Trade shows and conferences for accountants can help you find new clients, learn about additional certification in your profession and even see new software in action. Though you might think that these conferences offer little beyond keynote speaks and some networking opportunities, many offer workshops and training sessions that can make you a better accountant too.
2017 APLG/FSA Annual Seminar
The Renaissance Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona will host the annual APLG/FSA Seminar February 9-11, 2017. Hosted by the American Accounting Association, it will host a number of classes and lessons that award you credit. Accountants must earn continuing professional education (CPE) to remain in good standing in their home states, and you can earn multiple credits over the course of this conference. The AAA will also offer discussion sessions on industry subjects like accounting ethics and keeping client information safe in the cloud.
Related Resource: Top 10 Best Online Master of Accounting Degree Programs
7th Annual International Conference on Accounting and Finance
Singapore will come to life June 5-6, 2017 for the 7th Annual International Conference on Accounting and Finance. The official site lists some of the upcoming topics featured at the event as including mandatory reporting, sustainable methods of accounting and accounting management. Keynote speakers include professors from leading colleges around the world, and you can see writers present their work during the conference. There are also awards ceremonies during the conference. One presentation gives out awards to the best accounting papers written in the previous year, and other other hands out awards to the top papers written by college students.
AICPA Advanced Personal Finance Planning Conference
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants hosts its Advanced Personal Finance Planning Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2017. Scheduled for June 12-15, you can stay on-site at the Bellagio or in a nearby hotel. It features six smaller conferences that focus on industry topics like keeping client information confidential and upcoming laws that will change the way you practice. If you are an AICPA member, you qualify for discounted tickets. AICPA will also offer CPE classes to help you meet the requirements for working as a CPA in your state.
AICPA Forensic & Valuation Services Conference
One of the other top conferences for accountants hosted by the AICPA is its Forensic & Valuation Services Conference. Forensic accounting is still a relatively new field but one that is growing quite rapidly. Those working in this field work for government agencies and private clients to find proof of fraud, embezzlement and other crimes. Scheduled for November 8-10 in Nashville, Tennessee, many of its events will focus on finding evidence through traditional accounting practices and some of the job open in this field. You can also take classes at the conference to earn CPE credits.
NASBA Annual Meeting
Though not a traditional conference, you may want to attend the NASBA Annual Meeting, which takes place at the end of October in Austin, Texas. The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy is the organization responsible for regulating the processes that states use in licensing and certifying accountants. Its annual meeting goes over some of the problems those states experienced in the past and looks for ways to solve those problems. You may even be on hand when the NASBA creates and passes new regulations that you’ll use in the future.
Accounting conferences take place in both the United States and abroad. These events bring together certified public accountants, finance experts and other professionals and offer networking opportunities that let you get to know others working in finance. The best conferences for accountants include classes that help you earn CPE credits for retaining your license too.