The Lento Law Firm Defends South Carolina CPAs
South Carolina's Board of Accountancy issued your South Carolina CPA certification and license. The Board of Accountancy also has the authority to revoke or suspend your CPA license on charges that you committed professional misconduct. Address your disciplinary charges responsibly, or you could lose your CPA license and public accountancy practice. Retain the Lento Law Firm's premier Professional License Defense Team to defend against the South Carolina Board of Accountancy disciplinary charges. Call 888.535.3686 or chat with us now to protect and preserve your South Carolina CPA license and practice.
Rewards of South Carolina CPA Practice
Practice as a certified public accountant can be rewarding in many states and locations. South Carolina CPA practice can be especially rewarding, given the state's natural beauty, diversified economy, and attractive cities and metropolitan areas. Cities like Charleston, North Charleston, Columbia, Mount Pleasant, Rock Hill, Greenville, Summerville, Goose Creek, Sumter, Florence, and Spartanburg, and their surrounding regions support vibrant businesses, charitable organizations, and other concerns needing CPA services. The state has many individuals of means who likewise need tax advice and preparation of tax returns and financial statements. South Carolina also hosts offices of many large, mid-sized, and small reputable accounting firms with strong client bases, including Forvis, Protiviti, Deloitte, Accenture, Elliott Davis, KPMG, EY, Horne, Greer Walker, BGW, and Johnson Lambert. Let us help you preserve the substantial rewards of your South Carolina CPA practice against disciplinary charges.
Nationwide Stakes to South Carolina CPA Discipline
You may have gained your South Carolina CPA license by the State Board's endorsement of a CPA license you already held in another state. South Carolina, like many other U.S. states, recognizes CPA licensure in other states offering reciprocity. Or you may plan someday to obtain a CPA license in another state by the endorsement of your South Carolina CPA license. Licensure by endorsement can save you a lot of time, trouble, delay, and expense, not having to repeat education, work experience, exams, and other certification requirements. But if you suffer discipline before the South Carolina Board of Accountancy, the reciprocity that once worked for you can now work against you. You could lose CPA licenses you already hold in other states and lose the opportunity to gain a CPA license in another state by examination or endorsement. Defend your South Carolina CPA disciplinary charges with our help now, rather than expecting to simply move your practice and employment to another state.
South Carolina CPA Licensure
South Carolina's public accountancy laws, codified in South Carolina Code Sections 40-2-5 et seq., authorize the South Carolina Board of Accountancy to license CPAs who desire to practice public accountancy in the state. Section 40-2-10 creates the Board of Accountancy, empowering it to regulate accountancy practice, including issuing CPA licenses. Section 40-2-70 expressly authorizes the Board of Accountancy to issue licenses to qualified accountants. Section 40-2-30 expressly prohibits using the CPA designation or practicing public accountancy in the state without a license from the South Carolina Board of Accountancy. It is unlawful to practice public accountancy or use the CPA designation without a current, valid CPA license from the Board of Accountancy. Section 40-2-100 authorizes the Board of Accountancy to obtain and enforce a cease and desist order to prevent unauthorized CPA practice without a valid license. Losing your South Carolina CPA license to disciplinary charges means losing your accounting employment and practice in the state. Don't risk those losses with unqualified defense representation. Retain our skilled and experienced Professional License Defense Team for your best disciplinary outcome.
South Carolina CPA Qualifications
South Carolina's public accountancy laws state the requirements you met for your South Carolina CPA license. You know how hard meeting those requirements was and how much you invested in your CPA qualifications. South Carolina Code Section 40-2-35 lists the requirements for CPA licensure, as detailed in corresponding Board of Accountancy regulations. The requirements include your accounting degrees and education, passing the CPA examination, and completing substantial work experience. You also documented your good character, obtained the necessary transcripts and other verifications to support your application, and authorized a criminal background check. You know what it took to get your CPA license. Don't lose that investment and the rewards of your CPA practice by ignoring or minimizing disciplinary charges. Instead, get our defense help.
South Carolina CPA Disciplinary Authority
Getting your CPA license is one thing. Keeping it is another. South Carolina's Board of Accountancy doesn't just issue licenses. It also invites, accepts, initiates, and investigates complaints against CPAs to bring disciplinary charges and revoke or suspend CPA licenses. Section 40-2-70 expressly authorizes the Board of Accountancy to discipline licensees who commit misconduct. South Carolina Code Section 40-2-80 authorizes investigations of complaints, while Section 40-2-90 authorizes the Board of Accountancy to hold hearings to make disciplinary findings and impose sanctions. Section 40-2-110 expressly authorizes the Board of Accountancy to revoke or suspend the license of a CPA who commits one of the enumerated grounds for discipline. The Board of Accountancy employs disciplinary officials to carry out that statutory authority. If you face disciplinary charges against your South Carolina CPA license, level the playing field by hiring our skilled and experienced Professional License Defense Team attorneys.
South Carolina CPA Disciplinary Decisions
If you suffer CPA license discipline in South Carolina, you won't be able to keep it confidential from employers, clients, colleagues, friends, acquaintances, and family members. South Carolina's Labor, Licensing, & Regulation Department compiles and publishes disciplinary decisions from the state's professional licensing boards, including the South Carolina Board of Accountancy. Those published decisions include the CPA's name, license number, discipline, and detailed findings describing the particular wrongs. Anyone who wishes to learn of your discipline will be readily able to do so. You may also have the duty to report your discipline to employers, other licensing bodies, and other government agencies and officials. CPA license discipline can have wide-ranging collateral consequences. Beware of disciplinary charges. Get our defense help.
