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.

When you're a high performing person and have been identified as a "rising star" in your organization, it's often hard to get meaningful feedback from supervisors to help you advance. Join this session to learn how to "compete against yourself" and identify your own development needs and direction, so that you can obtain the sponsors and mentors you need to maximize your career progression.

Have you ever been on a team where they have that “IT” factor? You can sense it. Communication and understanding seems effortless, almost telepathic. Did you know that there is a science not an art to a teaming having the “IT” factor? Once we understand the patterns of communication in productive teams we can understand that that are three key components that make “IT”. These are three critical aspects of communication known as the 3 “E” Elements: Energy, Engagement, and Exploration. We can actually measure and calculate the level of each Element and understand where the team communication weakness resides. Than apply steps in order to strengthen those weaknesses and give your team that true “IT” factor.

This course provides a concise overview and non-technical explanation of the Metaverse. At first mention, you may think the Metaverse sounds like a fantasy world in the latest futuristic Hollywood movie. Actually, this fantasy is now reality! It's already here! The metaverse is an ecosystem of immerse digital environments and creative reality simulations where people do everything they do in real life -- only in digital space. Countless companies -- from big tech to the Big Four -- have already announced ambitious plans to contribute to this virtual world. Ultimately, the metaverse represents the natural evolution of the Internet, and the next phase of the mobile web. You’ll walk away with a foundational understanding of key Metaverse concepts and how to prepare for this new technology frontier as an accounting practitioner. You’ll also discover how this emerging virtual dimension is on course to fundamentally transform society, the global economy, the accounting profession, and even reality itself.

The generation-skipping transfer tax (GST) is a wonderfully complex tax that can cause problems and create opportunities for clients, planners, and return preparers. We will bust GST myths and solve GST mysteries while discussing a range of misconceptions about the GST. Myths busted will include that (i) only rich clients have to worry about the GST, (ii) gifts that qualify for the annual exclusion never trigger GST, and (iii) the automatic allocation rules will always save you. Mysteries explored will include (i) the different treatment of the various types of split-interest charitable trusts, (ii) when an inclusion ratio becomes final, and (iii) the various GST elections that can be made on a gift tax return.

Efficiently managing an independent wealth management firm involves focusing on key areas to ensure smooth operations, client satisfaction, and growth. In this presentation, we'll discuss essential strategies, including:

* ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS: Implement effective client management and documentation processes.

* TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION: Utilize CRM software, financial planning tools, and automation.

* CLIENT ONBOARDING AND RETENTION: Create a comprehensive onboarding process and prioritize relationship building.

* STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT: Foster a culture of collaboration, growth, and continuous improvement.

* COMPLIANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT: Stay up-to-date with regulatory requirements and best practices.

* BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING: Develop a robust marketing plan, leveraging online and offline channels.

* TIME MANAGEMENT AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE: Establish efficient practices, delegate tasks, and prioritize self-care.

Join us as we explore actionable insights to optimize your wealth management practice.

The decisions that clients make in the five years before and after retirement can make a difference in their retirement success. It's also the time the clients are most likely to be willing to listen to advice and to make the necessary adjustments to their retirement plan that are needed to retire well.

Finding the right team members at the right time is key to your practice success and the market has never been tougher. That’s why it’s more important than ever to execute a recruiting strategy that applies true marketing concepts to differentiate your firm from the rest. Together we’ll explore the specific marketing strategies and processes you can implement to attract the best and brightest of the profession.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to start and run a tax podcast? Join April Walker, host of the AICPA Tax Section Odyssey podcast, and Damien Martin, former host of the Simply Tax podcast, for a behind the scenes look into their journey from original idea to launching of a podcast. Bring your questions and explore what surprised the hosts during the podcasting process.

Over the last three years, there have been considerable changes regarding post-mortem distributions from IRAs and other qualified retirement plans. Between the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 ("SECURE Act"), Enhancing American Retirement Now (EARN) Act of 2022 ("SECURE 2.0") and the proposed 1.409(a)(9) Treasury Regulations, one needs to know the impact of the new post-mortem distribution rules and how payout options need to be reassessed. 

