY**
The PFS™ Experienced CPA Pathway provides a streamlined approach to getting the PFS credential. This live workshop is a convenient event to obtain the final required education, which combined with your PFP experience, will prepare you to take and pass your PFS Experienced CPA Assessment by the end of Day 2 and then apply on-site for your PFS!

Pre-requisites:
• Completion of PFS Experienced Path Pre-Work (available on the aicpa.org storefront)
• A minimum of 7,500 hours of PFP experience within the last 5-7 years
• At least 91 hours of PFP related CPE

Learning Objectives:

• Apply concepts from the PFP Body of Knowledge to solve the case studies.
• Determine which types of financial plans will best suit the fact patterns of each case.

In this interactive workshop, you will learn how to leverage ChatGPT and Gemini to transform your accounting and finance practice. You will discover how to use these tools to automate tasks and processes, gain insights from data, improve communication and collaboration, and make better decisions.

As an accounting or finance professional, you need to be at the forefront of innovation. ChatGPT and Gemini are powerful tools that can help you improve your practice.

Designed for accounting and finance professionals who are interested in learning how to use ChatGPT and Gemini, no prior experience with ChatGPT or Gemini is required. BRING YOUR LAPTOP FOR THE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how to use these tools to automate tasks and processes.
• Recognize how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) can help you to automate tasks, improve efficiency, and make better decisions.
• Identify how to use these tools to achieve your professional goals.
• Designed for accounting and finance professionals who are interested in learning how to use ChatGPT and Gemini

**INCLUDED IN ALL-ACCESS PASS | IN PERSON ONLY**

The estate tax may seem simple on its face, but there’s much complexity under the surface. This is because the estate tax applies to transfers with detailed state property law considerations and to assets with varied financial structures. To properly comply with and plan for the tax, a strong understanding of law, finance, and accounting is critical. There is also an entire vocabulary to master.

This course will prime attendees to learn more about the estate tax by explaining the critical aspects of common planning techniques.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the basics of common estate planning techniques.
• Determine a mathematical framework to help clients structure plans.
• Use estate tax jargon in a collegially conversant way.

**INCLUDED IN ALL-ACCESS PASS | IN PERSON ONLY**

The scheduled termination of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is a good reminder that we need to sharpen our skills in Form 706 preparation. The advent of almost automatic portability plus the threat of IRS examination or executor sanction makes this a good time to re-visit our 706 skills. Designed to eliminate estate problems and death taxes, the emphasis is on practical solutions that are cost effective. Even for those who are not doing the actual preparation, understanding how to prepare Form 706 will help with trust funding and audit defense.

In this session, you’ll get examples and practical explanations of 706 preparation. There’s also a chance to ask questions.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine how the raw data is presented on Form 706 to minimize audit risk.
• Analyze the benefits of the team approach to Form 706 preparation.
• Identify issues affecting executors/trustees/personal representatives.

This session will focus on the AICPA’s Quality Management Standards (QM 1 and 2). The session will be presented from the perspective of a firm that has early implemented the standards, including lessons learned and tips and tricks to help firms in the implementation process. The session will “drill down” into the components of Quality Management, highlighting changes from previous standards.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate the new Quality Management Standards.
• Assess best practices in the implementation of the new standards.

In a world where AI is revolutionizing traditional compliance work, visionary CPAs are embracing a powerful new role: Business Growth Coach. This dynamic, ½ day interactive workshop equips you with a proven framework to drive both client success and your own firm's evolution.
You'll engage with real-world case studies and collaborate with peers to master a repeatable growth strategy tool that delivers results. No more "shiny object syndrome," no more strategic paralysis, and no more wondering how to add value beyond tax season.
Key Deliverables:
- A battle-tested framework for identifying and prioritizing growth opportunities (for both your clients and your firm)
- Practical tools to transition from compliance expert to trusted business coach
- Real-world implementation strategies from successful CPA firms who've made this shift
- A collaborative action plan you can implement immediately
- Techniques for building high-value advisory relationships with business owners

Perfect for CPAs who:
- See the writing on the wall with AI and compliance work
- Want to make a bigger impact on their clients' success
- Are ready to move beyond traditional service models
- Value collaboration and innovative thinking
- Seek sustainable, strategic growth for their practice

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how to engage others and help them find their own answers, moving from advisor/ technician to coach.
• Identify how to ask questions that inspire others to achieve the best version of themselves or their company.
• Use the power of community to expand your thinking.
• Identify how you might bring more creativity into your work and firm.

**INCLUDED IN ALL-ACCESS PASS | IN PERSON ONLY**
This workshop will provide a review of the recently updated "Roadmap to Starting a Financial Planning Practice" document, which outlines the most popular paths to establishing a successful financial planning practice. Participants will gain insights from three CPAs who have built thriving practices: one transitioning from tax compliance to financial planning, another focusing solely on financial planning, and a third managing both financial planning and investment assets. The session will also include an outline of ENGAGE+ and ENGAGE sessions, along with other AICPA resources to support the journey of adding a personal financial planning practice.

Learning Objectives:

• Distinguish the key steps and considerations in starting a financial planning practice.
• Analyze real-life examples of CPAs who have successfully built financial planning practices.
• Compare various business models for financial planning practices.
• Identify ENGAGE and ENGAGE+ sessions, along with other AICPA resources that can support the development and growth of a financial planning practice.

Join fellow practitioners for interactive discussions on the hottest topics impacting practice management today. This interactive session will feature expert-led presentations followed by facilitated roundtable discussions, giving you a unique opportunity to brainstorm solutions, share best practices, and gain valuable insights from peers.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize current challenges and opportunities in practice management.
• Identify strategies and best practices to enhance your firm's operational efficiency and client service.

In this session we will cover buy sell agreements and their funding with life insurance. Topics include legal and design aspects, especially the impact of the Connelly case, and how agreements should be structured now, as well as insurance funding, choosing suitable insurance products, and avoiding such insurance tax traps as transfer for value when restructuring the agreements.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine how to structure a buy sell agreement.
• Recognize how the Connelly decision impacts buy sell agreements.
• Identify how to fund buy sell agreements with life insurance.

During this session attendees will learn the technical rules for basis, at-risk, passive activity losses, and excess business losses, as well as where in the Code and Regulations to find assistance with these rules. Attendees will get to engage in practical, hands-on examples of how these rules work, and questions are encouraged throughout.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the hurdles an individual must pass in order to take a loss from a flow-through or other activity on their 1040.
• Identify how to ensure the accuracy of prior-year returns and that the tax software is properly tracking carryovers and utilizing losses.
• Identify questions to ask clients and how to be proactive in assisting clients who have limitations on utilization of losses.

As the global economy shifts in response to geopolitical tensions, supply chain realignments, and inflationary pressures, the ripple effects are being felt acutely in the United States. In this timely keynote session, join Gary Cohn and Dana Peterson (moderated by Nina Easton), as they unpack the true costs of these global transformations - and what they mean for U.S. businesses and firms in the short and long term.

From the impact of tariffs and trade policies on U.S. markets to the growing complexities of cross-border reporting, regulatory compliance, and client advisory, this session will dive deep into how macroeconomic forces are reshaping the work of accountants and financial leaders.

Whether you lead a firm, advise clients, or guide internal finance strategy, you’ll leave with powerful insights into the trends that are redefining risk, opportunity, and the strategic role of accounting in an unpredictable global economy.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key indicators to watch that can help your business or firm stay ahead of economic disruptions and position itself as a proactive, forward-thinking partner.
• Learn how to translate high-level economic trends into practical conversations with clients and stakeholders, strengthening your role as a trusted advisor.

What if “impossible” was just a mindset waiting to be shattered? Ben’s extraordinary journey - from debilitating depression to achieving 100 seemingly impossible dreams - reveals a powerful truth: impossible is merely a starting point.

Ben weaves the captivating story of how The Buried Life evolved from a simple list of 100 impossible dreams into a global movement, seamlessly connecting these lessons to the fabric of our daily life. His remarkable achievements - from creating a hit MTV show to playing basketball with President Obama, from becoming a #1 New York Times bestselling author to sharing beers with Prince Harry - weren’t a matter of luck. They were the direct result of a repeatable system, a proven blueprint for remarkable success that anyone can master.

This isn’t just another inspirational talk - it’s a practical guide to achieving the extraordinary. Ben shares the exact, field-tested framework that empowered his team to defy impossible odds, demonstrating how these principles can transform your biggest challenges into your greatest triumphs. He reveals how small, consistent actions compound like interest over time, generating unstoppable momentum that turns seemingly impossible goals into inevitable successes.

Ben establishes an undeniable truth: personal growth fuels professional growth, which drives organizational success. Through his journey of completing seemingly impossible dreams, he demonstrates that purpose is the fuel that ignites the impossible and giving back is the catalyst that multiplies your impact exponentially.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn a repeatable, field-tested framework for turning ambitious, “impossible” goals into achievable outcomes through consistent, purposeful action.
• Participants will understand how aligning personal growth and purpose with professional goals can drive greater organizational success and amplify impact through giving back.

Welcome to our session where we’ll unlock the secrets to maximizing your firm’s profitability and ensuring you’re always paid what you deserve. Imagine a world where every proposal you send out wins over clients, every engagement letter is automated, and scope creep is a thing of the past. Get ready for a high-level demo that will transform the way you do business!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how to leverage GoProposal to create tailored, compelling proposals that enhance transparency and win more business.
• Identify how to set clear expectations and timelines with your clients.
• Recognize the power of automating your engagement letters to maximize the value you offer.

Can artificial intelligence fundamentally change your audit practice? Yes! This session provides a practical walkthrough of the audit lifecycle, examining the current and future capabilities of agentic and other types of AI in automating key activities. We'll discuss the specific tasks ripe for automation, the technologies making it possible, and the crucial steps your firm needs to take to leverage the power of AI in your audits.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize agentic AI and how it is currently automating audit workflows
• Identify other AI tools and how they will automate parts of the audit.
• Evaluate strategic opportunities to integrate AI solutions at your firm to maintain a competitive advantage.

Determining relevant audit assertions and assessing inherent risks is critical for auditors, guiding their decisions on what to test and why. MindBridge empowers auditors with data-driven insights through an integrated assertion-risk scoring function, leveraging machine learning to highlight inherent risks at the assertion level. By employing a quantitative inherent risk assessment across various assertions, this AI-powered approach facilitates auditors in adopting a targeted strategy to identify relevant assertions for focused testing. Whether navigating complex compliance needs or limited resources, auditors can confidently focus on critical areas—enhancing both audit quality and efficiency.

Learning Objectives:

• Quantify risk by aligning audit assertions with machine learning insights
• Understand how to drive efficiency and enhance risk response across audits
• See how to reduce unnecessary sampling and focus on high-risk areas

In a rapidly evolving workplace, the foundation of resilience lies in creating an environment where people feel empowered and valued. This session dives into actionable strategies to prioritize individuals at every level of an organization, fostering a culture that goes beyond policies to cultivate genuine belonging and inclusivity. Attendees will explore practical tools and insights to strengthen workplace connections, enhance collaboration, and ensure that inclusivity thrives as the cornerstone of organizational success in 2025 and beyond. Together, we'll redefine belonging as the key to building a future-ready and inclusive workforce.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine actionable approaches that will create a resilient workforce that thrives on diversity of thought and perspective.
• Identify practical strategies to foster a culture of belonging that prioritizes inclusivity.
• Apply example inclusion and belonging initiatives to remain effective in the evolving workplace landscape.

No one likes holding others accountable. When you create and foster a culture of responsibility by empowering staff at all levels to take ownership of their work, the need for accountability measures diminishes. In this session, you will understand the importance of taking ownership and responsibility; identify barriers to ownership; and learn strategies for cultivating personal ownership.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize why taking ownership of tasks and responsibilities is crucial for personal growth and organizational success.
• Identify common obstacles that prevent individuals from fully embracing responsibility.
• Recall practical techniques to foster a culture of accountability and empowerment.

Following several years of solid economic performance and stellar U.S. equity returns, this session will discuss where we go from here. The discussion will include a robust review of the macroeconomic backdrop, global market opportunities, and the complexities introduced by U.S. policy and geopolitical fluidity.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate the current macroeconomic environment and how to both tactically and strategically respond.
• Differentiate the factors that matter most during moments of market uncertainty and volatility.
• Interpret policy uncertainty through the lens of legislative reality.

This session will review recent cases, rulings and legislation in the area of estate, gift and generation-skipping tax. How those new rules impact estate planning approaches will also be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify recent changes to the estate, gift, and GST rules.
• Recognize how to plan for a reduction in the unified credit.
• Identify estate planning techniques you can use to reduce estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes.
• Analyze how changes to the law impact how clients should think about their estate plans.

All CPA Firm Management Association (CPAFMA) members and FMA Track attendees are encouraged to join the business meeting where key CPAFMA updates will be shared, along with insights from our leadership on maximizing your ENGAGE experience. Plus, don’t miss the opportunity to help us honor the outstanding recipients of the 2025 CPAFMA Awards.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the outstanding and successful careers of those who have embraced the role of the firm manager with positive results.
• Recall tips and insights from CAPFMA leadership on navigating ENGAGE and getting the most out of your conference experience.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has made significant progress on the top priorities identified by stakeholders in its 2021 Agenda Consultation, through the issuance of new standards and continued work towards the completion of other projects. As a result of the progress made, the FASB is undertaking a similar agenda consultation process. In January 2025, the FASB staff issued an Invitation to Comment, Agenda Consultation, to solicit broad stakeholder feedback about the future standard-setting agenda. Additionally, the FASB is continuing its post-implementation reviews of the leases and credit losses standards.

During this session, FASB Vice Chair Hillary Salo, FASB Member Sue Cosper, and FASB Supervising Project Manager Jenifer Wyss will discuss what you need to know about the latest Agenda Consultation Invitation to Comment, how to apply new and upcoming standards successfully, progress on FASB’s ongoing post-implementation reviews, and why the FASB needs your input on these and other projects and initiatives.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess the 2025 Agenda Consultation Invitation to Comment.
• Evaluate recently issued Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) standards and current projects.
• Interpret the FASB’s post-implementation review process and how it supports the successful implementation of standards.

Quality is paramount in the financial statement audit, and emerging technologies have enabled a higher quality, more efficient audit. Learn how automations and integration are increasing audit quality and allowing auditors to provide deeper insights.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how automation and integration tools enhance the accuracy and efficiency of financial statement audits.
• Recognize the ways in which automation can streamline audit procedures, reduce errors, and improve overall audit quality.
• Distinguish deeper insights provided by integrated technologies to make more informed audit decisions and recommendations.

When Jonyce Bullock stepped into the role of Managing Partner, she faced both a legacy and a challenge: "Partner Compensation is broken... good luck." This marked the beginning of a transformative journey to redefine what fair, motivational, and effective partner compensation looks like in today's professional landscape. In this session, Jonyce will share insights on designing a compensation model that not only meets traditional metrics but also aligns with evolving priorities, such as talent retention, firm culture, and strategic growth. She will be joined by Erin Hartman, Senior Manager of Firm Services at the AICPA, who is at the forefront of the Transforming Your Business Model project—a program aimed at providing firms with resources to support cultivating cultures that attract, retain, and develop accounting professionals.

The Transforming Your Business Model project focuses on five pillars: Strategy, Governance, Service Offerings, Technology, and Talent. Erin will highlight the latest resources related to firm governance and discuss how changes due to internal firm growth, external market forces and other key triggers may lead a firm to reevaluate its current governance structure including partner compensation. Focused on optimizing efficiencies and each leader’s highest value, this session will provide ways to navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead while positioning firms for sustainable growth by focusing on clarity, transparency, accountability, and adaptability. Join Jonyce and Erin to explore how your firm can redefine its compensation strategy that fosters collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth in an ever-evolving profession.

Learning Objectives:

• Apply core principles to design a partner compensation model that aligns with firm growth, culture, and strategic goals, focusing on collaboration, innovation, and talent retention.
• Analyze practical approaches to transition from traditional to performance-oriented compensation frameworks, including case studies and engagement strategies for partner buy-in.
• Choose metrics beyond financial performance for a comprehensive compensation model, emphasizing leadership, mentorship, innovation, and firm culture contributions.
• Determine strategies for integrating flexibility and adaptability into compensation models to meet future industry, economic, and workforce changes, including mechanisms for regular review and adjustments.

Your client experience isn’t just about delivering great service; it starts long before that. From the first interaction to long-term retention, how you onboard and engage clients sets the foundation for strong relationships and a thriving practice. In this panel, we’re bringing together experts from tech, staffing, and accounting to share practical strategies for building a client-centric firm. We’ll discuss the impact of structured onboarding, the role of technology in streamlining workflows, and how to cultivate relationships that lead to long-term success for you and your clients. Whether you’re refining your processes or starting from scratch, you’ll walk away with actionable insights for exceptional onboarding.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify best practices for onboarding new clients effectively to create a seamless experience that fosters trust and long-term engagement.
• Explore how tech solutions and human connection work together to streamline workflows, improve communication, and strengthen client loyalty.
• Learn actionable techniques from industry experts to build a client-centric firm that prioritizes long-term relationships and business growth.

The AICPA SOC School program has served as a vital learning hub for SOC practitioners—from new associates to senior partners—around the world. Through their work with participants, SOC School instructors gain unique insight into the most common questions, challenges, and areas where guidance is often unclear or overlooked.

In this session, you'll hear directly from the instructors as they revisit key themes and takeaways from the program. You'll also have the chance to engage in open discussion and get answers to the questions that come up most frequently in practice—helping you sharpen your SOC knowledge and stay aligned with evolving expectations.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key highlights and takeaways from the SOC School program.
• Identify common challenge areas in delivering SOC attestation services.
• Identify key sections of SOC attestation guidance that address frequent practitioner questions.

In this session we will cover recent tax updates with respect to individuals. We will also provide planning opportunities and considerations outside of tax season.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify recent developments with respect to taxation of individuals.
• Select discussion points for clients for the summer.
• Recognize planning opportunities outside of tax season.

Join us for an empowering session that explores how CPAs can embrace emerging technologies to revolutionize their practices and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving profession. We’ll dive deep into practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and data analytics that are reshaping the accounting landscape. Learn how to assess, adopt, and implement these technologies to enhance client service, streamline operations, and create new revenue streams.

Our expert speakers will share real-world case studies of firms that have successfully integrated cutting-edge tools, along with actionable strategies for:
• Evaluating which technologies align with your firm’s goals
• Building a technology roadmap that balances innovation with ROI
• Upskilling your team to leverage new digital capabilities
• Managing change and overcoming implementation challenges
• Maintaining security and ethical considerations in a digital environment

Whether you’re a solo practitioner or part of a larger firm, you’ll leave this session with concrete steps to future-proof your practice and position yourself as a strategic advisor in the digital age. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to turn technological disruption into a competitive advantage.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine how technological innovation drives organizational transformation and competitive advantage.
• Identify key lessons and best practices from successful organizations that have embraced tech innovation.
• Identify opportunities to introduce a structured strategic framework for driving innovation within an organization.
• Analyze common challenges organizations face when implementing new technologies, and how they can overcome those challenges.

Learn how to effectively position and sell your client advisory services (CAS) to attract new clients and drive business growth. This session will provide you with proven strategies, techniques, and tools to differentiate your offerings, communicate value, and close deals in a competitive market.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze proven best practices presented by CAS experts on how to grow your CAS practice.
• Differentiate CAS service offerings that could be used in your firm to help your clients.
• Identify areas within your firm that can provide next-level value to your existing and new clients, including how to fine-tune your technology to optimize financial operations.
• Determine ways to stand out from competitors to close deals and build valuable, long-term client relationships.

How do you master the art of a positive brand? Do you want to learn how some people are always mentioned “in the room” when opportunities arise? Through trial and error, we learn what works and what doesn’t when it comes to building a personal brand and engaging in networking opportunities. Join us in this panel-based discussion and learn the importance of building your brand, fostering value-add relationships to increase your career trajectory, and engaging in effective networking to advance your career.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the significance of a brand and how it differentiates from a professional reputation.
• Recall insights into creating value-add relationships that expand your professional network and open doors to new opportunities.
• Recognize techniques for effective networking in-person and by leveraging virtual platforms to further expand your reach.

In this session, we will delve into the intricacies of evaluating SOC 1® and SOC 2® reports, providing CPAs with the essential knowledge and tools to properly assess these documents. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the differences between SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports, the key components of each report, and the steps necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the controls described within. This session is designed to enhance the CPA's ability to interpret and utilize SOC reports in their daily practice or business, ensuring a thorough and accurate assessment of service organizations' control environments.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the differences between SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports
• Recognize the key components of SOC reports
• Distinguish practical application of best practices for assessing SOC reports

Are you confused about how to adequately disclose transactions on a gift tax return? Do you find it challenging to determine if the statute of limitations will run? Join our upcoming session where we'll demystify the adequate disclosure rules for federal gift tax purposes. We'll guide you through real-life examples, showing you how to disclose various types of gift and non-gift transfers. Don't miss this opportunity to gain clarity and confidence in handling your gift tax returns!

Learning Objectives:

• Differentiate key attributes of the adequate disclosure rules under Treas. Reg. Section 301.6501(c)-1 and their importance to the taxpayer and Form 709 preparer.
• Identify relevant practices to consider in your own gift tax preparation protocol.

