Handbook for Mastering Basis, Distributions, & Loss Limitation Issues   Date:  12/15/2008 City:  Boise                                                                 Credits:  8 Facility:  Doubletree Riverside                                     Level:  Intermediate Speaker:  Susan Smith                                                Vendor:  Surgent McCoy CPE, LLC  Registration:  7:45am                                                 Course Begins:  8:00am Lunch:  1/2 hour – provided                                        Course Ends:  3:30pm  Early Bird Date:  11/24/2008 Member Fee:                   $235          $285 – after early bird registration deadline Non Member Fee:           $335          $385 – after early bird registration deadline  Designed For:  CPAs who prepare both individual and flow-through business entity tax returns and need a thorough grasp of these significant issues.  This course is a must for practitioners to help reduce and avoid this exposure to malpractice. Course Description:  The most difficult concepts to master when dealing with flow-through business entities are the basis and distribution concepts.  Major error and malpractice issues occur if the CPA does not fully understand the impact of these rules.  This course is designed to focus on the practical applications of these rules. Course Highlights: Course includes complete coverage of The Small Business and Work Opportunity Tax Act of 2007 and any new legislation enacted before presentation. S Corporations: Determine how to calculate basis Worksheets are included Understand the effect of stock basis and debt basis and IRS's recent focus on 'at-risk basis' for shareholders Recognize how AAA applies or does not apply to certain S corporations Learn to apply the complex ordering rules and special elections that can have a big tax result Review K-1s and understand the practical issues of how to determine basis Discuss loss limitation rules in depth Become aware of when you can have a taxable dividend in an S corporation Understand distributions of cash and property and post-termination transition rules Learn how the passive loss rules can create other problems LLCs and Partnerships: Understand the significant differences that can occur in calculating basis for an LLC vs. a partnership Determine how to calculate basis Worksheets are included Recognize how recourse, nonrecourse, and qualified nonrecourse debt can create significantly different tax results Learn the difference between basis and at “risk basis" and what it means Review º754 step-up in basis rules Discuss inside vs. outside basis and optional basis adjustments Learn to apply the complex rules of distribution of cash vs. property and the planning strategies Find out how "hot assets" can change the game for distributions Review K-1s and understand the practical issues of how to determine basis Objectives:   The most difficult concepts to master when dealing with flow-through business entities are the basis and distribution concepts.  Major error and malpractice issues occur if the CPA does not fully understand the impact of these rules.  This course is designed to focus on the practical applications of these rules.

Hands on Guide to Understanding and Testing Internal Control         Yellow Book 80   Date:  9/23/2008 City:  Boise                                                                 Credits:  8 Facility:  Doubletree Riverside                                     Level:  Intermediate Speaker:  Rebecca Lee                                               Vendor:  Loscalzo Associates  Registration:  7:45am                                                 Course Begins:  8:00am Lunch:  1/2 hour – provided                                        Course Ends:  3:30pm  Early Bird Date:  9/03/2008 Member Fee:                   $235          $285 – after early bird registration deadline Non Member Fee:           $335          $385 – after early bird registration deadline  Designed For:   Designed for Audit practitioners working on audits of non-public companies Accountants in industry who want to improve the level of their entity's internal controls Course Description:  With the issuance of the AICPA risk assessment SASs, auditors have no choice but to better understand internal controls in order to assess the design of controls and determine if they have been implemented.  This course will provide the auditor of small to midsize entities with tips, tools and techniques to efficiently document controls and to determine where it is either necessary or more efficient to test them. In addition, the program will illustrate how to test internal controls efficiently at the financial statement and assertion level. Course Highlights: Understand the five COSO elements of internal control Understand the difference between understanding and testing internal controls Document the understanding of internal controls at the appropriate level Test and document the results of tests of internal controls Issue a SAS 112 report COSO Framework COSO Guidance for smaller companies Understanding the design of controls at the company level and at the financial statement assertion level with an emphasis on manual control activities Determining whether controls have been implemented Effective and efficient tests of controls Dual purpose tests Documentation techniques SAS 112 reporting requirements Sample SAS 112 and management letter comments and recommendations

---

 

