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Conflict of Client s Interests. Jon Williams, CPA, is in the middle of the real - life soap opera, Taxing Days of Our Lives. The
Conflict of Clients Interests. Jon Williams, CPA, is in the middle of the reallife soap opera, Taxing Days of Our Lives. The Cast of Characters Oneway Corporation is Williamss audit and tax client. The three directors are the officers and the only three stockholders, each owning exactly onethird of the shares. President Raul Jack founded the company and is now nearing retirement. As an individual, he is also Williamss tax client. Vice President Jana Jill manages the daytoday operations. She has been instrumental in increasing the business and its profits. Jills individual tax work is done by CPA Corin Phil. Treasurer Chris Bill has been a longterm, loyal employee responsible for many innovative financial transactions and reports of great benefit to the business. He is Williamss close personal friend and an individual tax client. The Conflict President Jack discussed with CPA Williams the tax consequences to him as an individual of selling his onethird interest in Oneway Corporation to Vice President Jill. Later, meeting with Bill to discuss his individual tax problems, Williams learns that Bill fears that Jack and Jill will make a deal, put him in a minority position, and force him out of the company. Bill says, Jon weve been friends a long time. Please keep me informed about Jacks plans, even rumors. My interest in Oneway Corporation represents my life savings and my resources for the kids college. Remember, youre little Ottos godfather. Thinking back, Williams realized that Vice President Jill has always been rather hostile. Chances are that Phil would get the Oneway engagement if Jill acquires Jacks shares and controls the corporation. Nevertheless, Bill will probably suffer a great deal if he cannot learn about Jacks plans, and Williamss unwillingness to keep him informed will probably ruin their close friendship. Later, on a Dark and Stormy Night Williams ponders the problem. Oneway Corporation is my client, but a corporation is a fictiononly a form. The stockholders personify the real entity, so they are collectively my clients, and I can transmit information among them as though they were one person. Right? On the other hand, Jack and Bill engage me for individual tax work, and information about ones personal affairs is really no business of the other. What to do What to do
Required: Give Williams advice about alternative actions, considering the constraints of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct.
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