A tailored course, built for your situation
M&A accounting packages pre-cleared by senior sponsors
Deliver acquisition accounting packages that go straight to filing, no rework, no delays, trusted by leads
$199 one-time
24-hour access provisioning
30-day money-back guarantee
Hand-built implementation playbook
12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
The situation this course is for
Who this is for
Independent Contributor in finance or accounting at a global tech or enterprise services firm, focused on M&A transaction reporting, acquisition intangibles, or post-close integration accounting
Who this is not for
Managers outsourcing package ownership, junior analysts still learning core ASC 805 mechanics, or professionals without current exposure to live deal cycles
What you walk away with
- Structure acquisition accounting packages that require no revision loops with senior reviewers
- Anticipate technical and presentation expectations of finance leadership and external auditors
- Build self-validating templates for goodwill allocation, purchase price adjustments, and intangible asset carveouts
- Develop naming, versioning, and sourcing standards that signal completeness before submission
- Embed audit trails and rationale directly into working papers so reviewers accept them on first read
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Final-state acquisition memos
Learn how to write acquisition accounting memos that close loops preemptively, covering ASC 805 scope, pushdown accounting flags, and carveout justifications so clearly that review cycles are eliminated.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining deal scope without escalation
- Flagging pushdown accounting triggers
- Justifying carveout boundaries
- Mapping acquirer control dates
- Specifying measurement period items
- Declaring provisional values upfront
- Calling out contingent considerations
- Handling foreign currency translation
- Linking to due diligence findings
- Referencing third-party valuations
- Documenting acquisition method choice
- Stating assumptions in audit-ready terms
Module 2. Goodwill allocation patterns
Master the sequencing and justification logic behind goodwill allocations that pass silent review, used by practitioners whose outputs are treated as reference-grade.
12 chapters in this module
- Order of allocation hierarchy
- Setting fair value thresholds
- Valuing customer relationships
- Assessing in-process R&D
- Allocating trade names and trademarks
- Distributing assembled workforce value
- Handling location-based intangibles
- Adjusting for contract renewals
- Benchmarking against prior deals
- Sourcing external valuation inputs
- Cross-wiring to integration plans
- Calling out unallocated amounts
Module 3. Provisional item tracking
Design tracking systems for measurement-period items that reduce follow-up burden and signal control, so leads treat your work as forward-look complete.
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying open valuation items
- Setting resolution timeframes
- Assigning internal ownership
- Linking to external advisor updates
- Updating purchase price allocations
- Flagging tax basis adjustments
- Managing earnout recalibrations
- Handling indemnification claims
- Documenting new information
- Reporting changes in footnotes
- Aligning with SEC disclosure
- Closing measurement periods cleanly
Module 4. Intangible asset documentation
Build documentation packs for acquired intangibles that auditors accept on first read, using standardized sourcing, life expectations, and amortization justifications.
12 chapters in this module
- Validating customer lists
- Assessing contract-based assets
- Valuing licensing agreements
- Justifying useful lives
- Setting amortization curves
- Linking to revenue projections
- Handling non-compete covenants
- Documenting supply agreements
- Reviewing government contracts
- Testing for impairment triggers
- Cross-referencing GAAP guidance
- Declaring residual values
Module 5. Deal-specific policy overrides
Apply targeted policy exceptions for unique deals, documented so thoroughly they’re treated as precedent, not exceptions.
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying standard policy gaps
- Justifying deviation rationale
- Sourcing comparative deals
- Aligning with tax strategy
- Documenting controller approval
- Flagging audit implications
- Setting sunset dates
- Notifying integration teams
- Linking to board summaries
- Archiving override decisions
- Reapplying in future deals
- Preventing scope creep
Module 6. Cross-functional alignment signals
Embed coordination markers from legal, tax, and integration teams directly into accounting packages, so reviewers see consensus before asking.
12 chapters in this module
- Pulling legal closing memos
- Incorporating tax ruling summaries
- Syncing with integration PMOs
- Validating carveout boundaries
- Confirming retention bonuses
- Linking to HR transition plans
- Referencing IP assignment docs
- Aligning with supply chain shifts
- Noting customer notice periods
- Flagging regulatory hold points
- Capturing synergy assumptions
- Embedding compliance attestations
Module 7. Audit trail design
Structure workpapers so every number has a clear, visible source, making your outputs the first accepted in audit cycles.
