"Art is the best cutting-edge A&A discussion leader that I have ever listened to. He combines great presentation with superb knowledge. I look forward to team-teaching with him often in the future."

Vern Hoven, CPA w/Masters in Tax

Accounting and Auditing Update

This course is specifically designed for the tax professional and small firm practitioner. Its biggest selling point is that it is not like every other A&A update course. Most such courses are designed for auditors of public companies and are largely irrelevant to practitioners who primarily handle compilations, reviews, taxes, and audits of closely-held private companies..

Features:

• Documentation is king - learn how to stay out of trouble

• Practice Privilege - NASBA's newest assault on state licensing
• In-depth discussion of new SSARS 10 - reviews of financial statements
• The latest rules on independence - Ethics Interpretation 101-3 revised again
• Most recent changes in SSARS, SAS and FASBs

• Practical examples for implementing latest changes

• More help on implementing FIN 46 - the new rules on consolidation

• Tips for implementing the new fraud standard (SAS 99) on attest engagements

• How "brainstorming" and the consideration of fraud affects compilations, reviews, consulting, and tax engagements

• Warning signs of high risk engagements

• The creeping impact of Sarbanes-Oxley and the PCAOB: how they affect more than public companies

• The most common deficiencies in disclosures and reporting

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Detection and Reporting on Fraud in Financial Statements
NEW!

This course is a practical guide to implementing the new standards requiring the consideration of fraud. It is filled with case studies and practical examples designed in a workshop format.

Features:

• Accounting trickery from McKesson & Robbins to Enron

• Most common techniques used to distort revenue and hide expenses

• Overview of SAS 99

• Effective use of brainstorming

• Assessing risk and how to respond

• Modifying the audit plan and program

• Implementation tips

• What to do when fraud is found

• A better way - deterrence versus discovery

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The Most Practical Course Available on Auditing

This course focuses on auditing efficiencies and implementation of the latest standards on risk analysis, documentation, and fraud. The highlight of the course is the final 3-hour section where participants will conduct an audit of an entity and be faced with making planning decisions, identifying and responding to risks, selecting key audit procedures, and interpreting analytical information.   It is targeted to sole practitioners, partners, managers, and audit staff with between 3-10 years experience.

Features:

• Implementing SAS 99 and the new fraud standards
• Using risk-based auditing - Lessons from ENRON
• Audit planning - brainstorming, evaluating audit risk, determining materiality, and using analytical reviews
• Evaluating internal controls and the cost/benefit relationship of compliance testing
• Communication with the audit committee and the board
• How to tailor the audit program efficiently
• Substantive tests - the keys to SAS 31 and sufficient evidential matter
• Using checklists and other practice aids to improve audit efficiency
• Avoiding the risks of litigation
• Understanding the new documentation standards
• 10 best tips to improve audit efficiency

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This course is designed for the sole practitioner and small to medium size firm practitioner. It includes case studies and examples that are relevant to that size practice. The course emphasizes the practical approach to efficiently perform compilations and reviews and emphasizes ways to systematize these engagements. It is designed to help identify and meet the needs of clients. A special section on practice management tips is also included.

Features:

• Comprehensive analysis of SSARS 10 - new standards for performing reviews
• Selecting the most profitable clients
• Expanding your practice with accounting services
• Planning the engagement: evaluating engagement risk and determining materiality
• Learning the balance between too much and too little work
• Using checklists and other practice aids to improve efficiency
• Understanding our real responsibilities for fraud and going concern
• When can you do audit procedures on a compilation or review without increasing your risk
• In-depth discussion of the Compilation and Review Alert
• Association with financial statements
• Discussion of cash and tax basis financial statements

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This course is designed for CPAs both in industry and public practice. It will provide a solid review of current disclosure standards (GAAP and OCBOA), with a special emphasis on the most important new disclosure standards that have taken effect in the last 12 months. An interactive case study is integrated into the class to demonstrate the practical aspects of critical disclosure issues. The workshop is presented in a fast-paced, interactive, and entertaining manner. It is not just a self-study course with an instructor standing up front. This is the reason you go to a live presentation: to ask the questions you want answered, to learn from your colleagues, and to work on cases which are relevant to your company or practice.

Features:

• Overview of key disclosure issues
• Quick reference manual for your library
• Detailed review of disclosure requirements for balance sheets, statements of income and cash flows
• Latest new reporting and disclosure requirements on consolidations - FIN 46(R) and pensions - FASB 132(R)
• Important discussions on impact of convergence, fair value, key performance indicators, transparency, and flexibility
• Comprehensive case study
• Thorough discussion of most common disclosure deficiencies

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Professional Conduct and Ethics Beyond Sex, Lies and Videotape
(approved by the California Board of Accountancy Approval Number 013L-01-9807)

This course is designed to meet the requirements of the California Board of Accountancy for eight hours of continuing education in professional ethics and conduct. The course includes a review of the specific standards that govern our profession including the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, Statements on Standards for Tax Services, and the state rules and regulations that govern the professional’s license. But the course is much broader than a list of rules. It is an interactive discussion of the practical problems and ethical dilemmas that we, as accountants, face on a daily basis. Case studies permeate the day and participants are presented with experiences that challenge their methods for identifying and resolving moral and ethical questions. (Note: the course can be modified to meet other state’s requirements)

Features:

• Updated for latest changes effective January 1, 2005
• Strategies for making ethical decisions
• Does it pay to be ethical?
• Numerous real life case studies and how they were handled
• Excellent reference for future situations
• Interactive format
• Entertaining, enjoyable, challenging, disturbing

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New Staff Training

This workshop is totally customized to the needs of the CPA firm. After extensive interviews with partners, managers, supervisors, seniors and staff, the content of the program is designed to meet the specific needs of the firm.

Features: 

Some of the topics included in previous workshops include:

•  Audit objectives and assertions

• An overview of workpaper preparation

• Exercises and examples in specific audit areas, such as cash, accounts receivable, inventory and accounts payable

• Case study on inventory observation

• Workpaper filing and documentation

• Learning from performance evaluations

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New Senior Training

 This workshop is customized to the needs of the CPA firm. The classes are usually broken down into three specific areas:

 I.                   Communication

 II.                Leadership

 III.             Technical Skills

After extensive interviews with partners, managers, supervisors, seniors and staff, the length and content of the program is modified to meet the specific needs of the firm.

 Features:

 Some of the topics included in previous workshops include:

• Written communication (financial statements, management letters, memos, review notes)

• Oral communication - each participant is required to make a 5-minute oral presentation on a technical topic that the class selects  

• Decision-making, delegating and working in teams

• Auditing advanced technical areas

• Reviewing workpapers - this is reinforced through a role-playing exercise

• Research

• Preparing financial statements and accountant's reports

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