Ethical decision-making is at the core of professional tax practice. CPAs face increasing responsibility, heightened client expectations, and a tax environment where mistakes, omissions, or unclear communication can quickly turn into liability. This three-part program brings together the foundational principles of CPA ethics, the realities of accountants’ liability, and the specific risks that arise when CPAs work with trusts, beneficiaries, and high-risk tax matters.

Ethics for CPAs provides a comprehensive and highly practical exploration of ethical conduct within tax practice.

Module 1: Accountants’ Liability
This module explains how CPAs incur liability in both tax preparation and tax planning. You will learn how courts apply the Rules of Professional Conduct to determine whether a CPA acted with due care, and what differentiates ordinary negligence, gross negligence, and culpable conduct. The module includes real claims involving incorrect tax elections, misinterpreted rules, failure to warn clients of risks, and situations where CPAs inadvertently acted beyond their expertise. Guidance is given on how to document advice, manage expectations, and use engagement letters effectively.

Module 2: Measuring Risk in Tax Practice
Using the detailed risk framework presented in the slides, this module shows how to assess a tax position before giving advice. The Risk Spectrum of Opinion visual on page 10 compares levels of certainty, from aggressive or careless positions on the left to “should” and “will” opinions on the right. Participants will learn how CRA interprets misrepresentation, gross negligence, and evasion, and how these standards apply when the agency opens statute-barred years or imposes penalties. Real examples highlight the consequences of poor documentation, failure to research, unclear advice, or unrecognized assumptions.

Module 3: Ethics, Trusts and CPAs
Trusts create unique risks for CPAs because the role of settlor, trustee, beneficiary, and advisor often overlaps. This module explains what commonly goes wrong in trust structures, from attribution issues under subsection 75(2) to inappropriate trustees, missing records, and conflicts of interest when a CPA inadvertently advises multiple parties. The slides illustrate how poor documentation, missing resolutions, incorrect assumptions, and lack of clarity around fiduciary duties expose CPAs to complaints and disputes. The ethical framework on pages 3–4 of the slides provides the foundation for navigating these issues responsibly.