Lorman Education Services: A Comprehensive Review of Professional Development Offerings

Lorman Education Services has been a provider of online professional development and corporate training for both individual professionals and organizations for over 30 years. They deliver high-quality, relevant, professional-level courses covering a broad range of technical and business skills. Lorman's courses are designed to offer the latest updates in regulatory compliance, industry best practices, and general business knowledge.

Overview of Lorman Education Services

Lorman Education Services provides a wide array of live course options, understanding that learning and career advancement are not confined to a traditional 9-to-5 schedule. They aim to provide clear, relevant information exactly when it's needed. Lorman works closely with over 100 different agencies to provide the necessary Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for professionals to stay ahead in their industries and achieve their career goals.

Accreditation and Standards

Lorman prides itself on its professional trainers, maintaining strict standards and collaborating with top instructors and legal firms. This commitment to quality aims to ensure that learners receive the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Course Offerings and Variety

One of the frequently praised aspects of Lorman Education Services is the wide range of topics available. Customers appreciate the ability to access on-demand webinars at any time. Many reviewers have found the presenters to be knowledgeable and experts in their respective fields.

Specific Course Examples

Tax Update Webinars: While generally well-received, there have been mentions of delays in posting tax update webinars. For instance, a webinar on "The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): Eligibility Requirements and Due Diligence" was rescheduled from September 29, 2020, to March 5, 2021, which was after the tax season had already started.
Emotional Intelligence Webinar: This webinar was lauded for providing actionable insights that participants could use to improve themselves and bring value back to their companies.
941 and 1099 Classes: These classes were described as excellent, with knowledgeable and helpful instructors.
Mediation Course: Even individuals with some background in mediations and administrative hearings found a course on mediation very helpful, citing a good overview of the essentials and valuable insights. The ability to ask questions and receive answers was also a notable benefit.

All-Access Pass

The All-Access Pass is a popular option among Lorman users, offering tremendous value by allowing access to a wide variety of professional development courses without having to pay for each course separately. This pass enables users to find everything they need in one place, eliminating the need to search multiple sites.

User Reviews and Feedback

Lorman Education Services has received a mix of positive and critical reviews. While Lorman doesn't verify specific claims in reviews, they do label reviews as "Verified" when they can confirm a business interaction took place. They employ automated software to screen reviews and remove content that breaches their guidelines, ensuring reviews are based on genuine experiences.

Positive Feedback

Many users have expressed satisfaction with Lorman's services, citing the helpfulness of the courses and the quality of the instructors. Some specific positive comments include:

CPA CPE Credits: One user needed to obtain 80 hours of CPE to reinstate their retired CPA certificate and found Lorman's courses to be an economical and helpful solution. They praised the helpfulness of Lorman's staff in getting them set up at home and recommended the service.
Variety of Topics: The wide array of topics available for CPE credit is a significant advantage, especially since Lorman is NASBA accredited. This accreditation ensures that the courses will "count" toward continuing education requirements.
Flexibility and Convenience: The ability to view on-demand webinars at any time is a major draw for many users, offering the flexibility needed to fit professional development into busy schedules.

Negative Feedback

Some users have had less positive experiences, with complaints ranging from technical issues to the quality of certain courses:

Misleading Course Titles: Some users have found that the course titles and overviews can be misleading. While the information presented may be helpful, it may not align with the user's expectations based on the course description.
Technical Issues: A few users have reported technical issues, such as the presentation cutting out in on-demand courses, leading to frustration and a feeling of missing important information.
Repetitive Content: One reviewer noted that some classes covered the same material, which could be redundant for some users.
Poorly Designed Webinars: One user described a training as the "worst ever," citing a lack of interactivity and a reliance on static slides. They felt it was a waste of money and not a beneficial learning experience.

Pricing and Value

Lorman Education Services offers individual courses ranging from \$99 to \$249. The All-Access Pass can provide significant value for those who need to take multiple courses. Lorman also offers various deals and discounts, with coupon codes available that can save users an average of \$75.

Section 409A Expertise

Lorman Education Services also offers expertise in specific areas such as Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. Section 409A is designed to ensure that taxpayers specify when future compensation payments will be made. This regulation was enacted to prevent executives at failing companies from accelerating payouts under their deferred compensation plans before the company declared bankruptcy.

Steve Flores's Insights

Lorman provides access to resources such as a 34-minute video featuring Steve Flores, a Partner at Winston & Strawn LLP. Flores reviews the applicability and potential violations of Section 409A. His practice focuses on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation matters. He also conducts regular seminars and workshops on these topics for both public and private companies.

BBB Accreditation and Rating

Lorman Education Services has a profile with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which includes an accreditation and rating. The BBB Business Profile provides information to assist consumers in making informed decisions. However, the BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.

Considerations When Reviewing BBB Information

When considering complaint information, it's important to take into account the company's size and volume of transactions. The nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints. BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period, except for customer reviews.

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