Dear CCH Learning Center Subscriber,

Welcome to the September issue of Focus on Learning, the bimonthly newsletter for the CCH Learning Center that provides insights on how to use the Learning Center to your full advantage and updates on new courses and features available to you. In each issue we highlight a course (or series of courses) on a timely topic, and let you know about new courses released in the Learning Center. We also inform you of new useful features, provide helpful tips on existing features, and help you use the CCH Learning Center to meet your professional development and CPE needs.

100 Courses and Going / Growing Strong!  

The CCH Learning Center has now reached the 100-course mark and our library continues to rapidly grow. More than 325 hours of NASBA and QAS approved credits are now available to you in the Learning Center. In 2004, we have focused on building up our accounting/auditing catalog of courses, with more than 25 courses now available. We will continue bringing you more cutting-edge accounting and auditing (and taxation) courses in 2005, but we will also expand into other areas such as sales and use taxation, international taxation, and multistate taxation.

Course Spotlight

Financial and Estate Planning Series. Financial and estate planning is a complex subject, weaving together tax issues, legal considerations, insurance, business concerns, health issues, investment strategies and more. In the last few years, major tax legislation has added many changes, reducing individual income tax rates, overhauling estate and gift taxation, and liberalizing contribution limits for qualified plans. To complicate matters, many of these changes are phased in over a number of years and are set to sunset in 2011 unless Congress takes further action. CCH has recently released a new series of courses covering financial and estate planning topics, which incorporate and advise on these significant changes in tax law.

The Kess on Financial and Estate Planning courses are designed to provide an intermediate level of knowledge about financial and estate planning issues and a thorough review and explanation of the new tax laws, as well as offering accurate and helpful financial and estate planning suggestions that are tailored to a client's needs. Each course examines different aspects of financial and estate planning, including estate and client analysis, managing a client's estate after death, the special needs of business people, planning for personal situations, and income and tax planning strategies for building a client's estate.

The courses included in this new series are:

• Kess on Financial and Estate Planning: General Principles and Techniques - Part One (2004 Edition)
• Kess on Financial and Estate Planning: General Principles and Techniques - Part Two (2004 Edition)
• Kess on Financial and Estate Planning for Business and Professional Situations (2004 Edition)
• Kess on Financial and Estate Planning for Personal Situations (2004 Edition)
• Kess on Financial and Estate Planning for Building the Estate (2004 Edition)

Many of you we're sure are familiar with Sid Kess and have attended his tax update seminars and conferences over the years. You'll find that same focus on high-quality, straightforward and practical guidance that Sid has delivered in his live presentations in these financial and estate planning CCH Learning Center courses. No nonsense, concise, practice-oriented.

New Learning Center Courses

CCH is committed to keeping you up-to-date and knowledgeable on the latest issues that impact your firm or corporation. In addition to the Kess on Financial and Estate Planning titles, CCH has released many other new courses in the Learning Center since our last issue of Focus on Learning was issued. New or revised Learning Center courses include:

• Alternative Minimum Tax for Individuals 
• Auditing: Selected Developments 
• Compilation and Review Update 
• Compilation and Review: GAAP Issues 
• Compilation and Review: Important and Evolving Issues 
• Compilation and Review: SSARS No. 9 
• FASB Interpretation No. 46 of ARB No. 51—Part 1: The Old Rules for Consolidation and SPEs 
• FASB Interpretation No. 46 of ARB No. 51—Part 2: Rules of Interpretation 
• FASB Interpretation No. 46 of ARB No. 51—Part 3: Requirements for Consolidation 
• FASB Interpretation No. 46 of ARB No. 51—Part 4: Initial Test and Measurement of the VIE by the Primary Beneficiary 
• SAS No. 101: Auditing Fair Value Measurements 
• Sarbanes-Oxley Aftermath 
• Travel and Entertainment: Expenses and Deductions (2004 Edition) 
• Vacation Homes and REITs
  

Future Courses

We will release many new courses in the CCH Learning Center in the weeks and months ahead to give you even more choices and more value. Among the more than 50 new and updated courses that are in development now, look for courses in the following areas soon:

• Auditing
• Automobile expenses and deductions
• Business write-offs
• Compilation and review
• Corporate distributions
• Family limited partnerships
• Home office expenses and deductions
• Income tax preparation for individuals, corporations, s corporations and partnerships
• New rules on capitalizing intangibles
• Tax shelters
  

Meet the Author

Steven C. Fustolo, an award-winning facilitator and respected author, has written many of the new accounting/auditing courses in the CCH Learning Center. Mr. Fustolo has a knack for tapping into and exploring the hottest topics. He is an expert at using examples, sample engagement letters, charts and other resources to illustrate the rules and advise practitioners on what they should bear in mind with clients or for their corporation. If you need to understand how an important accounting or auditing issue impacts you, check out his courses. Here are some of recent comments we’ve received on Steve Fusolo’s accounting/auditing courses:

• "This is probably the most comprehensive update course I have ever taken. It covered critically important information for CPAs doing compilation and review very, very thoroughly. This course impressed me with its completeness and clarity of presenting difficult material."
• "Good examples and sample letter—loved the supplemental information; liked the author suggestions above and beyond the requirements." 
• "Timing perfect for current emphasis on ethics within the accounting profession."
• "Very current information, very comprehensively covered with very descriptive examples. 
• "The CPA can modify the examples to meet the needs of various clients. The study questions are very helpful. Even though it was heavy reading, the subject matter flowed easily." 
• "Excellent series (Compilation and Review)—well written, accurate, easily understood."
• "Very concise and effective. Good use of examples, wonderful templates and resources. Very needed topic."
• "Clear discussion of a subject that is important for smaller CPA firms."
• "To the point update on a changing issue to make things easier for small business."

To find out more about Mr. Fustolo, go to CCH Author Biographies. To enroll into any of his courses, visit our Accounting/Auditing catalog. 

 

Let Us Know What You Think Please let us know if this Focus on Learning issue has been helpful for you, what we could do to make it better, additional topics you'd like us to cover, etc.  We appreciate your business and we value your feedback very much. Let us know how we can help make this communication vehicle and the CCH Learning Center more valuable to you. You can always e-mail us at learningcenter@cch.com or call 800-248-3248 with your thoughts.  Sincerely,  Gwendolen Hefty  CCH, a Wolters Kluwer Business You are receiving this message as a valued CCH customer and because you are registered in the CCH Learning Center. If you do not wish to receive future issues of Focus on Learning, you may unsubscribe here.