12 chapters in this module
- Linking to due diligence reports
- Citing third-party valuations
- Referencing board approvals
- Attaching legal opinion excerpts
- Including email confirmations
- Versioning source files
- Naming conventions for evidence
- Highlighting key assumptions
- Using timestamped extracts
- Embedding metadata tags
- Cross-indexing workpapers
- Declaring data reliability
Module 8. Presentation logic for reviewers
Format packages in the sequence and hierarchy that finance leadership expects, so they can skim and sign off, not dig and question.
12 chapters in this module
- Ordering sections for clarity
- Summarizing key impacts first
- Placing adjustments upfront
- Calling out policy changes
- Using consistent headers
- Setting font and spacing rules
- Adding executive summaries
- Creating navigation indexes
- Highlighting variances
- Footnoting technical bases
- Labeling attachment sets
- Declaring completeness
Module 9. Escalation anticipation
Preempt questions from senior reviewers by answering them before they’re asked, using patterns from trusted ICs.
12 chapters in this module
- Predicting valuation pushback
- Addressing tax structuring flags
- Clarifying integration timing
- Defending measurement period
- Explaining goodwill drivers
- Justifying intangible lives
- Responding to comparability gaps
- Handling currency translation
- Supporting earnout models
- Validating acquisition method
- Answering auditor checklists
- Closing reviewer loops
Module 10. Template standardization
Turn one-off packages into repeatable, trusted artefacts, so each new deal starts from a known-good baseline.
12 chapters in this module
- Building master memo templates
- Setting default assumption sets
- Creating checklist integrations
- Versioning control systems
- Naming file structures
- Automating footnote updates
- Linking to policy repositories
- Embedding change logs
- Securing template access
- Training peer users
- Updating for new deals
- Archiving legacy versions
Module 11. Post-close adjustment workflows
Manage purchase price adjustments efficiently, so corrections are seen as routine, not red flags.
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying adjustment triggers
- Validating new information
- Updating financial statements
- Notifying external auditors
- Adjusting tax provisions
- Revising intangible valuations
- Amending disclosure notes
- Communicating to investors
- Documenting SEC filings
- Updating integration metrics
- Closing prior period impacts
- Reporting to leadership
Module 12. Trusted contributor playbooks
Assemble your own playbook of proven patterns, so your work becomes the reference others follow.
12 chapters in this module
- Curating best-performing memos
- Documenting reviewer feedback
- Saving accepted templates
- Archiving audit responses
- Indexing by deal type
- Tagging by industry sector
- Noting sponsor preferences
- Tracking turnaround times
- Measuring revision rates
- Benchmarking against peers
- Sharing selectively with team
- Positioning as go-to resource
How this maps to your situation
- When preparing first-time acquisition accounting for a new deal
- During post-close integration with ongoing measurement period items
- Ahead of external audit review cycles
- After receiving feedback loops from senior reviewers
Before vs. after
Before
Acquisition accounting packages require multiple review rounds, with last-minute requests for clarification or evidence.
After
Packages are accepted on first submission, trusted, complete, and aligned to senior sponsor expectations.
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: Approximately 3 hours per module, total 36 hours over 6, 8 weeks with flexible pacing.
How this compares to the alternatives
Generic accounting courses cover ASC 805 broadly but miss the unwritten standards for acceptance. Internal training depends on tribal knowledge. This course delivers the precise patterns used by ICs whose packages skip review cycles entirely.
Frequently asked
Is this focused on U.S. GAAP or IFRS?
The course uses U.S. GAAP as the primary framework, with clear annotations for IFRS convergence points relevant to global deals.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Can I apply this to carve-outs or minority acquisitions?
Yes, modules include variations for partial acquisitions, joint ventures, and asset carveouts with control assessment logic.
$199 one-time. Approximately 3 hours per module, total 36 hours over 6, 8 weeks with flexible pacing..
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours