Ap Financial Telephone Seminars

Financial Statement Preparation and Analysis for Nonprofits BenefitsThis live audio conference will provide you with an overview of nonprofit financial statements and both external and internal nonprofit financial reporting concepts. We will focus on the primary users of nonprofit financial statements and the key differences between nonprofit and for-profit financial statements and reporting. This program will explore the fundamental accounting concepts  more...

Basel III Regulatory Update BenefitsFollowing the financial crisis that began in 2008, international banking regulators have been working together to increase the stability and resiliency of the global financial system. The Basel III Accord is a cornerstone of that international initiative. The Basel III Accord, which represents the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's proposals for capital and liquidity requirements for  more...

The Hazards of Overlooked Property Interests: The Relationship Between Intellectual Property and Estate Planning BenefitsIntellectual property is a hot area of the law, and businesses, along with individuals, are using intellectual property interests to start, grow and value their businesses. After the patent, trademark or copyright application is filed, most individuals and businesses think they are done with the process; however, some often overlooked interests - estate planning issues - can present  more...

Current Issues in Revocable Living Trusts BenefitsRevocable living trusts are a foundation of many estate plans. The use of a revocable living trust generally provides for a confidential distribution of family wealth without required court interference and also allows for assets to avoid probate in most jurisdictions. Using a revocable living trust allows for planning in the event of incapacity without having to formally declare a person  more...

Social Security Benefits: Is It Worth It to Delay? BenefitsSocial Security has been the American workers' greatest investment and has been labeled the third rail of politics, and perhaps rightly so. However, dire predictions have recently been published about the collapse of the system. But are those predictions really warranted? This live audio conference will take you from the beginning of Social Security to the present day and probable future.  more...

Accounting Endowments of Not-for-Profit Organizations After UPMIFA BenefitsIn response to the enactment of the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act in most of the United States, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, in 2008, promulgated FASB Staff Position No. FAS 117-1. FSP FAS 117-1 provides guidance for nonprofits as to the proper classification of endowment funds when UPMIFA has been enacted and expands the required disclosure about  more...

Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts BenefitsYou will receive an intense practical analysis of intentionally defective grantor trusts - an often overlooked estate planning tool. Emphasis will be placed on the practical how-to-do-it instruction as opposed to a recitation of case law in the area. The speaker will concentrate on when to use this technique, how to design these trusts, and their place in comparison to other estate  more...

Understanding the GAAP Codification Update BenefitsThe official launch of the FASB Codification began on July 1, 2009. On that date the codification became the official single source of authoritative nongovernmental U.S. GAAP. The codification will be effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. The codification will supersede existing FASB, AICPA, EITF and related literature, which means there will no longer  more...

Essential Concepts In Construction Contracting BenefitsThis live audio conference is designed to educate persons responsible for construction contracting about project delivery systems, basic concepts and contract terms, and the allocation and avoidance of risk in construction contracts. Pitfalls for the unwary will be addressed, especially when using standard form agreements and informal contracting on small projects. This program is  more...

UCC Article 9 Update BenefitsThe revisions to Article 9, which generally became effective in 2001, substantially changed the law. Now, with years of experience, the case law is developing, and practitioners are beginning to identify issues not contemplated by the original drafting committee. As a result, a Joint Review Committee was formed and has recommended changes to Article 9 that are expected to be approved this  more...

Medicare Secondary Payer Act: Protecting Medicare's Interest In Insurance Settlements BenefitsPursuant to 42 USC Section 1395y(b)(2), commonly known as the Medicare Secondary Payer Act, Medicare may not make payment for medical benefits where payment has been made or can reasonably be expected to be made under a workers' compensation law or plan of the United States or a state, or under an automobile or liability insurance policy or plan (including a self-insured plan), or under no  more...

Domestic Asset Protection Trusts: Fundamentals and New Approaches BenefitsThis live audio conference will focus on the uses, benefits, requirements and differences among the various Domestic Asset Protection Trusts ('DAPTs') permitted under state law and the reasons why one state law may be preferred over another. There will also be a discussion of the most recent applications involving trusts for protection and other uses. Examples include the use of a DAPT as  more...

Domestic Asset Protection Trusts: Fundamentals and New Approaches BenefitsThis live audio conference will focus on the uses, benefits, requirements and differences among the various Domestic Asset Protection Trusts ('DAPTs') permitted under state law and the reasons why one state law may be preferred over another. There will also be a discussion of the most recent applications involving trusts for protection and other uses. Examples include the use of a DAPT as  more...

Anatomy of a Will Contest: How to Succeed at Trial BenefitsThis live audio conference is intended to provide you with information on the strategies involved in contesting wills. The program will cover: The common grounds to contest a will; best practices in investigating and gathering evidence; issues in estate administration while the will contest proceeding is pending; and trial tactics and evidence issues. Armed with these insights and  more...

HIPAA Security Compliance Challenges after the HITECH Act BenefitsEveryone who handles any electronic patient information should attend this live audio conference on compliance with the HIPAA security regulation. All entities covered under HIPAA must take special care of electronic patient health information, including establishing policies and taking regular actions as part of a security management process. Under new regulations due to the HITECH Act  more...

Form 706: Estate Tax Return Fundamentals BenefitsAmericans have been able to accumulate wealth. It is estimated more than $10 trillion in wealth will be transferred over the next 15 years. If a person has been fortunate to amass significant wealth, the government imposes a tax when the person transfers their wealth at death. In 2011, if a person's gross estate plus adjusted taxable gifts equaled or exceeded $5 million in value, Form 706  more...

Utilizing Formulas in Microsoft Excel BenefitsAnyone using Excel invariably needs to create and understand how to use formulas and functions. For some Excel users, it is the centerpiece of what they do on a daily basis. Many Excel formulas involve simple mathematical constructions using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, but sometimes you need more complex formulas to reach an answer. Excel has more than 300 built-in  more...

Charitable Remainder Trust Fundamentals BenefitsNinety percent of Americans give to charity regularly. If you don't discuss charitable planning with your clients, you are forfeiting potential business to your competitors. Charitable remainder trusts help your clients combine their estate, tax and financial planning with their charitable dreams. This live audio conference will explain how you can implement charitable remainder trusts  more...

Offboarding: Strategies for a Successful Goodbye BenefitsThis live audio conference will review research showing the value of effective offboarding: higher levels of employee commitment, lower recruitment costs, and higher quality candidates. As with all employment actions, it should be lawful, safe, secure, efficient, ethical, fair and respectful. Effective HR leaders must work both sides of the basic accounting equation: assets = liabilities +  more...

Divorce Taxation: Practical Issues BenefitsMost divorce cases have significant tax ramifications to your client. This live audio conference provides the skills to identify them before they create a problem for you and your client at settlement. We will begin with the recent changes to the tax law and provide a key road map in navigating the numerous pitfalls that may appear in your case. Whether it is when your client may qualify  more...

Current Issues in Real Estate Appraisals BenefitsThe worst of the financial crisis and recession appears to be over, but where are we in terms of current market conditions for various property types and how does this relate to the valuation process? What is an evaluation versus an appraisal and what impact might they have on the lending community and appraisal industry? What are key issues in appraisals and ways of looking at risk? This  more...

Show Me the Money: Determining Return on Investment for People, Projects and Programs Benefits'Show me the money!' is the mantra of the day. Senior leaders in private sector, public sector, and social sector organizations want to see value for investments made in people, projects and programs. This value, more than ever before, is defined in terms of return on investment. Until you can produce solid, verifiable numbers that prove the worth of investments, you may never gain the  more...

Are You Prepared for the Financial Institution Record Match Program? BenefitsThe State of California enacted legislation (California Revenue Tax Code 19266) that will impact virtually every bank, credit union, thrift and brokerage firm doing business in California. This new program will place a new burden on financial institutions in order to help the state collect delinquent taxes. Financial institutions should start consideration of the FIRM Agreement and how  more...

