Unethical behavior can ruin professional careers, and could result in fines, penalties, or even a loss of licensure. Every CPA must comply with the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct, which is a hallmark of the CPA designation. CPAs in public practice must overcome higher barriers, such as when attest service providers must also retain independence. This course will provide an overview of the core principles from which the CPA profession is built upon, as well as the risks faced by those that work in either public accounting or industry.
Course ID: GPETH
General & Professional Ethics for CPAs
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:
- Describe the foundation of ethical behavior
- Analyze moral and ethical dilemmas faced in day-to-day situations
- Explain important principles underlying ethical decision-making
- Describe core principles underlying the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct that apply to both CPAs in public practice and industry
- Explain common ethical dilemmas faced by all CPAs and how they can be safeguarded to an acceptable level
Major Topics
- Introduction to the concept of ethics
- Examples of handling moral dilemmas
- Steps in making ethical decisions
- The importance of ethics in internal controls
- The risk of a CPA’s fiduciary duty and other responsibilities
- Role of the AICPA and SEC in monitoring ethical behavior
- Core principles of the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct applicable to all CPAs, including conflicts of interest, preparing and reporting information, competence, confidential information, and more
- The importance of maintaining independence for CPAs in public practice, especially when also performing nonattest services for the attest client
Who Should Attend
Public and industry accountants at all levels interested in general ethics
Fields of Study
Regulatory Ethics, Behavioral EthicsPrerequisites
None