During this session, we will discuss the following topics: 

* Pre-SECURE Act distribution rules 

* SECURE Act distribution rules 

* EARN Act (“SECURE 2.0”) distribution rules 

* Proposed 1.409(a)(9) Treasury Regulations 

* Determination of the “type” of beneficiary 

* Missed Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) and how to handle them.

The presentation is about recent developments regarding federal estate and gift taxes. We will review general procedural and substantive updates regarding estate and gift taxation, including changes in the law that impact the filing of estate and gift tax returns.

Join us for an illuminating journey as we navigate the intricate landscape of digital assets - a domain clouded with distractions and deception, yet shimmering with opportunity that warrants attention. Dive into the evolving regulatory environment and uncover the potential implications for Bitcoin, which stands in contrast to other digital assets. Delve into the essence of money and discover the transformative potential of Bitcoin, a technology that's reshaping our perception of value. Understand why individuals and institutions are turning their gaze to Bitcoin's escalating use cases. Wrestle with the multifaceted issue of environmental sustainability and unearth Bitcoin's surprising potential in this realm. Whether you're crypto-curious, a skeptical observer, or a seasoned investor, this session offers a comprehensive exploration of Bitcoin's current reality and future possibilities, promising insights that transcend your existing understanding.

Ransomware Attacks have become the biggest single cyber risk for enterprises of any size and industry. Research indicates a steep rise not only in the number of attacks, but as well in the average damage per incident. This session follows the footsteps of a cyber-criminal and uncovering their digital footprint. This is a journey inside the mind of an ethical hacker’s response to a ransomware incident that brought a business to a full stop, and discovering the evidence left behind to uncover their attack path and the techniques used. In this session I will cover a real-world incident response to the CryLock ransomware showing the techniques used by the attackers. Joe Carson, Chief Security Scientist & Advisory CISO at Delinea, who will take you through the mind of a hacker and follow the footsteps that led to a damaging Crylock ransomware attack. Joe will look at tools and techniques cyber criminals use to hack endpoints, such as the WannaCry vulnerability, RDP Brute Force, Mimikatz, and Responder, and the paths they can take toward your enterprise infrastructure and data.

The only constant in partnership taxation seems to be change. This session will highlight certain recent federal tax developments affecting partnerships and their partners. This session is designed to cover considerations that arise in reporting and transactions involving partnerships and may include the following: amended returns and the centralized partnership audit regime (BBA), potential international considerations and related reporting requirements and the impact of partnership liabilities on partner basis.

Are you tired of busy season frustrations? Top 500 firms have found success with the SafeSend Suite in getting 8879s e-signed in less than a day, seeing up to 40% completion of client organizers, and alleviating the strain of staffing issues. In this session, we will share why using the SafeSend Suite eliminates these frustrations all while providing a 5-Star client experience. The SafeSend Suite offers one, intuitive platform for clients and staff. No matter the document you’re sending throughout the year, clients access it the same way – increasing both client satisfaction and adoption. Join SafeSend as we share ways to increase your firm’s success by easily gathering source documents, collecting digital/fillable organizers, assembling and delivering completed tax returns, collecting e-signatures, automating signature and payment reminders, distributing K-1s, and requesting firm tax prep fees. The SafeSend Suite makes an impact across all your tax workflow processes.

In today's rapidly changing business landscape, organizations are facing a significant talent gap, which has become a key impediment to achieving their growth objectives. To address this challenge, organizations need to adopt a robust workforce planning strategy that leverages the latest solutions and techniques. This session will explore the various aspects of workforce planning and strategies that organizations can implement to address the talent gap. We will start by discussing the current state of the talent gap and the factors that have led to its emergence and then delve into the concept of workforce planning and how it can help organizations in identifying and filling their talent gaps. We'll discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each concept, using real-life examples to illustrate how they can be integrated into a comprehensive workforce planning strategy. By the end of the session, attendees will have a better understanding of the talent gap and the role that workforce planning can play in overcoming it.

