Ethics Ch 4 + 5 Flashcards
Professional competence
The necessary skills and expertise to carry out existing and new work to the required professional standard
Professional journals
Magazines published by the professional accounting bodies in the uk, which include uptodate info on current accounting practice.
Including, current accounting practice, taxation, auditing.
Including links to websites, accounting and business (ACCA), economic (ICAEW), financial management (CIMA), public finance (CIPFA), accounting technician (AAT)
Continuing professional development (CPD)
The way in which accountants maintain their knowledge and skills to ensure that they remain professionally competent
Professional negligence
Occurs when a client, to whom an accountant owes a duty of care, suffers a financial loss that can be proved to be the fault of the accountants
Professional indemnity insurance
Insurance that an accountant takes out to cover an damage they may have to pay a client to professional negligence
Attaining professional competence
People studying to become a member of the AAT will probably be working in an accounting related job. By the time all the training, examinations, and assessments have been successfully completed to allow the person to be a member of the accountanting profession, this should mean they have gained necessary professional competence
Maintaining professional competence
There is a requirement to maintain a level of professional competence. Accountants must keep uptodate with all new developments. Accounting standards are constantly changing. As well as amendments to auditing standards and other legalisation such as taxation laws
International financial reporting standards (IFRS) are issued by the international accounting standards board (IASB) and international standards on auditing (IAS) are issued by the international aiding and assurance standards board (IAASB)
Changed in financial reporting and auditing standards
Professional bodied in the UK base their Ethical codes on the IFAC codes of ethics. This will be updated from time to time by the IFAC
Changes in ethical codes
Changes in tax and company legislation
Companies legislation is through the company’s act 2006
Changes in relevant law (bribery, fraud, money laundering)
Changes to the criminal legislation are contained within the statute law
The three main ways an accountant can keep update with changes
Reading professional journals, enrolling on updating courses, complying with continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for professional accountants
Professional accounting bodies recommends that its members should follow a programme of relevant CPD each…..
Year.
ICAEW ?
Institute of charted accountants in England and wales
AAT
Association of accountanting technicians
ICAEW requires its members to maintain their skills throughout their career. They must confirm they are doing this by _____ every year
Making a CPD declaration every year
It believes its members should complete as much CPD activity as they feel is required
Reflect (ICAEW)
Consider your development needs and how you can meet them and create a plan on action
Act (ICAEW)
Carry out your chosen CPD activity
Impact (ICAEW)
Evaluate the effectiveness of what you have done. Are you satisfied that your actions have enabled you to meet your objectives or do you need more work
Declare (ICAEW)
Each year you must declare your compliance by making a CPD declarion between 1st Nov and 31 Jan
The AAT CPD policy requires its members to undertake sufficient CPD to ensure competence. Part of this is to go through the CPD cycle at last once in a 12 month period or twice for members in practice
.
The AAT CPD cycle contains
Asses, plan, action, evaluate
CPD planner template
On the AAT website used to plan out the CPD that they are going to take
Possible CPD activity’s
Trading courses, obtaining on the job training, self study, research
Useful to write down anything new learns, this makes it easier to fill in the CPD reccord that will be sent to AAT you Can also include informal learning (no limit)
AAT members must keep CPD records which can be requested by AAT at anytime
Registered Members in practice will be asked to submit their CPD records when they renew their registration on the members in practice scheme
.