Professional Ethics: The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Comprehensive Course (For Licensure)

Overview

Ethical principles and independence requirements essential to maintaining honesty, objectivity, and professional conduct in the accounting and finance profession.

Ethical accounting is a MUST

Understanding and applying ethical principles and independence requirements is every accounting and finance professional’s responsibility. You can learn the fundamentals of ethical accounting to help you adhere to professional ethics standards.

Essential ethics topics include:

Viewing and analyzing ethical matters objectively
Adhering to the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct compliantly
Applying the code’s conceptual framework effectively
Evaluating conflicts of interest and maintaining confidentiality comprehensively

Independence and ethical accounting

Independence rules play a key role in professional ethics as well. Vital topics you will explore are:

The AICPA independence rules
Independence rules regarding personal financial interests, loans, employment, and business relationships that relate to you and your immediate family
Independence rules from regulators, including the SEC and PCAOB

Other ethics considerations

More topics in professional ethics covered include:

Rules that apply to government auditors and audits of employee benefit plans, federally funded charitable organizations, financial institutions, and insurance
Rule interpretations related to gifts and entertainment
Ethics rules related to professional tax services

Real-world scenarios

Case studies and realistic examples enhance your comprehension and enable you to practice what you’ve learned.

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT YOUR CPE CREDIT:

Many states do not accept the AICPA course to meet the ethics requirement for earning or maintaining a CPA license. Please contact your state board to determine which ethics course is required to earn your license. If you are taking the course for licensure you must pass with a score of 90 percent or higher to qualify towards earning your CPA license. If you are taking the course to maintain your existing license you must pass with a score of 70 percent or higher.

Professional Ethics: The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Comprehensive Course (For Licensure) is offered online. To purchase the version of this course for licensure, select the item on this page.

Highlights

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Key Topics

AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and its Conceptual Framework
Ethics and independence rules from the AICPA and other regulators, including the U.S. government
Activities that discredit the profession
Ethics interpretations issued by PEEC
NOCLAR
AICPA Statements on Standards for Tax Services (SSTSs)
U.S. Treasury Department’s Circular No. 230
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) penalty provisions

Prerequisites

None

Designed For

Who Will Benefit

Accounting and finance professionals earning a CPA license
CPAs maintaining their CPA license

Objectives

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Learning Outcomes

Recall the structure, application, and content of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct.
Recall how to apply the conceptual framework and respond to pressure when preparing and reporting information.
Recall recently adopted interpretations on responding to noncompliance with laws and regulations and receiving gifts and entertainment.
Recognize discreditable acts under the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and the consequences of violating the code.
Recognize the fundamental concepts underlying the “Independence Rule” in the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct.
Identify situations in which the independence rules apply to you and your relationships with people or entities and your responsibilities when you identify an independence breach.
Recognize the international code’s impact on US ethics standards and how the international code compares to the AICPA code.
Recognize key ethics interpretations and rules applicable to tax practice.