Anybody else scrambling for CPE's?

[SFA]

Been working self-study courses all weekend, and live webinars today. Still need a few more . . .

[minkcpa]

SFA, for your future CPE check on Wilkes University in WIlkes Barre PA they offer 4 hour classes to CPAs for $45-55. They started webinars for some courses last year and they work well also. Last seminar for year is Thursday 4 hours of A & A, not on Web however.

[jklcpa]

I'm not scrambling now, but I purchased unlimited webinars from Surgent for this calendar year to finish up remaining CPE from my last biennial reporting that ended 6/30/13, so now I do need to make the most of that purchase before it expires at the end of this month.

[Jack from Ohio]

I have already earned 24 CPE credits, with 4 for ethics, from the update training and IRS Forums I went to. I have no need to "purchase" CPEs. I purchase training and EARN CPEs.

I have 4 more days scheduled for a total of 32 more. Do you think I meet my "requirement?"

[Randall]

I was scrambling before Nov 7. I bought a one year subscription from Checkpoint (PPC) last year so I could get both 2012 and 2013 in the same subscription year so I had to get it all in by Nov 7.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

I purchased bulk hours from Western CPE and did several live webinars and a couple of live ones here in town. I really like Vern Hoven and Bob Jennings as instructors. They are interesting and keep me from falling asleep. I'm actually not scrambling for hours at the end of the month for a change.

[MAMalody]

Finished mine in October. Might get a few more, depends on time.

[Gail in Virginia]

I have 41 hours so far this year, up a bit from last year's 33 but down from the previous year's 63. So far, I take classes that I feel will benefit my practice and at least one update class, and always wind up having enough credits. Some years have better offerings close by than others.

[taxxcpa]

I'm just starting a new accrual year. I'm trying to get some free CPE from cpawebengage (CPA Academyi) and Deloitte. The webinars are usually 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. I've also prepaid for unimited hours from CPE Depot, but I've used them so much in the past that I wanted to try something different this year.

DELOITTE;
Calendar: http://www.usdbriefs.com/calendar/thyme/thyme/index.php
To Register: http://www.deloitte.com/us/dbriefs
After you register you will get an e-mail.. Click link on e-mail to enter webcast

CPA ACADAMY:
http://www.cpaacademy.org/

[Lion EA]

Just received this email this morning, so if anyone might need a 10-pack:

To My Tax Professionals,

If you would like to see CCH Research or have access to our online professional development (CPE, CFP, and CLE) please reply by email as the following popular seminars good for two hours of immediate CPE or CLE are coming up at the bottom as terrific way to get timely and relevant professional development before the end of the calendar year. We also have on demand self-study on over 330 courses enclosed that are as low as $240 for any ten courses which are up to (see this link for all 330 to choose from http://www.cchgroup.com/opencms/opencms/web/TAA/Microsites/learning-center/pdf/lc-matrix.pdf ) as they can be up 7 hours each. Let me know if you see any of these as useful or helpful and I would be happy to get you access for at least 20% off when going through me and some of our current promotions for the webinars and at least 75% off when subscribing to any of our self-study pick 10 courses or bundle libraries.

Thank you,

Tom

PS. I have included three timely newsletters’ (latest issue complimentary) put out by other leading practitioners which are great for planning and running your firm more effectively. They are Estate Planning Journal, The Financial and Estate Planning Trends and CPA Practice Management Forum which is chock full of great ideas to serve your firm more profitably in 2014.

P.P.S. If you are a current subscriber who is using RIA or BNA and are your anniversary date for your renewal is in the next 8 months then you really owe it to yourself to let me show you why 9 out of 10 firms that I show our tax or accounting research to like it better on our platform than on theirs and feel like we pull up more relevant answers than they do. The reason I say 8 months out is because if it something that you see as helpful CCH has a promotional program where if you did want have our content you could at no cost up (to 8 months) or till the end of your sub (whichever is greater) with an agreement with us as now is the time to take a look!

Federal Tax Day - Current, I.2, IRS Releases 2014 Standard Mileage Rates (IR-2013-95; Notice 2013-80), (Dec. 9, 2013)

Tax News, Journals and Newsletters > Federal Tax > Federal Tax Day - Current > INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE > I.2, IRS Releases 2014 Standard Mileage Rates (IR-2013-95; Notice 2013-80), (Dec. 9, 2013)

The IRS has released the 2014 optional standard mileage rates that employees, self-employed individuals, and other taxpayers can use to compute deductible costs of operating automobiles (including vans, pickups and panel trucks) for business, medical, moving and charitable purposes.

