"In today's highly competitive accounting environment, liability is one of the biggest fears. Accountants are potentially subject to more claimants in the course of any one transaction than doctors. A major liability loss can severely damage or cause the complete failure of your accounting firm - large or small. The Accountant's Guide to Legal Liability and Ethics reveals the magnitude of the liability issues you face daily as an accountant and tells you of the dangers. Practical and easy to read, this guide breaks through the rhetoric to show you the broad spectrum of liability." "You'll discover the way courts really look at GAAS and GAAP; how to identify which areas of your practice are particularly vulnerable based on previous court actions and rulings; what to look for in a policy when purchasing professional liability insurance; and the foundation for developing an ethical framework that will guide accountants through these dangerous waters." "While concerns over liability mount in almost every profession across the country, it undoubtedly weighs heavily on the accountant. The authors provide you with new insights and new dimensions in practicing your profession and help you overcome these concerns."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Written for professional and aspiring accountants, this book addresses the specific ethical issues that accountants are often obliged to resolve in the context of their work. The authors, an accountant and an ethicist, take a case-based, pragmatic approach to the subject, examining real life dilemmas often faced in the practice of accountancy. Each chapter investigates a specific issue, such as whistle-blowing or the implications of independence, and includes several case studies that put the theoretical analysis into practical perspective. Throughout, Cottell and Perlin seek to go beyond the codes of professional behavior to confront the subtle personal, corporate, and governmental pressures that make ethical decision making difficult. In an era in which accountants have been tried publicly for aiding in corporate fraud, Accounting Ethics provides a careful and welcome exploration of the moral issues faced almost daily by professionals in the field. Following an introductory chapter that raises fundamental questions about accountability, the authors analyze and interpret the three different systems from which ethical considerations are born--deontologism, utilitarianism, and ethical realism. Subsequent chapters examine particular types of conflicts. Among the topics that receive extended treatment are moral conflicts within the firm, the issue of independence, whistle-blowing as an option, legal requirements and ethical duties, difficulties in relationships among professionals, questions of sexual difference and discrimination, and accounting's responsibility to society. Specialized jargon is kept to a minimum, making this an excellent resource for anyone practicing or considering a career in the accounting profession.

Including UK GAAP amendments arising from the FRC's recent triennial review, this book takes the theory contained in accounting standards, auditing standards and company law and shows how to put it into practice with the help of examples, case studies and real-life excerpts from financial statements. The aim of the book is not only to inform practitioners what the new standards say, but to interpret the meaning, analyse the differences between old and new GAAP and show the impact of these differences on the financial statements. The book also covers: Companies Act 2006 and related statutory instruments FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (September 2015 and March 2018) FRS 105 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable to the Micro-entities regime (July 2015 and March 2018) Requirements of International Financial Reporting Standards 2016 Auditing Standards (ISA (UK) 200 – ISA (UK) 805, including June 2016 revisions and July 2017 updates)