Ethically Speaking

What do you need to be aware of when you're providing nonattest services to audit and attest clients? What does the code mean by "suitable skills, knowledge, and experience"? Listen as Jennifer Kappler, CPA, and Nancy Miller, CPA discuss these important questions. Helpful related resources AICPA Code of Professional Conduct Plain English guide to independence Independence rules comparison: AICPA a...

Independence of mind is a vital aspect of ethics. The Independence Rule and the related interpretations help practitioners with solid guidelines when working with audit and attest clients. But what about situations you may find yourself in where the code is silent? That's where the Conceptual Framework Approach ( ET sec. 1.210 ) comes in. In this episode, Jennifer Kappler, CPA, talks about the con...

Do you know what your responsibilities under the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct are when you encounter a situation that could compromise your integrity or objectivity? Get a refresher in this episode  with Sarah Brack, CPA, CGMA, CGFM, and Lewis Sharpstone, CPA. You can find the code at www.aicpa.org/codeofconduct .

Listen as Sarah Brack, CPA, CGMA, CGFM, and Lewis Sharpstone, CPA, discuss the foundations of integrity and objectivity in the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. You can find the code at www.aicpa.org/codeofconduct .

Jennifer Kappler, a manager in the ethics division, and Ian Benjamin, CPA discuss the ins and outs of auditing government entities. Helpful related resources AICPA Code of Professional Conduct Common deficiencies: Government and not-for-profit audits Independence rules comparison: AICPA and Government Auditing Standards Look for other episodes in this series with the search bar at the top of the s...

Jennifer Kappler, a manager in the ethics division, and Ian Benjamin, CPA discuss why compliance with auditing and accounting standards is so important for a self-regulating profession.  Helpful related resources AICPA Code of Professional Conduct Common deficiencies: Employee benefit plan audits Common deficiencies: Government and not-for-profit audits Look for other episodes in this series with...

In this first episode of our "Back to basics" series, John Wiley, CPA, ABV, CGMA and Jerry Love, CPA, CVA, ABV, PFS, CFP, MAFF bring their considerable expertise to this opening overview of the Code of Professional Conduct and its vital role in our self-regulating profession. Whether you're a member in business or a member in public practice, there's something here for you. You can find the AICPA...

Listen as ethics division staff give an update on PEEC's meeting. The committee approved several changes to the Code of Professional conduct in the following areas: Noncompliance with laws and regulations Unpaid fees Assisting clients with implementing accounting standards Loans, acquisitions, and other transactions Visit PEEC's project page for documents related to all of these and expect to see...

The Professional Ethics Executive Committee's 4th quarter meeting covered several ongoing projects and some new ones as well. Listen as division staff provide updates on discussions of the following projects: Noncompliance with laws and regulations (NOCLAR) Information systems services (ISS) Current standards-setting and member enrichment project updates Compliance audits Objectivity of engagement...

New independence guidance on loaning staff to clients becomes effective November 30, 2021. In this episode, you'll hear the 5 things you need to be aware of when you enter staff augmentation arrangements with your clients. Resources Staff Augmentation Arrangements interpretation Staff augmentation Qs & As Journal of Accountancy articles March 2021 September 2020  

How do loans to and from attest clients affect your independence? The Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC) is proposing changes to the Code of Professional Conduct related to loans and acquisitions. Take this opportunity to hear about the proposed changes and send your comments for consideration. The exposure period for this guidance runs through January 5, 2022 and in this episode you'l...

PEEC wants to hear from you about proposed changes to the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. In this episode, we discuss a new independence interpretation on assisting clients with accounting standards implementation. You'll hear: Which practitioners will be affected How practice will be affected What PEEC is hoping to learn from commenters during the exposure period Why PEEC believes the new gui...

When considering changes to the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, the Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC) wants to hear what our members and other interested parties have to say. This new series is a helpful addition to the text of exposure drafts: You can have a quick listen while going about your business to get those feedback synapses firing and take time later to dive into the tex...

