Financial Telephone Seminars - Training Resources

Affirmative Action in Employment - What Does It Really Mean? ...jected to unlawful employment discrimination. The FY 2008 financial recovery represents a more than 20 percent increase over the amount recovered in FY 2007 ($51,680,950). The compliance reviews are thorough and employers must be in compliance with the latest OFCCP mandates. This teleconference will help you understand the current position of the OFCCP, provide you with an overview of how to  more...

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

Public/Private Partnerships and Major Infrastructure Construction ...hopes are high on all sides, and the risks, political and financial, are even higher. The purpose of this teleconference is to assist you in understanding how the P3 model works and to provide you with tools for evaluating the viability of a proposed P3. Learning Objectives - You will be able to name required and recommended documentation. - You will be able to discuss structures for  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 teleconference will help you learn to identify when the use of this  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...

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'll not only learn how to identify these pitfalls, but you'll  more...

Stark Act Update: Recent Changes and Operational Challenges ...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 implicated and all  more...

Current Issues in Real Estate Appraisals ...financial crisis occurred in mid-2008 and was brought to a crescendo when AIG was taken over and Lehman Brothers failed in September 2008. The reasons behind the failures were many but beneath it all was the collateral position of the real estate and proper risk assessment of the asset. The single most important question is always - What is the value? All federally regulated institutions are  more...

Construction Contract Bid Errors ... 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 conduct the procurement of construction services, those who seek the award of  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...

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...

Best Practices in Commission Pay Plans ... the organization to resources that have direct impact on financial performance. The design and deployment of a new commission plan can create a 5-10 percent uplift in revenue in a single year. However, mistakes in commission plan design are quite common and can have disastrous effects on performance. Help your company avoid sales force turnover, dissatisfied customers, runaway expense and in  more...

Contractor Selection ...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 assist you review the key  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...

Determining Meaningful Use for Electronic Health Records ...g the Meaningful use matrix and reporting standards), the financial incentive time line, what constitutes a 'certified' EHR and federal objectives for electronic health records. Learning Objectives - You will be able to review the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. - You will be able to discuss meaningful use of EHRs and legal requirements. - You will be able to explain proposed  more...

The UCC Article 9 Update ... true character of the transaction. Finally, in a time of financial distress and the increased probability of default and disputes, you will benefit from a refresher on enforcement and intercreditor matters as many more transactions are ending in enforcement instead of repayment or refinancing. Attorneys, presidents, vice presidents, branch managers, loan officers, loan department personnel,  more...

Determining the Best Service Delivery Options for Public Works and Utility Projects: In-House or Contract? ...s should be structured and delivered to gain the greatest financial and operational benefits for your community. Learning Objectives - You will be able to discuss alternative service delivery approaches. - You will be able to list examples of creative uses of contracts to gain efficiency and effectiveness. - You will be able to outline techniques for cost of service and efficiency analysis. -  more...

FAS 117-1: Endowments of Not-for-Profit Organizations ...Institutional Funds Act in most of the United States, the Financial Accounting Standards Board last year 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 endowment funds. The replacement of the prior legal restrictions of  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...

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...

Doing Business with Distressed Vendors and Customers: Strategies to Employ in Workouts, Litigation and Bankruptcy ...nd you will learn to recognize the early warning signs of financial distress, and be armed with strategies that can be employed in consensual workouts with a distressed buyer or supplier under the Uniform Commercial Code and in anticipation of a buyer or supplier's bankruptcy. You will also learn about rights and remedies that may be employed in the event the distressed buyer or supplier seeks  more...

Advanced Microsoft Excel Formulas and Functions: Master Your Usage of Excel's More Powerful Formulas and Functions ...ities to tackle a myriad of statistical, mathematical and financial challenges, not to mention functions that extract valuable date information and let you manipulate text at the character level. But who has the time to explore all of them (and of course you don't need to know them all)? This teleconference gives you exposure to those 'hidden' functions and gives you new and powerful tools,  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...

Impact of Confidentiality Rules in Bankruptcy Proceedings ...egic 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 overview of the statutory and rule setting, as well as practical examples of  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...

Preparing an Accurate 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...

Practical Transportation Design and Solutions: Concepts and Implementation ...o deliver the best or optimum project. While some general financial bounds may be used, this design approach can often result in an over-designed roadway. In order to meet the challenge of increasing demands with limited financial resources, the planning, prioritization and design of transportation infrastructure must be critically examined to deliver the most effective transportation system to  more...

Medical Identity Theft: Why You Must Prevent and How to Minimize Its Occurrence ...can have devastating impact on the patient, medically and financially; the resulting reputational and financial fallout on the provider and payer organizations can also be massive. Not only is fraud a risk but also, and more critical, is the threat to safe patient outcomes. This teleconference will focus on how to minimize patient identity and medical identity theft threats through  more...

Form 5500 Reporting Update ...efit 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. This teleconference 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 your filings. Human resource managers, benefits  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...

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...

