Business & Industry Conference

Although 77% of Americans now use social media (and 3 billion people worldwide), satisfaction with it is at an all-time low, scoring in the bottom five of all 46 industries surveyed by the American Customer Satisfaction Index and last of all e-businesses. The prevalence of advertising, privacy concerns and lack of relevancy of posts from true friends are the leading causes of dissatisfaction. In fact, 44% of young adults between the ages of 18–29 deleted Facebook in the last year. 

But, people still love and find value in certain aspects of social media, such as keeping up with family and friends (the #1 thing they like about social media) and staying up-to-date with relevant current events and news. So, where does that leave the future of social media?

In this session, learn about the history of social media, current trends and its impact on the emotional wellbeing of children and adults. We’ll also offer predictions for the future of social media. Our goal is to educate, enlighten and entertain you, while sparking a bit of hope for how social media can be used in a more healthy way.

Blockchain and cryptocurrency are very likely here to stay; however, because of their technical complexity, few people understand what they actually are. In this session, we will peel back the curtain on blockchain and cryptocurrency to provide the foundational knowledge needed to parse all of the crypto-related news, enable your own independent research and consider how it might impact the future.

Explore the complexities of cybersecurity, gain an understanding of the “bad actors” and discover what the future holds in our digitally connected world. Learn about the Internet of Things and how threat actors are using these consumer technologies to gain a foothold into your private lives.

More and more, CPAs are using advanced analytics in everyday business. Find out how to increase your efficiency and productivity using artificial intelligence (AI), predictive modeling and robotics.

Satisfy your 2019 Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) Ethics requirement with this 2-hour, Virginia-specific Ethics course.

This session explores S versus C choices of entity. Learn about the effect of the various changes to fringe benefits and the preparation of Schedule M-1. In addition, discuss pending legislation in Congress as well as changes to conformity or compliance with the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA) at the state level. Finally, explore the impact of the Wayfair case.

The role of a family business in wealth creation for high net worth families is well known. Less understood is the role it plays in wealth management. The unique risk and return profile of a family business influences portfolio management in similar but decidedly different ways than human capital does for the mass affluent client. Grounded in best practices from pension fund management, we will create a framework for analyzing the role of the family business in an intelligible and intuitive way that clients can understand and wealth managers can implement.

For mass affluent clients without family businesses, the single most valuable asset is a different form of human capital — their lifelong earnings. As a large, undiversified and illiquid asset, it too dramatically influences a client’s optimal portfolio allocation. This session outlines the major characteristics of a mass affluent investor’s human capital, demonstrates its profound impact on optimal portfolio construction and outlines methods for wealth managers to create customized portfolios in this profound context. You’ll also develop the intuition and implications of related concepts for tax-efficient asset management.  

Earn an extra CPE credit over lunch while getting a brief overview of the history, mission and focus of the Virginia Board of Accountancy. Explore the recent changes that affect Virginia CPAs from a state, national and international perspective. 

Understand the results of the 2019 legislative session and their impact on conformity and how the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act is affecting your state and your business.

More and more, CPAs are using advanced analytics in everyday business. Find out how to increase your efficiency and productivity using artificial intelligence (AI), predictive modeling and robotics.

Blockchain and cryptocurrency are very likely here to stay; however, because of their technical complexity, few people understand what they actually are. In this session, we will peel back the curtain on blockchain and cryptocurrency to provide the foundational knowledge needed to parse all of the crypto-related news, enable your own independent research and consider how it might impact the future.

Satisfy your 2019 Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) Ethics requirement with this 2-hour, Virginia-specific Ethics course.

This session explores S versus C choices of entity. Learn about the effect of the various changes to fringe benefits and the preparation of Schedule M-1. In addition, discuss pending legislation in Congress as well as changes to conformity or compliance with the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA) at the state level. Finally, explore the impact of the Wayfair case.

Learn all about the current trends in the employer marketplace as well as creative solutions and ideas to help you build and sustain your organization’s plan. Gain an understanding of how to use evidence-based practices to obtain high performance employee benefit programs and ultimately become a destination employer.

What strategies should investors be considering this year in light of the increased market volatility? Will the U.S. economy continue its multi-year expansion, or will trade and policy issues cause the U.S. to enter a recession? Discuss trends and obtain information that is timely and beneficial for investors to consider.

Space is limited! Join us for a beer tasting + CPE at the end of day one. We'll spend the first 50 minutes tasting various craft beers followed by 50 minutes of CPE from one of our speakers about a hot topic in the profession.