Enhanced Foreign Asset Reporting Rules for 2011: An Update on FBAR and FATCA Requirements BenefitsFor the past three years, much attention has been focused on offshore bank accounts and the obligation of U.S. taxpayers to report such accounts on the much-heralded Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts or 'FBAR' form. The FBAR rules require taxpayers to annually report whether they have a financial interest in, or signature or other authority over, foreign bank accounts, and  more...

Prepaid Cards: An Alternative to Traditional Checking Accounts? BenefitsThis live audio conference will provide banking and other financial services companies with essential information to evaluate prepaid card/access products that will best complement their current business models and risk tolerance. The program will explore the advantages and disadvantages of this rapidly evolving financial product line. It will provide organization with solid guidance on  more...

Document Retention and Destruction Policies for Financial Institutions BenefitsFinancial institutions too often rely on recommended document retention guidelines without understanding the risks of inconsistent or antiquated practices. While Sarbanes-Oxley has clarified the responsibilities of certain financial institutions, Sarbanes-Oxley is only a portion of the document universe. This live audio conference will help you navigate the complex universe of document  more...

Control Costs and Increase Efficiency With P&C Claims Predictive Models BenefitsNearly every P C insurance company has a latent 6 to 8 loss ratio point improvement available to them through better claims handling with predictive models. Up until recently, insurance companies have focused the vast majority of their analytics horsepower on the front end of the insurance equation - underwriting predictive models. However, with the soft market continuing to adversely  more...

Tax and Estate Planning for Clients Relocating to Florida BenefitsThis live audio conference will highlight the legal and tax impact of a client relocating to Florida. Certainly the appeal of Florida's great weather can be too much to resist for some, but the move has consequences. Tax laws in Florida are generally much more favorable than the laws of the state the client is departing. Similarly, the laws impacting asset protection planning are generally  more...

Hot Topics in Native American Financing 2011 BenefitsHear the latest legal news and developments on the following topics: 1) principal practice guidelines to ensure your financing documents are enforceable and compliant with federal law, including the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act; 2) the National Indian Gaming Commission 'declination letter' review process - how long does it take, what to include in your submission, and what does receiving a  more...

Pricing and Cost Analysis in Purchasing BenefitsOne of the most important and complex decisions a business or organization has to make is how much to pay for its items or services. The buying professional should be able to easily detect prices that are too high. Thus pricing decisions must be given careful consideration when buying industrial products and services. The price of a product or service should be expected to cover cost of  more...

Special Needs Trusts: What, Why and How BenefitsA thorough knowledge of planning for disabled individuals is important for providing full service to a practitioner's clients and avoiding serious malpractice liability. Unfortunately, the government benefit programs involved and the options available for obtaining and preserving such benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid, are highly complex. Furthermore, the  more...

Powers of Attorney: Estate Planning Opportunities and Pitfalls BenefitsPowers of attorney are often given insufficient attention by the practitioner and mistakes in their drafting and implementation can lead to disastrous consequences for the client and the draftsman. This live audio conference will present an in depth analysis of the effective use of powers of attorney in the client's estate plan and consider practical problems and solutions in their use.  more...

Structuring and Drafting Conservation Easements BenefitsCreating a conservation easement can be complicated and the failure to consider the effects of possible pitfalls can be devastating. This live audio conference will provide you with the legalities of creating a conservation easement and establish what the priorities are when it comes to structuring and drafting them. You will gain an appreciation for the complexities of crafting a form of  more...

Taxation and Accounting Issues With Debt Restructuring, Modifications and Bankruptcies BenefitsThe recent market climate has created opportunities for investors or debtors themselves to acquire outstanding debt at remarkable discounts. Unfortunately, it also has left many companies struggling and in need to modify their outstanding debt. Many large, well known companies have dissolved or declared bankruptcy. Debt modifications, repurchases and bankruptcy can have a profound tax  more...

Compliance With the PCI/CISP Credit Card Security Standards BenefitsThe Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard has driven compliance and security spending up, while giving long-time security professionals a stick to push the organization into thinking more strategically about data security. While the standard updates every two years, it is still a baseline by which we should far exceed, not the ceiling by which we judge our information security  more...

Construction Payment Bond Fundamentals BenefitsIn a tight economy, more situations arise where someone in the line of project contracts, from the prime contractor down to a second- or lower-tier subcontractor, fails to pay its bills - or even goes out of business. Those who are unpaid must seek alternative means to ensure payment. And those who are higher on the project chain must take steps to assure the flow of funds all the way  more...

Finance Skills for Procurement Professionals BenefitsThis live audio conference focuses on the core financial skills that every procurement professional must have to assist with everyday decision making. We will focus on core finance concepts for procurement, the request for proposal (RFP) process, reading financial statements, understanding ratios and the impact of financial risk. As an added benefit, you will receive the Finance Toolkit  more...

The Carryover Basis Election for 2010 Decedents Benefits2010 was the most complex year in the history of the estate tax to administer an estate. The 2001 Tax Act, EGTRRA enacted IRC Section 2210, which made the estate tax inapplicable to 2010 estates, and the GST tax inapplicable to generation-skipping transfers made in 2010. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (the '2010 Act') Section 301(c)  more...

Understand and Interpret Financial Statements BenefitsFinancial statements can be thought of as a report card for any business. They provide both a historical and current perspective on the health of an organization, as well as offer indications of future performance. They offer management, creditors, prospective investors and various other users a means to judge the financial performance of an organization. The speaker will discuss the  more...

Preventing and Recognizing Financial Elder Abuse BenefitsFinancial crimes against the elderly are generally considered to fall into two categories: fraud committed by strangers, and financial exploitation by relatives and caregivers. These categories are not discreet, and sometimes overlap. A clever stranger can often become a trusted caregiver. Although financial exploitation of the elderly has long been recognized as a 'national disgrace,'  more...

Proactive Fraud Prevention Measures BenefitsThis live audio conference will discuss the basic fraud components to include the elements of the 'fraud triangle' - opportunity, financial pressures/incentives and rationalization. We will also review the warning signs of fraud and proactive fraud measures to include the importance of internal controls to aid in fraud deterrence. This live audio conference is designed for CFOs,  more...

IPPS Final Rule BenefitsThe Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) was implemented in 1983 replacing a cost-based reimbursement methodology in an effort to better control the costs of providing care to the Medicare inpatient and to incentivize hospitals to better manage utilization. As time has passed CMS has modified the program to better recognize severity of illness AND to reduce payments to hospitals for  more...

Closing Budget Gaps With Asset Sales BenefitsThe lingering Great Recession and slow recovery have diminished the growth of state and local government revenues while expenses continue their increase causing structural budget gaps. A new source of revenue is the sale or conversion of government assets into revenues. These revenues may be one-time proceeds of asset sales, leases and franchise fees, redevelopment of existing buildings,  more...

SSARS 19: Compilation and Review Standards Update BenefitsStatements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services No. 19 is effective for all periods ending after December 15, 2010. This statement is the most comprehensive rewrite of the standards for compilations and reviews since the original SSARS No. 1 issued in 1978. All CPAs performing compilation and review services will have to comply with these new engagement standards for year-end  more...

IRS Form 5471: Information Return for U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations BenefitsAs more U.S. companies view global markets as a necessity to survive and to grow, more U.S. companies own foreign subsidiaries to conduct foreign operations. Whether you are a growing multinational company with subsidiaries all over the globe, or a small, closely-held company that owns a Canadian subsidiary, you will have to file IRS Form 5471 for every foreign corporation that you own.  more...

IRA and Qualified Plan Distributions BenefitsThis audio conference is specially designed for those who advise their clients on IRA and qualified plan distributions. It will focus on the required minimum distribution rules and how an IRA payable to a trust may still qualify as a designated beneficiary. This program can help you spot and avoid some of the common mistakes taxpayers make with their IRAs and inherited IRAs. This audio  more...