Enhance or refresh your knowledge of generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax basics with this problem-focused practical presentation. In addition to reviewing the applicable rules, this session focuses on the knowledge necessary to complete the GST section of a gift or estate tax return and highlights the information necessary to make GST elections and sound decisions to best position the client for GST purposes. Specific topics include the following:
* Who is the transferor
* Gift splitting decisions
* Who is a skip person
* How to report gifts in trust
* Computing the inclusion ratio
* Qualifying for the GST annual exclusion
* GST-related elections
* Fixing GST problems

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the fundamental rules of the generation-skipping transfer tax
• Identify how to report a generation-skipping transfer on gift and estate tax returns
• Identify GST elections and how and when to make them

This session covers tax issues that arise when a shareholder or partner dies.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize tax issues that arise when a partner or shareholder dies.
• Identify tax issues faced by partnerships, S corporations, trusts, estates, and individuals when a partner or shareholder dies.

Hear key insights and findings from the AICPA & CIMA America’s Future of Finance Group, which prioritizes the focus on talent, need for new skills, artificial intelligence (AI), elevating business partnering, and value creation. This session is framed around the quote, “You can’t stop the waves (of transformation and change), but you can learn how to surf.” This metaphor sets the stage for discussing the critical “surf lessons” needed to navigate the waves of change successfully.

Drawing from research on the human element of transformation success, this session will emphasize that the motivation to embrace that inner game (mindset) is followed closely by the motivation to evolve your power skills (skillset) to finally set you up to grab technologies and create business value (toolset).

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key challenges faced by CFOs in the current business environment, including talent management, artificial intelligence (AI) integration, and value creation.
• Recognize the importance of a growth mindset in successfully navigating today’s business world.
• Recognize actionable strategies to enhance skill sets in your organization.

Discover how to transform your recruitment and retention strategies to build a thriving workforce. This session will explore the importance of hiring for both talent and culture fit, leveraging validated assessments to make smarter selection decisions, and proactively investing in employee retention—long before they consider leaving. Learn actionable insights and proven techniques to secure top talent, foster engagement, and create a sustainable, high-performing team. Don’t wait for resignations—start retaining your stars today!

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate how to strategically hire for both talent and cultural fit to build a cohesive and high-performing workforce.
• Use validated assessment tools to make data-driven and effective selection decisions during the recruitment process.
• Formulate proactive strategies to invest in employee retention, addressing potential turnover before it begins and fostering long-term engagement.

The Private Company Council (PCC) helps improve the financial accounting and reporting standards for private companies and evaluates whether private company alternatives to existing Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are necessary. The PCC takes a proactive approach to its mission and engages with private company stakeholders through various channels, including events like this one.

Participants will learn about the PCC’s agenda priority process, which ensures that its efforts are aligned with the evolving needs of private company stakeholders and focused on identifying solutions to the most pervasive and impactful financial reporting challenges.

The PCC has made progress on several projects that emerged from Town Hall and Liaison meetings and other stakeholder discussions. The PCC evaluated and prioritized that stakeholder feedback in its agenda priority process. Participants will learn about those current projects and other current and future activities of the PCC. Additionally, participants will learn how the PCC’s input helps the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) develop standards that provide more relevant information to users of private company financial statements.

This interactive, town hall-style forum will provide participants with the opportunity to engage directly with PCC members, FASB members, and FASB staff by asking questions and providing feedback on the PCC’s current and future agenda and on how financial reporting for private companies might be improved.

Learning Objectives:

• Interpret the PCC’s agenda priority process.
• Evaluate the PCC’s current projects and its future activities.
• Assess how the PCC helps the FASB develop standards.

This session will be led by Lyn Graham, a former Auditing Standards Board (ASB) member and chair of the prior Audit Sampling, Risk Assessment guides and audit Chapter of the Revenue Recognition A&A Guide. Common issues include demonstrating and documenting efficient and effective controls and substantive sample sizes, how to recognize deficient or excessive sample sizes, and understanding when sampling is not necessary. Common confusing areas include whether sampling applies during inventory observations and how to validly use dollar coverage in lieu of sampling.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze efficient sampling strategies and some impediments to efficient performance.
• Determine how the Audit Risk Model can be used in strategy development and documenting support for your audit.
• Distinguish between effective versus ineffective documentation support.

This session provides a practical introduction to blockchain, decentralized finance (DeFi), and digital assets for accounting professionals. Participants will learn how blockchain ensures transparency and security, and how consensus mechanisms like Proof of Work and Proof of Stake affect auditability. Key terminology—wallets, tokens, mining, gas fees—is defined in context. The course also covers smart contracts and their role in automating financial agreements. Finally, attendees will compare Bitcoin with altcoins and stablecoins, focusing on their technical structures and market behaviors. Ideal for those advising clients or assessing risks in crypto-related engagements.

Major Topics:
• Key cryptocurrency terms including Blockchains, Validation, consensus, altcoins, swaps, and more
• Smart contracts
• Altcoins and stablecoins

Learning Objectives:

• Differentiate the core components of blockchain technology and how they support transparency, immutability, and security in financial transactions.
• Determine how blockchain transactions are validated and compare consensus mechanisms such as Proof of Work and Proof of Stake in terms of reliability, energy use, and audit implications.
• Identify key cryptocurrency terms including wallets, private/public keys, tokens, gas fees, mining, and decentralized finance (DeFi).
• Analyze the function of smart contracts and analyze their role in automating and enforcing digital financial agreements.

Join Bill Pirolli, a 43-year practitioner and firm leader, as he explores practical real-world best practices for increasing your firm’s profitability by working smarter, not harder. In this fast-paced, popular session, Bill will review the seven drivers of profitability, including client selection and dismissal, billing and collection, building client leverage, avoiding scope creep, and more. Learn how deepening your efforts on client service lines and industry concentrations can lead to greater efficiency and profitability.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze key insights into the drivers of today’s most financially successful firms.
• Identify key takeaways that you can implement in your firms to enhance firm profitability.

Do you get a rush when you win over a new client? Most CPAs do. But that rush can turn to dread if the client doesn’t play by the firm’s rule book and creates unnecessary headaches for the firm. Is that because the client has never been told the rules? Or are there different sets of rules for different clients?

How can this problem be resolved? Routine and consistent client onboarding provides a solid foundation and communicates, from the outset, how you and the client will interact with one another. In this session, learn strategies to develop and implement an onboarding strategy for your firm and embark upon a mutually beneficial and long-term client relationship.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize how onboarding can help reduce the risk of misunderstandings, miscommunications, and misrepresentations.
• Identify potential on-boarding protocols and processes when bringing on a new client.
• Select on-boarding protocols and processes that are appropriate for your firm’s structure, areas of practice and client profile.

The intersection of business, information security, and compliance is an increasingly complex and fast-evolving landscape—one that SOC practitioners navigate every day. Staying ahead of emerging risks and technologies is essential to delivering value and maintaining trust in this environment.

In this session, experienced SOC professionals will share insights into what’s on the horizon, how these developments may impact the profession, and what your firm can do now to stay prepared. From shifting risk expectations to the evolving role of third-party oversight, this discussion will help you anticipate change and strengthen your readiness.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify emerging risks and opportunities for SOC and vendor-management professionals.
• Analyze the impact of emerging technologies and methodologies on SOC reports from both a practitioner and user perspective.
• Select strategies SOC practitioners can use to address growing international demand, emerging frameworks, and heightened expectations for quality and risk management.

As part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS was allocated additional funding of $80B over 10 years, but that amount was subsequently reduced to $60B and is likely to be cut again. Additionally, current projections indicate that up to 20% of the IRS workforce will be cut as part of the Trump administration's efforts to make the federal government more efficient. How can tax practitioners work effectively with the IRS to achieve their clients' goals in this new era of reduced government? To answer this question, this session will explore the catalog of "self-help" online options, as well as how to best leverage the Taxpayer Advocate Service.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize how funding and staffing reductions are likely to affect IRS service levels.
• Identify IRS online and other self-help options to achieve clients' goals.
• Recall best practices for referrals to the Taxpayer Advocate Service and other IRS resources.

In this session, Tony will illustrate how many tax practitioners go down the wrong path when trying to determine the tax consequences of an S corporation’s distributions. Tony will then explain how practitioners can “keep it simple” by appreciating the differences between shareholder basis, earnings and profits, and the S corporation’s accumulated adjustments account, as well as the role each attribute plays in driving the consequences of a distribution.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the three possible tax consequences that can arise when an S corporation makes a distribution to a shareholder.
• Identify the role a shareholder’s stock basis plays in determining the tax consequences of an S corporation’s distributions.
• Identify the role an S corporation’s AAA and E&P play in determining the tax consequences of an S corporation’s distributions.
• Distinguish three elections that allow an S corporation to change the ordering rule and outcome of its distributions.

This session can help you stay current in the ever-evolving real estate industry. In it we will cover the latest tax developments, including significant cases and potential new tax legislation affecting the real estate sector. Participants will gain valuable insights into
1. Key tax changes and their implications for real estate transactions.
2. Analysis of recent court cases and their outcomes.
3. Potential new tax legislation and how it could affect real estate investments.
4. Practical strategies for compliance and tax planning.

Learning Objectives:

• Apply new rulings and cases to client matters.
• Identify trends in real estate taxation.

Ready to connect to your first application programming interface (API)? Not sure what JSON is? Curious about what POST means outside of an accountant’s general ledger? Do you want your data to tell a meaningful story about your business?

Join us for an engaging and hands-on session designed specifically for accountants, CPAs, and technologists eager to dive into the technical realm of data systems.

In this session, we will:
• Demystify essential technical terms and concepts needed to make your first API connections.
• Guide you through a live build where we’ll connect to multiple APIs using Power Query.
• Demonstrate how to load this data into Power BI to create insightful and interactive dashboards.

Whether you’re new to data analytics or looking to enhance your technical skills, this session will equip you with the knowledge and practical experience to confidently navigate the world of data analytics. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your data journey from backend to front end and unlock the full potential of the insights in your data.

Learning Objectives:

• Interpret essential technical terms and concepts needed to make your first application programming interface (API) connections.
• Evaluate a live build by connecting to multiple APIs using Power Query.
• Formulate how to load data into Power BI to create insightful and interactive dashboards.

In this session, panelists will share some of the challenges of being a CIO today. They will share those things that keep them up at night and their best advice in dealing with challenging situations and events commonly found within a firm.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify common challenges shared by CIOs across the accounting profession.
• Recognize best practices for dealing with challenges.
• Recognize why it is important for CIOs to have a seat at the management table.
• Understand why it is important for CIOs to have a seat at the management table

This session will focus on charitable planning techniques in the current tax environment. Participants will gain a general understanding of how the charitable income tax and estate/gift tax deductions work and how they impact tax planning.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify planning techniques suitable for specific client fact patterns.
• Differentiate between techniques that are suitable for income tax planning vs. estate or gift tax planning.
• Recognize the rules that apply to different charity types and asset classes.

Update and explanation of recent accountant’s liability claims and cases, what they mean going forward, and discussion of risk management techniques in light of underlying issues/fact patterns.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify underlying issues, fact patterns, and liability arguments raised in recent accountant’s claims.
• Recognize risk management strategies and how these strategies can help a CPA firm address its exposure to a future accountant’s liability/malpractice claim.

This session, led by professionals including those with lived experience of bipolar disorder, explores the value of neurodiversity within accounting firms. Participants will gain insights into creating inclusive environments, leveraging diverse talents, and fostering innovation through a deeper understanding of neurodivergent perspectives.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify ways to be successful leading neurodivergent talent on your team.
• Recognize the benefits of working with a broader range of humans.

The award-winning AICPA Town Hall Series is the profession’s leading resource for timely and critical updates, real-time analysis, and strategies for accounting and finance professionals to drive long-term success. Airing live from ENGAGE, this high-impact news broadcast will deliver the latest news, analysis, insights, and practical guidance you need to understand and respond to the most pressing issues impacting the profession.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the most pressing issues and latest news facing the profession
• Recall the fundamentals of various programs/tax provisions and recent AICPA recommendations
• Identify the most recent key issues and technical analysis

The AICPA advocates for sound tax policy, particularly in the areas of trust, estate, and gift taxes. This session highlights the latest developments and initiatives that the Technical Resource Panel (TRP) is championing in the estate and trust sector. Emphasis will be placed on the TRP's interactions with the Treasury, IRS, and Congress.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify planning areas and recommendations.
• Recognize estate and gift tax issues that affect your clients.

This session covers the reporting requirements for GST tax allocations and payments at death, taxable distributions, and taxable terminations. Additionally, it will cover how to report a qualified severance of a trust. The forms to be discussed include the following:

• Form 706 Schedules R: Generation-skipping Transfer Tax
• Form 706 Schedule R-1: Direct Skips From a Trust Payment Voucher
• Form 706-GS(D-1): Notification of a Distribution from a Generation-skipping Trust
• Form 706-GS(D): Generation-skipping Transfer Tax Return for Distributions
• Form 706-GS(T): Generation-skipping Transfer Tax Return for Terminations, Including Reporting a Qualified Severance

Learning Objectives:

• Formulate Form 706 Schedules R and R-1 for GST tax exemption allocations and direct skips at death.
• Formulate Form 706-GS(D-1) and Form 706-GS(D) for reporting taxable distributions.
• Formulate Form 706-GS(T) for reporting taxable terminations and qualified severances of trusts.

Join two partners from Wipfli LLP for a session that will elevate your awareness of key issues and hot topics that auditors will be focusing on in the next 1-3 years. This session will cover key new accounting standards on the horizon, transactions that could generate additional discussion and evidence needs, common missteps auditors observe in working with clients, and how to efficiently navigate the audit process for both private and public companies.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the key topics auditors will focus on in the next 1 – 3 years.
• Recognize the implications of complex transactions on internal and external needs.
• Distinguish the importance of verifying data accuracy and completeness before providing it to auditors.

The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are redefining the way finance professionals like CPAs, finance managers, and controllers approach their work. This seminar is designed to provide actionable insights into how AI can streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and add strategic value to your role.

Key topics that will be covered include:
• Automating routine tasks: Save time and reduce errors with AI-driven tools for reconciliations, audit processes, and data entry.
• Improving financial analysis: Leverage predictive analytics and AI models to create more accurate forecasts and better understand trends.
• Enhancing risk management: Discover how AI can identify anomalies, detect fraud, and strengthen internal audits and controls.
• Personalizing reporting: Use AI tools to deliver insights that matter most to stakeholders, with dashboards and reports tailored to specific needs.

The seminar will balance technical knowledge with practical examples to help finance practitioners effectively adopt and utilize AI within their organizations.

This 45-minute session is best for CPAs, finance managers, controllers, auditors, and other finance professionals looking to stay competitive by leveraging AI tools and techniques in their daily work. There will be an interactive question-and-answer session and live demos.

Key session takeaways will be:
• A clear understanding of how AI can optimize daily financial operations.
• Real-world examples of AI tools already being used in accounting and finance.
• Practical steps to adopt AI while improving audits and controls detection.

Empower your finance practice with the tools and knowledge to thrive in an AI-driven world!

Learning Objectives:

• Assess how artificial intelligence (AI) can optimize daily financial operations.
• Interpret real-world examples of AI tools already being used in accounting and finance.
• Formulate practical steps to adopt AI while improving audits and controls detection.

Generative AI is transforming business and the accounting profession at an astonishing rate, putting many CPA firms on the defensive in trying to separate the hype from reality and today’s proven solutions. This session will focus on the key tech and trends that firms must build their future upon, as well as the disrupters that firms need to watch for that are already coming our way. Roman will discuss the core tech stack that firms must have in place for both the firm and for their clients, backed by the 2025 CPA Firm Management Association (CPAFMA) survey findings. CPA firm departmental optimization, intuitive collaboration, and cybersecurity themes will be highlighted, along with technologies that could disrupt you in the near future.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the core technologies driving CPA firm productivity today and how firms can build their tech stack to effectively respond to future initiatives.
• Recall the latest considerations in firm and client collaboration, including securing those connections and integrating clients into the firm’s tech stack along with generative AI.
• Recognize why a “learning organization” mindset is becoming a critical component of every business and how it will help your firm face future disrupters.
• Identify how to re-prioritize cybersecurity as critical component of firm strategic technology management.

This session covers frequently asked A&A questions asked by members of the Private Companies Practice Section’s (PCPS) Center for Plain English Accounting (CPEA) in the areas of accounting and financial reporting, with a focus on private company issues. Get answers to technical questions that are impacting practitioners and their clients.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze technical literature and other practice guidance relevant to addressing the topics covered in this session.
• Determine answers to common A&A technical questions in the areas of financial reporting and accounting.
• Identify recent developments related to current A&A issues.

This session provides information essential to all peer reviewers and includes an overview of the recent developments and “hot topics” in the Peer Review Program.

Note: This session satisfies the Peer Review Update requirement for team and review captains. Firms subject to Peer Review may benefit from attending this session.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the impact of the Quality Management Standards on Peer Review.
• Recognize common trends seen by peer reviewers.

Due to the complexity of the insurance profession, many investment advisors and financial planners may choose to work with insurance agents that may be large producers, but the producers may not be fully aware of the complexity of the products that they represent.
This course will simplify what you need to know, the questions you should be asking, and how to drive more value to your client whether you are working with an insurance professional or insurance is a component of your practice.

Not your average risk management course. Insurance is primarily a solution to help when bumps in the road happen. However, there is much more to consider.

1. Getting more out of permanent life insurance. We will apply an example of the PFP compensation disclosure standards that you should expect from those you work with which could enhance the outcomes during negotiations for the application of life insurance policies for your clients.

2. Riders that transform insurance with living benefits. Against a backdrop of risk management solutions that are ever evolving to tap into the behavioral finance emotions of the public, key contractual provisions will be simplified so you can communicate solutions effectively with your clients. To better relate to an evolving consuming public, the construct of contracts and terms of products shifts over time, so much so that it may be difficult to keep up with the changing nuances of products.

3. Fixed Income Insurance (Formerly Equity Indexed): What you need to know to protect your clients. There are three key clauses that you need to know about that can both be an inducement and a severe limiter for returns.

4. Compare Cash Balance and Variable Universal Life Insurance Outcomes. Cash balance is the hidden opportunity for tax practitioners and financial planners. Only 0.4% of employers with employees have availed themselves of the Cash Balance Plan opportunity. If the business owner’s health is good, an option to consider is the use of a variable life insurance policy.

5. Current regulatory environment. Regulatory changes in the insurance industry are requiring disclosure that may not have been required before, like compensation, and that guarantees may be voided under certain economic conditions. Generally, some disclosures, such as those around compensation, are required only if the insured issues a specific request. We will touch on regulatory changes and what you should expect from your insurance professional.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine ways of getting better value from life insurance planning.
• Identify annuity opportunities and pitfalls.
• Apply living benefit solutions for life insurance.
• Identify property casualty liability solutions.

Ever wonder why your clients make head-scratching financial decisions, often directly in opposition to their stated goals and plans? The answer lies in getting beyond their numbers-based goals and into the gray area of exercising your professional judgment.

In a world where technology has automated many technical tasks, personal finance professionals’ most valuable asset is their professional judgment, combined with the skills to effectively communicate their thoughts in a way that enables clients to understand and, most importantly, take action. Judgment transcends technical skills, requiring experience, ethical standards, and practical wisdom to address ambiguity, trade-offs, and complex ethical dilemmas in volatile and uncertain contexts.

This panel will explore the crucial intersection of communication dynamics and professional judgment. Drawing on insights from leading thinkers, we will examine decision-making's reflective and adaptive nature in uncertain environments. Judgmental errors—rooted in subjectivity and ambiguity—can have significant consequences, making developing skills that minimize their occurrence imperative. To succeed in this effort, we must understand clients’ genuine concerns, both spoken and unspoken, so we can contextualize our advice and align our professional recommendations with their distinct circumstances.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine the role of complexity in driving the need for professional judgment.
• Recognize how client narratives shape the context of professional judgment.
• Identify the risk posed by unspoken client concerns to professional judgment.
• Apply tools and techniques to increase client comfort and engagement, shifting conversations from the red zone (discomfort) to the blue zone (safe and welcoming).

Feeling stretched too thin? Struggling with unprofitable clients or life-draining busy seasons? It’s time to take back control of your firm. In this interactive, interview-style session, you’ll hear firsthand from someone who made bold changes—trimming the client list, restructuring services, and streamlining operations—to build a more profitable and enjoyable practice. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or just ready to level up, this session will give you the strategies, mindset, and real-world tactics to create a firm that truly works for you.

By the end of this session, you’ll walk away with:
• A game plan for client culling: Know exactly which clients to keep, which to phase out, and how to do it without burning bridges.
• Smart pricing strategies: Shift to a revenue model that stabilizes cash flow and stops trading time for dollars.
• Time-saving operational tweaks: Leverage tech and process improvements that free up time without sacrificing quality.
• A blueprint for work-life balance: Structure your firm in a way that supports your personal and professional goals without the burnout.

Come ready to rethink the way you run your firm and walk away with actionable steps to make your practice leaner, stronger, and more fulfilling.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine which clients to keep, which to phase out, and how to do it without burning bridges.
• Calculate a revenue model that stabilizes cash flow and stops trading time for dollars.
• Identify tech and process improvements that free up time without sacrificing quality.
• Analyze how to structure your firm in a way that supports your personal and professional goals without the burnout.

This session will examine how firms implement effective Quality Control (QC) programs to support their SOC practices. We’ll explore how these programs align with AICPA guidelines and professional standards, while emphasizing the critical role of assessing audit risk. The session will also cover engagement methodologies and key considerations for ensuring readiness for both internal inspections and external peer reviews.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess the key components of a quality control (QC) program for SOC practices.
• Evaluate how a QC program is established and maintained, with a focus on assessing audit risk.
• Formulate strategies for designing a QC program that reinforces engagement delivery and prepares for internal inspections and peer reviews.