Global trends continue to change the corporate finance environment in profound ways. Get updates on the latest resources and information that the VSCPA has developed to help you remain relevant to your employer. Gain insight into how CPAs will thrive by developing higher level skills; understanding and embracing technological disruption; investing in grassroots student awareness; and cultivating relationship-driven professional advocacy. You’ll also have an opportunity to hear from your peers and share best practices.

Technology continues to revolutionize how we work, and those who ignore this fact do so at their own peril. To remain successful, today’s busy professional must stay on top of technology trends, identify and implement optimal solutions, and seize opportunities as they materialize. This fast-paced session covers technology spending trends, software licensing issues and strategies, leading-edge hardware, mobile strategies, cloud strategies, and major security issues and concerns. 

Learn how the Supreme Court decision has changed when and where your company may be subject to sales taxes (and other taxes) and find out what taxpayers should be doing to be compliant and mitigate risk. This session will also provide a state and local tax update on recent developments.

Review the key components of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the impact they have had on health insurance markets. Discuss where we are now with efforts to change the ACA, as well as the long-term trends that are impacting health insurance delivery models today and in the future.  In addition, explore the issues driving rising health insurance costs and possible employer solutions, including consumerism and account based options — health savings accounts and health reimbursement accounts; and alternate funding arrangements for employers — self-funding and captives; narrow networks and alternative health care delivery models. The intent of this session is to refresh you about the impact of the ACA, discuss likely next steps for the law, and consider what employers can do to maximize the positioning of their employee benefit plans.

Learn to recognize risk as a factor that consistently impacts all organizations whether they are experiencing rapid growth, becoming more complex, resisting change or continuously improving. Also identify common practices and processes that can expose organizations to fraud, and review opportunities to leverage technology to reduce risk, challenge current processes, and better utilize and engage your accounting and finance team.

CPAs must stay abreast of current developments, and this session well help you gain a quick understanding of the top issues in financial accounting and disclosures. Executives, managers and others responsible for accounting and reporting will benefit from this overview of the most important recent pronouncements and hot topics impacting financial reporting. Walk away with knowledge of the most important guidance affecting your business.

Microsoft Office 365 continues to grow and evolve, yet most subscribers are utilizing only a fraction of the tools available in their subscriptions. Powerful resources such as SharePoint Online and Skype for Business can change how your entire organization communicates and collaborates, while more personal apps such as Teams, Planner, Flow and Sway allow individuals to work more efficiently and effectively in virtually all facets of their jobs. Further, security enhancements to Office 365 means that your organization can take advantage of all these features in a highly secure environment.

Sure, Office 365 provides access to familiar applications, such as Excel, Word and Outlook, but isn’t it time you learned how to move beyond these tools and unleash all the power your subscription has to offer? For example, wouldn’t you like to learn how you can collaborate with other users in real-time on Excel spreadsheets, Word documents and even PowerPoint presentations? If you are interested in making the most of your Office 365 investment, make plans to join us in this fast-paced and highly-interactive seminar where you will learn the things you need to know to be truly successful with Office 365.

The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA) was passed in December 2017 and effective for 2018. Now that we’ve now been through one tax filing season, what have we learned? Review the major provisions of TCJA, explore opportunities and pitfalls, and gain clarification on certain provisions based on guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Sustainable family businesses are hard to find; however, we are lucky to have one headquartered in-state in Goochland. Founded in 1923, Luck Companies grew into a leader in the rock quarry industry. Today they remain a top-performing company focusing not only on their product but also on their values and employees.  

During this session, two members of the Luck Companies — Chief Financial Officer Roy Goodman and Chief Family Officer Wanda Ortwine — will share how they have maintained a solid business foundation and have adapted with the changing environment.  

CPAs must stay abreast of current developments, and this session well help you gain a quick understanding of the top issues in financial accounting and disclosures. Executives, managers and others responsible for accounting and reporting will benefit from this overview of the most important recent pronouncements and hot topics impacting financial reporting. Walk away with knowledge of the most important guidance affecting your business.

Review the current status of the cryptocurrency marketplace, including the proliferation of stablecoins, institutional investment and the pace of adoption for currency purposes. Dive into the difference between Blockchain and the various cryptocurrencies. Also obtain regulatory updates in the U.S. connected to cryptocurrencies, including FAQs from a financial and accounting perspective, and discover what the lightning network and custodial banking licenses being granted to institutions means for banks and other financial intermediaries. Finally, explore current market examples of blockchain and cryptocurrency implementation.

The new revenue standard, ASC 606, will significantly affect the revenue recognition practices of most companies. The new model supersedes most legacy guidance, including industry-specific guidance. Obtain an understanding of why the new standard was issued and why it is important, and also get an overview of the new core principle and the five-step implementation model to recognize revenue. Finally, explore comparisons of the new standard with prior GAAP and review significant challenges and implementation issues.