Ethically Speaking

Patches and the "discrete tool" exception... Important concepts when considering whether the help you're giving a client will impair your independence.

In this episode, Liese Faircloth and Iryna Klepcha, two CPAs on staff in the AICPA Professional Ethics Division, continue their discussion with Dan O'Daly, a managing director in Deloitte's independence office, about changes to the Code of Professional Conduct related to technology.

If you missed the first two parts of this discussion, look for episodes 57 and 58.

Related resources

• Information Systems Services interpretation
• ISS practice aid
• Nonauthoritative questions and answers regarding cybersecurity services
• Nonauthoritative questions and answers regarding information systems
• Internal Audit interpretation

Our confidential ethics hotline can be reached at 888.777.7077 then dial option 2, option 3

If you'd like email updates about new Ethically Speaking episodes and other ethics content, subscribe to Digital Dose of Ethics. Just click the link and type "Subscribe" in the subject line. You can unsubscribe at any time.

In this episode, Liese Faircloth and Iryna Klepcha, two CPAs on staff in the AICPA Professional Ethics Division, continue their discussion with Dan O'Daly, a managing director in Deloitte's independence office, about changes to the Code of Professional Conduct related to technology.

They highlight why PEEC concluded that operating or managing a client's IT help desk is a management responsibility, and give examples of when providing IT help desk related tasks will and won't impair independence.

If you missed the first part of this discussion, look for episode 57.

Related resources

• Information Systems Services interpretation
• ISS practice aid
• Nonauthoritative questions and answers regarding cybersecurity services
• Nonauthoritative questions and answers regarding information systems
• Internal Audit interpretation

It's rare to scan through a professional news feed these days without an article or opinion piece on technology in the accounting profession. The changes are exciting and the implications for practice are profound. And there are some things you need to be aware of when it comes to independence.

In this episode, Dan O'Daly, a managing director in Deloitte's independence office, talks with Liese Faircloth and Iryna Klepcha, two CPAs on staff in the AICPA Professional Ethics Division, about changes to the Code of Professional Conduct related to technology.

The revised interpretation "Information Systems Services" becomes effective January 2023. Be sure to catch each of the three episodes in this "ISS" series to find out what you need to know to be prepared.

Helpful links

3 new Q&As on implementing the interpretation

Practice aid

Other interpretations mentioned in the episode:

• Cumulative Effect on Independence When Providing Multiple Nonattest Services
• Management Responsibilities
• General Requirements for Performing Nonattest Services
• Documentation Requirements When Providing Nonattest Services

If you'd like email updates about new Ethically Speaking episodes and other ethics content, subscribe to Digital Dose of Ethics. Just click the link and type "Subscribe" in the subject line. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Listen as Toni Lee-Andrews and staff of the Professional Ethics Division give an overview of the Professional Ethics Executive Committee's 3rd quarter meeting. Topics include updates on information systems services and noncompliance with laws and regulations.

Check out the Online Ethics Library. If you don't have the link handy, just type aicpa.org/ethicslibrary into the address field of your browser.

For more details about the meeting, see meeting minutes and agendas. Minutes for this meeting should be available soon.

You can also register to attend future PEEC meetings. Get free CPE while staying current with what's happening in ethics both at home and abroad.

If you have comments on this episode or if you'd like to suggest ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

The Great Resignation... the Great Reshuffle... the Big Quit. Different names for the same phenomenon that we see happening all around us. Our profession is no exception, but there may be important ethical considerations if you are moving into a role at an attest client of your firm.

In this episode, we discuss simultaneous and subsequent employment considerations that Melissa Powell, CPA, and Emily Daly, CPA, have been talking with members about on the ethics hotline.

Resources mentioned

• "Considering Employment or Association With an Attest Client" interpretation
• "Subsequent Employment or Association With an Attest Client" interpretation
• "Simultaneous Employment or Association With an Attest Client" interpretation
• Conceptual Framework for Independence
• Chapter 2 of the Plain English guide to independence

Did you know there's a confidential ethics hotline? You can call 888.777.7077 then dial option 2, option 3 when you have questions about ethics and the Code of Professional Conduct.

It's true. In this episode, Emily Daly, CPA talks all about the hotline, explaining what we can and can't answer, how it all works, when you can expect to hear back about an issue, and other topics.

Email us at [email protected] if you have comments on this episode or if you'd like to suggest topics for future episodes.

Listen as Mimi-Blanco Best and Ellen Goria, CPAs and associate directors at the AICPA, discuss some potential pitfalls of SOC 2® reporting and offer advice and tools for avoiding issues and ensuring you meet your ethical responsibilites when performing these engagements.

Q&As

Here are the Q&As Mimi and Ellen discuss. You'll need to be signed into your AICPA account to access these.

If you don't already have an account, you can sign up free of charge.

SOC 2 guide

The AICPA will be publishing a new edition of the SOC 2 guide this year and both of these purchase options give you a full year subscription to updates:

• Online subscription
• Ebook

PEEC is proposing changes to the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. Listen as Melissa Powell, CPA, and Nancy Miller, CPA discuss why the changes are necessary and what PEEC hopes to learn from members and other interested parties during the comment period for two new exposure drafts.

You can find the exposure drafts and online comment forms at

www.aicpa.org/ethicscomments

You can also read the Journal of Accountancy announcement.

If you have comments on this episode or if you'd like to suggest topics for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Toni Lee-Andrews and staff of the Professional Ethics Division give an overview of the Professional Ethics Executive Committee's 2nd quarter meeting. Topics include compliance audits, unpaid fees, client confidentiality and data security, information systems services, and more.

For more details about the meeting, see meeting minutes and agendas. Minutes for this meeting should be available in June.

You can also register to attend future PEEC meetings. Get free CPE while staying current with what's happening in ethics both at home and abroad.

If you have comments on this episode or if you'd like to suggest ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

In this episode, John Wiley, CPA, and Jeff Lewis, CPA, continue their discussion of what it means to act with honor, specifically as that relates to fees.

If you missed the previous parts of this discussion, look for episodes 48 and 49, which are parts 11 and 12 of the back to basics series.