The 2014 standard mileage rate is 56 cents per mile for business uses (2013 - 56.5 cents) and 23.5 cents per mile for medical and moving uses (2013 - 24 cents). It remains at 14 cents per mile for charitable uses. For purposes of computing the allowance under an FAVR plan, the standard automobile cost may not exceed $28,200 ($30,400 for trucks and vans).

The updated rates are effective for deductible transportation expenses paid or incurred on or after January 1, 2014, and for mileage allowances or reimbursements paid to, or transportation expenses paid or incurred by, an employee or a charitable volunteer on or after January 1, 2014.

Notice 2012-72, I.R.B. 2012-50, 673, is superseded.

IR-2013-95, 2013FED ¶46,591

Notice 2013-80, 2013FED ¶46,592

Sincerely,

Tom Evans, JD, MBA

Account Executive for Manhattan, Nassau, Westchester Counties, Upstate New York, & Western Connecticut

Advising Professionals for over 14 years

CCH Tax and Accounting North America

877 745 5393 phone and fax

[email protected]

December 10

Form 1099 Tax Reporting for 2013 and the Impact of New Tax Laws Effective 2014
Marianne Couch, J.D.

December 11

Form 990 Update 2013
Jane Searing, CPA, M.S. Taxation

December 12

Last-Minute Keys to Year-End Audit Success
Alan W. Anderson, CPA

December 13

Residency Rules in California: Tax Issues and Audits
Kathleen K. Wright, CPA, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation), M.B.A. (Taxation)

December 16

Tangible Property Regulations – Understanding Capitalization vs. Repair and Maintenance
Eric P. Wallace, CPA

December 17

FBAR & FATCA – The New Frontier in IRS Enforcement
Eric L. Green, J.D., LL.M., Laura E. Pisarello, J.D., LL.M.

December 18

The New 3.8% Medicare Surtax - Impact on Real Estate Investors and Closely Held Businesses
Robert S. Keebler, CPA, M.S.T., AEP

December 19

Ethical Issues for Tax Professionals
James R. Hamill, CPA, Ph.D.

December 20

Estates and Trusts Tax Law and Planning Update
Steven G. Siegel, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation)

December 27

1040 Individual Income Tax Forms and Law Update
Claudia Hill, EA, M.B.A.

[joanmcq]

I'm off on Saturday to Orlando for Gear Up's Magic Week seminar. 40 hours including full day updates plus a full day of ACA. In CA CPAs need a minimum of 20 hours in a calendar year, and 80 hours in a 2 year cycle. I'm above my 20 hours already, before going to Magic Week, plus got bonus hours for teaching.

But I'm with Jack (for once!). I take classes for the information I need to stay current and informed, and learn things that might benefit my clients. And get way over my requirement. That said, I've taken some of the CPA Academy courses, and they're not bad although the presenters may be trying to sell you a solution. Not a bad way to learn about new technology though.

[CathysTaxes]

I've more than 'met' the requirement. I'm taking additional classes because I need them to better myself.

[jklcpa]

Jack, who said anything about "purchasing CPE credits", and how do you know those credits aren't EARNED anyway?

My state and the AICPA has the same minimum requirement as Joan posted. I've always completed more than the minimum requirements, and the credit tally is not my first priority. If I need to learn more on a subject, I take the course whether I need more credits or not.

I purchased the ability to view, complete and EARN CPE credits by participating in online webinars, without a specific limitation as to the number. I could have purchased a smaller number of courses, but my state society offered a nice discount program that made sense to purchase the unlimited package so that I can EARN credits at a lower cost. I certainly do not sit and waste my valuable time taking courses that will not benefit my practice or enhance my knowledge. This program has allowed me to choose from many more subjects that are more appropriate to my practice and clientele, and to choose courses that are convenient to my schedule. This is preferable to being limited to attending local live classes that are so similar that they are almost repeats year after year. That would truly be a real waste of money and that would do nothing to enhance one’s skills!

Besides lowering my per credit cost, my other reason for purchasing the webinars this year is because I'm spending a lot more time caring for my elderly mother and I've had to rework my schedule around her needs and her doctor’s appointments, so this purchase in 2013 was also done in part to accommodate that as well.

