Brown Advisory – General and Professional Ethics for CPAs
Description
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.
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
Provider
Business Learning Institute
Course Level
Basic
Professional Area of Focus
Ethics
Business & Industry
BLI Leadership
CPE Field of Study
Regulatory Ethics
2
Behavioral Ethics
2
Who Should Attend
Public and industry accountants at all levels interested in general ethics