Information Security: Protecting Your Documents, Networks and Identity Yellow Book 80 Date:  12/12/2008 City:  Boise                                                                 Credits:  8 Facility:  Doubletree Riverside                                     Level:  Intermediate Speaker:  Will Fleenor                                                Vendor:  K2 Enterprises  Registration:  7:45am                                                 Course Begins:  8:00am Lunch:  1/2 hour – provided                                        Course Ends:  3:30pm  Early Bird Date:  11/21/2008 Member Fee:                   $235          $285 – after early bird registration deadline Non Member Fee:           $335          $385 – after early bird registration deadline  Designed For: Experienced accountants in all areas of practice who are responsible for the confidentiality and security of information for their companies, clients, and customers All accountants who need a better understanding of the security risks they face on a daily basis and want practical, cost-effective procedures for dealing with these risks Course Description:  Information security is not only a major concern for accountants, it is a legal requirement. Sarbanes Oxley, HIPAA, and state Security Breach Notification laws can result in criminal charges for accountants who do not act with due diligence. Accordingly, it is imperative that accountants understand the security risks they face and adopt control procedures to insure compliance with their legal and fiduciary responsibilities. The course begins by clearly identifying the security risks accountants face as well as the legal and ethical issues associated with these security risks. Many of which have arisen recently as a result of advances in technology. For example, it is now common for accountants to store confidential company, client, and customer data on thumb drives, laptops, and handheld devices. Although losing these devices could result in statutory reporting requirement and criminal penalties for failure to comply, most accountants have not adopted any procedures for securing information on these devices. The consequences could be devastating. This course not only clearly identifies the security risks accountants face, it provides solutions. These solutions are cost effective and can give accountants reasonable assurance that they are acting with due diligence to protect confidential data and minimize security risks. Attend this course and find out how to accomplish these important objectives. The future of your career may depend on it.  Course Highlights:  Learn why internal controls are necessary for success Legal Requirements for securing information including Sarbanes Oxley, HIPAA, and state Security Breach Notification Laws How to completely eliminate the risk of email viruses Securing laptops, handheld devices, and thumb drives Creating, storing, and using secure passwords Using Information Rights Management (IRM) and other techniques to secure documents Securing remote connections for those who travel or work from home Encrypting hard drives, removable disks, backups, and emails Using portals to securely transmit documents to clients and customers Physical security including using biometric devices to enhance physical security Wired and wireless network security issues Preventing ID theft Dos and don'ts of security for the traveler Using secure, anonymous Web browsing

---

 

Innovative Tax Planning for Individuals and Sole Proprietors - Cancelled   Date:  11/14/2008 City:  Boise                                                                 Credits:  8 Facility:  Holiday Inn, Boise Airport                             Level:  Intermediate Speaker:  Howard Bookbinder                                   Vendor:  AICPA - AICPA Discount Applies Registration:  7:45am                                                 Course Begins:  8:00am Lunch:  1/2 hour – provided                                        Course Ends:  3:30pm  Early Bird Date:  10/24/2008 Member Fee:                   $235          $285 – after early bird registration deadline Non Member Fee:           $335          $385 – after early bird registration deadline  Designed For:   CPAs looking for innovative tax planning and savings techniques to solve client problems Course Description:  Get the latest techniques for building and conserving wealth through aggressive, yet legal, tax planning and investment strategies. AICPA's tax experts dissect the details of new developments to extract all possible tax benefits. Completely updated for tax law changes, this course will bring you up to date on ways to save taxes through strategies for real estate, family income-splitting opportunities in business, investments, and when financing college costs. Course Highlights: Planning to take advantage of lower capital gain rates Tax planning for personal residence sales Sec. 1031 exchange opportunities Tax-smart strategies for developing real estate Tax-saving ideas for self-employed clients (including single-member LLCs, spouses in the business, and sport utility vehicles) All about IRAs, including the required minimum distribution rules, the qualified charitable distribution break, and the rollover privilege for non-spousal retirement plan beneficiaries Tax planning for vacation homes and timeshares Tax planning for marital separations and divorces Tax-wise college financing ideas for clients (including the Kiddie Tax rules) New health savings account rules Objectives: Increase client wealth by focusing on tax-saving angles and exploring investment opportunities Utilize planning opportunities found in new and recent tax developments

