This comprehensive course is designed to help tax and accounting professionals navigate the complex landscape of regulatory ethics. Through real-world examples and practical insights, participants will gain a deep understanding of ethical standards, compliance requirements, and best practices for maintaining integrity in professional services. The course emphasizes actionable strategies to uphold public trust while meeting regulatory obligations, making it an essential resource for professionals committed to excellence and ethical conduct.
Join speaker and author, Allison M. McLeod, LL.M., CPA, as she educates and informs CPAs on rules and regulations covering CPA practice standards and their duty to the public! As part of this course, we will also look at real world examples of individuals and companies faced with moral dilemmas.
Publication Date: July 2026
Designed For
This program is ideal for CPAs, tax advisors, auditors, compliance officers, and financial professionals who want to strengthen their ethical decision-making skills. It is also highly recommended for firm leaders, managers, and anyone responsible for ensuring adherence to regulatory standards within their organization.
Topics Covered
- Countering the Clean Hands Dilemma
- Knowing the difference between moral actions vs. ethical rules
- CPA rules and responsibilities
- Managing ethical conundrums
- AICPA Code of Professional Conduct
- Treasury Circular 230
- Internal Revenue Code penalties for tax practitioners
- AICPA Statement of Standards of Tax Services
Learning Objectives
- Determine the correct course of action when moral and ethical paths diverge
- Identify the CPA's duty to the public and when it takes priority over the wishes of the CPA's employer or client
- Describe the ethical obligations of a professional accountant
- Recognize the intent of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and other codes governing CPAs in the performance of professional accounting services/work
- Recognize the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and their implications for persons in a variety of practices
- Identify how to educate licensees in ethics of CPAs and tax practitioners
- Identify how to convey the intent of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, Treasury Circular 230, the Statement of Standards for Tax Practice and the Internal Revenue Code in the performance of professional services, not to adhere to the mere technical compliance of such rules
- Identify how to assist the CPA in applying ethical judgment in interpreting the rules and determining public interest. Public interest should be placed ahead of self-interest, even if it means a loss of job or client
- Identify how to review and discuss the authorities governing CPAs and tax practitioners and their implications for persons in a variety of practices, including CPAs in client practice of public accountancy who perform attest and non-attest services; CPAs employed in industry who provide internal accounting and auditing services; CPAs employed in education or in government accounting or auditing
Level
Basic
Instructional Method
Self-Study
NASBA Field of Study
Regulatory Ethics (4 hours)
Program Prerequisites
None
Advance Preparation
None
Instructor
Allison McLeod
Professor McLeod, LL.M., JD, CPA, is currently a full-time Senior Lecturer at the University of North Texas, where she has taught classes in Corporate Income Taxes, Multi-jurisdictional Taxes, Individual Taxes, Tax Research, Ethics and Financial Accounting. She has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas College of Law.
Prior to Professor McLeod going into academia, she worked for 18 years in industry and in a Big Four accounting firm. Professor McLeod earned a law degree from Baylor School of Law, and an LL.M. degree in Taxation from Southern Methodist School of Law. She has been a licensed CPA since 1993 and has been licensed to practice law since 1992. Professor McLeod has enjoyed teaching live ethics course to CPAs since 2011 and is the owner of
www.cpaethicsonline.com, which offers on-line self-study courses to CPAs. She currently serves on the Professional Ethics Committee of the Texas Society of CPAs.which offers on-line self-study courses to CPAs. She served on the Professional Ethics Committee of the Texas Society of CPAs and the AICPA CPA Exam Committee (REG).