In this session we will discuss the most current and relevant areas of international tax, including recent relevant case law and IRS guidance, as well as industry trends.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess relevant hot topics in international tax and how they will affect your client base.
• Evaluate relevant recent case law in the international tax space.
• Interpret current trends in international tax.

This insightful session is designed for tax professionals, focusing on the critical aspects of disaster relief. We will cover recent changes in disaster relief, outline the intricacies of personal and business casualty loss and gain rules, and provide essential guidance on tax filing relief when a disaster strikes. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to assist clients in navigating the complexities of tax relief during challenging times, ensuring compliance and maximizing available benefits.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the key provisions of casualty loss rules and how they apply to disaster situations.
• Identify the various tax filing relief options available to taxpayers affected by disasters.
• Determine strategies to effectively advise clients on navigating tax relief and compliance during and after a disaster.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries by automating tasks, optimizing decision-making, and unlocking new efficiencies. However, alongside its benefits, AI presents significant risks, including bias, security threats, misinformation, and ethical dilemmas. This session will explore the darker side of AI, highlighting the potential dangers and their impact on organizations.

This session will focus on AI failures, security vulnerabilities, regulatory concerns, and the unintended consequences that arise when AI systems operate without proper oversight. The discussion will provide insights into how organizations can mitigate these risks and ensure responsible AI deployment.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key AI risks and major threats, including bias in AI models, security vulnerabilities, deepfakes, and misinformation.
• Analyze how AI risks can affect business operations, reputation, regulatory compliance, and security.
• Assess real-world examples of AI failures, ethical challenges, and the consequences of unchecked AI development.
• Determine best practices for responsible AI deployment, including governance frameworks, risk assessment, and bias reduction techniques.

Emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technology brings with it endless possibilities but also unforeseen risks in the form of uncertainties about ethical and legal use of data. Corporations must develop AI governance to address these risks and to comply with emerging AI regulatory regimes.

In this session, we will cover understanding the need for AI governance, key components of an AI governance framework, implementing AI governance policies and procedures, metrics and measurement, improving AI governance, and staying up to date with AI governance practices from a privacy risk management perspective.

Effective privacy risk management is a critical driver to ensure stakeholder trust, support business growth, and improve corporate decision making. Discover how robust privacy risk management in AI and GenAI adoption cultivates a resilient risk culture that drives your business towards its goals.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the need for privacy artificial intelligence (AI) governance.
• Identify key components of a privacy AI governance framework.
• Apply the implementation of privacy AI governance policies and procedures, and metrics and measurement.
• Determine how to stay up to date with AI governance practices and the regulatory environment.

Join us for a guided exploration of the AICPA ENGAGE exhibit hall, where you'll discover the cutting-edge technologies transforming the accounting profession. This interactive session takes you on a curated journey to select exhibitors showcasing innovative solutions that address today's most pressing accounting challenges.

Throughout this 50-minute tour, you'll:

- Get hands-on demonstrations of emerging technologies from leading providers
- Learn how these tools can streamline your workflow and enhance client services
- Engage directly with technology experts to ask questions specific to your practice
- Discover integration opportunities between different platforms
- Connect with fellow practitioners facing similar technology decisions

Our knowledgeable guide will provide context for each stop, helping you understand how these solutions fit into the evolving accounting ecosystem. Whether you're looking to modernize your practice, solve specific operational challenges, or simply stay ahead of technology trends, this guided tour offers valuable insights in an efficient format.

Perfect for firm leaders, technology decision-makers, and forward-thinking practitioners seeking practical technology solutions. Limited spots available - reserve your place today!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify at least emerging technologies that can automate routine accounting tasks and improve practice efficiency through direct demonstrations from selected exhibitors.
• Evaluate potential technology investments based on ROI metrics, implementation requirements, and integration capabilities with existing systems as presented by solution providers.
• Develop a practical technology adoption roadmap specific to your firm's size, client base, and service offerings using insights gained from exhibitor demonstrations and expert guides.

State and local tax (SALT) compliance presents ongoing challenges, and many clients struggle to navigate its complexities — often leading to costly surprises during audits. This session explores how a strong collaboration between client advisory services (CAS) practices and SALT teams can offer clients a more integrated and robust advisory solution. By aligning process optimization and real-time financial data management from the CAS team with the SALT team’s in-depth tax knowledge and strategy, firms can enhance their role as trusted advisor. Attendees will learn how to leverage technology and cross-practice expertise to mitigate compliance risks, improve audit readiness, and create significant value for clients.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how CAS and SALT practices can work together to offer clients a more comprehensive service.
• Identify ways CAS practices can enhance SALT compliance through real-time financial tracking, data analytics, and streamlined processes.
• Distinguish best practices for integrating technology and communication between CAS and SALT teams.

Looking to make a bigger impact in the profession - and in your own career? Volunteering with the AICPA offers members a unique opportunity to give back while gaining leadership experience, expanding their influence, and shaping the future of accounting.

In this session, we’ll dive into the variety of volunteer pathways available through the AICPA - from technical committees, conference planning committees and advocacy groups to mentorship and thought leadership. Learn how engaging with the AICPA not only strengthens the profession but also helps you grow your professional brand, build powerful networks, and gain visibility in ways that can open doors to new opportunities.

Whether you’re a seasoned CPA or emerging leader, discover how service within the profession can be a strategic move for your career.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify AICPA volunteer opportunities that align with your professional goals and areas of expertise
• Recognize the career-enhancing benefits of AICPA volunteer service, including leadership development, professional networking, and increased industry visibility.

Accounting is a dynamic and rewarding career, yet attracting and retaining talent remains a challenge. The National Pipeline Advisory Group Pipeline Pledge empowers professionals to reshape the perception of the profession and inspire the next generation. In this session, participants will learn how to translate their pledge into impactful activities that enhance the profession’s reputation and expand the talent pipeline. Through practical strategies, real-world examples, and interactive discussions, attendees will leave with a clear roadmap for engaging students, supporting aspiring accountants, and advocating for meaningful change within their organizations and communities.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify actionable strategies to fulfill the National Pipeline Advisory Group (NPAG) strategies and Pipeline Pledge and positively influence the perception and attractiveness of the accounting profession.
• Identify a personalized engagement plan that includes at least two activities to inspire students, support candidates, or advocate for workplace policy changes.
• Recognize effective ways to communicate the value and opportunities of an accounting career to students, educators, and stakeholders.

Join Tom Groskopf, technical director of the Center for Plain English Accounting and partner at Barnes Dennig, in rethinking traditional mindsets and approaches to client risk assessments through a new lens that promises more efficient and effective audits. Tom shares insights from his extensive experience in training firms to reimagine risk assessment as a strategic opportunity.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess practical implementation issues related to audit risk assessment approaches.
• Evaluate technical literature and other practice guidance associated with the audit risk assessment standards.

Join the Tax Section at this engaging lunch-and-learn session where we delve into the latest news and cutting-edge technologies in the world of artificial intelligence (AI). This session is tailored for tax professionals eager to discover how AI can revolutionize their practice and enhance their services.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the newest AI trends and advancements and discover their implications for the tax industry.
• Determine how AI tools and solutions can streamline tax processes, improve accuracy and save time.
• Interpret how AI can help you provide more personalized and efficient services to your clients.
• Dialogue with fellow practitioners to review real-life scenarios and success stories to understand the practical application of these strategies.

[Sign Up Required] Escape from the forgotten land. In this virtual Escape Quest, join the world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes on an adventure into the mysterious and the unknown. Race against the clock to escape and make it back home!

Sales tax compliance doesn’t have to drain your resources—it can actually drive growth. Join Diana DiBello, Product Solution Engineer at Avalara, as she unpacks the top operational and compliance challenges firms face —and reveals how automation can flip the script.

You’ll get a firsthand look at Avalara’s Managed Returns for Accountants platform and walk away with actionable strategies to:

Dramatically cut down on manual tasks
Minimize audit risk and client exposure
Offer scalable sales tax return services—without expanding your team

Whether you’re looking to elevate your CAS practice or deliver more value to your clients, this session will show you how to transform sales tax from a cost center into a service line that drives efficiency, trust, and revenue.

Learning Objectives:

• You’ll get a firsthand look at Avalara’s Managed Returns for Accountants platform and walk away with actionable strategies to:
  Dramatically cut down on manual tasks
• You’ll get a firsthand look at Avalara’s Managed Returns for Accountants platform and walk away with actionable strategies to:
  Minimize audit risk and client exposure

Positioning your firm to prospects in the modern, digital-driven age takes a strategic, data-driven approach combined with dedicated expertise. In this session, accounting marketing experts will dive into what is working for firms as artificial intelligence (AI) brings efficiency, creativity, and capacity into the fold. This session will also provide participants with actionable steps they can use to help their firms create service messaging that stands out.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize successful marketing tactics and trends that leverage AI to enhance efficiency, creativity, and capacity in accounting marketing.
• Identify the key elements of a strategic, data-driven approach to positioning a firm effectively in the modern, digital-driven age.
• Recall actionable steps for crafting compelling service messaging that differentiates a firm from competitors.
• Distinguish between traditional and AI-enhanced marketing strategies to determine the most effective methods for reaching prospective clients.

The first year as a partner is often the toughest transition of an entire career. Why? You’ve finally earned a place at the leadership table, but do you really know what you’re doing? You want to look like you have it all together on the outside, when in reality, you’re struggling on the inside—struggling to shift your thinking from employee to owner, from manager to leader, from complainer to change maker—all while struggling to find time for yourself amidst the ever-growing list of responsibilities and priorities as a new business owner.

When you become a partner, the whole game changes. So, how can you not just survive this challenging first year, but thrive?

Intend2Lead has worked with and supported thousands of new partners. Based on our experiences, we’ll share insights into how you can consciously prepare for and support yourself through the first year of partnership, including:
• The real-life struggles of being a new partner
• Tools to be a more conscious, evolved leader
• Strategies to support yourself during this transitional period

This session is ideal for those interested in becoming a partner at their firm, those who have recently become a partner at their firm, and firm leaders who want to better support their next generation of leaders through this challenging transition.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess three common challenges experienced by first-year partners.
• Evaluate three strategies that can be used to better support new partners through this challenging transition.

This session will review the basics of the income taxation of estates and trusts, reviewing the types of trusts (simple, complex and grantor); and explain how to calculate and the differences between trust accounting income (TAI), distributable net income (DNI), and taxable income (TI). In addition, the session will review how DNI is allocated between the entity and its beneficiaries, including a review of the tier system, the separate share rule, the 65-day rule, specific bequests, and the Section 643(e) election. Finally, if time allows, the session will include a review of the preparation of the tax return of a complex trust and how items are reported on the Form 1041.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the unique system of income taxation of estates and trusts.
• Differentiate trust accounting income (TAI), distributable net income (DNI) and taxable income (TI).
• Identify how the distribution system works to allocate distributable net income between the entity and various beneficiaries.
• Identify how the income and expenses are reported on the Form 1041.

Analysis of significant court decisions, federal tax regulations, IRS rulings, and law changes in the past year relevant to all types of businesses and entities. These developments involve deductions, accounting methods, energy credits, entities, and some state tax developments. Due diligence and planning considerations are emphasized throughout.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify tax planning and compliance points from significant federal and state tax developments of the past year relevant to businesses.
• Identify due diligence actions for businesses highlighted by tax law developments of the past year.

Staying up to date with advances in today's technology has never been more vital, and K2's Tech Update equips you with the knowledge to stay ahead of the rapid pace of innovation. This comprehensive session is designed for accountants who want to understand the evolving technological landscape and its implications for the accounting profession. Which technology trends are worth monitoring? What are the proper hardware and software products for your strategic and tactical plans? How do Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, Software-as-a-Service, and productivity suites like Microsoft 365 influence practice, especially since this year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Excel? Separate vendor hype from reality and discover how to achieve a 2X or more return on investment from your technology expenditures. Attendees will leave with actionable insights, including ideas they may not have previously considered.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify three technology trends that will impact the accounting profession
• Select hardware and software that meets your practice's strategic and tactical needs
• Use one or more tools to analyze and extract meaningful information from complex license agreements

How do you lead effectively when deadlines are fixed, but change is constant? This panel discussion dives into the balancing act of managing your own well-being, motivating your team, and delivering results. Discover practical approaches for staying resilient, prioritizing effectively, and fostering a culture of accountability and high performance.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify strategies to keep your team engaged, motivated, and high-performing when priorities shift.
• Distinguish ways to protect your own sanity and well-being while leading through change.
• Determine negotiation tactics to balance deadlines, resources, and stakeholder expectations.

The objective of the Firm Member Roundtable is to provide a comfortable environment where firms of similar size can collaborate by sharing successes and challenges. Tuesday’s Roundtable is focused on firm sizes smaller than 100 people.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize firms of similar size and provide a comfortable environment for collaboration.
• Identify firms with less than 100 people to share successes and challenges.

U.S. GAAP isn’t the best financial reporting framework for all entities. This issue is a common peer review finding when financial statements are prepared in accordance with special purpose frameworks (such as income tax basis, cash-basis, and modified cash-basis). This session will cover the special purpose frameworks that are available, how they differ from U.S. GAAP, and the common peer review findings.

Learning Objectives:

• Distinguish the differences between special purpose frameworks.
• Analyze the reporting requirements in AICPA Professional Standards when financial statements are prepared in accordance with a special purpose framework.
• Identify the common peer review findings for special purpose frameworks.

This crucial session dives into the Auditing Standards Board's (ASB) significant fraud project, providing practitioners and auditors with a practical understanding of the proposed changes and their potential effect on the audit. We'll go beyond a simple update to explore the proposed key shifts in fraud risk assessment, identification, and response, equipping you to reflect on how these changes could potentially affect your audit methodologies. The comment period is still open if you want to provide your views to the ASB.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the key proposals within the Auditing Standards Board's current fraud exposure draft and their possible implications for audit practice.
• Evaluate how the proposed changes may affect risk assessment procedures and documentation requirements.
• Locate and utilize essential resources available to consider the proposed fraud standard and how it might affect your audits. Consider commenting before the comment period ends.

The pervasiveness of AI provides great opportunity for auditors to leverage technology for a higher quality audit. Join our discussion to hear the latest on AI, how it’s being used in the audit, and the possibilities and pitfalls of emerging technologies.

Learning Objectives:

• Differentiate between the three categories of artificial intelligence (AI) used that impact financial statement audits and related assurance services.
• Identify different types of AI and how AI may be used in the financial statement audit.
• Identify techniques for managing AI development, training, and maintenance in the context of audit and assurance.
• Analyze how firms may adapt audit procedures for AI-driven controls and processes implemented by their clients.

Join us for "The Retirement Blueprint: Crucial Decisions Before and After the Big Day," a comprehensive session designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed for a successful transition into retirement. We will explore essential financial decisions to make in the years leading up to retirement, such as optimizing Social Security benefits and selecting healthcare coverage. Additionally, we will address the emotional and psychological adjustments that come with this significant life change, offering strategies to maintain purpose and social connections. Participants will learn how to create a flexible spending plan that ensures long-term financial security while evaluating various income-generating options for a fulfilling retirement. Whether you're approaching retirement or already navigating this new chapter, this session will provide valuable insights for a smooth and rewarding journey.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how clients define success in retirement.
• Identify the emotional aspects of retirement and develop strategies to maintain purpose and connections.
• Identify and prioritize key financial decisions to be made in the years leading up to retirement.
• Use financial monitoring to keep clients on track post-retirement.

In this session, Allan Koltin will provide an overview of current trends and opportunities in CPA firm M&A. He will discuss the perspectives of both buyers and sellers and provide advice on how to position your firm going forward.

Additionally, Allan will provide an overview of activities and developments as it relates to private equity and their involvement with CPA and advisory firm space. He will discuss everything from the types of private equity (PE) deals that currently exist to providing an update on current multiples and valuations of firms.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify current trends in CPA firm M&A.
• Recognize current trends in private equity’s involvement in the accounting profession.

Explore the critical role of third-party risk management (TPRM) in both public and private organizations. Join a panel of compliance leaders as they share their strategies for managing service provider relationships, maintaining effective risk assessments, and understanding the consequences of poor oversight in third-party risk management.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify relevant third parties involved in SOC engagements.
• Apply risk assessment procedures to evaluate third-party risks.
• Determine key components of an effective third-party risk management program.

In this session, the panelist will share actionable insights on how to start and grow a successful cybersecurity practice. You’ll learn proven strategies for scaling your services, along with specific techniques that audit and tax teams can use to cross-sell cybersecurity services effectively.

Explore best practices for expanding your practice, strengthening client relationships, and leveraging cybersecurity expertise to enhance your firm’s overall service offerings. Whether you’re just starting or looking to expand an existing practice, this session will provide you with practical guidance to grow and diversify your services.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the key tasks and steps required to start a cybersecurity practice.
• Identify strategies and approaches for growing a cybersecurity practice.
• Identify techniques used by audit teams to effectively cross-sell cybersecurity services.
• Identify techniques used by tax teams to effectively cross-sell cybersecurity services.

Engage is taking place during Pride Month, a perfect opportunity to highlight the voices of LGBTQ+ individuals—an often underrepresented group in Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) conversations. Although progress has been made, many LGBTQ+ individuals in the accounting profession have historically had limited opportunities to share their experiences.

We understand that discussing personal stories in a public setting can be challenging. Concerns about privacy, professional consequences, or making others uncomfortable are real, and sometimes individuals may not even feel comfortable being open with their closest friends and family. Our goal in this session is to help you create an environment where everyone feels supported and safe, whether you’re sharing your own story or listening to others'.

By being open to hearing the experiences of LGBTQ+ colleagues and clients, we can foster deeper understanding and build stronger, more inclusive professional relationships. Together, we can ensure that all voices are heard and respected in the workplace.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how current D&I initiatives can be expanded or enhanced to ensure they are inclusive of LGBTQ+ individuals, alongside efforts focused on gender, racial issues, and other aspects of marginalized communities.
• Recognize intersectionality, internal bias, and majority privilege and how they play in LGBTQ+ exclusion.
• Recognize actionable strategies to broaden D&I efforts to be more inclusive of all minority groups, including the LGBTQ+ community, and practical tools and approaches to create a more supportive and equitable workplace for the LGBTQ+ community.
• Recall tips on how to navigate communicating with coworkers and clients who are in the LGBTQ+ community by listening to stories and experiences.

Join us for an insightful session that delves into the journey of establishing a successful financial planning and analysis (FP&A) advisory practice. Explore the critical stages of maturity that firms progress through, from foundational steps to optimized growth. Gain valuable insights on the core elements of staffing, technology, processes, and strategic development that define each stage of maturity.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze your firm’s current position within the financial planning and analysis (FP&A) advisory maturity model, focusing on key areas such as people, process, technology, and strategy.
• Identify the characteristics of each maturity stage—from inception to optimization—and the specific capabilities required to advance through the model.
• Choose a roadmap that outlines the short-, mid-, and long-term actions needed to evolve your FP&A advisory services, with a focus on continuous improvement and scaling.
• Distinguish how firms at each maturity stage can maximize their advisory offerings by leveraging the right technology, talent, and operational frameworks.

Communication: The thing we’ve been talking about for decades is still important, perhaps now more than ever with the fast pace of business and prevalence of remote working.

Have you ever carefully prepared a presentation or a response, but it falls flat or, even worse, gets a negative response in return? What went wrong? It can be frustrating to feel that others don’t understand what you’re trying to say. They may even take away something from the conversation that was not your intent. Repeating the same information is exhausting, yet it’s easier than deciding how to say it differently. Even easier is shutting down and not communicating at all. Spoiler alert: That’s not a great idea.

The way you communicate says a lot about you and, while words are important, there’s much more to effective communication. Join us as we discuss how to communicate in a way that inspires confidence in your abilities even when you say less. Gain greater self-awareness and identify the ways you are unknowingly sabotaging yourself.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize how to communicate in a way that inspires confidence in your abilities.
• Recall the value of saying less and leaving your audience wanting more.
• Identify the ways you are unknowingly sabotaging yourself in your communication.
• Recognize how to gain greater self-awareness and tips for continuous communication improvement.

The political landscape is changing faster than ever as a new administration takes shape joined by full Republican control of Congress. This session will cover the major issues affecting the profession, including the outlook for tax policy and IRS operations as Congress prepares for key tax policy deadlines.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the connection between the current political landscape and profession-specific issues.
• Identify the outlook for key tax issues and the impact on businesses and the profession.

As the accounting profession faces increasing competition for talent, developing your firm’s next generation of leaders is more critical than ever. In this session, we’ll explore actionable strategies for creating a culture of development that empowers staff to grow, take ownership of their careers, and deliver exceptional client service. Tailored for small and mid-sized CPA firms, this session will provide you with tangible steps to foster an environment where employees can thrive, while also helping your firm build the leadership bench strength it needs for the future.

Learning Objectives:

• Apply key strategies to foster a culture of development within a firm.
• Use practical tools and frameworks for delegating responsibilities, fostering critical thinking, and coaching staff at early stages of their careers.

This session will provide an overview of the evolving sustainability landscape. Participants will gain insights into the latest reporting drivers and regulatory requirements, including their applicability and timing. The session will explore the implications of sustainability initiatives on various stakeholders and discuss strategies that many companies are adopting to develop leadership and cross-functional competencies. Additionally, the session will cover data requirements and assurance readiness to prepare for compliance and effective sustainability reporting.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the regulatory and reporting requirements for sustainability, including applicability and timing.
• Analyze the implications of requirements on your own company, and companies in your ecosystem, as well as data requirements that can support effective sustainability reporting and assurance readiness.
• Determine strategies to navigate the sustainability landscape, preparing for compliance and leveraging sustainability initiatives, for potential organizational benefits and enterprise value creation.

