subject: Accountability In Accounting: Taking Ethics Seriously [print this page] There is power in numbers "" and this is exactly what Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) have. At the surface level, the work of a CPA may appear very technical and mathematical, but more than the balance sheets, the tax returns and the financial reports, the future of companies, governments, other organizations and even individuals rely on the accuracy of a CPA"s work.
This responsibility puts public accountants Cpe For CPAs in a very powerful position which requires trust "" and can be easily abused and exploited. As such, it is important to see that aside from the technical aspect of the accounting profession, another force is at work and should not be disregarded "" ethics.
Fraudulent activities involving accountants is nothing new and the National Association of State Boards Accountancy (NASBA) has been relentless in conveying a strong message that aside from the technical standards CPAs are held liable against, it is equally important to comply at all times with the highest ethical standards set by the law and other regulating bodies.
One can see the importance of upholding ethics this way. A technical mistake (wrong computation, incorrect formula, inconsistent figures) can easily be rectified. However, an accountant with an unapologetic disregard to ethics is a stray bullet which can harm anyone in its way.
Ethics in Continuing Education
As such, NASBA, along with other accounting associations such as American Institute of CPAs, or AICPA, are encouraging and sometimes requiring certified accountants to take courses tackling ethics issues for their CPA continuing education. State licensing boards mandate CPAs practicing within their state to acquire a prescribed number of continuing education credits within a reporting period. Clearly, CPE for CPAs is now more than just upgrading one"s professional competencies, but also keeping integrity, independence, objectivity and due care in check across all accounting practitioners.
Ethics in Constant Learning
CPAs, especially those dealing with corporate finance and tax preparation, deal with numerous laws. These statutes constantly change as regulating bodies implement alterations to make practice more fraud-proof and to accommodate emerging interests.
Cpe For CPAs provides an opportunity for public accountants to keep in pace with these legal modifications. Being unaware of these laws is not an excuse for violating them. In fact, not knowing such critical information is in itself unethical.
Indeed, there is power in numbers "" a power no accountant is allowed to abuse. The NASBA could not have stated the argument for ethics any better when it said that being able to use the title Certified Public Accountant is a right and is therefore bound by ethical parameters. Aside from sharpening technical skills, CPA continuing education is a great opportunity for CPAs to take a proactive step to ensure that they are practicing the accounting profession with utmost regard to these ethical standards.