The Surgent online webinars are the same courses that are being taught to a live group, with the added requirement that the participants answer questions throughout the day, and answer a certain percentage of them correctly. That is something that is not required here of participants in any live group study courses. I've sat in those conference rooms and lecture halls over the last 32 years, paying a higher price for it too, and I’ve watched as other participants are distracted by their cell phone messages, answer text messages, talk, read the newspaper, snore, take extended breaks, and even complete other self-study courses while attending, so don't tell me that everyone that sits in a live seminar is EARNING their CPE.

[JohnH]

Nice post Judy. After the last round of conversations a few months ago about personal attendance vs web-based learning, it was clear to me that there's a wide range of opinion and and a fair amount of misinformation about the subject. I personally prefer self-paced learning because I often find seminars boring and a colossal waste of travel time, but others see things just the opposite. I also dislike hearing people at lectures ask questions to which they already know the answer just so they can impress others with their knowledge, which I notice happens frequently.

Then about a month ago (in my other job) I was touring a brand new medical school in NC and the program director showed us a classroom with traditional theater-type seating. Well, traditional except for the high-tech lectern, video camera, and video screens/electronic white board across the entire front of the room. She pointed out that each student was issued a "clicker" which they could use to answer diagnostic questions as the lecture progressed, and the instructor could immediately display a frequency distribution on the screen. This instant feedback allows the instructor to tailor the lecture and reemphasize points which were missed by too many students. After all, the instructor's responsibility to communicate the information is as important as the student's responsibility to absorb it. This instant feedback enables them to adjust "on the fly". They also have the capability to store and review all answers, and then speak privately with students who consistently miss too many questions (without embarrassing them publicly)

I commented how effective this is for 80-100 students at a time, and she replied it's actually a much larger class at times. They have the capability for students to log in via the internet and drastically increase the number of students served, some in locations far from the campus. Plus they record the lectures for review and later replay for students who were unable to attend for health, emergencies, other reasons.

I supose high-tech learning is fine for medical students but not so useful for tax preparers.

[Guest Taxed]

What I don't like in a personal attendance class is when the instructor basically flips powerpoint slides and reads off the canned notes. I can do that just fine in a webinar. The last time I can recall a real give and take with other students and the instructor was in college. Though back then we did not have any high tech equipment in the class except for magic erasers, VHS tape and slide projector.

[joanmcq]

It depends on the seminar, but yes, for the 'powerpoint' ones, might as well it be a webinar. I've attended great classes though; usually the smaller, more specific ones. Next week I'll be doing my first Gear Up conference, and I hope its worth the time & travel.

[Jack from Ohio]

Jack, who said anything about "purchasing CPE credits", and how do you know those credits aren't EARNED anyway?

I have observed the "training and testing" that some of the online CPE mills do.

As a result of my observations, there are MANY that are simply selling the credits. Especially the cheaper ones.

[MAMalody]

It depends on the seminar, but yes, for the 'powerpoint' ones, might as well it be a webinar. I've attended great classes though; usually the smaller, more specific ones. Next week I'll be doing my first Gear Up conference, and I hope its worth the time & travel.

It has been years since I was at a Gear Up conference, however, they conducted some of the best that I have attended. At the ones I was at there was significant interaction between the instructor and the "students."

[JohnH]

H-m-m. So what we learn from this entire conversation is that there are good and bad online providers and there are good and bad in-person seminars. But neither is good or bad based on the means of delivery; only the content determines that. Is this something we didn't already know?

[Gail in Virginia]

Personally, I think that most of the time you can only get as much out of any type of training as you are willing to put in to it. No matter how engaging the speaker is, or how comprehensive and clearly presented the webinar is, if you don't make the effort to learn it is just a matter of "buying" CPE. We have a duty to our profession to be more involved in our own learning than that, regardless of the venue we choose to obtain our required credits.

[Crank]

I've been happy using Deloitte Dbriefs webcasts. Usually 1 or 2 hours, a variety of topics and free.

http://www.deloitte.com/us/dbriefs

[Guest Taxed]

I second that. They are good and the white papers they publish are good too.

[kcjenkins]

And personally, over the years I have found this group to be one of the best 'learning environments' of all. I totally agree that what you get out of any training is dependent on how much you put into it. And that there is no single source that is either always good or bad. Besides, although I think in this occupation, we all have to be constantly learning, just to keep up with the changes, rulings, etc, sometimes at a specific point in time you may just need to quickly get that last 4 or so hours, whether you learn anything or not from that particular exercise. So I'm happy that we have all the different options, personally.

[SFA]

I wish I could receive credit for everything that I have learned from reading these forums and for all the research that I do on my own.