Ethics for Tax Professionals & Enrolled Agents: An Overview of Circular 230
Professionals such as Enrolled Agents are required to make ethical decisions daily when performing the duties of their practice. Ethical decisions are influenced by many different factors, such as culture, motivation, power, and others. This training course will describe some of the ethical considerations that influence the decision-making process through the lens of IRS Circular 230. The course meets the 2-hour ethics requirement for IRS Enrolled agents. CPAs and other tax professionals will also benefit from this study.
Course Information
Course No. ECEA02
Format: Online pdf (102 pages). Printed book available.
Prerequisites: None
Advance Preparation:None
Level: Overview
CPE Credit: 2 hrs.
Field of Study: Regulatory Ethics: Technical
Course expiration: You have one year from date of purchase to complete the course.
Course Revision Date: May 2022
Objectives
- Recognize exactly what information must be provided a duly authorized officer or employee of the Internal Revenue Service
- Define the rules against working with disbarred practitioners or government employees.
- Recognize when and how a contingent fee may be charged
- Identify the rules for soliciting new business and advertising your practice.
- Locate the actions that can be defined as either incompetence or disreputable conduct.
- Define how a proceeding will start against a practitioner.
- Circular 230 – Applies to all CPAs and tax professionals in federal tax practice.
- State Licensing Board Rules of Conduct
- Professional organizations such as the AICPA
Practitioners should familiarize themselves with all of these regulations in order to protect themselves and practice with greater confidence. Among other things, ethics knowledge has relevance in the following areas:
- Avoiding penalties for you and your clients
- Avoiding censure and potential loss of livelihood
- Avoiding malpractice and other legal trouble
- Recognizing potential tax fraud
- Limiting disreputable conduct
This course presents an overview of Treasury Department Circular No. 230, Regulations Governing Practice before the Internal Revenue Service. Due to the time restrictions of a 2-hour course, this presentation will concentrate on Subpart B: Duties and Restrictions Relating to Practice before the Internal Revenue Service. Selected portions of Subpart A: Rules Governing Authority to Practice, C: Rules Applicable to Disciplinary Proceedings, and Subpart E: General Provisions will also be presented.
I have always thought the ethics for enrolled agents is great