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CPA Continuing Education – Do Online Courses Meet Your State Requirements?

CPA Continuing Education – Do Online Courses Meet Your State Requirements?

Believe it or not, there are still some people who don’t think that online courses are the best way to get your CPA continuing education. This is surprising to many, and even more so when those ‘people’ are the states that don’t allow online training for continuing education. In most cases, online programs are state-approved with ease. However, there are still a few states that balk at letting people take their training online. That means that you need to take the time to see what your state offers and whether you can be trained online or not when it comes to getting your CPE.

In order to get the right CPA continuing professional education, you have to be prepared and understand what you’re eligible for. Online courses are a great way to get training, but they’re not offered to everyone. If you take the time to check out your state’s CPA CE requirements, you will have a much easier time finding the right CPA CE courses and making sure that you take approved courses to keep your license current. Everyone has different ideas about what they want from continuing education and you have to find what works for you.

Of course, if what works for you doesn’t work for your state, you’ll have to rethink things and make sure that you get the courses that are state-approved. There are many different ways to get CPA CPE, but online courses are the easiest and most flexible option. So many people benefit from taking their CE courses online, but you need to make sure that you get the training that you need regardless of whether you choose to be trained online or in a traditional classroom setting.

Online CPA continuing education courses can be whatever you want them to be. As long as you make sure that you are getting online courses that are approved by your state for CPE, you are going to be fine. To do this, you can simply contact your state licensing board to see what types of continuing education are accepted for your CPA license renewal. Once you know what you’re allowed to take, you can go on to get the online training that you need to complete your CPA continuing education requirements. By taking the time to be informed and be prepared, you’ll be able to make the most of your CPA continuing professional education.…

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Using Continuing Education To Your Advantage

Using Continuing Education To Your Advantage

Like all real estate sales people, you are undoubtedly required to complete Continuing Education (CE) requirements by your state to be able to renew your real estate license. Most real estate agents consider this as a necessary evil that must be accomplished in order to stay in the business. Why don’t you consider a more positive approach to this mandated educational requirement. You can easily and inexpensively meet those CE requirements with online classes that allow you to complete their courses in your own time, on your own schedule, and at your own pace. So, along with meeting these CE goals, why don’t you take time to evaluate your real estate goals and your career to see if you are where you want to be, or if some areas need improvement. Here’s some food for thought.

The Pareto Principle

In the early 1900s an Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto, observed that 80% of all the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the residents. He further observed that 80% of the peas harvested from his garden came from only 20% of the pea pods. These observations were soon applied to the business world in the idea that 80% of a business’s sales are derived from 20% of its clients. Conversely, 20% of the time invested in a business yields a whopping 80% of the revenue generated by it.

Even to the present day the Pareto Principle has been found to be true in almost all aspects of life. For example: 80% of church members give just 20% of church contributions; 20% of criminals are responsible for 80% of crimes, both in actual numbers and in total dollars lost; just 20% of drivers are responsible for 80% of accidents… by now, you get the picture, right?

In your own personal life you’ll discover that you spend 80% of the time either sleeping or working, not relaxing and enjoying family and friends, which is the 20% most of us prefer. Most important to our context here, 80% of the time you spend working accounts for only 20% of the income you generate. You see where this is headed, right? You must challenge yourself to take an accounting of the hours you spend working and identify the particular 20% of time that is most productive for you. Then, devise a plan to concentrate more and more of your energies into the activities that account for that productive 20% of your time. This will probably mean relegating some of the other “busy work” to others. A cost analysis will probably convince you that you could even pay someone to do the routine and mundane 80% tasks, freeing you up to concentrate on the productive 20%. You’ll be surprised to discover what applying your time and energy to these productive activities does for your bottom line, and for your overall effectiveness.

