Ethics for Hawaii CPAs – 4 Hours

Knowing what the AICPA Code requires is only useful if you know which parts of it apply to you. This course for CPAs licensed in Hawaii begins with the architecture — how the Code is built, whom each part binds, and how it sits alongside the other authorities a CPA answers to.

Principles, rules of conduct, and interpretations do different work: the principles are goal-oriented and nonbinding, the rules are enforceable minimum standards, and the interpretations are not themselves enforceable but a member must justify departing from them. The Code divides into a Preface applying to everyone, Part 1 for members in public practice, Part 2 for members in business, and Part 3 for those retired or unemployed — and a member holding more than one role follows the most restrictive provision that applies. The course also draws the line between AICPA enforcement, which can end a membership but cannot touch a license, and state board authority, which reaches firms, non-licensee owners and CPA-inactives and can suspend or revoke. Where both apply, the stricter governs. Other bodies setting requirements — the SEC, PCAOB, GAO, Department of Labor, and taxing authorities — are identified, along with recent and pending interpretations on attest fees, fee dependency, and simultaneous employment with an attest client.

From that footing the course covers ethical reasoning and dilemma resolution, corporate culture and tone at the top, the conceptual framework for threats and safeguards, the independence rules, and the enforceable rules of conduct, with worked examples and review questions throughout.

Learning Objectives

After studying this course, you will be able to:

• Recognize ethical reasoning used by accountants
• Recognize the core principles within the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct
• Identify the steps within the conceptual framework approach
• Recognize the indicators of impairment of independence
• Identify ethical standards and violations