conflict of interest Archives

Feature Article

Circular 230 in Practice

Ethical tax practice is not just about compliance; it is about maintaining professional integrity and safeguarding clients’ interests while adhering to the tax laws. This ar... Josh Youngblood, EA

Summer 2025, Feature Article, OPR, ethics, Office of Professional Responsibility, Circular 230, §10.22, §10.35, PTIN, Preparer Tax Identification Number, §10.33, contingent fee, §10.27, unconscionable fee, §10.34, conflict of interest, advertising, 31 U.S. Code §330, §10.36, §10.51

Feature Article

Do Not Allow Conflicts to Sneak Up on You

Conflict of interest is an ongoing area of concern to the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), and it comes up more often than one might expect. Suppose a practitioner is not proactively alert for signs that a conflict mi... Jennifer MacMillan, EA

Summer 2025, Feature Article, OPR, Office of Professional Responsibility, Circular 230, conflict of interest, §10.29, written consent

Feature Article

The Two Biggest Conflicts of Interest Overlooked by Tax Professionals

Election years always serve as a reminder to avoid conflicts of interest. They also serve as a reminder that it is often easier to identify someone else’s conflict of interest than one... Amber Gray-Fenner, EA, USTCP

Summer 2024, Feature Article, OPR, ethics, Office of Professional Responsibility, entity, Circular 230, FBAR, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, FinCEN, Foreign Bank Account Report, conflict of interest, §0.29(a), Enron, Arthur Andersen, Loving v. IRS, §7216, stakeholder

Feature Article

Your Top Ethics Questions Answered

Q: Contract law often looks to lack of choice when considering unconscionability. Do you think an unconscionable fee can occur when a client has a choice to not engage or disengage?... Karen L. Hawkins

Sept/Oct 2022, Feature Article, OPR, ethics, Office of Professional Responsibility, due diligence, §6694(a)(2), contingent fee, §10.27, unconscionable fee, §10.27(c)(2), ABA Model Rule 1.5, §10.34, §10.34(d), Ridgely, §10.27(b)(1), §10.27(c), 10.27(b)(2), Notice 2008-43, §10.27(b), conflict of interest, safe harbor