Numbers play a critical role in influencing decisions—but only if they’re delivered effectively.

In this session, we’ll explore the factors that influence decision making at the highest levels, how to craft compelling narratives that drive strategic action, and key techniques to communicate effectively. This session includes studying real-world examples to gain insight into the factors that influence executive decisions and how storytelling plays a pivotal role in shaping outcomes and framing decisions.

You’ll also learn proven communication techniques to communicate with confidence and credibility, helping you build trust, demonstrate competence, convey strategic insights, and influence executive teams. This session will empower you to move beyond reporting the numbers, positioning yourself as a valued strategic partner who drives meaningful change within your organization.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the priorities and considerations executives rely on when making strategic decisions and learn how to align your communication to meet those needs.
• Identify how to craft and deliver compelling narratives that frame decisions, highlight opportunities, and motivate executive teams to act.
• Distinguish actionable strategies to communicate with clarity, build trust, and demonstrate competence, positioning yourself as a strategic partner who influences and drives impactful decisions.

Ring, ping, buzz, knock! Distractions are lurking around every corner, ready to pounce on your attention. Fear not! You don’t need a secret hideout to gain control.

This session is perfect for people who:
• Feel overwhelmed by a whirlwind of distractions
• Are buried under a mountain of communication and media
• Struggle to be present in the moment

Supercharge your habits and become a focus pro!

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize how to shrink digital distractions with optimal settings.
• Identify how to bust the myth of multitasking and get more done with less energy.
• Identify how to reset your brain and body with low-sensory power breaks.

This session covers frequently asked A&A questions asked by members of the Private Companies Practice Session’s (PCPS) Center for Plain English Accounting (CPEA) in the areas of audit, compilation, and review engagements, with a focus on private company issues. Get answers to technical questions that are impacting practitioners and their clients.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze technical literature and other practice guidance relevant to addressing the topics covered in this session.
• Determine answers to common A&A technical questions in the areas of audit, compilation, and review engagements.
• Identify recent developments related to current A&A issues.

This presentation will discuss ASU 2023-09 issued in December 2023. We will discuss its origin and the various refinements on its journey to its final issuance. Additionally, we will discuss the application of the disclosures to various stakeholders. Finally, the session will include a discussion on process and control updates and communications with company leadership.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the new reporting requirements under ASU 2023-09.
• Analyze potential new processes and internal controls to comply with ASU 2023-09.
• Determine communications strategies about the new reporting requirements to be prepared for investor relations with senior leadership and the audit committee.

Are you ready to embark on the audit transformation journey? Or perhaps you are just ready for the transformation to be complete! The process between current state to future state doesn’t have to be scary. In this session, we will dig into the critical role that your change management strategy will play in your success. Whether it be through clear communication, goal setting and tracking, or creating a scaling structure to support the growing roll out, your change management strategy could be the difference between hard-fought success and simply fighting hard.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine the role of a communication plan through a transformation project.
• Identify effective metrics to track, and goal ranges.
• Analyze the structure so the transformation leader is not the bottle neck in the transformation process.

At least one in five workers say they’ve stayed in a job solely for health insurance, with 15% saying they’ve delayed retirement due to insurance. How do you help clients overcome this one huge perceived barrier to getting on with their lives? This session covers the options available and how to piece together a plan to plug the gap between workplace-provided insurance and Medicare, with a heavy focus on HSAs and how they can help.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify which health insurance options are available for early retirees
• Choose savings options that offer the most flexibility for funding healthcare costs
• Compare strategies to keep total costs down based on clients' individual circumstances

Now, more than ever, effective leadership is paramount to influence others and create an inclusive culture of growth and momentum. Leaders must take a more detailed and diligent approach to leading their team and must isolate and expose the most critical factors that drive the team’s performance and culture. This session walks participants through several strategies intended to increase the cohesiveness, productivity, and agility of their teams and how to assess and adapt the skill and will of those they lead and manage.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the factors that contribute to building and leading a high-performing team.
• Determine your current team and leadership style and how to adapt to changing conditions.
• Identify how to develop your team's culture, build effective communications, and deal with change or crisis.

New methods that change global best practices in financial planning are rare. This session focuses on a new breakthrough model for combining two separate Nobel-prize-winning frameworks with the promise to change the future of financial planning and investment management.

Much of “investment” financial advising is based on Modern Portfolio Theory’s mean-variance optimization (the efficient frontier), which resulted in a Nobel Prize for Harry Markowitz.

Almost all economists agree the best framework for answering critical financial planning questions is ‘lifecycle finance.’ Nobel prize winners that worked on lifecycle finance include Milton Friedman, Franco Modigliani, Paul Samuelson, Robert Merton, and others.

These two Nobel-prize-winning ideas, one for providing advice across time and one for providing advice across assets at a point in time, have remained separate for almost 75 years.

In a 2024 book published by the CFA Institute Research Foundation, Lifetime Financial Advice, Morningstar authors Thomas Idzorek and Paul Kaplan create a new type of model for lifetime financial advice that combines lifecycle finance with Modern Portfolio Theory.

The book is free to all: https://rpc.cfainstitute.org/-/media/documents/article/rf-brief/lifetime-financial-advice.pdf

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize lifecycle finance and the financial planning questions it answers.
• Recognize that Markowitz's mean-variance optimization approach has been expanded to become holistic household balance sheet optimization.
• Recognize the alpha-tracking error optimization framework for implementing a target asset asset allocation with a mix of mutual funds and ETFs.
• Identify how lifecycle finance, net worth balance sheet optimization, and alpha-tracking error optimization can work in unison.

This session is designed to empower CPAs with the tools to facilitate investment conversations that are informative, supportive, and aligned with clients' financial needs, even without in-depth investment expertise. This session will incorporate polling, group discussion, and Q&A. Topics include the following:
• Why you should ask about your client’s investments even if you don’t provide "investment advice”
• How to develop skills in asking open-ended questions to uncover clients' financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment preferences, which will help them guide discussions and refer clients to experts as needed.
• How to use the tax return to help shape investment decisions with investment advisors
• How investments fit into the broader context of clients' financial plan, including retirement, tax planning, and wealth accumulation.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the value of knowing clients’ investments even if you don’t provide "investment advice.
• Apply skills in asking open-ended questions to uncover clients' financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment preferences.
• Identify how to use the tax return to help shape investment decisions with investment advisors.
• Distinguish how investments fit into the broader context of clients' financial plan.

In this dynamic session, discover the essential strategies and tools needed to develop a thriving client advisory services (CAS) practice. We'll explore how to harness technology, optimize processes, and enhance client relationships to drive growth and innovation. This session will introduce forward-thinking approaches for performance measurement and evaluating the success of the practice, beyond traditional metrics like hours billed and realization rates. Whether you're just starting out or looking to elevate your existing practice, this session offers actionable insights to help you focus on value creation, client satisfaction, and strategic impact.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize that the future of CAS is built on the efficiencies gained from technology and standardizations.
• Identify alternative metrics for defining CAS success.
• Identify the spectrum of services available under the CAS umbrella and look for opportunities to generate revenue and add value by offering more business insights level services.

Join us for an engaging and interactive session where auditors and CPAs will participate in a trivia battle designed to tackle common obstacles encountered during SOC and Third-Party Risk related engagements. This session will not only test your knowledge but also provide valuable insights and strategies to overcome challenges in evaluating SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports. Through a series of trivia questions and discussions, attendees will enhance their understanding of SOC report evaluations, learn best practices, and gain practical tips to improve their audit processes. Get ready to conquer engagement obstacles and elevate your SOC assessment skills in a fun and competitive environment.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify common obstacles in SOC engagements.
• Recognize strategies to overcome engagement obstacles.
• Recognize skills needed for a SOC report evaluation.
• Have Fun!

In December 2023, the SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Rule went into effect. Now, a year and a half later, what have we learned? How are companies defining "materiality" in relation to the impact of a cybersecurity incident? Are investors gaining valuable insights from these disclosures?

In this session, we’ll explore these questions and more as we discuss the real-world impacts of the SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Rule, including its effect on corporate transparency, investor decision-making, and the evolving definition of material cybersecurity risks.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Rule requirements for public companies.
• Determine materiality criteria regarding cybersecurity incidents for public companies.
• Analyze the information investors are gaining from cybersecurity disclosures.

In the rapidly evolving accounting profession, leveraging technology is essential for attracting and retaining top talent. This session will explore how to effectively communicate the exciting opportunities and tech-driven environment within the profession to appeal to tech-savvy individuals. You’ll discover practical tips for using technology as a powerful recruitment tool to enhance the appeal of a career in accounting.

Join us as we dive into strategies that not only retain valuable talent but also pave the way for better client service and overall firm success. In this session, we’ll discuss the impact of the following concepts:

• Outdated processes and inefficient technology on employee frustration and burnout, highlighting the transformative potential of modern technologies for streamlining business processes and creating capacity.
• Navigating the balance between technological evolution and the professional growth of your team.
• Aligning technology-driven changes to boost employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how outdated processes and inefficient technology contribute to employee frustration and burnout, and the potential of new technologies to streamline business processes and create capacity.
• Recognize the balance between technological evolution and the professional growth of your team.
• Identify how to align technological changes to boost engagement, satisfaction, and retention.

Join us for a guided exploration of the AICPA ENGAGE exhibit hall, where you'll discover the cutting-edge technologies transforming the accounting profession. This interactive session takes you on a curated journey to select exhibitors showcasing innovative solutions that address today's most pressing accounting challenges.

Throughout this 50-minute tour, you'll:

- Get hands-on demonstrations of emerging technologies from leading providers
- Learn how these tools can streamline your workflow and enhance client services
- Engage directly with technology experts to ask questions specific to your practice
- Discover integration opportunities between different platforms
- Connect with fellow practitioners facing similar technology decisions

Our knowledgeable guide will provide context for each stop, helping you understand how these solutions fit into the evolving accounting ecosystem. Whether you're looking to modernize your practice, solve specific operational challenges, or simply stay ahead of technology trends, this guided tour offers valuable insights in an efficient format.

Perfect for firm leaders, technology decision-makers, and forward-thinking practitioners seeking practical technology solutions. Limited spots available - reserve your place today!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify at least emerging technologies that can automate routine accounting tasks and improve practice efficiency through direct demonstrations from selected exhibitors.
• Evaluate potential technology investments based on ROI metrics, implementation requirements, and integration capabilities with existing systems as presented by solution providers.
• Develop a practical technology adoption roadmap specific to your firm's size, client base, and service offerings using insights gained from exhibitor demonstrations and expert guides.

In light of recent IRS workforce reductions, tax professionals face new challenges in managing IRS correspondence. With enforcement actions slowing temporarily, the IRS's limited staffing is leading to delays, misrouted responses, and increasing frustration for both practitioners and clients. This course equips tax professionals with practical strategies to navigate these obstacles, ensuring efficient communication with the IRS and expediting resolutions despite extended processing times. Participants will learn how to leverage IRS tools and tactics to overcome communication barriers, manage client expectations, and mitigate frustration. Additionally, the course will explore proactive approaches for anticipating and adapting to ongoing IRS changes, including shifts in enforcement priorities and procedural updates, empowering tax professionals to guide their clients effectively while maintaining operational efficiency.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the current state of the IRS workforce and its effects on communication and case resolution processes.
• Analyze how IRS workforce reductions contribute to enforcement delays, correspondence backlogs, and the associated challenges for tax professionals.
• Use key IRS tools and strategies to effectively manage processing slowdowns and communication barriers when responding to IRS notices and audits.
• Apply proactive strategies, informed by real-world case studies, to help clients set realistic expectations and reduce frustration from prolonged IRS response times.

In an era of constant change, many accounting practices can grow unwieldy — overrun by complexity, ad-hoc processes, and scattered systems. In this session, we’ll explore how “The Simple Firm” model restores focus and intentionality by centering on five essential attributes: a clear, intentional business model; a streamlined technology stack; deeper, higher-value client engagements; an unforgettable client experience; and a culture that makes your firm a great place to work. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to simplify operations, boost profitability, and create a thriving environment for both your team and clients.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the vital services and client segments that form the foundation of a focused, profitable practice.
• Identify the right solutions to support secure, efficient workflows while avoiding technology bloat.
• Recognize how to shift from surface-level compliance work to more meaningful advisory engagements.
• Distinguish consistent processes and touchpoints that build trust, loyalty, and enthusiastic referrals.

In an era of rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries across the globe, including audit and assurance. Yet for many audit professionals, the leap from understanding AI conceptually to applying it day-to-day remains challenging.

Renowned assurance professionals from Caseware: Danielle Supkis Cheek, Amy Fairfield and Jason Bradley will present this session, which aims to bridge that gap by showcasing how AI and other automated tools can address real-world issues faced by auditors, offering practical and actionable insights tailored to the needs of today’s audit teams.

This interactive session will focus on real challenges identified through our pre-conference LinkedIn poll, offering the chance for participants to “Engage before Engage” and drive the session to fit their needs. These challenges will serve as the foundation for the discussion, ensuring the content is directly aligned with the profession’s most pressing concerns and the solutions that Caseware can offer.

Whether it’s automating labor-intensive processes, enhancing fraud detection capabilities, or improving the accuracy of risk assessments, we will focus on how AI and other automation tools can help audit teams work smarter, not harder.

What to Expect

This session is designed to be focused on real-world applications with an emphasis on:

1. Real-World Problem Solving The session will start by highlighting common issues faced by audit teams—issues sourced directly from the LinkedIn poll. These could include challenges like handling large volumes of unstructured data, identifying anomalies in financial transactions, or managing compliance with evolving regulations.

2. Hands-On Demonstrations To make application tangible, the presenters will showcase real-world examples of audit scenarios transformed by Caseware tools. These demonstrations will highlight tools that are accessible to audit teams of varying sizes and technical expertise.

3. Strategic Insights Beyond technical applications, the session will explore the strategic implications of integrating AI into audit practices, including:

o How can AI-driven insights improve decision-making during audits?

o What are the risks and limitations associated with relying on AI in audit work?

o How can audit teams upskill to maximize the potential of these new technologies?

4. Interactive Problem-Solving The session will include a live Q&A segment, where attendees can raise additional challenges or scenarios from their own organizations

Who Should Attend

This session is ideal for auditors at all seniority levels, and other assurance professionals who are eager to explore the potential of AI in their work. Whether you’re just beginning to explore AI or are already experimenting with its applications, this session will equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to take the next step.

Join us for this forward-thinking session and discover how to put AI to work for your audit team—today.

Learning Objectives:

• A clear understanding of how automated tools can be applied to help solve audit challenges.
• Practical strategies for integrating AI tools into their current workflows.
• Insight into the future of AI in auditing and how to stay ahead of the curve.

While the importance of inclusive workplace practices is sometimes debated, there is a clear and compelling business case for creating environments where diverse people collaborate, diverse cultures are celebrated, and a wide range of perspectives is embraced. This session will explore how these inclusive practices have been essential for driving innovation, employee engagement, and overall business growth at GRF CPAs & Advisors. The firm will also share its journey, along with the strategies implemented, to enhance performance and foster a culture of inclusivity that has had a measurable positive impact on business outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify ways to encourage and nurture an inclusive workplace environment.
• Recognize how to effectively and meaningfully connect inclusive practices to business outcomes.
• Distinguish strategies that can positively impact and drive business growth and performance.

Advisory services that CPA firms deliver in today's environment need to empower clients through business and digital transformations with actionable insights driven by technology. An effective partnership between advisor and client will foster continuous dialogue and strategic decision-making that enhances value to the client and profitability for the CPA firm. Through a panel discussion with a firm advisory leader and a CFO from business & industry, this session will explore the vital relationship between a strategic business advisor and their client, founded on mutual trust and a deep understanding of business objectives. Gain firsthand perspectives on cultivating successful advisory relationships that drive exceptional outcomes and discover strategies that can amplify your firm's advisory impact.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key components of effective advisory relationships.
• Apply insights from experienced leaders to enhance your own client relationships.
• Analyze and implement a managed service delivery model for technology-driven business insights.
• Determine strategies to deliver holistic advisory to guide clients through digital transformation.

Dive into the intricate world of partnership basis adjustments in this comprehensive session. You'll learn when partnerships can opt to make basis adjustments and when these adjustments are mandatory. The session will cover the allocation of basis adjustments to partnership property and explore strategic planning in this complex tax area.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze situations where optional basis adjustments are applicable.
• Differentiate between the adjustments available under Sections 743 and 734.
• Identify planning opportunities related to partnership basis adjustments.

Work that doesn’t require emotional intelligence will be outsourced to artificial intelligence, leaving everyone who decided it wasn't vital behind in a big way. This session will lead accounting and financial professionals through tangible ways to recruit, retain, and outperform 90% of their competition by embracing technology and doubling down on their humanity.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the role of emotional intelligence in the evolving workplace.
• Identify strategies to recruit and retain top talent.
• Distinguish actionable techniques to attract and retain high-performing teams by leveraging emotional intelligence and fostering a culture that prioritizes human connection.

Being a successor trustee can be challenging. Most settlors prefer to name a non-professional—typically a family member or friend—as the successor trustee. Unfortunately, many of these successor trustees lack the time, interest, or training to manage the complex responsibilities of trust administration. Due to their unfamiliarity with the role, successor trustees face a high risk of making mistakes and exposing themselves to personal liability. This session explores key risk mitigation strategies that, if adopted, can significantly reduce the risks associated with trust administration.

Key takeaways:
• Identify key risk areas for the successor trustee.
• Rules of thumb regarding trustee compensation.
• Understanding that the annual account is not a court accounting.
• UPIA matters: Manager selection, delegation, and monitoring.
• When to use NOPA.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key risk areas for the successor trustee.
• Assess key rules of thumb for trustee compensation.
• Differentiate between an annual account and a court accounting.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of manager selection, delegation, and monitoring according to UPIA standards.

In 2024, the Treasury and the IRS unveiled definitive guidelines on basis consistency for specific properties acquired from a decedent, as reported on Form 8971, Information Regarding Beneficiaries. These Final Regulations bring much-needed changes and clarifications, promising to simplify compliance for executors and trustees. However, they also introduce new compliance deadlines for estates and successor trusts.

Join our upcoming session to stay ahead of the curve on the final basis consistency regulations. Dive into the significant changes from the proposed regulations and gain insights into navigating the questions that the Final Regulations left unanswered. Don't miss this opportunity to ensure you're fully prepared to meet the new compliance requirements with confidence.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize practical approaches to compliance with the regulations when preparing Forms 8971.
• Identify the impact of the final basis consistency regulations on supplemental reporting requirements.
• Distinguish notable changes from previously issued temporary and proposed regulations under sections 1014 and 6035.

Traditional efforts to improve communication skills focus on models or strategies that, while valuable, overlook one key factor: the internal work that is often necessary to improve the way we communicate with others. Developing an impactful communication style requires that we attend to important elements of our “inner operating system,” such as thoughts, feelings, values, and decision-making models.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate at least five communication traps that undermine communication.
• Assess pressing personal challenges when it comes to communication.
• Interpret how the inner narrative and stories will influence communication style.
• Apply two simple but powerful tools for generating the right mindset to support better communication and the power of storytelling.

The past year has seen many challenges and opportunities. With rapid standards development in the U.S. and at the international level, increasing competition for talent, significant developments in technology, and a changing U.S. political environment, finding solutions that advance assurance practice are more important than ever. This session will outline these and other areas and discuss the impact on clients and assurance.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and assess the environmental trends impacting practice.
• Distinguish between practice quality issues and related solutions.
• Recognize talent attraction and retention challenges and related solutions.
• Analyze the impact of the international assurance environment on U.S. practice.

Clients often approach retirement with one overwhelming question: “Am I going to be okay?” This session dives deep into the strategies and tools financial planners need to confidently answer that question and create retirement income plans that truly work.

From building sustainable income streams to addressing longevity, market volatility, and healthcare costs, you’ll explore how to craft comprehensive plans that provide both security and peace of mind. Whether you’re helping clients transition into retirement or considering your own financial future, this session delivers actionable insights and techniques to ensure every plan stands the test of time.

Equip yourself with the knowledge to answer your clients’ toughest questions and leave them with confidence in their financial future.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze key considerations in retirement income planning.
• Identify overlooked expenses, such as healthcare costs, long-term care costs, and home maintenance.
• Identify a client-centric approach for benchmarking progress throughout retirement.
• Determine a framework for transitioning a client’s portfolio from accumulation to decumulation.

As Bitcoin continues to reshape the financial landscape, this panel features two financial planners who guide clients in understanding and incorporating Bitcoin into their wealth strategies. The discussion will begin with an overview of Bitcoin, explaining its purpose, how it works, and why it’s considered a tool for long-term savings. The conversation will then explore the fundamental reasons people save money, examining how Bitcoin addresses issues like inflation, currency debasement, and long-term wealth preservation.

A key focus will be on the unique characteristics of Bitcoin compared to traditional asset classes such as stocks, bonds, and real estate, as well as how it differs from other cryptocurrencies. The session will break down risk factors, volatility considerations, and the role Bitcoin can play in a diversified portfolio. The presenters will also discuss best practices for incorporating Bitcoin into financial plans, whether through direct ownership or exchange traded funds.

The session will cover custody, as clients often have questions about securing their Bitcoin. Topics include different custody solutions and how financial advisors can guide clients in making informed decisions while balancing security and accessibility.