GASB 51: Accounting Standards for Intangible Assets BenefitsGovernments possess many different types of assets that may be considered intangible assets, including easements, water or air rights, timber rights, patents, trademarks, and computer software. The implementation of GASB 34 created questions as to whether and when intangible assets should be considered capital assets for financial reporting purposes. An absence of sufficiently specific  more...

Medical Records: Responding to Subpoenas and Investigations BenefitsDon't be caught off guard. You could be breaching the confidentiality of patients without even realizing it! From HIPAA requirements to state privacy laws, legal issues abound in the medical records arena. If you're not up to date on medical records law, your company could face serious legal and financial liability risks. Attend this audio conference and gain critical information on  more...

Funding Trusts in Estate Planning BenefitsIt is all too common for clients who go through the time and expense of creating a revocable trust to not properly fund the trust. Failing to fund a revocable trust will often defeat the very purpose for creating such a trust, i.e., avoiding probate and the public disclosure of assets. This audio conference will provide an overview of the mechanics of contributing property to revocable  more...

HR Budgeting Fundamentals: Translate Your Goals into Revenue Terms BenefitsDue to SOX legislation and CFO/controller's demanding budgets from the HR department, HR professionals have had to learn budgeting skills. Most HR people did not go to school to be financial gurus and learning to properly budget for people-related expenses is a foreign language. However, if you truly want a seat at the table you must learn to appropriately forecast and plan for the most  more...

Structuring Renewable Energy Projects in Challenging Conditions BenefitsThis in-depth course will provide you with the practical tools and analytic techniques to see your project successfully -- and profitably -- financed. Instruction will be example-driven using structures and project documentation derived from renewable projects. You will briefly review the key concepts of project finance, analyze how risk allocation determines the structure of most project  more...

LEED Credits That Don't Break the Bank! BenefitsLEED project teams often fail to harvest the incentives and rebates that are commonly available to high-performing buildings. Furthermore, teams rarely plan ahead and build the incentive opportunities into their design and construction strategies to ensure that all available dollars are captured. This results in projects going over budget, designers having to choose sub-par systems as a  more...

New Disclosures Required on the Credit Quality of Finance Receivables and the Allowance for Credit Losses under FASB ASU 2010-2 BenefitsOn July 21, 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-20 to require companies to provide significant new disaggregated disclosures about the credit quality of their financing receivables and the allowance for credit losses. This audio conference provides an overview of ASU 2010-20 and discusses the new disclosure requirements under this pronouncement. This ASU is not limited to financial  more...

Post-Mortem Tax Planning BenefitsWhile death and taxes are both inevitable, taxes do not end with death. The Federal Estate Tax, the Gift Tax and the Income Tax all have bearing on what happens post-death. Further, there are state rules that also are applicable post-death to estate planning documents. There are numerous questions that have to be addressed and answered. This audio conference will cover many of the  more...

Form 5500 Reporting Update BenefitsEmployers who offer an employee benefit plan must file an annual report regarding the plan's financial condition, investments and operations, unless specifically exempt by law. Filing the Form 5500 will satisfy this requirement. This audio conference will help you understand when you need to file a Form 5500 and what you need to file, and will focus on some recent changes that may impact  more...

Family Limited Partnerships in Estate Planning BenefitsMany estate planners who are asked about family limited partnerships or family limited liability companies do not understand the reasons for forming these entities in the planning process. They also are not clear on what is the current status of statutory and case law concerning the continued use of these entities. This audio conference will help you learn to identify when the use of this  more...

Trust Situs and State Taxation: Practical Planning Implications BenefitsState tax departments are becoming more aggressive at collecting revenues and the trend is likely to continue in light of state fiscal issues. Trusts are no exceptions. The rules under which a state can tax a trust are complex and changing in more aggressive ways. How can a state tax a trust? What planning steps can be taken? What must you understand when preparing tax returns? Each rule  more...

Brownfield Redevelopment and LEED in 2010: What Happens When You Mix Green and Brown? BenefitsA survey by the Northeast-Midwest Institute indicated a trend that large-scale, community transforming brownfields redevelopment in the United States is going green. This audio conference will help you understand the contributing factors to ROI of the maturing green building practices on brownfields. Many professionals in the real estate investment business have witnessed how the  more...

Accounting for Uncertain Tax Positions: FIN 48 Update BenefitsUnderstanding and meeting the financial statement disclosure rules on uncertain tax positions is already a challenge. Now, the recent IRS proposal to require corporate filing of Schedule UTP brings highly controversial reporting concerns. Schedule UTP would require income tax return disclosure of federal uncertain tax positions in detail that goes far beyond the corresponding financial  more...

Economic Substance Doctrine Codification Update Benefits2010 has produced the sweeping changes in health care via legislation titled the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Knowledge of its tax implications, tax credits, employer obligations and other financial aspects will be discussed in this informative audio conference. Awareness of the compliance rules will avoid financial risk and a variety of costly penalties for both individuals  more...

Preparing for the International Financial Reporting Standard BenefitsOn November 14, 2008, the SEC released its proposed road map for the adoption of IFRS in the United States. About the same time, leaders from the G20 countries at a financial summit in the United States issued a statement which, among other things, confirmed the leaders' support for developing a single set of high-quality global accounting standards. Both of these events represent  more...

Paralegal's Guide to Confidentiality, Conflicts and Communications BenefitsA fundamental aspect of the attorney-client relationship is the attorney's obligation regarding confidentiality, conflicts and communication. The professional rules regarding confidentiality, conflicts and communication should be known and understood by all practicing attorneys. Clients have certain expectations and the attorneys must respect and abide by those expectations. Furthermore,  more...

Not-for-Profit Auditing and Accounting for Contributions and Pledges BenefitsIn this day and age, it is essential for not-for-profit professionals to have a basic understanding of auditing and accounting as it relates to contributions and pledges. This will help you to account for every dime taken in, and to report accurately and completely on how each dollar is used. By preserving the financial integrity of your organization, you will also earn the trust of your  more...

Impact of Health Care Reform on Elder Law BenefitsThis teleconference will teach you how the recent health care act will affect seniors and persons with disabilities. President Obama signed into law, in March of this year, the Patient Protection and Affordability Act of 2010 and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. These together are referred to as the Affordability Care Act. This act makes changes to Medicaid and  more...

Understanding Fiduciary Investment Duties for Trusts: Be Prudent and Diversify BenefitsIn the current volatile and uncertain economic climate, estate planning advisors and their clients need to re-examine conventional estate planning wisdom, better understand how fiduciary performance will be tested and evaluated, and how fiduciary risk can be managed by proper conduct. This audio conference is designed for attorneys, estate planners, accountants, trust administrators,  more...

Public/Private Partnerships: Major Infrastructure and Other Development Projects BenefitsThe term public/private partnership, or P3, has recently emerged as one of the latest buzz words in the development area. States and local governments are struggling with resource limitations and ever increasing demands of infrastructure. The involvement of the private sector offers an enticing solution for meeting massive infrastructure needs. At the same time, P3s provide an opportunity  more...

S Corporations: How to Avoid Common and Often Overlooked Pitfalls (Simple to Complex) BenefitsAs many practitioners will attest to, there are many pitfalls when S corporations are involved. This teleconference will identify the most common pitfalls, such as not properly maintaining earning accounts, ineligible shareholders, the one class of stock principle, invalid or missing S corporation elections and built-in gain. You will not only learn how to identify these pitfalls, but you  more...

Principal Diagnosis Selection: Ensure Compliance with Official Coding Guidelines BenefitsIn today's current health care business economic climate, there exists a renewed focus upon third-party payer initiatives to second guess and undermine medical record coder's selection of principal diagnosis selection under the guise of medical necessity and accurate and compliant coding. Under the RAC Demonstration Project, a pattern of supposed coding errors and medical necessity errors  more...