A good way to accomplish this analysis is to examine your income from the past year. Do a thorough vetting of the numbers. Where did most of your business come from? Now, what amount of your time was expended to achieve that particular part of your business? Budget your time and effort accordingly. You will no doubt discover some 80% of your time yielded virtually no return to your bottom line. Get out your scalpel and cut those activities from your schedule. Refocusing your time and energy to the high-return activities that yield your most significant rewards will have two pleasing results for you: 1. The higher monetary reward of spending your time in the most lucrative aspects of your career, and 2. The higher satisfaction and sense of self-worth you will receive by focusing on the areas you are good at. There isn’t anything wrong with getting paid more to do more of what pleases you, is there?

As you go about the necessary task of completing your real estate Continuing Education requirements, remember these ideas:

• You can accomplish your CE training in your own time, on your own schedule, in the privacy of your home or office, and for less expense, simply by using one of the online websites dedicated to helping you fulfill your state’s requirements.

• You can use the CE training obligation as a reminder to reflect upon your overall business progress. Use this time to focus on areas where you are spinning your wheels and on areas that you should invest more of your time in. Time is money. Use yours wisely, and reap the rewards!…

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Medical Conferences Help You Stay Apprised Of Industry Trends

Medical Conferences Help You Stay Apprised Of Industry Trends

Medical conferences are resources for individuals in the medical field that serve as instruments to help them maintain their practices and licensure. The continuing education credits are mandatory and depend upon your area of specialty. But, the experience itself proves to be something a number of professionals look forward to attending year after year.

It is always a great pleasure to sit back and allow your intellectual capacities to be stimulated by vital information. This is especially true for those who are living out their passion for a career choice in medicine. There are always new developments and collaborative efforts that serve as the perfect invite to be apart of something that is destined to make a difference.

Networking is so important when you are a professional who wants to be apart of a community of dedicated service providers. The relationships established at these conferences have proven to be an enriched experience for their professional and personal lives. While there is no one full service stop shop where an individual can get all of their needs met; this is a perfect way to establish where the most vital resources are.

When preparing for your trip you will want to take into account all the responsibilities that will need to be moving forward in your absence. The worst possible thing that can happen is to show up in a room full of opportunities and be distracted. There is absolutely nothing that is beyond your control before you set off for your journey; so set yourself up for success.

This is where having a support network really pays off because those relationships are based on your capacity to be flexible and nurture one another. One sided relationships fail and people love having an opportunity to make a loving and supportive investment in those they care about. So create an opportunity for them by inviting them to share the journey of your life with you. Asking for help and having someone you can turn your keys and children over to is living life to the absolute fullest.

There are so many ways people find themselves financially strapped and in circumstances that appear to be obstacle in the way of their destination. If you are one who feels passionately about heightening your awareness there are cost effective economical tactics for making it happen. Sharing the expenses with someone is a great way to have the ultimate experience. Your air travel will be the most expensive part of the master plan so plan ahead and save throughout the course of the year.

When you share things like your hotel accommodations you will probably realize a substantial savings that could be allotted toward your entertainment. Yes entertainment. Listen the best way to have the ultimate learning experience is to immerse yourself in the environment you’re visiting. This will also help to defuse potential stress as there are some conferences that place a high demand on interactive participation; and it is your responsibility to balance yourself out.

Medical conferences are not only a great resource for acquiring continuing education units; but an opportunity for your personal development. You never know who you’re going to meet and the forum is specifically set to empower you. This is a great way to stay passionate and motivated within your chosen industry.…

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Keep Your Coding Certification Current With CEUs

Keep Your Coding Certification Current With CEUs

Continuing Educational Units (CEU) is a nationally-recognized unit of credit which is equivalent to 10 hours of participation in an accredited program. This is a process of quantifying the time spent in the classroom during training activities and professional development.

The main purpose of Continuing Educational Unit is to offer a permanent record of the educational accomplishments of an individual who has had one or more non-credit educational experiences. Professionals like doctors, nurses, medical coders are required to participate in CEU programs for a certain number of hours each year to keep their credentials or licenses to practice current. The number of CEUs required for certification or recertification varies by state and profession.