Throughout the discussion, the panelists will provide practical insights into how financial professionals can approach Bitcoin conversations with clients, helping them understand its potential benefits and risks. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of Bitcoin’s role in modern financial planning and how to support clients in making informed decisions about their savings and investments.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the fundamental principles of Bitcoin, how it differs from traditional asset classes and other cryptocurrencies, and its role as a long-term savings technology for wealth preservation and portfolio diversification.
• Recognize how to effectively discuss Bitcoin with clients, address common concerns, and provide clear, informed guidance on its role in long-term financial planning.

You've achieved your goals — your firm is successful, and you've met many growth milestones. Growth has brought more clients, more team members, and more complexity. But instead of joy, or perhaps commingled with it, is a pervading sense of burnout. Exhaustion. You're in the “messy middle” — that challenging space between growing and scaling, where burnout often creeps in and clarity starts to fade. That place where many firms get stuck.

In this session, we will explore strategies and tools to navigate this pivotal phase. You will walk away with practical methods to scale your firm effectively, ensuring sustained growth without sacrificing your well-being or enthusiasm.

Learning Objectives:

• Distinguish between growth and scale and how your current business model may be limiting your capacity to expand without overworking.
• Recognize the common mindset traps and operational bottlenecks that stall firms in the transition from growth to scale.
• Recognize tools and strategies that support the transition from growth to scale and ensure long-term success without constant overwhelm.

In the fast-paced world of accounting, maintaining harmony between your firm’s core values, team dynamics, client relationships, and personal aspirations is crucial yet often deprioritized. But even slight deviations off course can result in feelings of overwhelm, unhappy staff, mediocre clients, or finding yourself running a firm you no longer love.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze how misalignment leads to team dissatisfaction and client attrition and the related health and financial implications.
• Identify subtle cues indicating misalignment within your firm, team, client base, and even yourself.
• Apply insights on how to align your firm’s values, synchronize team objectives, enhance client satisfaction, and foster personal fulfillment as a business owner.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how organizations operate, but what does this mean for SOC examinations? As AI becomes increasingly integrated into business processes, it’s essential to understand how these technologies impact the audit and assurance landscape. In this session, we will dive into how AI is influencing SOC 1 and SOC 2 examinations. This session will focus on the practical techniques for managing AI development, training, and maintenance in the context of SOC reporting and will include updates from ASEC’s AI working group, along with real-world examples from firms already leveraging AI.

From identifying relevant AI technologies, to evolving examination procedures to address new challenges posed by AI-driven controls and systems, join us for an engaging discussion on how AI is reshaping the SOC examination landscape and gain actionable insights into the future. Whether you are a service auditor or a professional at a service organization looking to understand how your SOC examination may be impacted, this session will help you to stay ahead of the curve.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify different types of artificial intelligence (AI) and how service organizations are leveraging this technology in their systems.
• Distinguish when AI is relevant to a SOC 1 or SOC 2 examination.
• Analyze how firms may adapt examination procedures for AI-driven controls and processes.
• Identify techniques for managing AI development, training, and maintenance in the context of SOC reporting.

In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, tax and accounting professionals are prime targets for sophisticated cyber threats. But what if you could walk away with insider knowledge that transforms fear into confidence?

Join us for a gripping exploration of cybersecurity through the eyes of a data breach victim and an IRS insider. You’ll uncover the truth behind the latest email scams, phishing schemes, and data breaches aimed at professionals like you. Discover the warning signs of a breach before it’s too late and gain actionable strategies to prevent, respond to, and recover from cyberattacks, all while staying compliant with IRS regulations and data security laws.

This session goes beyond the basics, diving into real-world examples, first-hand experiences and expert tips to arm you with a rock-solid defense plan. Don’t just keep up with cyber hygiene—master it.

Your practice, reputation and clients depend on your ability to stay ahead of cyber threats. This is the session that will leave you empowered, equipped and ready to face anything that comes your way.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify practical tools and actionable strategies to recognize, prevent, and respond to the most common cybersecurity threats targeting tax professionals, including phishing, ransomware, and email scams.
• Recognize the step-by-step process to identify a data breach, contain the damage, notify clients, and comply with IRS regulations and data security laws, ensuring minimal disruption to your practice.
• Recall cyber hygiene best practices and safeguards to protect sensitive client data, fortify your reputation, and future-proof your practice against evolving threats.

This session will discuss the top issues affecting nonprofits and the funders who create and support them, including different types of charitable gifts, donor acknowledgment, and what to be aware of when a controlled private foundation is in a business or family ecosystem. We will also cover how donors utilize and fund not only public charities, but 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations and other types of tax-exempt vehicles as well.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine the different tax benefits gained by type of asset donated to different types of entities.
• Indicate the importance of proper donor acknowledgment and qualified appraisals.
• Distinguish different charitable vehicles.
• Identify private foundation prohibitions when dealing with disqualified persons.

Join us for a guided exploration of the AICPA ENGAGE exhibit hall, where you'll discover the cutting-edge technologies transforming the accounting profession. This interactive session takes you on a curated journey to select exhibitors showcasing innovative solutions that address today's most pressing accounting challenges.

Throughout this 50-minute tour, you'll:

- Get hands-on demonstrations of emerging technologies from leading providers
- Learn how these tools can streamline your workflow and enhance client services
- Engage directly with technology experts to ask questions specific to your practice
- Discover integration opportunities between different platforms
- Connect with fellow practitioners facing similar technology decisions

Our knowledgeable guide will provide context for each stop, helping you understand how these solutions fit into the evolving accounting ecosystem. Whether you're looking to modernize your practice, solve specific operational challenges, or simply stay ahead of technology trends, this guided tour offers valuable insights in an efficient format.

Perfect for firm leaders, technology decision-makers, and forward-thinking practitioners seeking practical technology solutions. Limited spots available - reserve your place today!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify at least emerging technologies that can automate routine accounting tasks and improve practice efficiency through direct demonstrations from selected exhibitors.
• Evaluate potential technology investments based on ROI metrics, implementation requirements, and integration capabilities with existing systems as presented by solution providers.
• Develop a practical technology adoption roadmap specific to your firm's size, client base, and service offerings using insights gained from exhibitor demonstrations and expert guides.

In an era where the accounting industry is navigating challenges such as talent shortages and evolving client needs, effective leadership is crucial to attracting and retaining top talent while fostering a positive, inclusive workplace culture. This course combines the principles of conscious leadership with targeted strategies for developing the next generation of leaders in the accounting profession.

Conscious leadership prioritizes the growth and well-being of employees alongside traditional business goals, creating a balanced approach to leadership that values both people and profits. By embracing this mindset, leaders can create an environment of trust, inclusivity, and collaboration—essential for navigating today’s flexible and hybrid work environments, as well as engaging a diverse, multigenerational workforce. Participants will explore how to evolve from traditional, top-down leadership models to a people-first, collaborative approach, which enhances employee satisfaction, retention, and empowerment.

Throughout the session, attendees will engage in self-reflection to assess their current leadership styles and learn how to cultivate a conscious leadership mindset. Emphasis will be placed on developing core characteristics such as empathy, active listening, and organizational stewardship. By nurturing these qualities, leaders can inspire high-performing teams that thrive on authenticity and creativity, ultimately driving organizational success.

In addition to exploring conscious leadership, the session will address the unique challenges faced by the accounting industry, including talent shortages and the need for succession planning. Participants will discuss best practices for identifying and developing future leaders, ensuring a smooth transition of knowledge and expertise. The session will encourage leaders to embrace authenticity not only in themselves but also in those they mentor, fostering a culture of growth that prepares the next generation of partners and chief financial officers.

By the end of this session, participants will gain practical tools to implement conscious leadership, strategies for boosting employee engagement, and insights into developing future leaders. Transform your leadership style to inspire high-performing teams and contribute to a thriving, people-centered accounting profession.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify strategies to obtain and retain top talent within the accounting profession while navigating barriers faced by rising talent.
• Identify your current style of leadership and determine how that relates to you taking on the role of a conscious servant leader.
• Recognize leadership traits that are imperative to creating an inclusive work environment and people-first culture.
• Identify a list of actions that a servant leader takes to support their team members and reminders on how to change your mindset and current leadership style to be a true conscientious servant leader.

As technology advances occur more rapidly and staffing challenges are pervasive, many businesses, and specifically many SMBs (small- and medium-sized businesses), are looking for outsourced support for their financial operations. Client advisory services (CAS) practices have always played a vital role in ensuring success for clients’ financial operations, but even more so today as opportunities and risk abound in a new era in technology. This session will focus on practical ways for firms to position themselves and their services around the pain points that SMBs are experiencing today.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the common financial pain points small- and medium-sized business (SMB) clients face in the context of rapid technological advancements and staffing challenges.
• Recognize the role client advisory services (CAS) practices play in optimizing SMB clients’ financial operations and addressing their evolving needs.
• Recall practical strategies for positioning firm services to align with the specific challenges and opportunities SMBs encounter today.
• Distinguish between traditional and modern approaches to financial operations management to effectively meet SMB client expectations.

From talent shortages to pathway debates, and increasing regulatory complexity and scrutiny, there are no shortages of challenges facing the accounting profession. Many believe that accounting itself is in crisis.

But what if the problem isn’t distant and abstract, but deeply related to the choices we make? What if both the problems and solutions of the profession are deeply connected to the way we approach people, our purpose, and our work? No matter where you are in your career, you can have a deep and lasting impact on the people around you.

Join Michael Meihaus, owner of Meihas CPA, as he shares practical insights from his unique perspective as a former employee and current firm owner. Learn how to avoid common leadership mistakes, embrace personal responsibility and agency in your leadership journey, and understand the critical role of effective leadership in addressing the pressing challenges facing the accounting profession today.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize common leadership failings in accounting firms and their impact on the organization.
• Identify various leadership styles and approaches.
• Select appropriate principles to guide personal and firm actions.

The middle is often a difficult place to occupy in life. For those of modest wealth, the plan is simple: do nothing. For the very wealthy, the first step is equally simple: consume the entire basic exclusion amount (BEA) with gifts ASAP. However, for those in the middle, unsure how the estate tax will apply to their last dollar of accumulated wealth, planning is quite difficult. The best tax-math planning is often to “bankrupt” the client by giving away all their assets during life; however, this is even less appealing than paying estate tax. Therefore, planning for those in the middle requires creativity and a variety of options. This course will cover the challenges and opportunities of estate planning over the coming year.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the core mathematics of the estate tax and income tax at death/gift.
• Identify the dilemma facing a person undertaking estate planning with $5–$15M of accumulated wealth.
• Evaluate solutions to minimize taxation at death while retaining financial security.

Participants will discuss how to navigate coming from a place of curiosity and leading with grace when receiving feedback from supervisors, peers, etc. Participants will discuss tips for applying feedback and seeking clear direction/guidance when feedback is unclear.

Learning Objectives:

• How to accept feedback with grace
• Become more efficient/effective in your work
• Achieve common goals

This session will guide you through the intricacies of rapidly changing cloud technologies and their implications on SOC 2® reporting. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the cloud landscape, exploring deployment models, service structures, and the shared responsibility model. The session will address the identification and assessment of risks unique to cloud integration, with a focus on data security, system availability, and information integrity. Through real-world examples and practical mitigation strategies, attendees will emerge equipped with actionable insights to navigate the intersection of cloud technologies and SOC 2® reporting, ensuring a robust approach to the evolving challenges in today's dynamic business environment.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how cloud technologies and applications affect SOC reporting.
• Recognize where the risks are for cloud applications in relation to SOC reporting.
• Identify risk and vulnerability strategies for clients using cloud technologies.

** IN PERSON ONLY**

In this session, four experts answer all your questions on tax forms 706, 709, and 1041.

Form 706 is broken into two categories: assets and deductions. Laura Hinson will discuss 706 assets and answer your questions about valuation and how the assets should be presented on the forms. Donita Joseph will review 706 deductions. This is a particularly current topic because of the latest IRS proposed regulations, implying that executors could be sanctioned over deductions deemed excessive and late filing.

Steve Bigge will respond to your questions on Form 1041, especially on which items can be deducted on Form 1041 rather than form 706.

Finally, the form 709 gift tax return was re-designed for 2024 gifts; Mary Kay Foss will answer questions upon completing each item.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine the proper Form 706 schedule for reporting specific assets and deductions.
• Recognize the impact of distributions on DNI and the distribution deduction on Form 1041.
• Identify proper reporting of gifts from each spouse on Form 709.

This session will cover various grantor trust compliance issues that practitioners should be aware of, including the question of whether you have to file, conversions from grantor to non-grantor, and partial grantor trusts. This program will also include a discussion of several specific issues related to grantor trust filing, such as state withholding considerations, foreign reporting, and incorrect reporting of trust status.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify alternatives for filing a grantor trust tax return.
• Analyze situations when a partial grantor trust return is required.
• Determine the impact of when grantor trust status terminates during life.

Accounting teams are under constant pressure to manage growing volumes of financial data with precision and speed. Manual processes, while familiar, often lead to inefficiencies and errors that can disrupt operations. Power Query and Power BI offer a modern, tech-driven solution to these challenges, transforming how accounting teams handle data and generate insights.

Power Query serves as the foundation for streamlined data preparation. It simplifies extracting, cleaning, and organizing data from multiple sources, such as ERP systems, payroll files, or expense trackers. By automating these processes, Power Query eliminates manual data entry and ensures consistency across datasets. The result is clean, ready-to-use data, prepared in a fraction of the time it would take with traditional methods.

Once the data is prepared, Power BI elevates it into a powerful decision-making tool. Financial data no longer has to live in static spreadsheets; instead, it can be visualized in real-time dashboards that offer a clear and interactive view of key metrics. Teams can monitor cash flow, track expenses, and analyze variances with ease, uncovering trends and outliers faster than ever before. The ability to drill down into specific data points provides the granularity accountants need while maintaining a high-level perspective for broader financial strategies.

These tools don’t just save time; they create a scalable and reliable framework for accounting operations. By reducing the reliance on manual processes, Power Query and Power BI allow accounting teams to focus on higher-value tasks, such as forecasting and strategic planning. The integration of automation, visualization, and analytics brings a new level of efficiency and precision to accounting, making these tools indispensable in a tech-forward financial department.

Whether tackling month-end close, preparing financial statements, or analyzing spending patterns, Power Query and Power BI empower accounting teams to work smarter, faster, and with greater accuracy.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify Power Query and Power BI and see how these powerful tools simplify data preparation and visualization for accounting tasks.
• Recognize how Power Query cleans, merges, and organizes financial data from multiple sources in minutes via a live demonstration.
• Recognize how to build real-time dashboards that turn raw accounting data into clear, actionable insights.
• Distinguish how Power Query and Power BI work together to replace repetitive manual processes, saving time and improving accuracy.

The rapid evolution of the accounting profession provides unprecedented opportunities for accounting firms, as well as unparalleled challenges. During this session, we will explore the areas in which firm leaders need to be aware to thrive in 2025 and beyond. From the unique vantage point of observing the marketplace as a principal at BDO USA, and leading the BDO Alliance Program (250+ U.S.-based CPA firms and 170 Business Resource Network members), we will focus on growth and profitability, capacity, M&A, private equity and technology, as well as other factors impacting the success of accounting firms operating in the U.S. BDO USA members are in all 50 states.

Help your firm thrive in this environment and don’t get left behind!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the accounting profession’s greatest opportunities and challenges in 2025.
• Recognize how to personalize the opportunities for your firm to thrive in 2025 and beyond.
• Distinguish what other CPA firms of all sizes are doing to take advantage of opportunities and mitigate challenges and risks.
• Recognize ways to prepare for change and lead into the future.

The session will cover Auditing Standards Board (ASB) and Accounting & Review Services Committee (ARSC) activities, standard setting hot topics, recently effective standards, and resources.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize currently effective standards and current standard setting activities
• Identify available resources

Many accounts and transactions must be measured at fair value under U.S. GAAP. Certain of those fair value measurements are recurring, while others only happen upon certain events. While making (or testing) fair value measurements often requires the use of experts, this session will help accountants identify and make sense of common fair value measurement challenges that arise in business combinations, asset impairment testing, and stock compensation.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess when enterprise value is used throughout U.S. GAAP.
• Evaluate common challenges and audit areas of focus associated when enterprise value is used throughout U.S. GAAP.
• Interpret appropriate methods for valuing intangible assets and the most sensitive inputs underlying those methods.
• Assess acceptable (and unacceptable) techniques for valuing liability-classified contingent consideration arising from a business combination.

Optimists are healthier, live longer, and have more meaningful relationships, but do optimists save and invest differently than pessimists? Results from a new survey reveal a surprisingly strong relationship between optimism and a range of investment behaviors, suggesting that a positive mindset may be a more important trait than other client characteristics, including risk tolerance. This session will review the research on dispositional optimism and explain how advisors can use behavioral techniques to effectively motivate clients and help them manage risk. The session will also delve into new research on overconfidence and explain the difference between a positive mindset and overoptimistic beliefs.

Learning Objectives:

• Recall the concept of dispositional optimism.
• Recognize how optimism affects goal formation and attainment.
• Identify how to leverage optimism in client communication.
• Recognize overoptimism and how it leads to suboptimal choice.

This session will provide a comprehensive view of the many aspects involved in end-of-life planning, from financial and estate considerations to emotional support. The material will assist advisors and CPAs as they guide families through this complex and sensitive process.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the financial and non-financial considerations in end-of-life planning.
• Differentiate between palliative care and hospice and the questions you should ask.
• Calculate strategies for communicating financial and non-financial options with loved ones and families.
• Determine the financial and estate preparation in the month(s) or year(s) prior to and after a person has passed.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, traditional hiring methods in the accounting profession may not always yield the best candidates. Expanding beyond conventional recruiting channels can bring in diverse, innovative talent, improve cultural fit, and help meet the growing demand for specialized accounting skills.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize strategies for searching outside the traditional channels for recruitment.
• Identify a system for onboarding this non-traditional talent.

Changing your residence from a high-tax state to a lower-tax state is not as easy as many people think: spending six months and a day in a new state and filing a bunch of paperwork is no longer sufficient. In this session, we will discuss the rules applicable throughout the United States that affect a state’s ability to challenge a taxpayer’s residency

Learning Objectives:

• Determine what it takes to get a state to accept a taxpayer’s change of residence.
• Recognize the tax implications of moving to a low- or no- tax state.
• Identify certain traps for the unwary.

When it comes to preparing for a significant business liquidity event, the key is to plan early and often. How do you successfully navigate the transition from entrepreneur to investor while balancing succession and wealth transfer planning? This session offers insights and strategies to help business owners and executives address multigenerational trust planning, valuation discounts, qualified small business stock (QSBS), and charitable planning.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine how implementing trust and estate planning strategies in advance of a business sale can reduce gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.
• Identify planning opportunities prior to a liquidity event to maximize the available Section 1202 qualified small business stock (QSBS) exclusion.
• Recognize the potential benefits and limitations of various charitable planning strategies before a closing transaction is a virtual certainty.

In today’s data-driven world, CPAs are increasingly expected to leverage technology to deliver deeper insights and greater efficiency. This session will guide public accountants, controllers, and CFOs on how to harness the power of PowerBI to transform data extraction into scalable, actionable insights.

We’ll begin by exploring best practices for extracting client data from various systems, followed by step-by-step guidance on building robust data models tailored to your analysis needs. You’ll learn how to create compelling, interactive dashboards and reports that not only streamline workflows but also uncover valuable insights. Along the way, we’ll address common challenges, such as managing incomplete datasets and ensuring data security.

Through real-world examples, live demonstrations, and actionable tips, you’ll leave this session equipped with practical strategies to integrate PowerBI into your workflow, enabling your team to deliver more value to clients and stakeholders. Whether you're new to PowerBI or looking to optimize your current setup, this session offers something for everyone.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the fundamentals of data extraction and how to efficiently gather and organize client data from various systems to prepare for analysis.
• Recognize best practices for data modeling that meet audit requirements and ensure accuracy.
• Identify how to build insightful reports and analytics using PowerBI to create interactive dashboards and reports that add value to the analysis process.
• Identify ways to enhance efficiency and insights through data analytics and visualization to streamline workflows and uncover key insights.

Are you finding it challenging to keep up with branding, new technology, and client retention in today's competitive market? Are you doing all that you can to set your firm apart? Join the rising star practitioner Brian Davis, CPA, CEO at OneStop CPA and Chris Cromer, Director of Operations at CPA.com, for an insightful session designed to help your firm learn how to deepen client relationships, enhance your firm’s branding, and leverage the newest technology. This session is a must-attend if you are looking to expand your technology options and/or scale more efficiently.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize key strategies and technology for enhancing firm branding.
• Identify emerging technologies that can be leveraged to deepen client relationships and improve client retention.
• Recognize opportunities to scale firm operations more efficiently by adopting new technology solutions.
• Identify actionable steps for integrating branding and technology strategies into their firm's business model.

During this lunch and learn, we'll help you discover how to recruit and retain new and existing staff and support them on their CPA journey with the AICPA & NASBA's Experience, Learn, and Earn Program. The ELE program is an integrated education and experience program for individuals to earn up to 30 hours of post-graduate education required for CPA licensure at a significantly reduced cost, and is open to employers across all industries and of all sizes.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the ELE program
• Identify how you and/or your firm/organization can benefit from the ELE program.

Join us for an insightful lunch-and-learn session where we explore the essential first steps in integrating personal financial planning (PFP) into your tax practice. This session is led jointly by AICPA staff in the PFP and TAX Sections and designed to provide you with practical strategies and actionable insights to enhance your services and better support your clients' financial well-being.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover ways to future-proof your tax practice offerings.
• Identify key areas within your current practice where planning and advisory services can be seamlessly incorporated.
• Apply strategies with step-by-step guidance on how to start offering advisory services, including tools, resources and best practices.
• Gain tips on how to effectively communicate the value of newly added services to your clients and foster stronger, trust-based relationships.

