Test 2 AICPA CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
1. What does it mean to serve “the public interest”?
2. May a member make a political contribution to the campaign of an individual that is associated with an attest client in a key position or holds a financial interest in the attest client that is material or enables the individual to exercises significant influence over the attest client without impairing independence or violating any other rule of conduct?
3. When is a member required to disclose to a client that a commission will be received under the “Commissions and Referral Fees Rule?
4. Would independence be impaired if a CPA firm retained an independent contractor (as defined by IRS regulations and other federal regulatory guidance such as case law an revenue rulings) on a part-time basis that is employed by or associated with an attest client in a key position?
5. May a member perform professional services for a client for no fee or for a fee that is below cost without impairing independence or violating any other rule of conduct?
6. The “Transfer of Files and Return of Client Records in Sale, Transfer, Discontinuance or Acquisition of a Practice” interpretation (1.400.205) requires certain communications to the client be in writing. Would electronic communications such as email be an acceptable form of communication?
7. The member was engaged to prepare financial statements using information provided by the client. As part of the engagement, the member entered the trial balance information received from the client into a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software product (For example, QuickBooks) to generate the financial statements. The member provided the client with a hard copy of the financial statements and supporting documents. The client has since switched CPAs and requested that the member send the data file to new CPA. Must the member make the data file available to the new CPA?
8. The member was engaged to prepare a tax return. The tax client dropped off related tax documents at the member’s office. As part of the engagement, the member scanned the documents and posted them to the member’s portal. Did the member meet the obligation to return client-provided records to the client?
9. Can the firm still perform the attest engagement if it has been determined that there is a significant familiarity threat to the “Independence Rules” because one or more senior personnel has served on the attest engagement team for a long period of time?
10. What are some examples of nonattest services that impair independence?