Don't Defer CPE Credits

Source: AICPA CPA Insider

Excerpts from this article by Rick Telberg are reprinted with permission from the AICPA.

Cutting back on continuing professional education (CPE) is probably the singularly worst strategy for CPAs in times like these. In a business based on an evolving body of knowledge and understanding, you can't take the “learned” out of “learned profession” and still serve competently as a trusted professional.

To be sure, accountants are always looking for more cost-effective forms of CPE, which explains the rise of group-based webinars and lunch-and-learns. But savvy CPAs are actually enhancing their CPE plans with an eye toward new service offerings and niche specialties.

“Many companies are trying to trim budget dollars, and the learning budget seems an easy target,” says AICPA practice management guru Mark Koziel. But, “there are ways to cut the training dollars without sacrificing the learning.”

“In today's world, people are taking a clear perspective that making the investment in people pays back multiple-fold in the risks that you avoid because people know what they're doing,” said Jon Andrews, a top partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers' London-based human resources management consultancy.

For the complete article, click here and read “Recession Makes CPE a Survival Tactic,” in the May 11, 2009, issue.

From AICPA CPA Insider, May 11, 2009, www.CPA2biz.com.