South Carolina CPA Disciplinary Sanctions
South Carolina Code Section 40-2-110 lists the disciplinary sanctions the Board of Accountancy may impose if it finds that you committed misconduct. Those sanctions include more than revocation or suspension of your license. The Board of Accountancy may alternatively or in addition impose limitations on your license, terms, and conditions for your continued practice or for regaining your license, periodic peer review of your fitness to practice, additional education, and any other terms and conditions the Board of Accountancy determines to impose, including payment of costs of the proceedings. While these other sanctions may sound daunting, the Board of Accountancy's discretion gives our attorneys the opportunity to advocate and negotiate for alternative relief that carries out the Board's duty to protect clients and the public while also helping you avoid crippling discipline.
South Carolina CPA License Reinstatement
Various sections of South Carolina's accountancy laws suggest that the Board of Accountancy may have the authority and discretion to reinstate your CPA license if you have already lost it to disciplinary charges. Let us help you determine whether and when you qualify for license reinstatement. License reinstatement will likely require that you prepare a convincing written application and make a convincing showing at a hearing before the Board of Accountancy. We can help you prepare your written application and present your evidence and arguments at the reinstatement hearing.
Grounds for South Carolina CPA Discipline
South Carolina's Board of Accountancy may have broad authority to impose discipline, but its disciplinary officials must still specify disciplinary grounds that appear in the authorizing law and regulations. South Carolina Code Section 40-2-110 lists the disciplinary grounds on which the Board of Accountancy may impose sanctions against you. The following discussion addresses the primary grounds for discipline, along with how our attorneys may be able to defend you.
Criminal Conviction as Grounds for South Carolina CPA Discipline
South Carolina Code Section 40-2-110 authorizes the Board of Accountancy to discipline for conviction of any felony or “other crime that has an element of dishonesty or fraud….” Disqualifying crimes may include criminal fraud, tax fraud, embezzlement, conversion, money laundering, and theft crimes. Our attorneys may be able to help you argue and present evidence that you did not suffer the alleged conviction, that a court overturned or expunged the conviction, or that the conviction was not of a disqualifying crime.
Credentials Fraud as Grounds for South Carolina CPA Discipline
South Carolina Code Section 40-2-110 authorizes the Board of Accountancy to discipline for “a fraudulent, deceitful, or dishonest act or omission of a material fact in obtaining licensure” from the Board. Credentials fraud may entail CPA exam cheating, misstating your education, degrees, work experience, or criminal history, or otherwise lying on your license application or concealing disqualifying conditions from your renewal application. Our attorneys may be able to help you argue and present evidence that your submissions were accurate and that any inaccuracies or omissions were unintentional and immaterial to the Board's licensing decision.
Unfitness as Grounds for South Carolina CPA Discipline
South Carolina Code Section 40-2-110 authorizes the Board of Accountancy to discipline for “conduct reflecting adversely upon the licensee's fitness to perform services” or “failure to comply with established professional standards” the Board recognizes. Unfitness may involve impaired or intoxicated practice. Standards violations may involve incompetence, gross negligence, or deliberate preparation of false financial statements or tax returns. Our attorneys may be able to help you argue and present evidence that your accounting work was accurate or that others prepared the disputed statements or returns.
Unprofessionalism as Grounds for South Carolina CPA Discipline
South Carolina Code Section 40-2-110 authorizes the Board of Accountancy to discipline for “violation of the code of professional ethics” for public accountancy. Unprofessional acts may include harassment of colleagues, inappropriate financial or intimate relationships with clients, and other personal or professional misbehavior embarrassing to the profession. Our attorneys may be able to help you argue and present evidence that you did not commit the alleged acts or have promptly corrected medical or other conditions triggering the behavior without the likelihood of a repeat.
South Carolina CPA Disciplinary Procedures
The South Carolina Board of Accountancy must respect your constitutional rights to due process when proceeding with disciplinary charges against your CPA license. South Carolina Code Section 40-2-110 incorporates the state's Administrative Procedures Act for notice, hearing, and other procedural protections against those charges. You should receive fair notice of the charges and an opportunity to appear before an independent administrative law judge to defend the charges. We can help you invoke those procedural protections, present your exonerating and mitigating evidence in the formal hearing, pursue informal resolutions, and otherwise advocate and negotiate strategically on your behalf. Section 40-2-160 further provides for an appeal, if you have already lost your disciplinary hearing. The state's Administrative Procedures Act also provides for limited rights of court review that we can help you pursue as necessary.
Defense Attorney Services for South Carolina CPAs
Beware of pursuing your own defense without skilled and experienced representation. The procedures under South Carolina's Administrative Procedures Act are complex. Self-representation is generally unwise and daunting and not likely to produce your best outcome. Also, beware of retaining unqualified defense counsel. Criminal defense attorneys do not generally have the administrative knowledge, skill, and experience necessary to mount a strategic and effective defense in professional licensing proceedings. Instead, retain our Professional License Defense Team attorneys to help you evaluate the charges, answer the charges, arrange informal resolution conferences, invoke formal hearings, take appeals, and obtain court review as necessary.
Premier South Carolina CPA Defense Services
The Lento Law Firm's premier Professional License Defense Team is available in cities and towns across South Carolina for your CPA license defense. Hundreds of professionals across the nation have wisely trusted their professional license defense to the Lento Law Firm's skilled and experienced attorneys. Call 888.535.3686 or chat with us now.