The medical coding professional needs continual education to stay tuned to medical coding updates, government regulations, and the like. If you’re a certified coder, you need to earn a certain number of CEUs to keep your certification alive. The more you get, the better it is for your coding career. But sometimes it might so happen that your CEUs might fall short of the minimum requirement; as such, you you’ll end up paying some hard cash to renew your certification and in the worst possible case, end up losing the certification.

How to get them? Certified coders can keep up their CEUs with a number of ways: training camps, seminars and conferences, Coding and Billing CD ROMs & MP3s. While you go about earning your continuing educational units, you also gather comprehensive knowledge related to your medical coding specialty.

AAPC provides various opportunities for certified coders to earn their continuing educational units and give a distinctive edge to their career. So get going.…

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Psychology Continuing Education – Doing It All Online

Psychology Continuing Education – Doing It All Online

If you want to go back to school to broaden your career opportunities, but you’re a practicing psychologist already with your hands full, psychology continuing education online is an option for you. Many people choose to go this route instead of studying in a traditional classroom setting. There are several reasons for this:

It allows you to keep your own hours. You can study whenever it’s convenient for you, as long as you meet all of your deadlines.

It’s great for busy people because there’s no commute involved. This also cuts down on expenses.

Online psychology continuing education courses offer the same complete curriculum that you would get in the classroom.

You can weed out the things you’ve already learned and focus on the coursework that is more difficult, which means that you can learn at your own pace.

Although it’s a great option for some people, it’s not for everyone. Some people thrive in the social environment of a classroom. Others have difficulty with time management and self-discipline, and there are still deadlines to meet. Still, if you’re thinking about psychology continuing education, it’s an option you should consider.

How Psychology Continuing Education Online Works

All courses are slightly different but the basics are similar. After registering, you receive a password that allows you access to all course materials. There may be software you have to install, such as programs that allow you to do video-teleconferencing. You will be required to complete assignments, submit reports, take tests and even participate in discussions online. When the coursework is completed, you receive your certification instantly.

Although many prestigious universities and institutions offer psychology continuing education degrees online, they may also require you to be physically present at some times. For example, they may ask that you meet once initially with the instructor. This is something you should be sure of before you sign up, in case it’s impossible for you to do this.

You can find recognized schools offering psychology continuing education online courses, but there are also virtual schools that only operate online. Many of these are legitimate and their degrees are valid, but some aren’t. These are called “diploma mills,” and they churn out certificates that don’t necessarily get you jobs. There are several ways to make sure that the school you’re thinking about is legitimate.

Contact employers and see if they accept degrees from the school.

Make sure the school is fully accredited, and thus allowed to offer valid degrees.

Talk to peers and see if they’ve ever heard of the school.

Enter the school’s name in search engines like Google and see what people are saying about it on forums and other websites.

Check their online verification with the US Department of Education. The US D of E has a list of all fully accredited online universities; if it’s not on this list, it’s not legit.

Your psychology continuing education is essential to helping you get the skills you need in the ever-changing world of mental health. Because this is the key to your future career, make sure that pursuing it online is right for you, and that the school you’re looking at is the real thing.…

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Continuing Cosmetology Education – How to Choose an Online Provider

Continuing Cosmetology Education – How to Choose an Online Provider

Online cosmetology education can save you valuable time and money. All you need is an internet connection, and you can take courses any time you choose. Online courses are less expensive than on-site classes because there are no travel expenses or instructors’ fees. Currently, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Nebraska, Ohio and Texas allow you to take cosmetology license renewal courses online. While there are many cosmetology continuing education providers, answering the following questions will help you choose the one that is right for you.