Understanding the Role of the Trust Protector BenefitsThink of how far society and trusts have evolved in just the last 100 years. How can we anticipate what changes lie ahead of us from both a tax and nontax perspective? Is the movement toward multigenerational trusts pushing the planning horizon many years past the point most estate planners were trained to envision? This teleconference will identify those unintended consequences and  more...

Social Media Guidelines for Estate and Financial Planners BenefitsAttend this teleconference and learn how to diagnose and score current digital/web presence. You will be able to identify steps to build an effective experience taking advantage of the latest web 2.0 features. This teleconference will teach you how to apply a top-down messaging model to craft positions along the 'long tail' and organize communications to reinforce your brand. Gain a better  more...

Obtaining Surety Bonds for Construction Projects BenefitsThe current heightened risk environment caused by increasing contractor failures have raised concerns in the surety markets, however underwriting standards have not materially changed. What has changed is that sureties are more closely scrutinizing contractors' balance sheets and underwriting information to meet these standards and this trend will remain until the construction industry  more...

Reporting and Disclosure Requirements Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 BenefitsThe passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has presented a significant number of opportunities for government, not-for-profit and commercial entities to expand upon current and initiate new programs and services. However, ARRA also establishes a number of mandates that recipients must comply with or risk potential financial and legal penalties in addition to public  more...

A Primer on International Estate Planning BenefitsIndividuals are increasingly 'international' today - especially wealthy ones. More and more clients work or study abroad, own property in more than one country, find their spouses abroad and qualify as citizens or residents of multiple nations. All of this can subject clients to the competing property, succession and tax laws of multiple jurisdictions. This teleconference will help you  more...

Florida Documentary Stamp Tax Update BenefitsLenders and real estate professionals operating in Florida for the first time (and oftentimes seasoned Florida practitioners) are forced to deal with the sometimes confusing imposition of the Florida documentary stamp tax. Florida documentary stamp taxes are imposed on loan transactions and real property transfers taking place in Florida. This teleconference will provide a discussion  more...

Sale Leaseback Transactions Today: Monetizing Real Estate Assets BenefitsA troubled economy and a chilly borrowing environment require a re-thinking of how capital and debt are used in your business. Monetizing real estate assets by sale-leaseback transactions may free up needed capital to invest in your business, particularly if the real estate is undervalued. This teleconference will help you understand when and where sale-leaseback transactions on real  more...

Code Section 409A BenefitsThe IRS is giving employers one last chance to fix their plan documents and compensation agreements for Code Section 409A. However, the IRS has also announced some new interpretations of Section 409A provisions that will require most employers to make changes to their plans and agreements. Employers that make these changes before January 1, 2011, can avoid IRS penalties, in most cases. In  more...

Navigating Form 1041 BenefitsWith more individuals using trusts in estate planning, knowing how to prepare an accurate Form 1041 is becoming more important than ever. Properly computing taxable income and correctly allocating taxable income between the entity and its beneficiaries can avoid not only challenges by the IRS but also disgruntled beneficiaries. This teleconference will help you understand the main rules on  more...

Long-Term Care Insurance in Estate Plans BenefitsClients spend a lifetime building financial security for their retirement, often with the desire to pass the assets on to their family or charity rather than loose it to the cost of long-term care. Whether at home, assisted living or nursing home care, the cost can be staggering. When is the purchase of long-term care insurance appropriate for a client? How can the client control the  more...

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: The Overhaul of the U.S. Financial System BenefitsThe Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act signed into law by President Obama overhauls the United States financial system. This legislation will affect every corner of the financial services industry. Learn how this legislation is likely to affect you. This teleconference will review many important aspects of the Act, including the new Financial Stability Oversight  more...

Reading Financial Statements: A Creditor's Perspective BenefitsThis teleconference will teach you how to read and understand financial statements, especially from a creditor's perspective. It is also for investors and business owners who not only desire to expand their business, but who want a better handle on what the number on their financial statements mean and how they can become useful tools. This teleconference will impart useful and practical  more...

Basics of Trust Administration BenefitsThis teleconference will provide an overview of basic principles of trust administration under U.S. law, including powers and duties of trustees; relations with beneficiaries; removal and replacement of trustees; the use of directed trustees, protectors and investment managers, etc., to 'slice and dice' trustee powers; probate court involvement in trust administration; and concepts in  more...

EPA's Rules on Compensatory Mitigation for Impact on Wetlands, Streams and Other Waters BenefitsIn 2008, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers adopted new rules that dramatically changed its approach to mitigation under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates fill in wetlands and other waters of the United States. The new rules adopt a mitigation hierarchy that moves away from the prior preference for on-site, in-kind mitigation in favor of mitigation banks and watershed-based  more...

The FLSA Comp Time Controversy BenefitsComp Time, or compensatory time, is an alternate way of rewarding overtime work. Instead of paying an hourly employee time-and-a-half for work done over the time allotted in the normal work week, employers can allow an hour and a half of time off for each hour of overtime worked. This teleconference will cover how the FLSA views the use of comp time in relation to public agencies and  more...

Planning Fundamentals for Illiquid Assets BenefitsPlanning for illiquid assets presents unique and difficult problems for clients, estates and the assets/business involved. Practitioners advising clients with substantial liquid assets need to identify the unique problems and provide guidance and solutions to deal with them. This teleconference will review a broad range of issues and planning opportunities affecting illiquid assets,  more...

Medical Necessity - The Collaborative Partnership Approach BenefitsHospitals constantly struggle with reducing financial exposure due to noncompliance with medical necessity in the ordering and performing of diagnostic tests on both the inpatient and outpatient business environment. Current hospital business processes and medical staff mind-sets do not lend themselves and promote financial efficiencies in the performance and reimbursement of diagnostic  more...

Screening Commercial Tenants: Priorities and Pitfalls BenefitsIn this economic environment many commercial landlords are experiencing increasingly high default and vacancy rates while the value of their assets is, in many jurisdictions, plummeting. The Congressional Oversight Panel recently released its Commercial Real Estate Losses and the Risk to Financial Stability report confirming many industry experts' fears of a looming commercial real estate  more...

How to Set Pay Ranges That Are Fair and Effective BenefitsOrganizations nationwide seek to continuously improve performance and motivation, while simultaneously reducing costs. This arduous task often becomes the responsibility of human resources. Without effective systems in place and data available, employee compensation can run counter to efficiency and performance objectives set by the organization. The implementation of market-based pay  more...

Protecting Assets for Long-Term Care Medi-Cal Benefits BenefitsFamilies with relatively substantial assets can often access California's Medi-Cal program to pay for long-term care. Attentive planning is required, however, to avoid the minefields of government rules and potentially disastrous consequences. Each family's needs beyond Medi-Cal and other government benefits must also be considered. Further complexity has been added to the planning process  more...

New Developments in Greywater Irrigation Systems BenefitsDue to drought, climate change, groundwater over-drafting and sheer population increase, pressure is on developers and builders to conserve water in new developments. The focus for such conservation is on the landscape, which currently uses about half of all urban water. This teleconference will teach you what greywater really is, all the environmental and financial benefits of reusing it,  more...

Using Investment Policy Statements as an Investment Tool: It's an Art, Not a Science BenefitsThis teleconference will bring together a panel with differing perspectives on the use and creation of investment policy statements, including outside legal counsel to address perceived problems arising from nonconforming activities; inside legal counsel to discuss techniques for ensuring that the instrument clearly and fully reflects the investor's expectations and the firm's  more...

An Introduction to L3Cs: Low-Profit Limited Liability Companies BenefitsThe current state of the economy has left many charities and businesses, all with great intentions, struggling for financial support. These organizations need to re-evaluate their business models to successfully adapt in this economic climate. This teleconference will provide advisors and business owners with a broad overview of a new hybrid for-profit/nonprofit business model: the  more...

