A derivative is a financial product that derives its value based on an underlying asset, liability, or other variable (such as an interest rate, foreign currency or commodity price). Derivatives have become very popular tools for “hedging” (i.e. reducing) financial risk; they have also become an increasingly standard item on big companies' balance sheets. Yet understanding how they work, what they are used for, and how they can affect the bottom line of a business has proven to be a significant challenge for the accounting and auditing industries.
This course provides an “accountant-friendly” overview of financial risk management and derivative instruments. This overview focuses on the various types of risk that impact financial markets today, as well as the four major categories of derivatives commonly used to hedge these risks (i.e. forwards, futures, swaps, and options).
Western CPE has been approved by the California Tax Education Council to offer Course Title (2071-CE-0150), which provides 10 hours of federal credit and 0 hours of state credit towards the annual “continuing education” requirement imposed by the State of California. A listing of additional requirements to register as a tax preparer may be obtained by contacting CTEC at P.O. Box 2890, Sacramento, CA, 95812-2890, toll-free by phone at (877) 850-2832, or on the Internet at www.ctec.org.