Effective Sales Management: Short and Long-term Planning, Forecasting, and Expense Budgeting ...In every kind of economy, however, the need to anticipate financial boundaries is essential to ongoing business success. Understanding and monitoring the inflows and outflows of cash must be a top priority for every business owner, operations manager and sales team member. Planning ahead for seasonal fluctuations and unexpected emergencies allows for dealing with challenges and at least  more...

Taxation Issues Related to Debt Restructuring, Modifications and Bankruptcies BenefitsThe current 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 know companies have dissolved or declared bankruptcy. Debt modifications, repurchases and bankruptcy can have a profound tax  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 teleconference will provide an overview of the mechanics of contributing property to revocable  more...

Current ERISA Fiduciary Issues for Financial Institutions ...Financial 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 to  more...

FASB Codification: Are You Ready? ...ature will be nonauthoritative. Preparers and auditors of financial reports must be aware of and prepared for the transition to the new codification. This teleconference will give you the knowledge and skills needed to thoroughly understand and confidently navigate and conduct research using the new FASB Accounting Standards Codification. Accountants, CPAs, CEOs, presidents, vice presidents,  more...

Sale-Leaseback Transactions Today: Monetizing Real Estate Assets ...e redeployed in their core business. Understand the basic financial and accounting rules governing treatment of sale-leaseback transactions and operating leases. Learn about the most common sale leaseback structures that are available, how they work and whether they would be advantageous for your business. Also, for real estate investors (large and small), learn more about the availability of  more...

Providing Investment Advice to Retirement Plan Participants Without Triggering Liability ...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 faith. This teleconference provides  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...

Cash Is King: Effective Cash Flow Management ...sA 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 tell  more...

Excel Formulas and Functions De-Mystified: Manage Your Excel Worksheets With Power and Confidence as You Master Formulas and Fun ...ility to tackle a myriad of statistical, mathematical and financial challenges, not to mention functions that extract valuable date information and let you manipulate text at the character level. This teleconference will give you a ton of valuable tools to make you a master at creating formulas, auditing worksheet formulas, mastering the way to understanding many of those 300+ functions, and  more...

Withholding of Taxes on Payments to Foreign Persons and Entities BenefitsIn an increasingly global society, many U.S. payors of items of income are unknowingly subject to withholding tax obligations for payments to foreign individuals and entities. Understanding the rules for withholding on these payments can reduce liability to the IRS. After this teleconference, you will be able to identify when income is subject to withholding, evaluate the proper procedures  more...

Construction Project Management in Remote Locations: Site Considerations and Unique Challenges ... execution plan, a detailed CPM schedule with day certain financial closing and a fixed price lump sum price to perform the work, all due in 3 to 6 weeks. A sense of urgency is the common thread that runs through all of the construction planning steps and is essential to the success of the project. Carefully planning the work and then executing the work in a timely fashion according to the plan  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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Achieving Clarity and Value From Nonprofit Financial Reporting, Ratio Analysis and Benchmarking ...rn the strategies necessary and appropriate for improving financial reporting and ratio analysis. You will be able to develop an action plan for your organization to improve the clarity and substance of its financial reporting. Using ratio analysis, unit cost and benchmarking techniques, you will improve the clarity and understanding of your financial reports. You will learn the importance of  more...

Document Retention and Destruction Policies for Financial Institutions ...Financial 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 teleconference will help you navigate the complex universe of document retention  more...

Collection Techniques for Landlords ...ent to deal with the scope and severity of their tenants' financial problems. With this in mind, this teleconference is designed to take a look at standard collection techniques and discuss why they may not be effective as they historically have been, to identify alternate collection techniques for you to utilize with respect to both current and future tenants, and to discuss bankruptcy-related  more...

Value Engineering Change Proposals in Government Contracting ...ractor, both in terms of increased efficiency, as well as financial gain. Learning Objectives: - You will be able to paraphrase VECP regulations. - You will be able to discuss the purpose of VE clauses. - You will be able to specify contested VE issues in the Courts and Boards of Contract Appeals. - You will be able to plan successful VE programs in your company. Engineers, presidents, vice  more...

Business Combinations and Goodwill: What Is the Latest With Fair Value? ...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 changes  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...

Basics of Trust Administration nThis 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 fiduciary  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 ... 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 service by delivering parts in crates to assembly lines and delaying deliveries by waiting for trucks to be full, and there is plenty of evidence that this approach is counterproductive for the  more...

Structuring and Drafting Conservation Easements nCreating a conservation easement can be complicated and the failure to consider the effects of possible pitfalls can be devastating. This teleconference 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 conservation  more...

Construction Contract Accounting: A Three-Dimensional Look at the Numbers ...Financial 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...

Understanding the Role and Powers of the Trust Protector nThink 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 towards 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 discuss how  more...

FCRA and FACT Act Regulatory and Litigation Update 2009 ...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 decisions interpreting the increasingly complex provisions of the FCRA and FACT Act has been issued. n nThese new rules  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 ... bad marriages and creditors, especially if they get into financial distress in the future. This teleconference will help you address all of these issues. Find out how to avoid probate, especially lifetime probate. Learn about the flexibility that our estate and gift tax laws provide, if only the taxpayer plans ahead. Acquire tools to prevent children's spouses and the surviving spouse's new  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...