Overdraft Opt-Ins: Protecting Your Bank Under Regulation E BenefitsIn response to public criticism and high-profile litigation relating to overdraft fees, the Federal Reserve Board revised Regulation E to give consumers the right to limit overdraft costs associated with certain transactions by giving consent or opting-in to a financial institutions overdraft program. Financial institutions must comply with the new regulation by July 1, 2010. This  more...

The Fundamentals of Estate Planning for Pets BenefitsPets are an important part of the lives of many individuals. People own pets for a variety of reasons - they love animals, they enjoy the companionship and they enjoy receiving unconditional love. On many occasions, pets have supplanted children in people's lives. Planning for these companions requires a comprehensive look at the various opportunities and techniques which are available to  more...

Strategies and Techniques for International Debt Recovery BenefitsGlobalization has taken business and industry to new levels of competition. To stay in the game, successful organizations need to adjust to the demands of an international market. Most foreign buyers expect to receive credit terms. However, once popular tools, like the letter of credit, are becoming too expensive and complicated for the quick pace of today's international business  more...

Current Issues Facing Real Estate Lenders: Managing Through the Tidal Wave of Distressed Properties BenefitsThis is a unique time in the cycle of real estate financing. The economy is at risk in a way not experienced since the Great Depression. Credit markets are frozen and financial institutions are under severe distress. Real estate assets are suffering from deflation in value and illiquidity. Tenant distress, soon followed by landlord challenges, will create further deep disruptions. It is  more...

Doing Business with Distressed Vendors and Customers: Strategies to Employ in Workouts, Litigation and Bankruptcy BenefitsThe strains of the current economic crisis are being felt in every industry and at every point in the supply chain. More and more often, vendors are encountering distressed buyers and buyers are dealing with distressed suppliers. Attend this teleconference and you will learn to recognize the early warning signs of financial distress, and be armed with strategies that can be employed in  more...

Leasing Public Infrastructure BenefitsFinancing of public infrastructure assets has been popular in Europe and Latin America but is a relatively new phenomenon in the United States. During the first part of this decade, the financing of public infrastructure through public/private partnership concession and lease agreements became increasingly popular. Although these transactions have slowed during the recent financial crisis,  more...

Advanced Microsoft Excel Formulas and Functions BenefitsEven if you are fairly comfortable with building formulas and functions in Excel , you might still be missing out by having overlooked some powerful functions or just not be aware of special capabilities, like array formulas. There's no question that Excel's 300+ functions give you tremendous capabilities to tackle a myriad of statistical, mathematical and financial challenges, not to  more...

Accounting for Off-Balance Sheet Items Update BenefitsFor years, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC and others have wrestled with how companies should report their involvement with special-purpose vehicles and transactions with such entities in their financial statements. Frequently, these issues are mentioned in the context of structured finance or asset securitization or, more broadly, as off-balance sheet financing. The  more...

Workout Strategies for Troubled Condominium Projects BenefitsThe present economic downturn has affected real estate projects of all types but perhaps none as significantly as condominium projects. To further complicate matters, strategies to cope with failing and failed condominium developments must address multiple overlays of statutory and other legal requirements and limitations, as well as the often conflicting rights and concerns of the many  more...

Avoiding the Risk of Subcontractor Default BenefitsIn today's construction market, many contractors find themselves expanding into new territories to secure profitable work. With this expansion comes the increased risk of subcontractor default due to unfamiliarity with local subcontractors and suppliers. The default of a critical subcontractor or supplier can have a substantial impact on a project causing delays that can adversely affect  more...

Purchasing Law: Effective Contract Negotiation & Management In Times Of Financial Uncertainty BenefitsCompanies are working harder than ever to reduce costs through better inventory and supply-chain management. At the same time, economic pressures are putting historic strains on their supply base. This creates the opportunity for supply chain interruptions that can threaten the very existence of a company. This teleconference helps the persons responsible for supply chain and purchasing  more...

New Developments in Greywater Irrigation Systems BenefitsDue to drought, climate change, groundwater over-drafting and sheer population increase, pressure is on developers and builders to conserve water in new developments. The focus for such conservation is on the landscape, which currently uses about half of all urban water. This teleconference will teach you what greywater really is, all the environmental and financial benefits of reusing it,  more...

Community Association Legal Issues - Charting the Course Through Rough Seas BenefitsWith the current state of the economy, managing Community Associations presents new and complex issues to the board of directors and the management companies. The value of and the ability to sell real property in a common interest community are significantly affected by the appropriate and effective management of the Association. Implementing a budgeting process and establishing collection  more...

FASB Statement 157 - Fair Value Update on Corporate Asset Valuation BenefitsDuring the past 24 months we've seen unprecedented volatility in the financial services industry, capital markets, and global economy. While implementing changes mandated by FAS 157 (ASC 820) has been challenging for many companies - the rule aims to make it easier to communicate value to shareholders. This teleconference will provide an overview of FAS 157 (ASC 820) guidelines, including  more...

International Purchasing: Current Trends and Supply Chain Security BenefitsThis teleconference will discuss improved supply chain security and vendor performance, as well as reduce risk of liability for third-party violations of U.S. law and other misconduct. The speaker will discuss how to facilitate dealings with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and speed customs clearance of incoming shipments. The teleconference will provide you with an increased awareness  more...

Impact of Confidentiality Rules in Bankruptcy Proceedings BenefitsDistressed companies struggle to protect their proprietary and strategic information against the assumption that a bankrupt's financial affairs are public. Since 2005, creditor committees have similarly confronted their statutory obligation to share information with creditors with their practical duties in working through a Chapter 11. This teleconference will provide both a relevant  more...

Matrimonial Considerations in Estate and Trust Planning BenefitsThis teleconference will review matrimonial implications to estate and trust planning. It will focus on the use of trusts and other estate planning techniques before marriage and during, after and before remarriage, to protect assets from matrimonial claims. Practical planning concepts; drafting considerations; income, gift and estate tax implications; and ancillary considerations will be  more...

Best Practices in Commission Pay Plans BenefitsThere are few management tools that work as well in recruiting, directing, motivating and retaining sales people as a strong commission plan. This is critical because sales people are often highly paid, remote from headquarters and entrusted with customer relationships (very valuable assets). A properly designed commission plan clearly and personally communicates the strategy of the  more...

Stark Act Update: Recent Changes and Operational Challenges BenefitsThe Stark Act is a very technical law that prohibits several common financial arrangements between physicians and entities to which they refer, including hospitals. If a physician has a financial arrangement with an entity that bills for or performs 'designated health services,' the financial arrangement will need to meet all components of an applicable exception. If the Stark Act is  more...

Utilizing Spendthrift Trusts in Estate Plans BenefitsA spendthrift trust is an invaluable tool in protecting assets for the beneficiary. This teleconference will introduce you to the use and purpose of spendthrift trusts. Additionally, this program will provide specific guidance of drafting an effective spendthrift trust and highlight drafting pitfalls. Attorneys, estate planners, accountants, presidents, vice presidents, CFOs, controllers,  more...

Contractor Selection BenefitsIn today's difficult financial times when construction is considered, it is vital to have the best construction team members available. While design professionals, lenders and other professionals are important for a successful project, in these 'watch the bottom line' times, the contractor you place in charge of the work is the most important person on the project. This teleconference will  more...

Construction Contract Bid Errors BenefitsThe pressures on contractors to obtain work have never been greater. The competition for contracts, often coupled with precarious financial health, leaves very little margin for error - yet bid mistakes are on the increase with adverse consequences for owners, contractors and subcontractors. This teleconference analyzes the legal consequences of bid errors and how to avoid them. Those who  more...

Living With Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) BenefitsAs of March 19, 2009, 29 states have adopted UPMIFA as law and the Uniform Act is presently pending in an additional 16 jurisdictions. By the end of 2009, in most of the United States, attorneys representing nonprofit institutions and those who donate to them and their endowment funds will be governed by new state law which replaces the Uniform Management of Institutional Funds, which had  more...

