Maintaining your CPA license means completing your continuing professional education (CPE). And while every state has different requirements for how many CPE credits you need during a specific renewal period, no CPA is exempt from its State Board of Accountancy's CPE deadline. But where can you get CPE credits to ensure compliance and effective growth?
In fact, CPE is not just about fulfilling a state requirement, but it can also help you develop a specialization, better serve your clients, and improve your accounting soft skills. Finding the best way to earn your CPE credits therefore means choosing courses that are compliant and impactful. Learn where to find CPE, plus tips that make it both enjoyable and efficient to fulfill your requirements before your deadline!
Summary
To maintain licensure, CPAs must fulfill varied state-mandated Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirements, which can be strategically achieved through flexible formats like webcasts, on-demand courses, or subscriptions to ensure compliance, develop specialization, and advance their careers.
How many CPE credits do I need?
Each state defines its own CPE requirements. For example, while Alabama requires CPAs to earn 40 credits each fiscal year, Illinois requires 120 hours every three years. Also, some states have requirements on the type of CPE completed: Florida requires a minimum of four hours of ethics CPE every two years and no more than 20 hours of behavioral-based CPE, Indiana requires at least 12 hours per cycle in accounting or auditing courses and four hours of ethics, etc.
We highly recommend checking your state's requirements for how many CPE credits you need and any other specific stipulations.
Tips to complete CPE
Know your state's requirements
As mentioned above, knowing what's required and when it's due is the most important first step to successfully planning, accessing, and completing your CPE.
Make a schedule
Keep track of what you've completed and set clear learning goals to pace yourself as you meet requirements. This will ensure that you make the most of your courses and avoid the stress of cramming at the last minute.
For example, let's say that you live in Florida and need 80 CPE credits every two years. Let's also say that you are a working professional who is busiest during the March-April tax season and end-of-year holiday season. That's about six months of the two years that you don't have time to complete CPE, leaving you 18 months to earn 80 credits. If you break it down monthly, you need to earn just under 4.5 CPE credit hours each month - not too bad!
Becker's Prime CPE subscriptions include a custom Compliance Tracker based on your state's requirements.
Choose courses that boost your career
Instead of taking just any CPE courses to meet your requirement before the deadline, putting a strategy in place gives you the chance to take courses that satisfy your interests and elevate your career.
For example, let's say you want to open your own CPA firm, you could take a variety of courses in the following topics:
- Techniques for Project Scope and Time Management
- Building Your Business in the Cloud
- Delegation in a Small Firm
- Taking Your Firm to the Next Level
On the other hand, if you feel there's a gap in your tech knowledge, you can choose courses like:
- Artificial Intelligence for Accountants
- Blockchain and IT Governance
- Using AI in Fraud Investigation
- Excel: What's new in Office 365
For those who wish to move into an auditing focus:
Or for those in tax:
- The One Big Beautiful Bill update
- State Sales Tax Exams vs IRS Exams
- Fundamentals of International Tax
No matter what field of specialization peaks your interest, you can channel your CPE learning to advance your career.
Where can I get CPE credits?
There are multiple ways to earn CPE, and while none are better or worse than the other, it's important to choose the best option to suit your schedule and learning style.
CPE webinars or webcasts
CPE webcasts offer the convenience of taking a course remotely with the more in-depth learning that comes with a live chat with an experienced instructor.
CPE on-demand
CPE on-demand is a recorded video course you can take anytime and any place, making them incredibly convenient. This option may be right for you if you need to quickly earn CPE credits, your schedule is crammed, or your learning style is more self-paced.
CPE podcasts
Becker offers weekly CPE podcasts with leading accounting, tax, and audit professionals available wherever you get your podcasts. And with a Prime CPE subscription, you can earn CPE for each podcast. So whether you're in the car or on your lunch break, you can be completing CPE.
Conferences
Conferences offer you the opportunity to earn CPE credits and network with peers and other industry professionals. This is a good way to get a significant portion of your required credits completed in a short period of time.
Choose a CPE subscription
Becker's Prime CPE subscription makes it easy to get the courses you need and want. You'll have access to the entire CPE course catalog with over 700 on-demand courses, 1,000 webcasts, and weekly CPE podcasts, including state-required ethics courses, industry-specific courses, and critical updates for tax and audit.
With a subscription, you don't have to worry about finding courses before your deadline or budgeting for a conference. Everything you need to meet your state requirements and boost your career is already available right at your fingertips.
Unlock unlimited CPE with a Prime Subscription
Becker makes it easy to meet your CPE requirements, gain new skills, and stay aware of critical updates and changes in the industry!
With Prime, you can access over 1,700 courses for a full year and earn unlimited CPE credits.
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