Get the answers you want about the PFS Credential.
What is the value of the PFS?
How do I get the PFS?
Am I qualified to get the PFS?
How much does it cost?
How do I maintain my credential?

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the Value of the PFS Credential

  Explain how the PFS credential builds on the CPA foundation to demonstrate expertise in financial planning and integrated tax strategies.

• Identify the Benefits of Earning the PFS Credential

  Describe how holding the PFS credential enhances credibility, demonstrates specialization in financial planning, and positions CPAs as trusted advisors for life transitions.

• Differentiate Between the PFS Credential Pathways

  Compare the Certificate Pathway (for less experienced CPAs) and the Experienced Pathway (for CPAs with more financial planning experience), including education, exam, and experience requirements.

• Outline the Requirements to Maintain the PFS Credential

  Summarize the annual renewal requirements, including CPE, membership, CPA licensing, dues, and audit compliance.

Gold prices have been on a wild ride in the past year. Why has the price been rising? Who is buying gold? Should YOU consider buying it? Is gold really an investment?

Explore this and more as we discuss forms of gold ownership. We review what is suitable for taxable and retirement savings. Finally, what forms of taxation apply when gold is sold?

Glittering Gold could be right for you!

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about various ways to own gold, either directly or indirectly. Discover reasons to invest in gold and gold-backed products.
• Review taxation on sales of the various forms of gold and gold-backed investments.

Join us in Speed Puzzler, where your team will work together to solve a series of rapid-fire brain teasers and puzzles to score points and receive their final ranking.

Even with the market softening, the long-standing talent shortage, including a decrease in accounting grads and CPA designations, continues to impact firms and finance departments across the country. While macro solutions are being explored at the profession level, you don’t have to wait to impact the talent you attract to your firm. What can you do to increase the pipeline of accounting grads and credentialed CPAs and create high levels of retention of this talent in your firm? In this session, we will explore ways to positively impact the talent pool, including the following:

*Recognize the six themes that are impacting the accounting pipeline and understand the role of the employer in each

*Learn NextGen motivators and ways to align their values to your organization’s values and culture

*Identify four solutions to increase the sense of well-being, belonging, and winning in your firm

*Distinguish simple changes for you to improve the image of accounting in the minds of others 

Leave this session with an action plan you can execute to positively impact the pipeline for your organization!

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the six themes that are impacting the accounting pipeline and understand the role of the employer in each
• Identify NextGen motivators and ways to align their values to your organization’s values and culture
• Identify four solutions to increase the sense of well-being, belonging, and winning in your firm
• Distinguish simple changes for you to improve the image of accounting in the minds of others 

Discover the essential steps to successfully start your own CPA firm. This session will guide you through developing a solid business plan, choosing the right business structure, and obtaining the necessary licenses and certifications. The panel will share a practical roadmap for new entrepreneurs, highlighting key considerations and potential pitfalls. You'll leave with a clear understanding of how to lay a strong foundation for your CPA firm, ensuring you start off on the right foot and build a thriving practice.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the critical components of developing a comprehensive business plan for a new CPA firm.
• Identify the process of selecting the appropriate business structure that aligns with the firm’s goals and legal requirements.
• Identify the necessary licenses and certifications required to establish a CPA firm and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

In this session the panelists will discuss best practices around managing and dealing with technology vendor relationships. They will share techniques that they have used within their own firms to improve challenging technology vendor relationships and best practices around being placed in situations involving conflict.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how to manage a technology vendor relationship
• Recognize best practices around technology vendor contract negotiations
• Recognize best practices around dealing with conflict in technology vendor relationships
• Identify how to deal with technology vendor relationships that have become challenging

Planning does not end when the client dies. This program will discuss post-mortem tax elections that may be made on the decedent’s final income tax return, the fiduciary income tax return, a gift tax return, the estate tax return and elections available for generation-skipping tax purposes. The discussion will include methods available to protect the fiduciary, the estate’s fiscal year election, the administration expense election, the alternate valuation election, the Section 643(e) election, portability, the QTIP election, qualified domestic trusts, disclaimers, death of a partner, S corporation stock, the Section 645 election, Section 6166 deferral of estate tax and generation skipping tax elections.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine how to protect the fiduciary from liability when administering an estate or trust.
• Identify the number of available post-death elections available to an executor or trustee to minimize income, estate, and generation skipping taxes.
• Distinguish how to make the various post-mortem elections available to the fiduciary.

This session will cover current valuation issues in the gift and estate tax area. At the top of the discussion is the evolving situation with tax affecting.

This program will also cover other hot transfer tax valuation topics learned from recent tax cases. We will focus on learning from recent tax cases and practical pointers to enhance the transfer tax practice.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify tax affecting when valuing pass-through entities.
• Analyze awareness regarding the most recent valuation cases and issues for the transfer tax practice.

Accurate financial forecasting isn’t just a critical skill for finance practitioners, it’s vital for a company’s strategic decision making. Yet, many organizations struggle to generate forecasts that are both reliable and actionable. In this session, an FP&A practitioner/Microsoft MVP will provide guidance through the essential components of effective forecasting and Excel modeling to elevate their financial planning — ranging from data integrity and driver selection to scenario analysis and interactive reporting. You’ll receive actionable tools and real-world strategies to bridge the gaps between data and business partner needs. Leave with a greater sense of peace and confidence to build forecast models that drive smarter decisions and inspire trust.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key elements of high-quality financial data and understand how to ensure data integrity for forecasting purposes.
• Select appropriate financial and operational drivers to improve forecast accuracy and relevance.
• Determine clear and actionable forecasts that support strategic decision making and communicate insights effectively to stakeholders.
• Apply scenario planning techniques to anticipate risks, opportunities, and the impact of external factors on financial outcomes.

The Office of CFO in every organization is under tremendous pressure to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) and create value. Let’s join Jasmine and Janice as they share practical, real-life actions for digitalizing your finance function, raising the bar of finance and unlocking value for your company today through three simple steps:

Step 1: Commit to a digital readiness roadmap
Step 2: Create a digital-first mindset
Step 3: Modernize ways of working, including the use of technology

Let’s step away from theory and focus on pragmatic, sustainable actions.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify prioritized actions to enable accounting and finance to successfully embrace digital solutions.
• Recognize how to invest in a digital culture with your team, empowering them to embrace available digital solutions in the way they think and work every day.
• Recognize how to take ownership over your end-to-end processes and the role technology should play to streamline, automate, and analyze accounting and finance activities.

The objective of the Firm Member Roundtable is to provide a comfortable environment where firms of similar size can collaborate by sharing successes and challenges. Wednesday’s Roundtable is focused on firm sizes 100 people or larger.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize firms of similar size and provide a comfortable environment for collaboration.
• Identify firms with more than 100 people to share successes and challenges.

Unfortunately, there isn't one single place in the Codification that addresses the accounting for restructuring activities. In this session, we will provide attendees with a roadmap to account for various types of restructuring activities, including employee severance, personnel or equipment relocation, and termination of executory contracts.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the appropriate Accounting Standards Codification Topics in accounting for certain classes of restructuring activities
• Determine when companies should recognize liabilities for various types of restructuring or exit activities and how to measure those liabilities

This session will take a deeper dive into common issues, aiding in your identification of proper applications of the principles of ASC 606. The session will also illustrate how to perform efficient and effective audit procedures as outlined in the AICPA A&A Guide, Revenue Recognition.

From the accounting side, Center for Plain English Accounting (CPEA) Technical Director Thomas Groskopf will cover common recognition and measurement risks related to revenue recognition for private companies. These will include identification of performance obligations, over time recognition requirements, principal/agent considerations, and variable consideration adjustments.

Additionally, Lynford Graham will conduct a brief review of the various revenue recognition auditing strategies, techniques, and their impact on testing auditing revenue. Learn how to adapt these strategies to various business and industry revenue recognition practices. Dr. Graham is a former Auditing Standards Board (ASB) member and chair of the auditing section of the AICPA A&A Guide, Revenue Recognition.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine common recognition and measurement risks related to revenue recognition for private companies.
• Differentiate between the various audit strategies and their impact on auditing revenue.
• Analyze how industry and entity revenue recognition differences require strategy modifications.

Going concern continues to be in the headlines and the various auditing standard setters are preparing to issue new requirements. Auditors should also be considering how the use of technology impacts their procedures related to going concern as well as how to approach client discussions about going concern.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess the recent changes to auditing standards related to going concern.
• Evaluate how to use technology when performing procedures related to going concern.

In this informative session, we’ll explore the latest developments and crucial information about Medicare today and going forward. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, understanding available options and staying informed about changes is more important than ever.

Key topics will include:
• Medicare enrollment and plan selection
• Strategies for selecting the right coverage to suit your individual needs
• Medicare changes and updates
• Navigating plan options and costs
• Special considerations

This session will provide valuable insights to help you make informed decisions about Medicare coverage, whether you’re new to understanding Medicare or wanting to be sure you stay up on the latest ways to optimize it. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain essential knowledge for navigating the complex world of Medicare.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the two primary pathways into Medicare—traditional Medicare with Part D and Medicare Advantage plans—to make a more informed decision.
• Recognize critical decisions to be made within the two primary pathways, noting the potential risks and opportunities within them, relative to the individual.
• Recognize the costs associated with healthcare in retirement to better plan for them, including what is covered and not covered under Medicare.

In this interactive session, Thomas Neal Tillery, CFP®, AEP® (Distinguished), will delve into the intricacies of trusts and operating agreements and their pivotal role in personal financial planning engagements. Attendees will explore a comprehensive case study, illustrating how careful analysis of these documents can uncover valuable planning opportunities.

This session will provide practical insights into:

• Identifying key provisions in trusts and operating agreements that impact financial planning.
• Understanding the intersection of legal structures and client objectives.
• Leveraging document analysis to create tailored strategies for wealth management, tax efficiency, and estate planning.

Join us to enhance your ability to navigate complex documents and translate them into actionable strategies that deliver measurable client value.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate key provisions in trusts and operating agreements that influence personal financial planning strategies.
• Analyze the impact of legal structures on client objectives, including tax efficiency, wealth transfer, and asset protection.
• Apply insights from document analysis to develop actionable recommendations tailored to client-specific circumstances.
• Determine planning opportunities and the value of comprehensive personal financial planning in complex engagements from a case study approach.

Modern portfolio theory (MPT) stems from a 1952 article by Harry Markowitz based on his doctoral dissertation. MPT became the darling of the large Wall Street brokerage houses looking for a larger market share of the personal investing industry. It was easy to understand, easy to implement to gain scale, and had the aura of academic prestige.

But Markowitz did not have individual investors in mind when he did his original research. He wrote his paper for institutional investors, as he later clarified:

“The ‘investing institution’ which I had most in mind when developing portfolio theory for my dissertation was the open-end investment company or mutual fund… …[but] reflection convinced me that there were clear differences in the central features of investment for institutions and investment for individuals…”

Markowitz’s clarification, published in 1991, came a little too late. By then, MPT had become the dominant strategy used not only by Wall Street brokers but also by certified financial planners and other advisors who’s training never even exposed them to alternative strategies such as dedicated portfolio theory (DPT).

DPT is a better fit for personal investors, especially retirees who are in the “distribution” phase of life. This talk will explain the dedicated portfolio strategy in detail.

Learning Objectives:

• Distinguish why personal portfolios based on dedicated portfolio theory (DPT) are different from and better than those based on modern portfolio theory (MPT).
• Identify the difference between an “income portfolio” and a “growth portfolio.”
• Analyze the “critical path” and how it pertains to monitoring a portfolio to make sure it is on track to meet personal financial goals.
• Recognize how dedicated portfolios are based on the classic “matching cash flows” problem.

Section 752 allows a partner to increase their outside basis in a partnership by the partner's share of the partnership's liabilities. Although this is a taxpayer-friendly rule, this area of the law is often misunderstood, as practitioners must be able to differentiate between two different definitions of "nonrecourse" and "recourse" liabilities before those liabilities can be properly allocated. In this session, Tony Nitti will explain the different definitions of nonrecourse and recourse liabilities and how those differences drive a proper allocation of partnership liabilities.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the difference between "nonrecourse" and "recourse" liabilities for both state law and tax law purposes. 
• Recognize the appropriate methods for allocating nonrecourse and recourse liabilities among partners. 
• Recognize the appropriate methods for allocating nonrecourse and recourse liabilities among partners. 

This session provides a comprehensive review of the myriad of tax and financial issues involved in the administration of a client’s estate, including first steps to take upon learning of a client's passing; coordinating efforts among the financial advisors assisting the family; planning for and preparing Federal and state estate tax returns, including the federal portability election; planning for and preparing federal and state individual income and fiduciary income tax returns, including a review of the various income tax planning issues and elections that arise; discussing various financial planning issues that the family faces, including qualified retirement plan distribution options; and advising on any generation skipping income tax elections and issues.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the tax and financial planning issues involved in the administration of a client's estate.
• Determine the tax compliance issues faced in the administration of an estate.
• Recognize how the CPA can provide value to the family in the administration of a client's estate.

At some point in their careers, most tax practitioners will find themselves representing a client in some form of tax controversy. Although non-lawyer tax professionals may represent clients all the way through the U.S. Tax Court, some cases require — or at least highly recommend — the involvement of an attorney. This session will explore the situations in which an attorney is necessary, or at least highly useful, to effective representation in tax controversy matters.

Learning Objectives:

• Distinguish the aspects of tax dispute resolution that may be performed by a non-attorney tax professional from those that require a lawyer.
• Identify when involving a lawyer may be necessary to protect your client's rights.

The digital assets landscape is evolving rapidly, presenting both significant opportunities and challenges for accounting professionals and their organizations. This panel will provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the growth, adoption, and disruption shaping the digital assets environment. Tailored specifically for the accounting industry, this session will explore how these shifts are affecting the profession and offer actionable insights to help firms not only adapt, but thrive in this dynamic ecosystem. The session will cover the following:
• A retrospective on crypto and blockchain innovations: A review of significant advancements in digital assets and blockchain over the past 1-2 years, including emerging technologies, stablecoins, decentralized finance (DeFi), and more.
• Impact on industries and the accounting profession: An analysis of how these innovations are transforming industries, with a focus on their implications for accounting professionals and firms.
• Key regulatory updates: Insights into critical regulatory actions and legislative developments, and their potential impact on financial reporting, tax compliance, and risk management.
• Global regulatory landscape: A discussion of U.S. and international regulations, with guidance on how organizations can prepare for upcoming changes.
• Practical guidance for firms: Best practices for implementing effective controls and processes to manage digital asset-related activities, alignment with emerging standards, and strategies for addressing challenges such as valuation, custody, and auditing of digital assets.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze recent trends and developments in the digital assets ecosystem and their relevance to accounting professionals.
• Recall the current regulatory and compliance environment for digital assets, and anticipate potential changes.
• Identify key risks in digital asset-related engagements and implement controls to effectively manage them.
• Apply insights and best practices to position firms for success in the evolving digital asset landscape.

Join us for a focused session designed for client advisory services (CAS) leaders, as we dive into crafting a dynamic HR advisory firm strategy. From identifying service offerings to staffing and pricing strategies, attendees will gain actionable insights to elevate their firms in the realm of client advisory. Don't miss this opportunity to unlock new avenues for growth and success in CAS through an effective HR advisory firm strategy.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key HR advisory strategies that align with client needs and complement an existing client advisory services (CAS) practice.
• Distinguish service model approaches to effectively scale an HR advisory offering.
• Recognize the strategic impact of integrating HR advisory services within a CAS practice to drive firm growth and differentiation.

In a world where artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are transforming business, the importance of human skills is paramount. Discover how mastering these five essential leadership skills—critical thinking, creativity, empathy, strategic vision, and interpersonal relationships—can set you apart and propel your accounting career to new heights. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, you’ll discover how to harness these skills to stay ahead, stand out, and succeed in the ever-evolving accounting profession.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize how artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and tools like ChatGPT are transforming the accounting profession and why human skills are more important than ever.
• Identify the five leadership skills that will have a positive impact on your career and trajectory in the world of technological advances.
• Identify strategies to continuously develop, harness, and integrate the essential human skills of critical thinking, creativity, empathy, strategic vision, and interpersonal relationships to stay competitive and succeed in the evolving business landscape.

As the rate of “gray divorce” — separations among couples aged 50 and older — continues to rise, CPAs are increasingly called upon to navigate the complex financial landscape these splits entail. This session will delve into the unique challenges and opportunities presented by gray divorce, with a focus on critical tax implications and planning strategies. Attendees will gain insights into key areas such as retirement account division, Social Security benefits, and asset transfer regulations. We'll explore how tax laws affect divorce settlements for older couples and discuss practical approaches to minimize tax burdens for clients. By the end of this session, CPAs will be equipped with valuable knowledge to guide clients through the financial intricacies of gray divorce, ensuring optimal tax positioning and financial stability in their post-divorce lives.

Learning Objectives:

• Distinguish the unique financial and emotional challenges faced by individuals divorcing after 50.
• Recognize advanced techniques for equitable distribution of assets and understanding tax implications to minimize tax burdens for their clients.
• Recognize best practices for comprehensive financial assessment and strategic planning in gray divorce.

With all of the changes in personnel taking place at the IRS, taxpayers and tax professionals are increasingly finding themselves wondering where to turn for help. When the regular avenues for resolving issues with the IRS are not working, the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) may be able to help. Come learn when a referral to TAS may be helpful, how to request assistance, and what other roles TAS plays in advocating for taxpayers and their rights.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the role of the Taxpayer Advocate Service within the IRS.
• Identify the criteria used by the Taxpayer Advocate Service to determine when to accept a case referral.
• Explain the requirements of Form 911 and how to best advocate for clients before the Taxpayer Advocate Service.

This session will look at why estate planning is critical for the modest estate owner and review post-mortem tax, administrative, and fiduciary elections with an emphasis on the portability election vs. conventional credit shelter trust planning. We will also walk participants through the process of filing the decedent's final income tax return and relevant elections, and look at the issues when the decedent was a partner in a partnership or S corporate shareholder at the time of death.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize why planning is critical for those with estates under $13 million and how planning could be impacted under the new administration.
• Recognize the various post-mortem tax elections and why the portability election could be significant.
• Identify the various elections, including applicable business elections, available when filing the decedent's final income tax return.

A well-structured estate plan relies on properly drafted legal documents that align with planning strategies and comply with tax regulations. This session will provide a comprehensive review of key legal documents used in common estate planning strategies, focusing on compliance with tax requirements, identification of potential tax and non-tax issues, and strategies for mitigating risks. Through in-depth discussion and case studies, we’ll explore best practices for analyzing trust agreements, entity structures, and other planning documents to ensure they achieve the intended objectives while minimizing exposure to unintended consequences.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess key legal documents.
• Interpret tax and non-tax issues.
• Evaluate risk mitigation strategies.

In this session, entrepreneur and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tom Finegan will deliver an insightful new way to think about building future generations of leadership. Through an exploration of the career journeys of several leaders and analyses of “True Amplifiers” in action, this session will:
• Describe how you can identify and nurture the future leaders on your team and throughout your organization
• Explore how you can build amplifier traits, behaviors, and characteristics to grow your own career and leadership capabilities.
• Explain the different ways that being a true amplifier is experienced through a diverse lens and perspective.
This session is perfect for business leaders at all levels, as the lessons shared will provide a fresh and original take on building leaders, particularly in the up and down cycles of organizational transformation.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how to improve effectiveness of corporate strategy and culture.
• Recognize the common styles, motives, and traits of leaders, followers, and amplifiers.
• Identify the tools needed to scout for amplifiers at your organizations and drive improved team performance.
• Recognize how to best leverage your organization’s amplifiers, leaders, and followers to achieve outcomes for the financial health of the organization.

Are you a CPA firm manager who is new to practice management? Do you find yourself wondering how to effectively measure and interpret your firm’s financial health? Join us for an informative session designed to introduce you to the essential key performance indicators (KPIs), financial statements, and time and billing reports that can transform how you manage your firm’s performance.

In this session, we’ll break down the key metrics you need to track for a thriving CPA firm, including profitability ratios, utilization rates, and realization rates. We’ll also explain how to interpret balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and cash flow reports so you can understand the story behind the numbers and make informed decisions that drive growth.

You’ll learn practical techniques to monitor and analyze time and billing reports, identifying trends in productivity, billing efficiency, and client profitability. We’ll explore how to use these reports to optimize your firm’s workflow, boost profitability, and identify areas for improvement.

By the end of this session, you’ll have the tools and knowledge to confidently evaluate your firm’s financial performance, set actionable goals, and make strategic decisions that support your firm’s growth and success. Whether you’re new to practice management or looking to sharpen your skills, this session will equip you with the insights you need to lead your firm to greater profitability and efficiency.

Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock the full potential of your firm’s financial data!

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the skills to analyze and interpret financial statements and essential key performance indicators (KPIs) of a CPA firm, enabling CPA firm operations and human resource leaders to make data-driven decisions that enhance firm growth and efficiency.
• Identify essential KPIs, such as profitability ratios, utilization rates, and realization rates, to assess your firm’s financial health and performance.
• Recognize how to effectively use time and billing reports to track productivity, improve billing efficiency, and identify opportunities for better client management and increased profitability.

With the implementation of the new lease standard (FASB ASC 842) behind us, this session tackles the more complicated challenges practitioners encounter when accounting for leases. Get advice related to recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure issues that arise beyond the more straight-forward application of ASC 842.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess technical literature and other practice guidance relevant to addressing the topics covered in this program.
• Evaluate complicated accounting and financial reporting issues affecting leases at nonpublic entities.