Employee Expense Reimbursement Best Practices BenefitsMany employers spend significant sums on employee expense reimbursement and need to prepare and enforce robust policies to adequately support and monitor reimbursable expenses. In today's economy, establishment of best practices and ensuring compliance is crucial to minimize the cost and legal risk of inappropriate practices. This teleconference will explore the legal landscape governing  more...

Estate and Financial Planning for Clients Living With Chronic Illness BenefitsChronic illness affects nearly 120 million Americans. How can professional advisers better serve and advise clients living with chronic illness and their loved ones? In many situations modest changes to traditional planning tools and drafting conventions can provide tremendously improved protection and peace of mind for clients living with chronic illness. This teleconference will provide  more...

Understanding Business Valuations From Purpose to Product BenefitsThe business valuation field is widely fragmented with a variety of specialized services, appraiser credentials, business valuation standards and business valuation deliverables. For this reason, the business valuation methods employed, products delivered and prices charged can vary widely depending on the purpose of the business valuation and the appraiser or firm engaged. Therefore, it  more...

Construction Project Management in Remote Locations: Site Considerations and Unique Challenges BenefitsClients that are developing projects in remote locations are increasingly demanding comprehensive design-build solutions for projects where the defined scope is often little more than a half-page concept of the desired output or regulatory result. The client expectations: technical and commercial analysis, scope of work development, a detailed execution plan, a detailed CPM schedule with  more...

Pitfalls of Participant Loans in Retirement Plans BenefitsParticipant loans in a qualified employee benefit plan are a common problem area due to their complex administration. Plan sponsors of qualified employee benefit plans need to be aware of many pitfalls to avoid tax consequences. Even worse than tax consequences is the possibility of the entire plan losing its preferred tax status. This teleconference will explain the regulations of  more...

Buying and Selling Partnerships, LLCs and Other Similar Entities BenefitsCorporations and alternative entities have distinctly different frameworks for defining the tax, economic and management rights and obligations of their equity owners. But oftentimes business people and their advisors structure and negotiate purchases and sales of equity interests in alternative entities using concepts from the corporate model. Failing to account for the differences  more...

Valuation and Reporting of Gifts and Service Donations BenefitsAs not-for-profits continue to face challenges related to raising money, they are becoming more creative in soliciting donations, resulting in more donations of noncash assets and greater restrictions on contributions received. This is occurring at the same time that there is a higher focus on the definition of fair value. Contributions of gifts and services should be measured at the fair  more...

Providing Investment Advice to Retirement Plan Participants Without Triggering Liability BenefitsThe current recession and volatile financial markets highlight the importance of financial literacy. Until recently, retirement plan sponsors have been constrained in the types of investment advice that can be provided to plan participants. Plan sponsors have long wanted to provide the investment advice their participants desire, but without incurring liability for advice given in good  more...

Form 709: Gift Tax Fundamentals BenefitsTransfer taxes are imposed on the gratuitous transfer of property. When property is transferred during lifetime, a gift tax may be imposed. While the most ignored tax, failure to properly comply with the gift tax laws during life may cause estate tax problems at death. During this teleconference, you will learn when a gift tax return should be filed, what type of gifts need to be reported,  more...

FEMA's Critical Flood Plain Regulation BenefitsFEMA's National Flood Insurance Program plays a very important role in protecting communities and their residents and businesses from the disaster caused by flooding. It publicizes the areas of greatest flood risk, restricts construction with high flood risk, and provides insurance for the flood losses that are excluded from most homeowners and general business policies. These activities  more...

Developing, Managing and Analyzing a Budget: Understand and Implement an Effective Budget for Better Management and Financial De BenefitsThis teleconference will show how proper planning and budgeting are the keys to success, and operating without a plan or budget is an invitation to fail. This concept holds for businesses - no matter how large or small - nonprofits and governments. Budgeting is a dynamic process, not a static one. By knowing the types of budgets and processes that have worked for others, one can create an  more...

When Worlds Collide - Bankruptcy and Probate BenefitsUntil the U. S. Supreme Court's 2006 decision in Marshall v. Marshall, 547 U.S. 293 (2006), there was a common belief among many bankruptcy and probate practitioners that the so-called probate exception to federal jurisdiction served to prevent bankruptcy courts from adjudicating any matters that were related, even only slightly, to a probate estate. In giving a very narrow interpretation  more...

Cash Is King: Effective Cash Flow Management BenefitsA balance sheet is often described as a snapshot of your financial situation at a single point in time. (Think of it as the balance in your personal checking account.) An income statement summarizes revenue, expenses and net income for the entire year or other period of time. Both of these financial statements are important tools to measure the success of your business but do little to  more...

Current ERISA Fiduciary Issues for Financial Institutions BenefitsFinancial institutions have long been faced with difficult and complicated issues under ERISA's fiduciary rules. The current economic downturn has given rise to a new round of legislative and regulatory initiatives regarding ERISA's fiduciary rules and has more generally affected the manner in which ERISA may affect financial institutions. In addition, the regulatory environment continues  more...

Effective Sales Management: Short and Long-term Planning, Forecasting, and Expense Budgeting BenefitsThis teleconference helps the individuals responsible for planning and updating budgets, with a focus on maintaining effective sales activities. In an uncertain economy, performing long-term budget planning is often viewed as a luxury, rather than as an essential business practice. In every kind of economy, however, the need to anticipate financial boundaries is essential to ongoing  more...

Financial Planning After Retirement: Coordinating the Retirement Plan with the Estate Plan BenefitsA wrong determination of whether a trust qualifies as a designated beneficiary of retirement benefits can cost the owner decades of tax deferral as well as 50 percent excise tax penalties. Learn how to provide the best asset protection and estate planning benefits for large retirement plans so that the valuable 'stretch out' does not become a 'blow out.' Most trusts are inadequately  more...

Practical Transportation Design and Solutions: Concepts and Implementation BenefitsDue to the increasing age of our nation's transportation infrastructure, in conjunction with the increasing demand for travel, the need for ongoing road preservation, safety and mobility projects has continually increased. However, the long term availability of funds for such improvements continues to diminish. Typical planning and design approaches may prioritize projects at the planning  more...

Medical Identity Theft: Why You Must Prevent and How to Minimize Its Occurrence BenefitsMore and more patient information is being captured electronically, both within the provider setting and remotely from the patients themselves. Additionally, an increasing number of myriad touches of this data occur on a daily basis by various known and unknown entities, not all of whom are authorized or have a specific need to know. In this environment, ample opportunity exists for  more...

Determining the Best Service Delivery Options for Public Works and Utility Projects: In-House or Contract? BenefitsIn this teleconference, you will learn principles and techniques for determining when a project or activity is best delivered by in-house staff, through a contract with a neighboring government or a private contractor, or a combined approach with some tasks performed in-house and others by a contractor. The teleconference will present a practical, nuts-and-bolts approach with examples to  more...

Legal Overview of Financial Records: Obtaining and Understanding the Information BenefitsMany offices today make use of paralegals or legal assistants not only in preparing documents but in reviewing them. Many attorneys rely on elementary representations of income such as the income stated on an income tax return for determining the available funds for child support and maintenance. In many cases, this may be sufficient, such as that of a W-2 wage earner. However, in those  more...

Estate Planning for the Final Years of Life BenefitsEmpirical evidence and directed studies indicate that the majority of Americans fail to plan for their final years of life. Ironically, this is the time when many people are confronted with their greatest challenges and most stressful experiences. This teleconference will cover why people need to plan, what they need to plan for and how to apply proven strategies for dealing with the final  more...

