When was the last time you had to interpret regulations from several different jurisdictions, each with their own unique requirements and timelines?
For teams within accounting firms managing CPE compliance, it’s never-ending (and a constant headache).
After all, complexity multiplies when many CPAs within the firm hold multiple state licenses and specialized certifications.
For our internal compliance team?
It’s a day that ends in ‘y’—and it’s also their favorite day.
LCvista has a specialized team focused on turning these regulatory mazes into clear pathways for our clients.
Let’s meet Danielle and Cindy, two of the experts who make that happen.
Deep industry knowledge meets client advocacy
With years of combined, hands-on experience with CPE compliance in the accounting industry, our compliance team brings their practical understanding to every challenge.
Cindy Hessling, Compliance Success Manager at LCvista observed,
“[With state accounting boards] delivery methods they accept, there’s time limits—it all gets very complicated, very quickly, it’s not like the whole country updates their rules at the same time. They update them at different times, in different ways, and on their schedule.”
Cindy Hessling
Compliance Success Manager
The numbers tell a compelling story.
In 2024 alone, our team created 115 custom jurisdictions and 225 certifications. But quantity tells only part of the story.
Each jurisdiction requires a deep understanding of local requirements and nuances.
“That sort of [understanding] is very unique to LCvista, we’re so entrenched in their rules so we can apply every rule nuanced as they might be. But that’s our aim and we don’t rest until we’ve reached the perfect level of accuracy as possible.”
Danielle Turner
Principal Compliance Specialist
From interpretation to implementation
What does this expertise look like in action?
Consider a conversation Danielle relayed about talking with members of one state’s Board of Accountancy. They spoke at length about the tension between processing license renewals versus incoming new licenses.
State boards are managing thousands of professionals while juggling multiple internal responsibilities. Sometimes they’re even issuing licenses to multiple different types of professionals (eg. cosmetology and architecture and accounting).
“Boards are doing so many things,” Danielle said, “even if you have a board that’s focused on accountancy they still have so much that they need to tackle within just accountancy.”
The case of new licensee pro-ration perfectly illustrates this challenge:
How many credits should someone who received their license in February need to complete before a June renewal deadline in a particular state?
The answer should be straightforward but in practice, different interpretations can lead to different answers.
“We love being the first line of defense [in situations like this]. When firms have a question about [any given state], that’s what our team is here for! We want to help clarify things and be that source of truth,” Danielle shares.
The impact extends beyond just one state or another.
“We always tell clients ‘we track these requirements for hundreds of people across every state. If you have questions, we can likely answer most of them’ and that’s before they even need to turn to the board,” Danielle explains.
Innovation meets practicality
Even with a clear understanding of requirements, compliance should never be about just checking boxes.
Our team prioritizes understanding emerging technologies and methodologies for learning while at the same time ensuring that everything aligns with regulatory requirements.
“One of the biggest changes I’ve seen recently is the incorporation of brain science in learning delivery,” Cindy points out
“No more just watching a video, falling asleep, and clicking the box. It requires being engaged and involved, and in the end we just learn better that way.”
This includes adapting to new learning formats like adaptive learning and AI-powered solutions.
“With AI, everybody gets a different customized experience,” Cindy notes. “But the outcome at the end is that everybody is getting the learning that they need, which also requires people to be more involved.”
The challenge of change
Managing compliance means our compliance team is always trying to stay ahead of regulatory shifts while still helping firms maintain current requirements.
“When states have rules that are going to be changing,” Danielle explains, “that’s where I step in, research the rules, and then code them in our system.”
This proactive approach helps firms navigate complex transitions.
From feature development to support processes, this client-first mindset shapes everything our compliance teams work on.
“We really look at this from the customer’s perspective,” Cindy emphasized.
“That’s what’s most important to us. We [the compliance team] represent our clients to LCvista in decisions around compliance, sometimes even as they’re being made.”
With a robust library of pre-vetted courses in our Content Marketplace, there’s no lack of material to ensure CPE and non-CPE requirements are met.
“For pretty much all requests that come in we’ve been able to find at least one, if not two courses that might satisfy what the firm is looking for,” shared Danielle.
Looking forward
The regulatory landscape continues to evolve, with new technologies entering the picture and changes always affecting industry oversight.
“There’s a political component about what happens in our national government about what the requirements will be for this industry going forward,” Cindy observed.
LCvista’s compliance team stays ahead of these changes, preparing clients for what’s next while maintaining rock-solid compliance today.
“We are always looking to be a true partner to them, where our work is worth the time and investment we put in,” as Danielle puts it, “and our goal is to always make sure it benefits them.”