This session will provide an overview of Statement on Auditing Standards No. 143, Auditing Accounting Estimates and Related Disclosures, focusing on the opportunities to scale the requirements of SAS No. 143 to accounting estimates of all levels of complexity.

Learning Objectives:

• Apply SAS No. 143 to accounting estimates of differing levels of complexity.
• Analyze the concepts of management bias and estimation uncertainty, and their impact on the risk assessment procedures and audit responses.

As the business environment continues to move forward rapidly, employing technology at nearly every turn, clients expect their auditors to keep pace using technology to deliver audit quality.

This session will discuss how the standards have evolved in response to the advancement of technology—how some small firms have embraced the change management process, and the lessons learned from past experiences.

We will also take a deeper look at how auditors can increase their use of technology to plan and perform audits.

This session will offer practical applications and examples of how technology can enhance today’s audit.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess how technology is shifting perspectives on the value of an audit.
• Evaluate where and why auditors use, or avoid, technology in the audit process.
• Interpret how to overcome barriers to adopting and applying technology during your audits, including the mindset, talent, and resource investments necessary to sustain audit quality delivered through technology.
• Evaluate the opportunities the evolution of technology brings to auditors in the planning and performance of an audit.

Elizabeth Forspan, Esq., of Forspan Klear LLP, a New York-based trusts and estates and elder care law firm, will discuss the tax issues that clients and professionals must consider when engaging in Medicaid and elder care planning. Her session will review the importance of irrevocable trusts and other planning tools. Elizabeth will discuss situations where good estate planning may not always equal good elder care planning. Her session will focus on Medicaid and long-term care planning and its interplay with income and estate taxation.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the basics of long-term care and Medicaid planning and how one’s clients can become eligible.
• Recognize the income tax issues involved in elder care planning, including the basis and capital gains tax issues.
• Distinguish the interplay between estate taxation, income taxation, and elder care planning.
• Recognize how planning for long-term care can impact your clients financially and legally.

As the number of adults who identify as DINKs (Dual Income, No Kids) and SINKs (Single and No Kids) continues to grow, the need for financial plans that address those varying life paths and goals grows. This session covers the unique areas of focus of childfree clients, along with strategies to offer that go beyond the typical financial planning path toward retirement at 65 and transferring a large amount of wealth to the next generation.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the unique planning considerations of clients without children
• Differentiate the strategies and pitfalls that non-traditional life paths require
• Determine areas of planning that require more focus and those that are less relevant

An honest panel about what it's like after your firm receives an investment from a private equity (PE) company — from non-owners. And that's the key: there's no perception of a giant windfall for us within the profession, so you'll get an honest take.

We'll come prepared with discussion questions, but we want your questions, too. We will be actively using the app during the session for folks to submit and upvote topics and questions you want us to chat about.

Learning Objectives:

• Indicate what it is like at a firm after a PE investment
• Identify the pros and cons of what it's actually like to work at the firm after a PE investment

Technology is changing the accounting industry fast. If you want your firm to stay competitive, you need the right tech stack—one that connects your systems, improves efficiency, and supports long-term growth.

In this session, Nicole and Chris break down exactly what goes into a modern tech stack for small accounting firms. We’ll cover the essential tools—tax software, practice management platforms, communication systems, and more. But more importantly, we’ll show you how to make them work together.

A great tech stack isn’t just a collection of apps—it’s a fully integrated system that streamlines your workflow. We’ll talk about how to think strategically about technology, ensuring that your tools communicate effectively and enhance productivity. When your systems are connected, your firm runs smoother, delivers better client service, and becomes more valuable in the long run.

We’ll also tackle how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of accounting. Whether you’re just starting to explore tech solutions or looking to refine your current setup, you’ll walk away with actionable insights to optimize your firm’s operations and maximize efficiency.

If you own a small firm or are responsible for your firm’s technology strategy, this session is for you. Join us to learn how the right tech stack can help you work smarter, not harder—and set your practice up for long-term success.

Target Audience: This session is designed for small firm owners and accounting practitioners seeking to enhance their understanding of technology in the accounting space. Whether you are just beginning to explore your firm’s technology needs or looking to refine your existing setup, this session provides the insights necessary to navigate the evolving landscape of accounting technology effectively.

Learning Objectives:

• Distinguish the key components of a modern tech stack.
• Identify areas to create efficiency in your firm via an effective technology strategy.
• Identify how your technology strategy will impact your firm's ability to take advantage of artificial intelligence (AI).

Join us for an engaging panel discussion with industry experts as they delve into the complexities of third-party risk management and SOC reporting. Explore best practices, emerging trends, and practical strategies to enhance your organization's risk management framework and ensure compliance with SOC reporting requirements.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate actionable tips and strategies from experts to strengthen and optimize SOC reporting procedures for improved risk mitigation and regulatory compliance.
• Assess common challenges and pitfalls in third-party risk management and SOC reporting processes, and the mitigation strategies to address these issues effectively.
• Interpret the role of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, in enhancing third-party risk management practices and streamlining SOC reporting procedures.

In the fast-paced world of accounting, providing high-quality client advisory services often competes with the challenge of managing time and resources effectively. Balancing existing workloads with the need for strategic, value-added advice can feel overwhelming. Enter generative AI—a powerful tool poised to transform the delivery of advisory services.

This session will explore how generative AI can help accountants overcome time constraints and elevate the quality of their advisory offerings. Attendees will gain insights into practical AI applications, from analyzing client data to generating actionable recommendations and automating routine advisory tasks.

By embracing these cutting-edge tools, accounting professionals can unlock new growth opportunities, scale their advisory services, and deliver more personalized, impactful guidance to clients—all while working more efficiently and effectively.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key areas within Client Advisory Services (CAS) where AI is being applied to drive efficiencies and add value, and understand how these applications align with industry standards and best practices.
• Recognize effective change management strategies, including staff training, process adjustments, and client communication, to ensure a seamless transition to AI-augmented services.
• Identify the evolving skillsets required in a CAS practice as AI is integrated, and understand the implications for hiring, training, and role restructuring.

Filing the tax return should not be the end of tax season! The return represents a unique and powerful engagement opportunity between financial advisors and their clients. And unlike other planning conversations (e.g. estate planning), with tax we get a brand new document to review every year.
This session will cover key conversation opportunities arising out of 1040 reviews. Advisors can use time to demystify taxes for clients, review tax planning strategies enacted in the previous year, and set up strategies to be employed in the current year.
The session will also cover best practices for creating the processes and templates around building a formal and repeatable tax return review process.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify opportunities and techniques to demystify taxes for financial advisory clients.
• Identify a checklist of financial planning opportunities that can be identified directly from Form 1040.
• Recognize best practices for building a tax return review process for financial planning purposes.

The future of work is here. And, your success in this new world requires new perspectives and new approaches for building an attractive workplace. In this session, we will map the blueprint for building a place where people want to work. You'll walk away with tangible actions to take to harness your opportunities, move forward with preparedness, and set your organization apart as an employer of choice.

Specifics include: the power of belonging, connecting with purpose, unleashing potential and more.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the fundamental shifts of workplace models and employee mindsets
• Identify the leadership skills that must evolve to ensure organizational success
• Identify conversations to have within your organizations about your readiness to compete in the world of workplace attraction

The sunset of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) indicates a significant turning point. Planning for it in advance is critical. The rewards for thinking ahead are enormous, as are the consequences of failing to do so.
Moreover, as with many tax provisions, the TCJA sunset is likely to spur Congress to act. By examining the challenges and economic impact of the sunset, we can better understand what tax reforms might occur in 2025.
The session will cover the following specific points:
• TJCA sunset overview
• The mathematics of Section 199A
• Sunset of the individual bracket structure
• Sunset of the TCJA deduction regime
• Opportunity Zones and forced recognition
• Excess business loss limitation, bonus deprecation, and Section 179
• Estate tax planning for sunset

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the mechanics of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) sunset.
• Determine the general scope of potential reform.
• Analyze the planning opportunities and traps for the unwary.
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In the past decade, historically low interest rates meant families could transfer wealth by making modest principal gifts rather than large ones. That’s because they could leverage the future growth of their assets using borrowed funds to boost future returns. Thanks to minimal borrowing costs, such “leveraged strategies” flourished in low-interest environments.

Today, interest rates have eased modestly from their peak, but they still reflect a somewhat restrictive Federal Reserve stance rather than a stimulative one. As a result, families continue to grapple with higher capital costs. This session will cover estate planning techniques that will struggle and those will thrive as interest rates soar.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze how a period of historically low interest rates has shaped estate planning and wealth transfer strategy over the last decade.
• Determine which estate planning techniques will remain effective wealth transfer mechanisms as interest rates rise.
• Distinguish which estate planning techniques will struggle as interest rates increase.

This session dives into the transformative power of career ownership through the lens of relocation, international assignments, and challenging roles in developing markets. Discover how each experience can build resilience, cultural awareness, and a toolkit for overcoming obstacles. By exploring real-life stories of adapting to new environments, leveraging past experiences to unlock new opportunities, and embracing stretch assignments, attendees will leave equipped to take charge of their own career paths and navigate uncharted professional territories with confidence. In a world of remote working and virtual meetings, this session will also highlight the significant impact of in-person connections.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the impact of relocation and international assignments on personal and professional growth and how to leverage these experiences for career advancement.
• Identify strategies for success in challenging markets, including overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for personal development.
• Identify stretch assignments and leverage past experiences to unlock new opportunities and pivot your career in a meaningful way.
• Recall practical tips for taking ownership of your career, setting meaningful goals, and building a support network.

The accounting profession is changing rapidly due to technological advancements, shifting regulatory landscapes, and evolving client expectations. To succeed in this dynamic environment, public accounting firms must invest in cultivating future leaders who possess technical expertise, strong business acumen, and transformational leadership skills. Key discussion topics include how to recognize leadership skills in others and how to incorporate strategies in developing the next generation of leaders.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how to gain actionable frameworks for introducing transformational leadership— designed to build more adaptive and visionary leaders— within firms.
• Recognize how cultivating business acumen skills will empower future leaders to make informed decisions, manage client relationships, and contribute to firm growth.
• Recognize the key factors influencing retention, including mentorship, professional development, and meaningful work.
• Identify how adaptability, emotional intelligence, and effective communication play a role in leadership building.

Are you a group auditor, component auditor, or referred-to auditor? Join us to learn about the new risk-based approach in Statement on Auditing Standards No. 149, Special Considerations — Audits of Group Financial Statements, as well as important communications with firms within or outside your network.

Learning Objectives:

• Recall fundamental risk-based changes introduced by SAS No. 149
• Identify key definitions and concepts related to group audits, including the responsibilities of auditors involved in a group audit
• Recognize important communications between the group auditor and component auditors or referred-to auditors

Guidance on addressing the SAS No. 145, Understanding the Entity and Its Environment and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement, requirement for evaluating IT within the system of internal controls. We will focus on identifying risks arising from the use of IT and discuss how IT risks and controls impact the five components of the system of internal controls. We will walk through examples on how to assess the risks and controls in entities with complex applications, systems interfaces, data warehouses, and SOC reports, as well as entities with high volumes of transactions and complex financial reporting.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize SAS No. 145 requirements to document the use of IT in an entity’s control environment
• Identify IT related risks within business processes and the mitigating controls
• Identify how IT risks and controls impact the five components of the system of internal controls
• Analyze examples on how to assess the IT risks and controls in entities with high volumes of transactions and complex financial reporting

Recent analyses performed by the SEC and others have identified that many statements of cash flows are not prepared in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 230, Statement of Cash Flows. This session will help participants identify common errors in preparing cash flow statements and the appropriate ways to correct these deficiencies.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the "Top 5" most common errors seen by regulators and others when entities prepare statements of cash flows
• Identify the proper way to correct these deficiencies and avoid future errors

In an era of increasing longevity and complex financial landscapes, financial advisors play a critical role in guiding clients through the intricate journey of aging. This presentation will provide a comprehensive roadmap for developing holistic elder plans that address not just financial security, but the multifaceted challenges of aging. Participants will learn how to create nuanced, personalized strategies that protect clients' financial and personal well-being, with a special focus on identifying and preventing elder financial abuse and exploitation.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify a holistic elder planning framework.
• Recognize risk mitigation and client protection strategies.
• Recognize adaptive financial strategies for aging clients.
• Identify comprehensive communication and monitoring protocols.

This session will explore how clients use Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) systems to help automate their evidence collection; reflect on AICPA attestation standards and auditing requirements that must be followed when clients provide automated evidence; and consider the need to maintain auditor skepticism and apply professional judgement.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess the evolving market evolution of Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) systems used to automate evidence collection.
• Evaluate the fundamentals of appropriate audit procedures that must still be maintained even when interacting with the GRC systems.
• Interpret inherent risks and the need for specialized audit procedures to use evidence sourced through GRC systems.

This session will cover recent hot topics for single family offices, including an overview of recent case law and judicial activity, tax matters concerning the formation of the family office, leading practices for structuring investment partnerships, and looking ahead to observed trends and other developments.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate recent case law and judicial developments impacting family offices
• Assess tax matters concerning the formation of the family office
• Analyze leading practices for structuring investment partnerships
• Interpret trends and other developments

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 expanded broker reporting of IRC Section 6045 to include digital assets. This reporting will start for 2025, and final regulations were issued in June 2024. This presentation covers the highlights of the final regulations, two notices, and a revenue procedure released in June 2024 that address 1099-DA reporting for 2025 and later. We will discuss record keeping and other due diligence requirements, as well as the additional time you and your clients will need to take to ensure proper reporting because the forms received will need to be reconciled to taxpayer records now that not all digital asset transactions will have a 1099-DA.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize who is a broker, what is reported, and how to reconcile the 1099-DAs to taxpayer records based on the final broker reporting regulations.
• Distinguish what will be reported on Form 1099-DA and what transactions involving digital assets will not be reported on a 1099-DA.
• Identify a tax preparer's due diligence actions needed to help clients with digital asset transactions in preparing an accurate tax return.

The centralized partnership audit regime enacted as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA), generally effective for partnership taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2018, has changed the way partnerships and their partners are affected by changes to partnership returns. These changes can be made by the partnership under the administrative adjustment request (AAR) procedures or by the IRS in an IRS partnership audit. In recent years, partnerships have been a primary focus of the IRS’ enforcement activities. The BBA rules are complex, and continue to challenge taxpayers, their advisers, and the IRS. This presentation will focus on the current state of the BBA partnership audit regime and provide tips for navigating these rules.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the current IRS partnership enforcement landscape and how it has evolved since the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA) was enacted.
• Recognize challenges with the administrative adjustment request (AAR) process and IRS audits and ways to navigate these challenges.
• Indicate what the future of the BBA partnership audit looks like, and which changes could simplify the regime.

How can you protect yourself—and your family—online? What threats are out there, and how do people exploit them? Most importantly, what can you actually do to safeguard your personal privacy?

This session answers these questions and more by helping you build your online “self-defense.” We'll explore common personal privacy risks and give you actionable strategies to reduce them.

Geared toward individuals rather than businesses, this session covers online exposure, fraud prevention, defensive technologies, and practical habits to help you “train your brain” to think critically and stay safe in today’s digital world.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the risks of online exposure and their potential consequences.
• Identify how personal information online can be exploited by hackers.
• Identify basic techniques, technologies, and safeguards to protect personal privacy.
• Identify how to secure and enhance the privacy of your digital accounts.

Practice management, time and billing, document management—these are the foundation of most firms’ tech stacks. But what about the other apps that solve everyday challenges around productivity, training, and communication?

In this fast-paced session, our panelists will spotlight nine standout apps—three from each category—that can help transform how your firm works. This isn't a deep dive; it’s a speed run designed to give you a broad overview, real-world use cases, and immediate direction on where to focus next.

You’ll leave with a list of tools to explore and bonus app recommendations included in the presentation materials.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and provide an overview of interesting apps that enhance productivity, communication, and training within a firm.
• Recognize and be inspired by practical app solutions that address common challenges and improve day-to-day operations.

Join us for a guided exploration of the AICPA ENGAGE exhibit hall, where you'll discover the cutting-edge technologies transforming the accounting profession. This interactive session takes you on a curated journey to select exhibitors showcasing innovative solutions that address today's most pressing accounting challenges.

Throughout this 50-minute tour, you'll:

- Get hands-on demonstrations of emerging technologies from leading providers
- Learn how these tools can streamline your workflow and enhance client services
- Engage directly with technology experts to ask questions specific to your practice
- Discover integration opportunities between different platforms
- Connect with fellow practitioners facing similar technology decisions

Our knowledgeable guide will provide context for each stop, helping you understand how these solutions fit into the evolving accounting ecosystem. Whether you're looking to modernize your practice, solve specific operational challenges, or simply stay ahead of technology trends, this guided tour offers valuable insights in an efficient format.

Perfect for firm leaders, technology decision-makers, and forward-thinking practitioners seeking practical technology solutions. Limited spots available - reserve your place today!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify at least emerging technologies that can automate routine accounting tasks and improve practice efficiency through direct demonstrations from selected exhibitors.
• Evaluate potential technology investments based on ROI metrics, implementation requirements, and integration capabilities with existing systems as presented by solution providers.
• Develop a practical technology adoption roadmap specific to your firm's size, client base, and service offerings using insights gained from exhibitor demonstrations and expert guides.

Forward thinking firms are already using AI to drive efficiencies and automations. This session will provide real world examples of the impact AI & Agentic AI are already having on the Tax Workflow. We will also discuss the rapidly evolving sentiment towards AI across the industry and share where we see Agentic AI’s potential to drive even more impact in the near future.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to recognize real-world implementations of AI technology in tax workflows and assess their impact on efficiency, accuracy, and resource allocation in professional tax environments.
• Participants will be able to explain the fundamental differences between conventional AI tools and agentic AI systems and articulate how these differences create new opportunities for tax workflow automation.

Join us for part two of Ian Bremmer's 2024 keynote presentation where he will speak to post election ramifications and opportunities...

For the past 15 years, the post-Cold War global order has been breaking down, leaving us to respond to a series of crises with both political, market, and business implications. Ian Bremmer explains that geopolitics has entered a bust cycle. The world’s most powerful country - the United States - has become the most politically dysfunctional rich-world country. The world’s most important bilateral relationship - US-China - is deteriorating more quickly than leaders can build new guardrails. Today’s global institutions no longer reflect the world’s true balance of power. The result: a growing vacuum of leadership and cross-border coordination.

This geopolitical recession will continue to limit our ability to respond to crises like the pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, climate change, and the emergence of disruptive new technologies.

Ian will share ideas and insights to help business decision-makers navigate a world in accelerating transition.

Unlock the power of your unique personality to drive your career forward and secure the ideal position that aligns with your strengths and passions. This session will guide you through understanding different personality types, identifying your own, and leveraging this self-awareness and other-awareness to enhance your professional growth. You will learn practical strategies to navigate career challenges, improve workplace relationships, make informed career decisions, and understand what type of work energizes or drains you. By the end of this session, you will be equipped with the tools and insights needed to thrive in your career and find the perfect role that fits you best.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify different personality types and their characteristics.
• Recognize your own personality type and its impact on your career.
• Distinguish between work environments that energize or drain you.

This session will focus on alternative practice structures and independence requirements that firms need to comply with. Today, alternative practice structures in the accounting profession predominantly involve private equity investors. The AICPA's Professional Ethics Executive Committee has appointed a taskforce to review the current extant guidance on alternative practice structures and to determine whether new guidance is needed (authoritative and/or nonauthoritative). The session will include an update on the taskforce's progress.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify what an alternative practice structure is
• Evaluate why firms and investors are entering into alternative practice structures
• Distinguish how to comply with independence requirements when operating under an alternative practice structure
• Analyze potential issues when operating under an alternative practice structure

The cybersecurity landscape is evolving, and it can feel like your organization is on the defensive keeping up with the latest cyber risks, regulations, and emerging trends. As we’re seeing in recent headlines, even the most established organizations are subject to cybersecurity attacks. While sophisticated hacking is a valid threat, it’s rarely the root cause of a data breach. To mitigate risk, you must understand your organization’s unique vulnerabilities, cybersecurity processes, and controls.

The speakers have spent that past year collecting and observing key trends shaping the cybersecurity environment. and will give a full breakdown of what organizations need to know about trending risks and how to mitigate them.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the current trends in the cybersecurity landscape
• Identify the internal and external cybersecurity related risks that organizations face
• Recognize key actions that can be taken to reduce the cyber risks that your organization faces

In this session, we will review tax residency planning for individuals, businesses, and trusts. We will also discuss some non-tax reasons an individual, business, or trust may wish to establish domicile in a more favorable jurisdiction.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key considerations and steps to change domicile and cut ties with a state’s taxing authority.
• Determine how tax implications of business transactions can be significantly impacted by the domicile of the business and business owners.
• Analyze how certain trusts may be used to provide benefits permitted under the laws of the state’s situs even if the taxpayer resides in a less favorable jurisdiction.

This session will focus on both the financial and qualitative issues that need to be addressed when considering wealth transfer ideas for families with multi-generational wealth. Even if the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is extended, families with multi-generational wealth face estate tax issues and just as important, seek to maintain family unity to preserve the wealth. Several proven concepts will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify wealth transfer strategies most appropriate for multigenerational wealthy clients.
• Determine qualitative issues that need to be addressed to ensure successful transition of wealth to future generations.
• Analyze best practices for successfully advising ultra-high net worth clients regarding wealth transfer strategies.

