Best Ways for CPAs to Earn CPE Credits in 2024

Every CPA always encounters a constant demand to maintain their certificate through Continuing Professional Education (CPE).

Before we go into ways to earn CPE credit, you need to know your state’s requirements for CPE credit because they differ. 

So before you start earning your CPE credit, you must know your state’s requirements.

How to earn CPE credit?

1. University courses: To earn CPE credit, you can register for a course in a university either online or physically in a specific field of study. 

This is an excellent way to earn  CPE credit. Based on the time of lectures, an 8-week lecture can give you 10 CPE credits.

2. Publishing Materials: Most members of state boards of accountancy will recognize points for delivering a lecture or publishing a book or article, especially those that provide solutions to the difficulties of other accountants. 

This is also an excellent way of earning CPE credit.

3. Conferences: Attending conferences that focus on your professional career is a significant way of earning CPE credit. 

It is of great benefit because it gives you room to develop your professional skills and interaction. You can attend conferences organized by the AICPA, which are held annually.

4. Webinar: This is one of the easiest ways of getting CPE credit because it doesn’t give you stress; you can join a webinar wherever you are.

All you need to do is join webinars, take your time to watch them and learn.

5. Create seminars: Organizing lectures and seminars is one way to earn CPE credit. State CPA societies need people to do this, and they highly recommend and reward CPAs who do that.

You can inform your state CPA society if you are interested in earning CPE credit through this system.

CPE fields of study

We have talked about how you can earn CPE credit through taking university courses. So, it is crucial to know the fields of study where you can find courses and learning advantages.

The following are the fields of study :

1. Business law

2. Audit

3. Accounting

4. Government accounting

5. Economics

6. Finance

7. Financial planning

8. Information technology 

9. Government Auditing 

10. Statistics

11. Management service and more

What is CPE?

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is an inherent aspect of lifelong learning needed to provide accurate service to the public. 

It’s an ongoing training and education that professionals must complete to maintain their license.

It is full of learning activities that help the CPAs to keep and enlarge their professional skills and documents.

How is CPE calculated?

CPE is evaluated based on credit arrangements, where one CPE credit is equivalent to fifty minutes of acquiring knowledge, that is, learning.

Furthermore, you need forty hours of CPE for CPAs. CPE helps professionals advance in their careers, so every professional needs to keep their knowledge growing through continuing education courses.

Also, the requirements for CPE are diverse based on the state in which you live.

How to report CPE hours 

According to the Information System Audit and Control Association (ISACA), You can report your CPE hours thus:

1. Log in to the ISACA website

2. Click on certificate and CPE management

3. Click on the button to Report and Manage CPE for any certification that you hold

4. Click on the button to Add New CPE Record

5. Fill out the details of the CPE activity; this may include time, title, and more.

6. Then, you input the number of CPE earned for each ISACA certificate you acquired.

7. Save and close.

In summary, to earn CPE credit, you need to register for CPA courses, lectures, and webinars, then acquire the necessary documentation to back the CPE points you will claim. 

Moreover, keep these documents for a minimum of five years, and then submit your documentation to meet your CPE demands.

Crucial Takeaways

CPE (continuing professional education) is a worldwide criterion for maintaining one’s CPA professional status.It is easy to acquire CPE credit if you can follow the guidelines mentioned in this article. Also, remember that before you register for your CPE, you must know your state requirements. CPE will increase your professionalism and open a wide door of big chances for you.