Ethical Implications for Attorneys Transitioning to New Firms BenefitsIn today's legal market, attorneys transition between law firms and other professional associations with great frequency. The movement of attorneys implicates some fundamental ethical issues, such as confidentiality and conflicts. Not knowing and understanding these ethical issues and implementing procedures to avoid a violation of the pertinent rules may lead to claims against the  more...

Navigating through the Maze of Unclaimed Property Compliance - Unique Rules and Regulations for Financial Institutions BenefitsFinancial institutions are frequently challenged to keep up and implement the ever changing federal and state requirements imposed on this industry. Ensuring that proper internal controls, risk management and fraud prevention are adequately addressed is critical. One of the additional areas of compliance includes ensuring that you have established proper procedures and controls to prepare  more...

Circular 230 Update and Practitioner Regulation: Expansion of Scope and Clarifications BenefitsTax preparers and advisors are increasingly burdened with expanded regulation and penalty exposure for themselves and their firms or institutions. Tax departments have moved from being a profit center to being a center for risk management. This teleconference will help you understand the current requirements and risks for tax preparers and advisors. The teleconference will cover the  more...

Sarbanes Oxley 404 Requirements Update BenefitsWith the SEC's decision not to extend the 404 filing deadline for nonaccelerated filers, the PCAOB's issuance of AS5 and the SEC's publication of Section 404 interpretive guidance, management from both accelerated and nonaccelerated filers are diligently working to assess the impact on their company's compliance requirements. This teleconference helps you understand how to effectively  more...

A Comprehensive Approach to Building Excellent ADA Facilities within the Public Right-of-Way BenefitsMany state and local entities have found full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act within the public right-of-way to be a difficult goal to achieve. This teleconference will provide proven techniques that will increase the chances of fully completing the ADA facilities the first time without costly mistakes or retrofits. This practical approach coordinates the survey,  more...

FASB Statement 109: Impacts on Your Financial Statements BenefitsThe teleconference will update the Tax Department personnel with knowledge of the latest tax accounting rules and learn how the latest FAS pronouncements can affect the preparation and review of 2009 income tax provision. Accountants, controllers, CFOs, tax managers and officers, presidents, vice presidents, business owners and managers, financial planners, bankers, business analysts,  more...

Your Organization's Obligations Under the FTC's Red Flags Rule: A Comprehensive Overview BenefitsThe Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft Red Flags Rule is set to go into effect on June 1, 2010. Yet, uncertainty remains as to which organizations are subject to the rule and what it takes to comply with the rule's requirements. Compliance is further complicated by the rule's nonprescriptive nature. Rather than tell organizations subject to the rule what they must include in their  more...

Splits, SNTs and Public Benefits: Understanding the Complexities of Special Needs Planning in Divorces BenefitsMarital stress and divorce are highly prevalent among families with special needs. Many attorneys who specialize in the area of divorce are unfamiliar with the complexities of special needs planning, despite the importance of public benefit programs to their clients and their families. This teleconference not only helps you understand the detailed public benefit programs available to your  more...

Legal Issues Arising From Nontraditional Checks BenefitsThe proliferation of nontraditional checks and the convergence of paper and electronic payment systems in recent years has created a number of significant operational and compliance issues for financial institutions. This teleconference will help you understand and identify these risks in your institution. It will also give you insight into ways you can manage and mitigate these risks  more...

Structured Settlements - The Changing Landscape BenefitsWhether plaintiff or defense, this teleconference will provide you with a better understanding of structured settlements and their practical application to claims resolution. Since the early 1980's, structured settlements have been a major part of negotiating and settling cases involving physical injury or sickness. With the changing financial landscape, structured settlements have been  more...

Restrictive Covenants: Common Disclosures, Restrictions and Land Use Issues BenefitsThe ongoing real estate downturn has caused a re-evaluation of virtually every aspect of the real estate finance and development landscape. Restrictive covenants have long been a part of that landscape as property developers and owners have sought long-term protection for a variety of interests, including commercial territories, community character and architectural style. Over the last  more...

Using Purchasing Metrics to Drive Bottom and Top Line Contribution BenefitsThe role of sourcing and procurement managers has become increasingly critical to the bottom line performance of companies in today's complex and dynamic environment. Yet most procurement organizations focus metrics on cost and productivity rather than business value added and risk. Without appropriate metrics, managers cannot quantify their business impact or allocate resources to the  more...

Conservation Easement Tax Incentives BenefitsIn the current challenging economic conditions, capital remains difficult for individuals and businesses to obtain to meet their working capital and business expansion needs. However, many businesses are unaware that they may already be holding valuable tax assets that can be utilized to generate positive cash-positive and provide significant tax benefits. This teleconference will help  more...

Current Issues in Development Impact Fees BenefitsDevelopment impact fees, mitigation fees, connection charges and similar exactions imposed as conditions of approval for development activity continue to multiply and play an increasingly dominant role in the development approval process. Public agencies, from cities to regional air quality regulators to local sanitation districts, increasingly depend upon fee-type revenues not only to  more...

Value Engineering Change Proposals in Government Contracting BenefitsMany federal contractors are greatly focused on achieving cost reductions in their production processes, such as through lean manufacturing and Six Sigma programs, to become more competitive and increase profits. However, few contractors take advantage of a contractual tool, the Value Engineering ('VE') contract clause, which was established specifically to provide increased profits from  more...

Business Combinations and Goodwill: What Is the Latest With Fair Value? BenefitsThe Financial Accounting Standards Board recently issued a Statement on Fair Value Measurements (SFAS 157) which clarifies the concept of fair value in financial reporting. Along with the FASB's proposed revision of its Statement on Business Combinations (SFAS 141R), fair value measurements may change the way acquiring companies report the acquisition on its financial statements. These  more...

Practical and Legal Aspects of Real Estate Auctions nIn today's uncertain real estate economy, many real estate developers, investors and fiduciaries are holding surplus inventory with poor turnover performance and a grim outlook on return on investment. The carrying costs to maintain the property during a lengthy conventional brokerage sale weaken the asset's physical properties and investment potential. Real estate auctions have been a viable  more...

Statement on Auditing Standards No. 104 - No. 111 Risk Assessment Standards nThis teleconference will provide experienced and inexperienced auditors a concise summary of the risk assessment standards. In addition, this will provide auditors recommendations on how to become more efficient and effective in their application of these standards leading to less time required to implement the standards and a greater realization on audits. Since the majority of auditors may be  more...

Increasing the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Manufacturing Logistics nIn manufacturing logistics, the first priority is providing the right support to make production flow smoothly and put out the goods the company sells. This is effectiveness. The second priority is to provide this support without wasting human, technical or financial resources. This is efficiency. What most companies do in logistics is pursue efficiency at the expense of effectiveness, curtailing  more...

Construction Contract Accounting: A Three-Dimensional Look at the Numbers nFinancial reports do more than help you comply with the terms of the contract. Financial reporting can help you become more profitable by giving you the information you need to make smart management decisions. This teleconference will discuss three types of accounting - financial, tax and internal/management. Learn how to combine the different methods to get a three-dimensional view of your  more...

FCRA and FACT Act Regulatory and Litigation Update 2009 nIn the last year, new federal rules under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act have become effective. These rules restrict cross-marketing by financial institutions and other companies; impose new requirements on companies that use credit reports; and require lenders and others to establish new fraud prevention programs. In addition, a spate of federal court  more...

Tax Implications of Generation-Skipping Techniques - Planning to Minimize the Generation-Skipping Transfer (GST) Tax nBy attending this teleconference, you will learn key elements of the GST tax rules, including the rules for automatic allocation of GST tax exemption. Benefits and differences between different types of basic GST tax planning techniques, including various lifetime planning and post-mortem planning along with the implications of leveraging GST tax planning with discounted assets will also be  more...

Developing an Effective Property Management Plan nThe world of real estate and finance has changed dramatically. Are you interested in making more money? Having more free time? Living life with less stress? If you are a professional HOA property or community manager, or if you are thinking of becoming a HOA property manager, you will want to know what's new in property management. Become acquainted with the newest technology and how you can  more...

