Transparency, Morality, and the Importance of Ethics in the Tax Practice
This self-study session offers a comprehensive exploration of the ethical landscape in tax practice, emphasizing transparency, morality, and professional responsibility. Participants will review foundational ethical standards, including the AICPA Statements on Standards for Tax Services and the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. Through an engaging presentation, attendees will examine best practices for engagement letters as well, equipping them to navigate complex ethical challenges with confidence and integrity.
Learning Objectives:
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Explain key professional standards governing tax practice, including the AICPA Statements on Standards for Tax Services and the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct.
- Evaluate practical approaches to contracting with third party tax advisors that uphold ethical obligations.
- Apply ethical principles to real-world scenarios involving transparency and morality in tax practice.
Course Overview
This course consists of three primary steps, detailed below, to guide you from preparation to completion:
Step 1: Preparing for the Course
Below, you’ll find a section containing essential course materials to help you succeed. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with these resources:
- Learning Objectives: Clearly outline the knowledge and skills you should acquire by the end of the course.
- Glossary of Terms: Provides definitions for key terms and concepts used throughout the course.
- Downloadable Slides: Access the course slides to review and refer to as needed during the course.
- The course slide deck is in a searchable format when using the ctrl + f function
We recommend reviewing these materials before proceeding to the content section to ensure you’re fully prepared.
Step 2: Engaging with the Course Content
Once you’re ready, proceed to the content section, which delivers the core material of the course through a one-hour instructional video. This video presents key concepts related to professional and regulatory standards in tax practice and is designed to build a foundational understanding of the subject matter.
Throughout the video, you will complete a series of knowledge-check questions. These questions are ungraded and are intended to reinforce learning by allowing you to assess your understanding of the material before moving forward. Please note that these knowledge-check questions are provided only as a learning aid and do not constitute a final examination.
After completing the knowledge-check questions, you will proceed to the final examination. The final exam is graded and is designed to assess your comprehension of the course content. Successful completion of the final exam is required to earn CPE credit.
Step 3: Completing the Course: Final Exam
After finishing the content section, return to take the final exam. Here’s what to expect:
- The final exam consists of five multiple-choice questions.
- A minimum passing score of 70% is required to complete the course successfully.
- If you’re taking this course for CPE credit under NASBA standards, passing is mandatory to receive credit.
Important Exam Details:
- Select your answer by clicking the radio button next to your choice. Confirm your response before advancing to the next question.
- You can restart the exam at any time, but doing so will reset all prior responses, requiring you to begin again.
- You are required to complete the final exam within one year from the date of purchase.
Completion & Certificate
Upon passing the final exam, you’ll be able to download your Certificate of Completion, which includes your CPE credit information. Make sure to save this for your records.
Course Publication
Publication Date: December 11, 2025
Instructors:
David Holets, Partner, Tax, Crowe LLP
General Session Information
Access
Online, upon completion of the checkout process, you will be directed to our Learning Management System (LMS) for access to the session.
For member pricing, please login to tei.org
This is a digital product. With full paid access, the content will be available for one year after the purchase date.
CPE Credits
This digital product is eligible for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credit. Upon passing the final exam, participants are eligible for 1.0 CPE Credit.
Length of Session
The session will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete.
NASBA Field of Study
Taxes
Level
Basic
Prerequisites
None
For more information, please refer to CPE requirements and NASBA sponsorship information.
Terms & Conditions
By purchasing this TEI digital product (TEI Content) you agree to TEI’s Terms & Conditions