Ethics exposure draft: Proposed revised interpretation Tax Services (ET sec. 1.295.160)

The Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC) is proposing revisions to the “Tax Services” interpretation in the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. The revisions address potential threats to independence when members perform tax services for attest clients.

Comments are due September 10, 2024.

PEEC welcomes all feedback on the proposal and has these specific questions for AICPA members and other interested parties:

1. What are your thoughts on providing attest clients tax advisory or tax planning
   services and, specifically, on those services that may involve a higher level of
   uncertainty (as opposed to general tax advisory or tax planning services)?

2. Do you agree with the proposal to revise the existing “Tax Services” interpretation to include tax advisory and tax planning services rather than to create a new
   interpretation?

3. Do you agree with the addition of the advocacy threat when evaluating tax services
   for independence?

4. Do you agree with the proposal to use the more-likely-than-not threshold for
   independence?

5. Do you agree that the effective date provides adequate time to implement the
   proposals?