Section 501.73 - Integrity and Objectivity(a) A person in the performance of professional accounting services or professional accounting work shall maintain integrity and objectivity, shall be free of conflicts of interest and shall not knowingly misrepresent facts nor subordinate his or her judgment to others. In tax practice, however, a person may resolve doubt in favor of his client as long as any tax position taken complies with applicable standards such as those set forth in Circular 230 issued by the IRS and the AICPA's SSTSs.(b) A conflict of interest may occur if a person performs a professional accounting service or professional accounting work for a client or employer and the person has a relationship with another person, entity, product, or service that could, in the person's professional judgment, be viewed by the client, employer, or other appropriate parties as impairing the person's objectivity. If the person believes that the professional accounting service or professional accounting work can be performed with objectivity, and the relationship is disclosed to and consent is obtained from such client, employer, or other appropriate parties in writing, then this rule shall not operate to prohibit the performance of the professional accounting service or professional accounting work because of a conflict of interest.(c) Certain professional engagements, such as audits, reviews, and other services, require independence. Independence impairments under § 501.70 of this chapter (relating to Independence), its interpretations and rulings cannot be eliminated by disclosure and consent.(d) A person shall not concurrently engage in the practice of public accountancy and in any other business or occupation which impairs independence or objectivity in rendering professional accounting services or professional accounting work, or which is conducted so as to augment or benefit the accounting practice unless these rules are observed in the conduct thereof.(e) Interpretive comment: An email communication will satisfy the requirement for written disclosure of a conflict of interest in subsection (b) of this section.22 Tex. Admin. Code § 501.73
The provisions of this §501.73 adopted to be effective June 11, 2000, 25 TexReg 5338; amended to be effective February 4, 2004, 29 TexReg 963; amended to be effective February 17, 2008, 33 TexReg 1093; amended to be effective December 7, 2011, 36 TexReg 8234; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 45, Number 22, May 29, 2020, TexReg 3632, eff. 6/3/2020