proforma letter?
looks more like "war and peace".
but on a serious note, would you really expect your clients to read this letter, understand its content and implication, and not question how much drafting it has added to their bill?
Would I seriously expect?
My answer is, yes I would seriously expect my clients to understand that letter. Why? Because:
- I treat them as adults;
- the tax system treats them as adults;
- I therefore expect them to take their responsibilities seriosuly.
If they don't then as I've said before, there's a simple answer; get rid of them. You have a professional duty to apply this UITF. If the client won't accept that, you don't need them.
Would I expect them to ask what it cost? They could if they wished. I'd charge each 0.1 of an hour for it. Is that a bargain? I'd say so. And I'd defened it to the hilt (and I'd also make quite a bit too in an average firm, which is useful).
Would I expect them to respond? Yes, I would, either to discuss it, or to ask for help.
And as Mark Lee's links show, it's friendlier than the ICAEW versions.
So my serious point is this. UITF 40 imposes a massive risk on someone. If I'm blunt it's you or the client. I'd suggest you chose to make it the client.
Send To All
Here's another one;
Memo To All Clients.
Looks like we were wrong about Anderson!
Arthur Andersen, the accounting giant which collapsed following a conviction for obstructing the course of justice in the wake of the Enron collapse, had its conviction overturned in the US Supreme Court.
On behalf of the firm we unreservedly apologise for judging Mr Anderson so harshly both before and after the wrong verdict. May I/we just take the opportunity to say how much we have always admired Arthur Anderson particularly in his adherence to professional ethics. All previous comments about him were a misunderstanding based on biased expectations by way of our prejudicial falsehoods.
Sorry then!
Hopefully, this was all just a one off mistake made in haste by us as your professional advisors. Rest assured that we dont judge you as our clients so harshly.
Dick McMurtrie