FIN 48 - Uncertainty in Income Taxes ... are using to analyze and report their tax positions, the Financial Accounting Standards Board recently enacted FASB Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes. It is effective for all U.S. GAAP financial reporting enterprises, including pass-through and not-for-profit entities, for tax years beginning after December 15, 2006, and for private companies beginning after  more...

SAS 70 Requirements, Obligations, and Audit Survival Best Practices nToday's regulatory requirements are forcing corporate customers to become more aware of their vendors' internal controls and security than ever before. Maintaining an up-to-date SAS 70 report based on an audit of the effectiveness your organization's control objectives and activities can help satisfy these customers' concerns. To successfully navigate the SAS 70 audit process, it is important to  more...

Living With Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) nAs 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 that replaces the UMIFA, which had been the law in 47 states since 1972. n  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...

Medical Records: Responding to Subpoenas and Investigations ...al records law, your company could face serious legal and financial liability risks. Attend this teleconference and gain critical information on confidentiality, disclosure, documentation requirements and HIPAA issues you face every day. n nYou'll learn everything you need to know to deal with the changing legal landscape and avoid putting yourself at risk. Don't miss this opportunity to  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...

Preparing for the International Financial Reporting Standard ... 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. n nBoth of these events represent progress toward the adoption of IFRS in the United States. PricewaterhouseCoopers continues to believe that the move  more...

FASB Statement 157 - Fair Value Update on Corporate Asset Valuation ...he past 12 months we've seen unprecedented turmoil in the financial services industry, capital markets and global economy. Perhaps an overused term, but "perfect storm" seems like an apt descriptor for the economic events of 2008. While implementing changes mandated by FASB 157 could be challenging for companies - and has been in some cases - the rule aims to make it easier to communicate value  more...

Understand and Interpret Financial Statements ...in the essential knowledge you need to read and interpret financial statements. First, you will learn what the major financial statements - the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement - tell you about an organization and how they tie together. You will examine the concepts behind the major sections in the financial statements, such as current versus long-term, cost versus  more...

Supply Chain Strategies in a Down Economy ...ness? Do you have an understanding of your key suppliers' financial condition? Are you matching what you are buying to what you really need to be successful? Do you have visibility into your spend? Are you actively working with your end users and suppliers to drive costs out of the process? These are just some of the strategies that we will cover during this teleconference. Real-world case  more...

Form 706: Estate Tax Return Fundamentals nAmericans have been able to accumulate wealth. It is estimated more than $10 trillion dollars 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 2009, if a person's gross estate plus adjusted taxable gifts equals or exceeds $3.5 million in value, a Form  more...

Tax and Estate Planning for Clients Relocating to Florida nThis timely teleconference 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  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 ...hare-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 accounting and legal speakers as they explore and discuss the effects of FAS 123(R); specific  more...

Managing Risk and Investments for Trustees and Other Fiduciaries nAlthough the investment decisions by fiduciaries supposedly are not to be judged with hindsight, and trustees are not deemed to be guarantors of the investment performance of trust assets under their management, as a practical matter, claims by beneficiaries for poor investment performance will only be raised when the trust has sustained losses. Further complicating the matter, such litigation  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 ...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 provisions, insurance and rebuilding provisions, landlord liability,  more...

Reading Financial Statements: A Creditor's Perspective ... 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 ideas,  more...

Compliance With the PCI/CISP Credit Card Security Standards nThe Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is now in its third year of existence and iteration. Derived from the original VISA Cardholder Information Security Program and MasterCard Site Data Protection program, PCI-DSS's now 245 distinct requirements have troubled merchants and financial institutions alike for years. This teleconference will help you understand how PCI-DSS applies to your  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 ...pital maintenance program. The final step is to develop a financial planning model to support the cost of maintenance. The end result will be all about maintaining the highest possible level of property values. n nLearning Objectives n- You will be able to distinguish different legal requirements. n- You will be able to prepare Board and Unit Owners for proper financial planning. n- You will be  more...

New Rules for Compensatory Mitigation Under Section 404 ...hed-based mitigation programs. The rules also clarify the financial measures the corps will require to ensure that the mitigation is actually carried out. Finally, the rules change a wide range of requirements in the Section 404 program, including new requirements for the information in a permit application and in public notices. This teleconference will describe the new rules, explain the most  more...

Tax Due Diligence in Acquisitions nBuyers and sellers of businesses typically are focused on getting the deal done and the relative economic benefits to each. They often fail to consider potential undisclosed tax liabilities resulting from pre-closing operations, and rarely want to hold up negotiations thinking about the "what ifs." However, when the "what ifs" turn into "what now," it is important that potential tax risks be  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...

Effective Contract Negotiations: The Fusion of Law, Relationships and Project Expectations Benefits Complex contract negotiations create a relationship and lead to a written agreement that defines expectations. Purchasing law and other aspects of the legal environment affect the negotiation and the eventual performance of the contract. Effective contract negotiation integrates the legal requirements, clarifies expectations on both sides and fosters constructive relationships.  more...

Current Issues in Revocable Living Trusts Benefits Revocable 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  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...