Drafting Trusts in Estate Planning nEstate tax laws keep changing. Did you know that even though the estate tax exemption is predicted to stay at $3.5 million the lifetime gift tax exemption will stay at $1 million, leaving the door open to reduce the estate tax exemption back down to $1 million when Congress tries to balance the budget in a few years? In addition to estate taxes, clients' families need protection from probate, bad  more...

Navigating the Troubled Construction Project: Recognizing, Analyzing and Handling the Risks nThe current economic downturn has given rise to a massive increase in the number of troubled construction projects. Whether trouble arises from the withdraw or lack of funding or a failure in performance of the contractors, subcontractors and suppliers to perform, the reality is that each project represents unique challenges that must be met head on. This teleconference presents the issues  more...

Tenancies in Common - Legal and Practical Issues nDuring the last five years, the tenant-in-common offering industry has grown to approximately $5 billion in annual equity raised. While specific data is hard to find, industry experts estimate that between $10 billion and $12 billion has been raised and spread across more than 2,000 offerings. In the last year, the number of materially under-performing TIC transactions has increased. As the  more...

FDIC's Role When a Financial Institution Fails: What Businesses and Bankers Need to Know nThe FDIC is modernizing its current business processes and procedures for determining deposit insurance coverage in the event of a failure of one of the largest insured depository institutions. This teleconference will provide you with information on the complex rules governing FDIC insurance coverage and how to maximize FDIC coverage. The coverage rules, the new rules recently passed and  more...

Valuation for Gift and Estate Tax Purposes in a Troubled Economy nWhether we are in a recession or depression, the values of assets are not what they once were. If you are contemplating whether to consider gift and estate tax planning or executing a plan, what will the impact of this troubled economy be on your tax valuations? This teleconference provides up-to-date guidance on current market conditions, and evolving valuation industry practices and techniques  more...

Tax and Practical Aspects of Business Succession Planning nClosely held family businesses are often as important to the owners of that business as are their own children. With business failures increasing in today's economic environment, the importance of a well planned, dynamic and long-term succession plan is vital to the continuation of the family business as it is passes from generation to generation. Tax considerations are one part of that plan, but  more...

Convergence of Estate Planning, Trust Administration and Financial Advice nIn the current volatile and uncertain economic climate, estate planning advisors and their clients need to re-examine conventional estate planning wisdom, better understand how fiduciary performance will be tested and evaluated, and more carefully assess the perceived benefits and actual risks of a variety of investment types within planning structures.  more...

Utilizing Congestion Pricing to Reduce Traffic Congestion and Generate Infrastructure Revenue nMany states and metropolitan areas are faced with increasing traffic congestion along with inadequate sources of transportation revenue to address transportation investment needs. After completing this teleconference, you will improve your understanding of the ability of congestion pricing to address both congestion reduction and revenue generation objectives. You will be able to describe some of  more...

Supply Chain Strategies in a Down Economy nOrganizations of all sizes and across all industries are struggling to meet earning targets in this down economy. Hardly a day goes by when you don't read about layoffs or other drastic measures that companies are taking to cope during the current economic downturn. What can companies do to help weather the storm? Taking an aggressive look at supplier costs can be a key strategy for shoring up  more...

Estate Planning Opportunities in an Uncertain Environment nMotivate the reluctant client; freeze the estate value to reduce the estate tax load. How many of us have clients waiting on the sidelines to decide what to do after experiencing 2008? The uncertain times and uncertain market have actually created the perfect time to use some of the advanced planning tools in the estate planner's arsenal. Depressed values for good assets open up the opportunity  more...

Updating and Maintaining Wills, Trusts and Estate Plans for the Evolving Client nThis teleconference has two primary focuses. The first part will highlight issues and opportunities for a drafting attorney to revisit and update an existing client's estate plan or prepare an update for a new client with existing documents. This part will focus on when and why clients need to review and revisit their estate plans and how to spot those issues for existing and potential clients.  more...

Share-Based Compensation - Impact of Recent Events on the Use of Equity Compensation nExecutive compensation continues to be a hot topic across many industries. Recent changes in share-based compensation rules, principally the changes to Financial Accounting Standards 123(R) [FAS 123(R)], and market uncertainty and declines have led to significant changes in how companies and executives view the role and the value of equity as part of an overall compensation package. Join our  more...

Investing IRAs and Qualified Plan Rollovers in Real Estate, Franchises, Start-Ups and Other Private Investments - Techniques and nA growing number of IRA owners and recipients of qualified plan rollovers have sought to take control of their own investments by investing directly in real estate and small businesses that they may intend to manage or otherwise be personally involved in. This trend has accelerated in recent years as syndicators, entrepreneurs, private fund managers and franchisors have come to view IRAs and  more...

The Fundamentals of Leasing Provisions and Covenants nIn today's economy it's more important than ever for real estate attorneys and practitioners to be clever in understanding the legal and financial implications of lease terms and covenants. This teleconference will delve into the essential terms of the commercial lease and focus particularly on the clauses that often draw the most attention during negotiations: common area maintenance, key tenant  more...

Estate Planning for Vacation Homes nSummer and holiday gatherings at the family vacation home have become important traditions for many families. Providing a place where family members can relax, reconnect and escape the busy pace of life is increasingly significant to many families. Parents want to perpetuate these cherished memories and experiences throughout the generations. To do so requires careful, thoughtful planning by both  more...

Restructuring: Changing Your Choice of Business Entity nEach business goes through various stages of its life cycle as it grows. The plans of its owners change, and management succession and exit strategies become more immediate concerns. As a result, initial tax and state law decisions need to be revisited, and when warranted, consideration of changes to a company's tax and legal structure may be advisable or necessary. This teleconference will  more...

Capital Improvements for Condominium and Homeowners' Associations nThe common elements of all forms of community associations are in a never ending cycle of deterioration. It is the fiduciary responsibility of the association's board of directors to protect and maintain the community. It is not optional to address the physical condition of the community in a well-considered manner. This teleconference will help you develop strategies. The board itself needs to  more...

Mortgage Cocktail: Lessons From the Credit Crisis and What May Be Next nJoin us at this teleconference and you'll gain perspective on the massive forces moving within the credit markets - the genesis of their movements, their direction and their likely consequences. We'll spend some time describing less obvious contributors to the arc of the credit bubble. During the majority of the teleconference, you'll hear about fiscal and monetary solutions to the crisis and the  more...

IRA Rollovers and Transfers: Common Portability and Processing Concerns nThis teleconference is specially designed for those who advise their clients on IRAs. We'll focus on the options available both to IRA owners and their beneficiaries when it comes to transferring an IRA. You'll find out how an IRA owner can obtain relief for missing the 60-day rollover deadline and learn about the permissible ways a spouse and nonspouse beneficiary can set up an inherited  more...

Estate and Gift Tax Audits nThe first question the executor asks when the estate tax return is selected for audit is "why this return?". What was it about the return that caused it to be selected for IRS examination? n nThis teleconference answers that question and many more related to the subject of estate and gift tax return audits. Learn about the characteristics that trigger audits and why some estate and gift tax  more...

A Tax Primer on Real Estate Investment Trusts nMore than $375 billion are invested in approximately 180 publicly traded real estate investment trusts (or REITs). In addition, billions more are invested in privately held REITs. This teleconference will provide an introductory summary of the tax requirements REITs face in their formation and ongoing operations. You will develop a basic understanding of REITs through this program. The  more...

Asset Protection Planning and Techniques: Safeguard Your Retirement and Other Assets Benefits When building retirement wealth for yourself or your clients, you want to protect it. For this reason, asset protection strategies for retirement are necessary as part of your wealth building strategy for the future. This teleconference will give you the tools to protect yourself or your client's retirement wealth, help build more wealth and help secure your future.  more...