Whether you want to gain knowledge to support your career or move into a new field or you're searching for interesting CPE credits to help you knock out your state's requirements, Becker has exactly what you need! But with over 700 on-demand courses and 1,000 webcasts, it may feel overwhelming to pick the right one! To help you get started, we're sharing the best CPE for CPAs for 2024.
The 5 best self-study CPE courses
If you prefer the convenience of on-demand learning where you can take a class anytime and any place, consider these five self-study CPE courses.
1. 10 Habits of Highly Successful Careers
It's easy to get caught up in "busyness" and lose sight of the big picture for your goals and career. To help you move forward without adding stress and more tasks to your packed day, learn healthy work habits in the 10 Habits of Highly Successful Careers. In this course, you'll learn:
- Habits you can work on to advance in your career
- Tasks you should be working on
- Questions you should ask yourself in taking ownership for your career
- When to ask others for help to ensure you are getting the guidance and advice you need
2. Ethics: Integrity, a Foundation for Success
Most states' CPE requirements include ethics training, and this popular course can not only help you meet that, you'll also gain valuable insight into the damage unethical behavior can do to both individual careers, the company, and the profession at large. After completing Ethics: Integrity, a Foundation for Success, you'll have the knowledge to:
- Recognize ethical dilemmas, violations and consequences
- Identify organizations that influence ethical standards and expectations
- Recognize the role of regulations, policies and standards in business ethics
- Recognize signs of fraud
3. Independence - Historical Insights and Today's Rules
Independent audits are one of the cornerstones of the U.S. capital market and any concerns about auditor objectivity can shake investor confidence. Understanding the ethics rules and holding deeper insights into accounting compliance are key to maintaining confidence in the process, regardless of the regulatory body. Independence - Historical Insights and Todays's Rules is one of the best CPE courses you can take as an auditor as you'll be able to recognize the ethical standards of the following regulatory organizations:
- Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB)
- American Insitutite of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- Government Accountability Office (GAO)
- Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
4. Why Do We Do the Things We Do
Gain more insight into behavioral ethics with our course, Why Do We Do the Things We Do? In this 1.5 credit course, you'll gain an overview of the concept of ethics, morals and values as well as ethical principles and why they matter. With this foundation in place, the course also provides insight into common ethical issues and dilemmas in accounting.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- Define ethics, morals and values and understand how they differ
- Name ethical principles and explain why the matter
- Identify common ethical issues in accounting
- Identify and implement the steps needed to become an ethical leader
5. Quarterly Estimates for Individuals
As more people lean into freelancing, independent contracting, and building out side hustles, more individuals are required to pay quarterly estimated taxes. To brush up on your knowledge to better serve individual clients, Quarterly Estimates for Individuals provides you with an overview of who needs to make estimated tax payments, methods and resources available for computing estimated tax payments, and issues you're likely to see during the process.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- Identify who is required to pay quarterly estimated taxes
- Accurately explain when and how to make payments
- Identify methods for making estimated tax payments and calculate installment payments
- Recognize when penalties apply and whether there is an opportunity to abate them
- Recognize and apply rules for special issues related to quarterly estimated taxes
The 5 best live CPE webinars
If you prefer the engagement of a classroom from the comfort of your home, Becker's live webcasts allow you to ask questions and get more specific insights from your class. Find the right one from our five best CPE webinars.
1. Accounting Update 2024
Whether you work in for-profit, nonprofit or government spaces, the Accounting Update 2024 makes sure you're caught up on the latest standards. You'll also learn about the hot topics in accounting and reporting, recent changes to audit and attestation standards, and important interpretations of ethical requirements.
By the end of this comprehensive course, you'll know how to:
- Recall the requirements of recently issued generally accepted auditing standards
- Choose the primary objective of evolving guidance for quality management systems
- Recognize the impact of recent SSARSs on the preparation of financial statements, compilations, and review engagements
- Identify recently issued SSAEs for attestation engagements
- Discuss recent changes to accounting and financial reporting under GAAP for both public and nonpublic entities
2. Tax Research Basics
During our Tax Research Basics course, you'll receive an overview of how to conduct more effective tax research, better utilize research authority and tools and document tax research for internal purposes. The course also explains how to prepare a client opinion letter based on internal research and how ot adhere to professional responsibilities when recommending a tax position.
By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Identify online tax research tools
- Recognize primary and secondary research authority
- Apply research to internal documentation and client opinion letters
- Recognize professional responsibilities of the tax professional
3. Technology ABCs: Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity
This course is designed to take the confusion out of some of the latest technology. During Technology ABCs, we provide an overview of artificial intelligence and its uses, blockchain and virtual currencies, and methods to improve cybersecurity.
By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Identify the development and uses of AI
- Define blockchain and virtual currencies
- Identify ways to guard against cybercrime and improve cybersecurity
4. Excel: Top 10 Functions for Accountants
Excel can be a powerful tool for accountants, but some of its more useful features may be a blind spot for most people in the profession. If you want to get the most out of your spreadsheets, sign up for Excel: Top 10 Functions for Accountants, and learn the functions you need to know and helpful formatting techniques.
By the end of this course, you'll know how to review the following functions and formatting:
- Lookup functions (VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, MATCH, INDEX)
- If functions (IF, IFS)
- Conditional math functions (COUNTIF, SUMIF, SUMPRODUCT)
- PivotTables (GETPIVOTDATA)
- Use of formatting and conditional formatting
5. The Corporate Transparency Act
In this tax-focused course, you'll learn about the background and function of the Corporate Transparency Act. Specifically, we'll dive deep into the definitional rules, reporting deadlines and requirements, and the penalties for failing to file the required information reports.
By the end of this course, you'll understand:
- Why Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act
- The rules for determining whether an entity is a reporting company
- How to apply the rules for determining who is a beneficial owner or company applicant
- What the beneficial ownership information reporting requirements and deadlines are.
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With over 700 self-study CPE courses and 1,000 webcasts, all taught by experienced instructors, we have the learning opportunities that can advance your knowledge and your career. Our Prime CPE subscription provides you with full access to our entire course catalog, including trending topics and state-specific ethics courses at an incredible value.
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