---

 

Innovative Tax Planning for Small Businesses: Corporations, Partnerships and LLCs   Date:  9/18/2008 City:  Boise                                                                 Credits:  8 Facility:  Doubletree Riverside                                     Level:  Intermediate Speaker:  Michael Blackburn                                      Vendor:  AICPA - AICPA Discount Applies Registration:  7:45am                                                 Course Begins:  8:00am Lunch:  1/2 hour – provided                                        Course Ends:  3:30pm  Early Bird Date:  8/28/2008 Member Fee:                   $235          $285 – after early bird registration deadline Non Member Fee:           $335          $385 – after early bird registration deadline  Designed For:  CPAs looking for innovative tax planning and savings techniques to solve client problems Course Description:  Will you be the bearer of good or bad tidings for your clients? This fast-paced, information-packed course shows you how to keep more profits in the pockets of your corporate and small business clients and their owners! It showcases state-of-the-art planning ideas and tax-saving devices employed by the savviest practitioners. Understand the unique problems affecting corporations and other small business entities, identify savings opportunities and pinpoint tax traps. Take advantage of corporate tax trends, life cycle approach tax planning and more. Top-notch AICPA presenters read between the lines of new developments to wring every last drop of tax benefits and to make you a hero to your clients. Course Highlights: Newest opportunities offered by legislative and regulatory changes Small business retirement plan opportunities (updated for Pension Protection Act changes) Corporate tax trends, including INDOPCO regulations on intangibles, acquisitions, and business restructurings Using disregarded entities" to defeat unfavorable rules for business expansion expenses Minimizing SE tax for LLC members Choice of entity considerations*When to switch from C corporation to S corporation Planning for S corporation shareholder-employee health insurance premiums Life cycle approach to tax planning Start-up issues Planning and "tax proofing" compensation Buy-sell agreements Business exit strategies that save taxes, including family limited partnerships (FLPs) and family limited liability companies (FLLCs) Objectives: Solve the unique tax problems affecting small businesses Identify savings opportunities and pinpoint tax traps Substantially cut your small business clients' tax bills

---

 

IRS Practice & procedure: Audits, Appeals, Assessment, Settlement, and Collection Satisfies 1 hour of Idaho CPE Ethics Date:  12/2/2008 City:  Boise                                                                 Credits:  8 Facility:  Doubletree Riverside                                     Level:  Intermediate Speaker:  Michael Mares                                            Vendor:  Mares Nichols CPE, Inc.  Registration:  7:45am                                                 Course Begins:  8:00am Lunch:  1/2 hour – provided                                         Course Ends:  3:30pm Early Bird Date:  11/12/2008 Member Fee:                   $235          $285 – after early bird registration deadline Non Member Fee:           $335          $385 – after early bird registration deadline  Designed For: Accountants in public practice or industry who represent clients or employers before the IRS Course Description:  The latest IRS compliance initiative will involve auditing 39,000 individual income tax returns.  Other Compliance programs focus audit resources on specific industries and issues.  Even tax exempt organizations are being audited at record rates.  Be prepared!  Learn how the Service's examination process works, how to present issues to the Appeals Division, and options for paying deficiencies. This program covers everything from the initial examination notice to 2006 changes in the rules for Offers in Compromise. Learn when Innocent Spouse" relief might be available, when automatic installment payments might be available, how Audit Technique Guides can help you, and other IRS collection and audit procedures. Course Highlights: Audit Technique Guides Examination of returns Delinquent tax notices Collection procedures Negotiation tactics Responsible persons and the Trust Fund Recovery  Penalty Offers in compromise Secret" IRS Forms Innocent Spouse Relief Taxpayer Bill of Rights – II New Circular 230 Judicial relief Current issues Civil penalties and return preparer penalties Liens and levies IRS Administrative Appeals Abatement and waiver Professional liability in tax practice Objectives: Understand IRS procedures from audit, to appeals, to collection Weigh options for clients who are under examination or in collection Be more skillful as a representative and advocate

---