Ethics for Accountants

This is an ethics course covering standards of professional conduct and business practices adhered to by accountants such as CPAs in order to enhance their profession and maximize idealism, justice, and fairness when dealing with the public, clients, and other members of their profession. It also presents an approach – the conceptual framework approach – to coping with ethical dilemmas. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on business ethics, internal control requirements, and the CPA’s responsibilities are summarized. Moreover, a brief discussion of the AICPA’s Standards for Tax Service and the IMA’s Statement of Ethical Professional Practice are included. Finally, it identifies different disciplinary systems within the profession and provides guidance on how to respond to an ethics inquiry from the AICPA. It includes examples to illustrate the application of various ethical standards.