Strategic goals are only as powerful as the actions they inspire. In today’s data-rich environment, successful organizations are those that can effectively translate strategy into clear, actionable, and measurable performance indicators. This session will explore how to build a Corporate Performance Management (CPM) framework that aligns metrics with business strategy, enables data-driven decisions, and highlights areas for operational improvement. You'll learn how to avoid common pitfalls like vanity metrics and instead focus on the measures that truly move the needle.

Whether you’re refining your existing KPIs or building your performance dashboard from scratch, this session will give you practical tools and insights to ensure your metrics are meaningful, aligned, and impactful.

Learning Objectives:

• Translate high-level strategic objectives into specific, actionable, and measurable performance indicators.
• Distinguish between useful KPIs and misleading or non-actionable metrics ("vanity metrics").
• Build a performance measurement framework that supports continuous improvement and a data-driven culture.
• Understand the role of communication and collaboration across departments in maintaining metric relevance and engagement.

Much of professional and personal success depends on persuading others to recognize your value. Whether you’re more comfortable leading from behind the scenes or at the forefront, your personal brand is key to influencing perceptions, gaining recognition, and advancing your career.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the core elements of a personal brand and explain how they contribute to professional visibility and credibility.
• Distinguish between current personal branding strategies and the techniques to align your brand with your professional goals and values.
• Select a personalized action plan to enhance your personal brand, increase influence, and elevate career opportunities.

Deciding how much to spend from savings in retirement is complicated given uncertain lifespans, asset returns, inflation, and more. This presentation explores the concept that lifetime income can give retirees a “license to spend,” whereby households with a greater share of their wealth in lifetime income spend more than retirees who hold more of their wealth in savings. Additional topics discussed include a framework to determine the optimal lifetime income strategy, advisor perspectives on lifetime income solutions, and how we can improve financial plans to give clients better advice and guidance.

Learning Objectives:

• Interpret how households should manage different types of risks.
• Evaluate how households deploy their wealth to fund consumption in retirement.
• Assess why many financial planning tools may not accurately portray the potential value of lifetime income strategies.

We will discuss the significance of buy-sell agreements in business succession planning, including the impact of the recent Supreme Court decision in Connelly v. United States. All buy-sell agreements and insurance premiums should be reviewed. Specific guidance will be presented for professional entities, including CPAs and attorneys. The recent Clark Raymond decision will also be discussed.

Session highlights include:
• Proper structure post-Connelly
• Entity considerations—corporation v. partnership
• Contract purchase price allocations
• Special S corporation traps
• Section 754 election and partnership traps
• Goodwill and valuation

Learning Objectives:

• Determine the tax effects of buy-sell agreements.
• Identify key concepts of business valuation and life insurance.

Join us for an in-depth discussion on cybersecurity compliance. In this session, leading SOC practitioners will discuss the professional responsibilities and disclosure requirements when a client experiences a security incident.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine the initial steps to take after a client experiences a security incident.
• Analyze the criteria used in determining whether a client’s security incident meets the disclosure requirements under professional standards.
• Identify key areas of risk related to signing a SOC opinion over a system that experienced a security incident.

This session will focus on renewable energy tax incentives, including Production Tax Credits (PTC) and Investment Tax Credits (ITC), as well as the usability of these credits. We will explore the updates introduced by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, including new and expanded eligibility criteria, enhanced credit rates, and transferability options. Participants will learn about the qualified energy resources, property, and projects eligible for these incentives and how businesses and not-for-profits can strategically leverage these opportunities to offset costs, meet sustainability goals, and enhance financial outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the most recent updates impacting the Inflation Reduction Act as it relates to 2025 federal tax reform.
• Identify renewable energy tax credits such as the Production Tax Credits (PTC), Investment Tax Credits (ITC), and Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit, including eligibility requirements, qualified energy resources, eligible manufacturing components, and credit rates.
• Determine how the transferability and refundability provisions under IRC §6417 and §6418 allow for-profit and not-for-profit entities to maximize the value of renewable energy tax credits.
• Identify practical strategies for businesses and not-for-profits to leverage these credits effectively to reduce tax liabilities, enhance sustainability initiatives, and support renewable energy investments.

The taxation of employee compensatory stock options can be quite complex. Proper planning in this area can also be filled with potential traps. This fast-paced session will help you fully understand the different tax rules for the entire alphabet soup of options: RSUs, NQs, ISOs and ESPPs. You’ll also take away detailed examples of how to correctly report these transactions on your clients’ tax returns.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the various types of employee stock options.
• Determine the taxation of the different kinds of options.
• Analyze planning tips for your clients with stock options.

As the vendor landscape continues to expand, public companies often manage hundreds of core vendors and thousands more in less critical roles. This proliferation has created a complex risk and threat environment, encompassing both insider and external issues. This session will identify key vendor risks for organizations, explore global threats, and discuss proactive measures to prepare, plan, and develop resilient vendor risk programs. Additionally, we will examine the evolving regulatory landscape and emerging threats impacting the vendor ecosystem.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the vendor risk landscape.
• Identify current risks and threats.
• Evaluate emerging risks and technologies.
• Differentiate new and upcoming regulations related to vendor risk management.

We've been conditioned to not fail, and lots of things get put in the "fail" bucket that don't belong there. We will talk about how these "failures" were actually positives — in the sense that quitting a job is the right thing to do (vs. there was a silver lining down the road)

We will talk about stories of traditional failure that are positives. Examples include quitting a job, getting fired, losing a client, big changes where everyone does not come along, starting a business and closing.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify traditional definitions of failure
• Distinguish your actions as successes versus failures

Unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365 in this dynamic breakout session tailored for CPAs across diverse specialties, including tax, auditing, technology, wealth advising, and more. Dive deep into the hidden gems of Microsoft 365 that can elevate your productivity and streamline your processes. Learn practical tips and innovative strategies to leverage the suite's powerful tools more effectively, ensuring you get the most out of your daily software use. Whether you're looking to enhance collaboration or optimize task management, this session will equip you with the knowledge to transform your practice. Join us to revolutionize the way you work with Microsoft 365!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify different ways that you can tap into the full potential of Microsoft 365.
• Identify a series of specific initiatives that you can implement to optimize Your Microsoft 365 ROI.

Success in business is something so many of us are striving for in the accounting profession. Mental health issues are a pervasive problem in society at large and accountants are at a higher risk than average for being affected by them. This is in part because burnout is so prevalent in our profession. Burnout can turn into a mental health issue that can negatively impact your life, your employees, and your firm unless it is identified early and appropriately addressed.

In this presentation, Randy Crabtree will discuss the business case for making mental health a priority in the accounting profession by leaders, employees, and accounting firm organizations.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the impact of and actionable strategies for addressing burnout and mental health issues in the accounting profession at individual, team, and firm levels.
• Distinguish how to assess an individual’s own mental health situation and risk factors.
• Recognize concrete steps that can be used to reduce stress and burnout to keep you, your team, and your firm healthy.
• Identify how to implement mental wellness initiatives that benefit mental, emotional, and social health as well as the business metrics in the firm.

This session will discuss what trust accounting income (TAI) is, what rules govern TAI, and how to calculate TAI. The session will review the provisions of the Uniform Principal and Income Act as drafted by the Uniform Law Commission and how this affects the calculation of an estate or trust’s distributable net income and the amount that will be taxed to the trust and the beneficiaries. To understand TAI, the session will include a case study, which will illustrate the operation of the Uniform Principal and Income Act and how it affects who gets what when distributions are made from an estate or trust.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify what trust accounting income (TAI) is and why it is important in the administration of an estate or trust.
• Analyze the Uniform Principal and Income Act and its relevance in calculating trust accounting income.
• Distinguish between items that are allocated to trust accounting income and items that are allocated to trust corpus or principal.

Join tax litigator Keri Brown for a discussion of hot topics that the IRS is focusing on in their transfer tax audits and litigation.

This session will focus on current issues and trends at the audit level, appeals, and in litigation, including the IRS’s current darlings (formula clauses, split-dollar life insurance, QTIP terminations, and penalties), as well as the old standbys (section 2036, valuation, and adequate disclosure), and more. We will discuss recent cases (including McDougall and Estate of Anenberg), the IRS’s positions, and how to best position clients at the planning level.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the IRS’s developing focus areas.
• Recognize how to position your client for audit success at the planning level, including how to minimize the effect of a privilege waiver.
• Understand the IRS's developing focus areas

As finance business partners, we aim to become strategic partners driving sustainable growth and profitability while managing risk. But to get there, we need our cross-functional partners to offer us a seat at the table where decisions are made.

This session discusses why an environment of trust is the foundation of all successful finance business partnering. It does that by using the findings of Google’s wide-ranging project “Aristotle” as a foundation. We’ll then discuss concrete and actionable ways for finance professionals to develop trust and deepen their understanding of the business. Next, we’ll cover a framework for auditing existing professional relationships to determine if a course correction is necessary. Finally, we’ll end with concrete advice on improving existing professional relationships.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize how effective finance business partners help leaders make better decisions.
• Identify how to build, audit, and maintain professional relationships as a finance business partner.

Changes in a firm’s governance structure are necessary as a firm grows and evolves. In addition to size and number of team members, the generational differences of evolving leadership teams can create challenges and conflicts based on inherent differences in values of each generation.

Join Bill Pirolli as he describes the different forms of governance in firms and discusses the generational differences that weave their way into the culture of modern firms. Transparency, trust, and communications vary greatly by generation. Explore how changing leadership styles can affect your firm’s governance for years to come.

Learning Objectives:

• Recall the different forms of governance structures.
• Recognize how governance needs to evolve as a firm grows.
• Distinguish the impact of generational differences on transparency, trust, and communications.

This group of experts will answer your most pressing questions on auditing, accounting, ethics, independence and quality management.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key considerations in auditing, accounting, ethics, independence, and quality management.
• Select best practices in these areas and learn how to apply them in their day-to-day work.
• Apply practical guidance on how to navigate complex issues and challenges that arise in these areas.

This session will identify ways to perform and document your risk assessment with a maximum of utility and a minimum of effort. Risk assessment discussions will include materiality decisions, inherent risk, and internal controls (control risk). The session will also highlight the changes in requirements in AU-C section 315, which were effective for audits ending on or after December 15, 2023, and should be incorporated into 2024 audits.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and explain new evidence-gathering and documentation requirements under AU-C section 315.
• Identify efficient and effective ways to gather evidence to support your required risk assessment.
• Use efficient and effective documentation techniques for compliance with AU-C section 315.

This Fireside Chat will feature two of today's true thought leaders in the retirement planning area. We will explore the current research and best practice ideas for helping clients to address building retirement portfolios, modeling retirement outcomes, and creating income in retirement. What are current strategies and tools that can be used to provide guaranteed lifetime income and how do these compare and contrast with traditional portfolio structure? How should we be thinking about building our retirement portfolios in light of the current investment and inflation environment? What strategies for retirement income might make more sense than simply using the 4% rule? Should employers take a more active approach to providing retirement income options to their employees?

This session will give you the tools and access to the thought leadership in this area to bring back to your practice and your clients.

Auditing across multiple frameworks like SOC 1, SOC 2, NIST, and ISO 27001 can feel like playing an endless game of Tetris—trying to fit everything together with minimal gaps and strategic overlaps. In this session, you’ll learn how to master the art of stacking compliance requirements efficiently. Discover strategies to align frameworks, eliminate redundancies, and streamline your audit process. From leveraging technology to managing stakeholders, we’ll equip you with the tools to conquer the complexities of multi-framework audits and keep everything falling neatly into place. Get ready to level up your audit game!

By the end of this session, attendees will learn how to fit the pieces of strategic planning, procedure design, and audit efficiency into a seamless process, eliminating gaps and reducing redundancies. Attendees will also gain the skills to clear lines of communication with stakeholders, ensuring smooth collaboration and avoiding the chaos of mismatched expectations. Armed with these strategies, participants will be ready to tackle the multi-framework audit game, leveling up their compliance efforts and avoiding the dreaded “audit overrun” game over.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize how to develop a comprehensive plan that prioritizes alignment and overlap across frameworks to reduce duplicative efforts.
• Recognize insights into designing flexible, repeatable audit procedures that accommodate multiple compliance requirements.
• Identify practical techniques, tools, and technology for streamlining engagement management, optimizing resource allocation, and managing budget considerations.
• Recognize how to effectively communicate and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment, minimize friction, and meet audit deadlines.

The IRS has billions of dollars in supplemental long-term funding to modernize and implement an array of new and expanded enforcement programs significantly focused on high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals and their related entities. In this regard, the IRS has made considerable effort in using advanced data and analytics to identify non-compliant taxpayers and has moved forward to building specialized examination teams. Be prepared—effective representation techniques and strategies when representing HNW/UNHW individuals and their family offices will be discussed by the former IRS commissioner and the former counselor to the IRS commissioner.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the current IRS Global High Wealth Program and Large Business & International (LB&I) Division or Small Business/Self-Employed (SBSE) High Income Initiative enforcement priorities.
• Recognize representation of high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals and their related entities during an IRS examination or administrative appeal.
• Distinguish between the significance of an IRS Global High Wealth Program specialized examination versus an LB&I or SBSE High Income Initiative examination.
• Identify effective dispute resolution techniques and strategies.

Join us for an engaging panel discussion on the strategies and benefits of offshoring. Our presenters, representing diverse firms, have utilized offshoring in various capacities. The moderator will guide the panelists in sharing best practices, tips and tricks, and future insights to help you maximize the potential of offshoring.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the strategic advantages and potential benefits of implementing an offshoring model.
• Identify practical tips, tricks, and best practices for effectively utilizing an offshoring program.

It's time for some old school trivia! Two teams will go head-to-head in tackling a wide variety of trivia questions with 30 minutes to come out on top.

In this session, I will discuss the critical issue of depression among CPAs, focusing on the importance of acknowledging mental health struggles and the journey towards recovery. Participants will learn information from professionals who have successfully managed their depression, learn strategies for seeking help, and discover resources available within the industry. Join me to break the stigma and empower yourself and your colleagues to thrive both personally and professionally.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the common symptoms of depression and how it can specifically impact CPAs.
• Identify ways to encourage open dialogue and promote a culture of openness and support.
• Identify coping strategies and resources.
• Indicate ways to challenge and change any cultural stigma associated with CPA mental health issues.

Discover how Microsoft 365 Copilot can revolutionize your workflows as a CPA offering tax, accounting, financial, tech or other advisory services. In this interactive session, learn practical applications of Copilot across tools like Excel, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Word and beyond. We’ll demonstrate real-world examples, such as automating data analysis, streamlining client communication, and enhancing report creation and more. Walk away with actionable insights to boost productivity, improve accuracy, and free up time for strategic work. Transform the way you manage your practice and deliver value to clients by harnessing the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify ways you can put the AI features of Microsoft 365 Copilot to work today.
• Recognize the range of AI features that Microsoft 365 Copilot has to offer.

The flurry of small changes to the taxation of retirement accounts over recent years has been overwhelming. The SECURE Act, COVID-19 pandemic relief, SECURE 2.0, and a steady stream of regulations and guidance has kept us busy. Moreover, 2025 tax reform may provide even more to take in. This course will provide an efficient update on critical developments over the last several years.

Learning Objectives:

• Recall the SECURE Act, focusing on the final regulations and guidance implementing the post-mortem distribution rules.
• Recall SECURE 2.0 focusing on the year-by-year rollout of changes.
• Recognize the most recent developments and potential future reform.

In his presentation Pascal explains why leading change is even more difficult in finance and what the key ingredients for a successful change process are. While also referencing academic theories, he presents real-life examples throughout his presentation and dispels existing myths around change. To conclude, Pascal provides the audience with his own change framework that has proven effective in the past.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the importance of the human factor in change processes
• Identify key ingredients of successful change
• Recognize additional challenges within the field of finance when leading change
• Identify things to avoid when leading change

As paper documentation disappears, both at the client and the auditor, the risks and rewards of embracing technology when developing an audit plan are critical to engagement efficiency and effectiveness. This session explores ideas to improve your audit documentation and comply with applicable professional standards while ensuring your electronic audit evidence is relevant, sufficient, and supports your audit opinion.

Learning Objectives:

• Recall the professional standard requirements applicable to audit documentation
• Recall the professional standard requirements applicable to audit evidence
• Identify best practices related to audit documentation in audit firm quality management

Cash flow challenges are a major concern for businesses, and accountants can play a critical role in addressing them. This session will explore how to offer financing advisory services, helping clients access funding, manage cash flow, and achieve growth while creating new revenue opportunities for your firm. Learn practical strategies, explore funding options, and discover how to leverage technology to streamline the process.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify cash flow challenges and financing needs for business clients.
• Identify funding solutions and technology tools to enhance financing advisory services.
• Recognize strategies to integrate financing advisory into your practice and drive firm growth.

Join us for an insightful session where we will discuss strategies for managing client delays and effectively communicating non-negotiable deadlines. Learn how to educate your clients on efficient methods for maintaining and delivering timely, accurate evidence. Discover how management and teams can navigate these challenges to ensure the timely delivery of reports.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify opportunities to educate clients on efficient methods for maintaining and delivering timely, accurate evidence by learning from real-world examples.
• Apply techniques to manage client delays and effectively communicatee non-negotiable deadlines.
• Apply project management skills to improve report delivery time frames.

The former IRS commissioner and former counselor to the IRS commissioner will provide practical context for the current IRS enforcement priorities and challenges ahead. The IRS has billions of dollars in supplemental long-term funding to implement an array of new and expanded enforcement programs. Practical advice based on decades of private practice and internal IRS experience focused on various IRS compliance campaigns targeting the use of business aircraft, issues regarding digital assets and similar, Syndicated Conservation Easements, micro captive insurance arrangements, Private Placement Life Insurance, Puerto Rico Act 60 and related topics will be the focus of this session. Additionally, the presenters will offer advice “from the tax trenches” on current and anticipated future IRS enforcement efforts.

Learning Objectives:

• Recall current IRS enforcement priorities, defensive strategies, and dispute resolution strategies.
• Recognize the significance of current IRS compliance campaigns and being prepared for examinations by specialized IRS examiners.
• Identify responses to IRS inquiries regarding taxpayers involved in complex transactions.
• Recognize IRS enforcement efforts and the challenges ahead.

An esteemed panel of Tax Strategies, Advanced Personal Financial Planning, and Advanced Estate Planning conference committee members will provide attendees with the most current planning strategies to discuss — and immediately implement — with clients.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the most important planning strategies to discuss with your clients given the current state of tax, estate, and personal financial planning.
• Determine the top tax strategies to implement before year end.
• Analyze top planning topics that need to be considered with your clients on an annual basis.

This session explores the role of forensic accountants within the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from case inception to conviction. Through two real-world case studies, presenters will offer an in-depth look at financial investigations, fraud detection, data analysis, and the FBI's role in deterring theft and prosecuting individuals for fraud. The first case study delves into a white-collar crime case involving a financial adviser who defrauded clients out of millions. The second case study outlines a multi-defendant international scam network, expounding on cyber fraud scheme types, money laundering, the evolution of criminal networks, and an explanation of what we can collectively do about it.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key fraud detection techniques.
• Recognize data analysis and forensic accounting tools used to trace illicit money movements and to understand networks in cyber-enabled crimes.

In the evolving landscape of professional services, the imperative to deliver advisory and consultative services places an unprecedented emphasis on both client and employee experience. Recognizing that attracting and retaining quality staff is a shared challenge, we'll explore the link between client and employee experience. Our objectives include defining their interconnection, developing a visionary perspective that aligns with the profession, creating actionable roadmaps for improvement, and exploring collaborative strategies for cross-functional leaders to elevate both client and employee experiences within the firm. This workshop equips participants with the tools to harmonize these seemingly distinct priorities for sustained success in the evolving professional landscape.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the interconnection of client and employee experience.
• Identify ways to cultivate a visionary perspective that aligns client and employee experiences with the strategic objectives of the organization.
• Apply practical skills in creating actionable roadmaps to enhance both client and employee experiences.

This session will provide an overview of the Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC) and projects, including such hot topics as private equity structures, digital assets, artificial intelligence, and harmonization with international ethics standards.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the purpose and purview of PEEC.
• Identify ongoing projects PEEC has undertaken to keep the Code of Professional Conduct fit for purpose.
• Distinguish how new and revised guidance will affect practice.

This past tax season felt like a wild mashup of Pac-Man-level chases, Tetris-stacked workloads, and Donkey Kong-style obstacles. In this high-energy, interactive debrief, we’ll explore the wins, wipeouts, and wisdom gained from the busiest time of the year using classic arcade games as our metaphorical guide.

You’ll leave this session with a fresh perspective on what truly powered up your team, what systems slowed you down, and how to level up your firm operations before the next season hits. Together, we’ll reflect, retool, and recharge with just the right mix of nostalgia and strategy.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key operational challenges experienced during the most recent tax season and how workflow systems and client management practices contributed to those outcomes.
• Recognize strategies to improve team performance, client communication, and workload distribution.
• Identify lessons learned from the past tax season to implement proactive changes in technology, pricing models, and client segmentation.

Stay ahead in the fast-evolving world of technology trends and innovations in this dynamic session with two of our renowned technology experts as they explore the latest trends shaping the profession — from cutting-edge platforms to innovative devices, whether in the office or on the go.

Designed for tech-savvy professionals, mobile CPAs, and anyone curious about the state of technology today, this collaborative discussion will cover consumer innovations, emerging trends, key industry indicators, and enterprise solutions that are transforming the way Firms get work done.

Get ready to Inspect your Gadgets and check What’s in your Bag as we take a closer look at the must-have tools for today’s professionals!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify what major technology vendors are working on and what can we learn from how they are performing.
• Recognize what trends should you be on the lookout for to make the best buying decisions, today or in the coming months.
• Recognize how the innovations of tomorrow are driving the technology of today.