MYCPE ONE

Ethics play a crucial role in ensuring that CPAs Uphold a higher standard of integrity, professionalism and regulatory compliances. This is why ethics is a key part of the CPE requirements for CPAs in Illinois and other states. It helps them stay updated on the latest ethical rules, guidelines, and best practices.  

This guide explains the key factors of Illinois CPA ethics CPE requirements for 2024. You will learn about the best courses and how to pick the right ethics course for you.   

Requirements

The Illinois Public Accounting Act is silent in respect of Subject areas qualifying for “professional ethics.” As per the reference mentioned in Section 16(c) of the Act, every CPA in Illinois is required to complete not less than 120 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credit during each three-year reporting cycle for license renewal.  

As a part of the CPE requirement, you must complete not less than 4 hours of ethics credit focused on covering the subject area of Professional ethics. Out of these 4 hours of mandatory ethics, one hour must be dedicated to sexual harassment prevention training from an IDFPR-approved continuing education provider.  

The CPE credit must be verifiable from an approved sponsor. Check the License Lookup Tool to see if the organizations are registered as approved sponsors. 

Why Ethics is Mandatory

As stated by the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and ICPAS Bylows, members of the Illinois CPA Society are expected to uphold a higher standard of ethics in their professional lives.   

  • Enhance knowledge of ethical standards set by regulatory bodies AICPA and IDFPER.
  • It helps professionals stay compliant with the Illinois Public Accounting Act.  
  • Complying with ethical principles helps improve the quality of standards, objectivity, and professional competency.
  • Following the principles of honesty fosters transparency and wins public trust and stakeholders' confidence. 
  • The ethics CPE courses are intended to inform the course of actions of CPA in course of dealing with the issues and ethical dilemmas. 

Key Areas

AICPA has specifically defined Illinois CPE ethics CPE requirements. The 4 hours of ethics course must underscore the importance of integrity and ethical behavior, covering a wide range of topics, including:  

The AICPA Code of Professional Responsibility: Members must follow the code of conduct. This code sets the conceptual framework of fundamental principles for ethical behaviors:  

1. Responsibilities (ET Section 52 - Article I): Members must exercise professional and moral judgment in all activities.  

2. Public Interest (ET Section 53 - Article II): Members should act to serve the public. They must honor, trust and show professionalism.   

3. Integrity (ET Section 54 - Article III): Upholding integrity is essential for maintaining and broadening public confidence.  

4. Objectivity and Independence (ET Section 55 - Article IV): Members must remain objective and avoid conflicts of interest, particularly when providing audit and attestation services.   

5. Due Care (ET Section 56 - Article V): Members should always work to improve their skills. They must follow technical and ethical standards. They should also perform their duties with great care.  

AICPA Ethical principles: Understanding the fundamental principles of professional conduct.   

Illinois-specific ethical regulations: Familiarity with the ethical rules and regulations specific to Illinois CPAs. Exploring new ethical dilemmas that arise in the profession.   

Professional responsibility: Understanding your duties to clients, employers, and the public.   

Choosing the right course is essential for meeting these Illinois-specific requirements while gaining practical knowledge. MY-CPE’s featured course can help you out here. 

Illinois CPA Ethics CPE Courses

A. AICPA Code of Conduct in the Real World 

Meet your Illinois CPA ethics CPE requirements and expand your professional knowledge. The course provides detailed guidance to professionals about the specific laws, rules, and regulations to deal with ethical dilemmas and future events.   

This Illinois ethics CPE course summarizes the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, helping CPAs to analyze real-world conflicts of interest and navigate ethical dilemmas including.   

1. Recognize the threats to compliance with the AICPA Code.   

2. Improving skills to safeguard against non-compliance.   

3. Applying interpretations under the Integrity and Objectivity Rule.  

4. Covering all the major ethics topics required for Illinois CPAs.   

  • AICPA Code of Professional Responsibility   
  • AICPA Principles and Rules   
  • Conceptual Framework for ethical decision-making
  • Real-world case studies 
  • Interpretation of Integrity and Objectivity Rule 1.180.010 

This course not only satisfies the ethics CPE requirement but also builds a strong foundation, practical insights into real-world ethical challenges, and enhances professional judgement.   CTA


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In addition to this, CPAs in Illinois are required to complete a minimum 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention training. To meet this requirement, MY-CPE offers the Illinois Sexual Harassment Prevention Training course. 

B. Illinois Sexual Harassment Prevention Training 

As a crucial part of the state's CPE regulations, the training must be completed by an IDFPR-approved provider (IDFPR Approval No.158002756) as part of their overall ethics requirement. This course provides a thorough understanding of sexual harassment laws and the responsibilities of CPAs and employers under the Illinois Human Rights Act. It covers:  

  • The definition and examples of unlawful sexual harassment in the workplace.
  • Federal and state laws, including remedies available to victims.
  • Employer responsibilities in preventing, investigating, and addressing sexual harassment. 

Choose the right ethics

Finding the right Illinois CPA ethics CPE course is important especially when there are number of CPE providers, and you have to find the best out of it. You can consider the following factors while selecting a course.  

Course Content: Look for the most updated course covering all other ethical aspects and major topic areas of ethics. 

Course Formatting: Whether you prefer live webinars, on-demand videos, or self-study materials, choose a format that fits your learning preference fit to your busy schedules.  

Approved Course Provider: Opt for CPE providers like MY-CPE, a NASBA Sponsored (Reg Id – 143597) and IDFPR-Approved, to meet regulatory standards and Illinois ethics CPE requirements.  

CTA

Reviews: Look for high ratings courses, particularly with highlight real-life applications and case studies in ethics.   

Conclusion 

To stay compliant and gain the trust of your client stakeholders, invest in ethics courses that not only fulfill your requirements but also enrich your knowledge. Choosing the right ethics course to keeps you informed on the emerging ethical issues, and helps you deal with the ethical dilemmas. 

You keep yourself updated, make a plan to complete your ethics requirement before the deadline. This investment will not only help to meet your requirements but to enhance your professional expertise.   

FAQs

The AICPA Code of Conduct in the Real World - by MY-CPE, helps professionals to deal with real-world conflicts of interest and ethical dilemmas. It keeps CPAs aware of behavior and set of actions need to take, helps professionals see real-world conflicts of interest and guides them in applying the rules of integrity and objectivity in real situations.

Yes, the AICPA Code course is a benchmark for many state codes. This course is helpful for CPAs in other states too, except for those needing state-specific ethics courses.

Illinois CPA need to complete Sexual Harassment training, 1 hour as a part of ethics requirement. This equips CPAs to maintain their respect, dignity and a legally compliant workplace.

It is suggested to directly check for approval with the course provider/platform prior taking any course. If not mentioned there, IDFPR provides you License Lookup Tool to search for the organizations registered as approved sponsors in Illinois. If not, NASBA access to their National Registry of CPE Sponsors helps you to check for sponsor approval.

Imtiaz Munshi, CPA

Imtiaz Munshi, CPA

CFO, AZSTEC LLC

Imtiaz Munshi, CPA (US), is the CFO at Azstec, LLC and a trusted advisor to high-net-worth entrepreneurs. A seasoned tax planner and a business strategist with his 25 years of experience, he helps businesses grow smarter and stronger. Imtiaz specializes in guiding entrepreneurs and enterprises through complex financial decisions with clarity and confidence. His passion lies in simplifying strategy, optimizing tax outcomes, and driving sustainable growth. Through his work and thought leadership, Imtiaz continues to empower CPAs and business owners to stay ahead in an evolving financial landscape shaped by AI, ESG, and data-driven change.

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