Consent Order, Howard Chernoff, License #20CC00836200

NEW JERSEY STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY

GUBIR S. GREWAL

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF NEW JERSEY
DIVISION OF LAW
224 Halsey Street, 5th Floor
P.O. Box 45025
Newark, New Jersey 07101
By: Toby Pelan
Deputy Attorney General
(973) 648-3696

August 14, 2019

FILED

STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DEPARTMENT OF LAW & PUBLIC SAFETY
DIVISION OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS
STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY

IN THE MATTER OF THE LICENSE OF:

HOWARD CHERNOFF, C.P.A.
License #20CC00836200

TO PRACTICE ACCOUNTANCY
IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

: Administrative Action
:
: CONSENT ORDER
:
:

This matter was opened to the New Jersey State Board of Accountancy (Board) upon receipt of a consumer complaint alleging that Howard Chernoff, C.P.A. (Respondent), engaged in professional misconduct while representing the Complainant and her then spouse regarding the preparation of their 20014 tax returns. On November 3, 2016, Respondent appeared before the Board with counsel, Andrew Ulrich, Esq., for an investigative hearing. Thereafter, the board had received and reviewed multiple supplemental submissions made by both Respondent and Complainant. Upon review of the available information, the Board finds on March 15, 2018, that Respondent should have known that on or about October 6, 2015, the Complainant and her then spouse were getting divorced, and that Respondent therefore had a conflict of interest at that time representing both parties.

The Board finds that Respondent engaged in professional misconduct by representing both parties, and that grounds for disciplinary action against Respondent thereby exist pursuant to N.J.S.A. 45:1-21(e). The parties having agreed and consented to the resolution of this matter without the necessity of the Board instituting formal proceedings, and the Board finding that the within Order is adequately protective of the public and that good cause exists for its entry:

IT IS THEREFORE on this 14th day of August, 2019, ORDERED that:

1. Respondent is formally reprimanded for having engaged in professional misconduct, for the reasons set forth above.

NEW JERSEY STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY

By: Ainsley Reynolds, CPA, Board President

I have read and understand the above Consent Order and I agree to abide by its terms. Consent is hereby given to the Board to enter this Order.

Howard Chernoff, CPA

I consent to the form of the Order.

Andrew Ulrich, Esq.
Attorney for Howard Chernoff, CPA