By Erin Swan
In case you didn’t know, eFileCabinet got its start specializing in document management for accounting firms and CPAs. Needless to say, we’ve worked with a lot of CPAs over the last 14 years, and we’ve learned a little bit about the requirements to maintain an active license in the financial industry. One of the most important things we’ve learned about is the necessity of meeting annual CPE credit hour requirements. So here’s what we know about CPE credits and some information about how we can help you get them.
What Are CPE Credits?
CPE stands for Continuing Professional Education, and all CPAs are required to receive them in order to maintain a license to practice. CPE credit hour requirements vary from state to state, but the goal of these requirements is to ensure that practicing CPAs continue learning and/or remain up-to-date with the latest changes in the fields of tax and accounting. Think of it as professional development hours. Though the exact number of required CPE credits are determined by each state’s Board of Accountancy, generally speaking, 50 minutes of professional, financial training qualifies as one CPE credit no matter which state you practice in.
Requirements for Documentation
In order to receive CPE credit hours for their professional, financial training, CPAs must receive certificates from the person or financial organization hosting the training. The State Board of Accountancy may request copies of any and all CPE certificates to verify the CPA’s compliance with the requirements. Because they may do so at any time, it’s important to maintain a file of all certificates of attendance. (And, of course, eFileCabinet can help you keep those individual certificates organized electronically, making them easy to find and access in case you need to produce a copy for the State Board.)
Which CPA Courses Qualify?
There are a number of courses available that qualify for CPE credits. They can be given for self-study courses, webinars, video training, or industry conferences. These courses can be on updated tax laws, new accounting technology, or general best practices for the financial industry.
Take our 2015 Edge User Conference, for example. At this two-day conference, we will be offering a course entitled “Best Practices for Accounting Professionals.” This course will cover general best-practice guidelines for the financial industry, as well as discuss how to best implement eFileCabinet to make your firm more efficient, productive, and compliant. At the end of the course, attendees will receive a certificate verifying their attendance and their receipt of one CPE credit hour through the training.
Oh, and here’s one more thing that we’ve learned: Most CPAs find their CPE credits courses to be exceptionally boring. But that won’t be the case at Edge! We’re offering engaging, upbeat courses right in the heart of fun and fabulous Las Vegas, so you don’t have to worry about struggling to stay awake just so you can get a CPE credit hour from us. You’ll have a good time while getting your CPE credit hour. And did we mention the free food?
To learn more about the courses we’ll be offering at Edge or to register for the conference, visit efilecabinet.com/edge15.