Have you ever wondered how you can become a member the Professional Ethics Executive Committee, other executive committee, or any volunteer body at the AICPA? Attendees at the AICPA's 2021 ENGAGE conference had some great questions for presenters Jim Brackens, Vice President of Ethics and Practice Quality at the AICPA, and Lewis Sharpstone, CEO of Sharpstone and Co. in California and current membe...

Ever wonder what, exactly the Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC) does or what the process is for changing the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct? Attendees at the AICPA's 2021 ENGAGE conference had some great questions for presenters Jim Brackens, Vice President of Ethics and Practice Quality at the AICPA, and Lewis Sharpstone, CEO of Sharpstone and Co. in California and current member...

At this quarter's meeting, the Professional Ethics Executive Committee agreed to issue five new Qs & As and three new ethics exposure drafts. The Auditing Standards Board has also issued exposure drafts on quality management and Ahava Goldman of the AICPA Audit and Attest team spoke about those at the meeting. PEEC discussed several other standards-setting and member enrichment projects as well. L...

A high priority of the Professional Ethics, Peer Review, and CPA Evolution teams at the AICPA is to help you, the practitioner, navigate the tricky waters of challenging times. In this episode, you'll hear from the teams' directors about this work and upcoming resources soon to be available.

Did you know when you joined the AICPA as a member that we have an ethics investigation and enforcement team? Do you know what we do as opposed to state boards of accountancy and federal agencies like the US Department of Labor? In this episode, Jennifer Clayton, Associate Director of Ethics Enforcement at the AICPA, talks with Ian Benjamin, Enforcement Subcommittee Chair, and Melissa Critcher, Su...

With remote work becoming more common, questions arise about what "office" means in terms of independence. Listen as Michael Schertingzer, CPA, and Kelly Hunter, CPA, discuss the history of the Professional Ethics Executive Committee's project on the definition of "office" as well as some particulars practitioners and firms should be aware of.  

Tune into this first episode of our new ongoing series "What's hot on the hotline." In this episode Professional Ethics Division staffers Shannon Ziemba, CPA, CGMA and Liese Faircloth, CPA discuss records requests and nonattest services.

The Professional Ethics Executive Committee held its second quarter meeting this week. Listen as Toni Lee-Andrews, director of the AICPA Professional Ethics Division, and staff fill you in on the highlights, including SEC and IESBA convergence, staff augmentation, upcoming member enrichment projects and more.

The Professional Ethics Executive Committee had its 1Q meeting this week. Listen as Toni Lee-Andrews, director of the AICPA Professional Ethics Division, and staff fill you in on the highlights, including key votes on NOCLAR, records requests, and staff augmentation. If you'd like more detail than we cover in this episode, you can review the meeting agenda . Full meeting minutes will be on PEEC's...

The Professional Ethics Executive Committee had its 4Q meeting this week. Listen as Toni Lee-Andrews, Director of the AICPA Professional Ethics Division, and staff fill you in on the highlights, including what you can expect to see in 2021 as a result of PEEC's strategy and work plan. What you'll hear about: Introduction (00:33) NOCLAR (01:55) Records requests (02:33) PEEC's three-year trategy and...

Listen as staff of the AICPA Professional Ethics Division discuss updates to the Plain English guide to independence since 2017. You'll hear about hosting services, information system services, and new SEC guidance, among other topics. Go to aicpa.org/plainenglishguide to access the guide.

This second of two Ethically Speaking episodes on PPP forgiveness engagements covers some questions we've had on the ethics hotline. Toni Lee-Andrews, Director of the AICPA Professional Ethics Division, takes a dive into specifics with Jim Brackens, AICPA Vice President of Ethics and Practice Quality, and Bob Dohrer, Chief Auditor of the AICPA Audit and Attest Standards team. Resources mentioned i...