What type of learning do you prefer? There are two types of online courses. Web-based courses present all of the course information online. Hybrid courses require you to download class materials in a PDF format. Both types of online courses generally offer you the option of completing any required tests online. If you prefer to have physical course materials to review, then you should consider enrolling in a hybrid course. However, if you prefer an interactive learning experience, a Web-based course might be right for you.

Have the provider and courses been approved by the state board? Most state boards of cosmetology only accept continuing education hours that have been previously approved. Be sure to visit the website of your state’s cosmetology board prior to enrolling in any course to determine if the provider and the course have been approved.

Do you need a package or an individual course? Some providers combine courses into a package to meet all of your CE requirements. Generally, buying a package is cheaper than purchasing individual courses; however you should consider individual courses if you have already completed some of your continuing education hours or if the courses in the package do not meet your needs. For more flexibility, look for a provider that offers both packages and individual courses.

Can you try before you buy? Look for clear course descriptions and the option to try out the course before you pay for it. Some providers allow you to take the entire course for free before paying. Others offer free course demos but require payment before you can take the actual class. Either method is fine as long as you are comfortable with the course format and information. If you like the course, it doesn’t really matter when you are required to pay for it.

What kind of support does the provider offer? Some providers offer customer support 24 hours a day. Since cosmetologists typically work unconventional hours, this type of support availability will help you get your questions answered at a time that works for you.

What Do You Know About the Company? Avoid unscrupulous providers by looking for information about the company and key management. Also, search for multiple points of contact such as an e-mail address, toll free number, live chat link and physical address.

Copyright 2009 Carmella B. Wilson.…

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Recharge Required Knowledge About Vacation Homes With EA CPE

Recharge Required Knowledge About Vacation Homes With EA CPE

Choices for enrolled agent continuing education courses include a multitude of federal tax topics. This is an opportunity to reinforce knowledge about the important subject of vacation homes. Almost every taxpayer with a vacation property presents a unique situation to consider.

Not only are vacation homes a complex tax matter but also an individual who owns one generally hires a federally licensed tax practitioner. Therefore, efficiency in enrolled agent employment demands familiarity with the tax impact of vacation homes.

The primary consideration for owners of vacation homes is whether they rent the property to someone else during the year. Receiving rent on a home that is rented for less than 14 days per year has no income tax consequence. The rent collected is not reported as income and of course that means there is no deduction for rental expenses.

However, if the rental days exceed 14 the rent is taxable income. If the owner also occupied the property for at least 14 days, it may constitute a personal residence too. Any taxpayer can have several personal homes during the year. A dwelling is a personal home if the owner occupies it for more than 10 percent of the days it’s rented – with the 14 days as a minimum. Therefore, an enrolled agent test question may identify a property as a personal residence if the owner occupies it for 25 days and rents it for less than 250 days.

The expenses for a dwelling used as both a personal home and rental property are apportioned based upon the percentage of days for each purpose. The instructions in EA CPE teach this process. The personal use days include any days the property is used by family and friends without paying rent. Vacant days are not counted; only the days occupied personally or by rental tenants.

If a dwelling is occupied by its owner for less than 14 days – or even if it is more than that but less than 10 percent of the days it’s rented – then it is an investment property rather than a personal residence. Most genuine vacation homes are therefore occupied for considerable lengths of time by their owners.

Some vacation homes are not ever rented and are therefore entirely considered personal residences. As such, the property taxes paid are an itemized deduction for federal income tax purposes. However, property taxes are a preference item that is not deducted for the Alternative Minimum Tax calculation.

In addition, mortgage interest on a second home is a tax deduction in most cases. This category of itemized deduction is limited to interest on combined mortgages of $1,000,000 for two houses.

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure

Pursuant to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service Circular 230, we inform you that, to the extent any advice relating to a Federal tax issue is contained in this communication, including in any attachments, it was not written or intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (a) avoiding any tax related penalties that may be imposed on you or any other person under the Internal Revenue Code, or (b) promoting, marketing or recommending to another person any transaction or matter addressed in this communication.…