La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § XIX-1307

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section XIX-1307 - Subjects which Qualify

A. The following general subject matters are acceptable as long as they contribute to the professional knowledge and professional competence of the individual certificate holder and are relevant to the services rendered or to be rendered by the individual certificate holder in public practice, industry, academia or government.

1. Accounting and Auditing. This field of study includes accounting and financial reporting subjects, pronouncements of authoritative accounting principles issued by the standard-setting bodies and any other related subject generally classified within the accounting discipline. It also includes auditing subjects related to the examination of financial statements, operations systems, and programs; the review of internal and management controls; the reporting on the results of audit findings; compilations, reviews, and preparations. It also includes assurance services that relate to standards for attest engagements.

2. Consulting. This field of study deals with all advisory services provided by professional accountants. Services provided that encompass those for management such as designing, implementing, and evaluating operating systems for organizations as well as business advisory services and personal financial planning. The systems include those dealing with planning, organizing and controlling any phase of individual financial activity or business activity. Subjects may include designing and implementing a computer system to process the financial and management operations of a business; litigation support services and the related fields of law; personal financial planning services; investment planning for individuals or organizations; and management advisory services. This Subsection is primarily for consultants in public practice; however, internal consultants employed by a business entity providing advisory services within the entity may also use these subjects.

3. Taxation. This field of study includes subjects dealing with tax compliance and tax planning. Compliance covers tax return preparation and review and IRS examinations, ruling requests, and protests. Tax planning focuses on applying tax rules to prospective transactions and understanding the tax implications of unusual or complex transactions. Recognizing alternative tax treatments and advising on tax saving opportunities are also part of tax planning.

4. Management. This field of study considers the management needs of individuals in public practice, industry, and government. Acceptable subjects for individuals in public practice concentrate on the practice management area, such as organizational structures, marketing services, and administrative practices. For individuals in industry or government, there are subjects dealing with the financial management of the organization, including information systems, budgeting, asset management, as well as buying and selling businesses, contracting for goods and services, cost analysis and foreign operations. In general, the emphasis in this field is on the specific management needs of certificate holder's and not on general management skills.

5. Specialized Knowledge and Applications. This field of study treats subjects targeted to specialized industries, such as not-for-profit organizations, health care, oil and gas. An industry is specialized if it is unusual in one or more of the following ways: form of organization, economic structure, legislation of regulatory requirements, marketing or distribution, terminology, technology; and either employs unique accounting principles and practices, encounters unique tax problems, requires unique advisory services, or faces unique audit issues. This area applies to certificate holders in the three employment areas, i.e., public practice, industry, and government. A certificate holder would use this classification for courses not already reportable under categories listed in §1307. A 1-4, such as Medicare cost reporting or rate regulations in the telephone and utility industry.

6. Personal Development. Personal Development is the field of study which includes self-management and self-improvement both inside and outside of the business environment. It includes issues of quality of life, interpersonal relationships, self-assessment, and personal improvement. Personal Development courses are intended to be more of a self-improvement category, as compared to courses that are directly related to the certificate holder's job duties or job requirements. Courses above the basic skill level that otherwise might qualify as Personal Development courses may be claimed in the management area or the consulting area if they relate to the certificate holder's job duties or job requirements.

7. Professional Ethics. Professional Ethics includes the study of the codes of professional ethics applicable to all CPA registrants and their effect on business decisions.

B. Special Rules

1. For purposes of categorizing courses, a course may be categorized in its entirety based on the majority of its content.

2. Courses which have product or service sales as their underlying content shall not qualify for CPE credit.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § XIX-1307

Adopted by the Department of Commerce, Board of Certified Public Accountants, January 1974, promulgated LR 6:5 (January 1980), amended by the Department of Economic Development, Board of Certified Public Accountants, LR 15:615 (August 1989), LR 23:1117 (September 1997), LR 26:1977 (September 2000), Amended by the Office of the Governor, Board of Certified Public Accountants, LR 411665 (9/1/2015).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:71 et seq.