Join us as we show you how to help automate your clients’ back office with seamless accounts payable and the next generation of spend management.

Are you ready to take your accounting practice to the next level? Join us for a session where we will explore the advantages of digitizing and automating areas of your practice. We’ll discuss how expanding your advisory capabilities can help you build a more successful and profitable firm.

Understand your legal and regulatory obligations, develop adequate policies to secure client data and protect your practice. John Sapp, CPA will lead this session pulling from his 25+ years of professional experience in tax software development that includes serving as one of the founding leaders of the IRS Security Summit, and the Chair of the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee when its charter was expanded to advise congress on prevention of identity theft and tax refund fraud. John is also a popular speaker for security topics that impact today’s tax professionals. This presentation will provide an overview of the cyber threats that taxpayers and tax professionals face daily. Attendees will learn why cybercriminals target taxpayer data, their methods, and how to protect clients.

Data-driven approaches to audit and assurance are a hot topic, but what does that mean for everyday work and technology usage? In this session, we will discuss the importance of an efficient audit and how a data-driven approach, including data ingestion, data analytics, and data visualization, can lead to success. We will also explore why firms need to remain in control and not rely solely on technology, and why a pragmatic and flexible approach to methodology and tool usage is critical in demonstrating the distinct value that your firm can provide to clients.

With the number of accounting graduates declining every year and more and more CPAs leaving the profession, it does not look like the CPA talent shortage will get better any time soon. That’s why the Big 4 are increasingly relying on international talent solutions and small and medium firms need to start following suit. Join us for a presentation with Jim Brady, CEO of alliantTalent and former CEO for Deloitte’s India Talent Center on how you can start to fill vacancies today.

In today’s hi-tech AI world there is still a great need for business services including bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, technology consulting, forecasting, and analytic work. This session will discuss the market and share perspectives from a seasoned veteran of Client Advisory Services (CAS). Val Steed, CPA, MA, CITP has been working in the accounting technology industry for over thirty years. He ran his own firm and CAS practice for over twelve years and has spent numerous hours consulting with accounting technology companies on how to build a partner program and market to accountants. This session is a guaranteed good time and with useful information.

Are your talent shortage conversations becoming more frequent and not just for the traditional busy season? If so, you may be trying to solve this issue very tactically. In this session, you will hear from CPO Lindsay Gaal about the resourcing challenges she overcame by starting to take a more prescriptive and strategic approach to her workforce planning strategies. Here is what you can expect to take away from the session:

This session will discuss the current state of U.S. tax administration and the major challenges the IRS faces today as it attempts to administer the tax system. Major challenges include providing high-quality taxpayer service, implementing legislation, conducting examination and collection initiatives that promote future voluntary compliance, and expanding the ability of taxpayers and preparers to conduct their business with the IRS online while simultaneously maintaining data security.

Finding and retaining talent is one of, if not the, most common challenge facing firms today. In this session, we will explore the demographic and societal trends impacting the profession along with the plan being developed by the AICPA and other stakeholders to impact the talent pipeline quickly and significantly. You’ll hear about the solutions being developed to address core challenges and identify ways you can play a role in increasing interest in the profession. Let’s discuss the components of the plan identified to-date and look for other ideas as well in a collaborative session designed to tackle this important issue.

The Chairs of the ASB and the Accounting and Review Services Committee (ARSC), along with the AICPA Chief Auditor, will discuss current issues facing the two boards, as well as recently issued standards for audits and attestation engagements and recent activities of the ARSC for reviews, compilations and financial statement preparation engagements performed in accordance with Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services (SSARSs). The discussion will also include the Auditing Standards Board and ARSC's active agendas including ongoing efforts to modernize auditing and attestation standards, enhance outreach to stakeholders regarding proposed standards and post-implementation reviews of issued standards.