The tax professional can reduce the chances that staff personnel will incur IRS preparerpenalties by adopting a "tone at the top" that stresses integrity, diligence, and other elements of an ethical tax practice. True or false?

Preparer penalties are sanctions imposed by the internal revenue code on tax professional who are found negligent in discharging their professional duties in tax matters. These sanctions range from financial fines to imprisonment. And Internal Revenue Code has relevant sections for each category of negligence. Normally, it is the staff personnel that has the highest exposure to the risk of being negligent and tax professionals will put in place adequate measures to reduce this exposure to preparer penalties. One of such measures that are employed to reduce the chances of staff personnel incurring IRS preparer penalties is tone at the top approach. This approach is used by management to establish the ethical value of the firm. It set up the environment in which management relay their commitment to upholding ethical values, such as integrity, diligence and objectivity.

This established tone will serve as guiding map to the staff personnel who are expected to follow the guideline in discharge of their duties. And in turn, this regulated behavior of staff personnel and demonstrated commitment of management to upholding ethical values will help to reduce the chances of staff personnel incurring IRS preparer penalties because of the presence of atmosphere of integrity and diligence in the organisation. So the answer is true.