Final Audit Flashcards
What are entity level controls?
- Entity level controls provide assurance that appropriate controls exist
- Entity level controls have a pervasive effect on the internal control system
- May pertain to multiple components of risk assessment and monitoring
What are transaction level controls?
Controls over input data into information systems
What is the auditor’s responsibility in regarding the information and communication of internal control?
- Understand how the transactions are started with the entity’s business process
- Understanding how transactions that were processed incorrectly are corrected.
What is detective control?
- Detective control is used to determine if a fraud has occurred with respect to the financial statement assertions
- One example of detective control is surprise audits because the company would not have advanced notice that would enable them to conceal any fraud
What does an auditor need to understand with regard to risk assessment of a company’s environment?
- The nature of the entity and its industry
- Objectives, strategies and related business risks that may cause a material misstatement in the financial statements
- The entity’s internal control
Why would an auditor perform analytical procedures as risk assessment procedures?
- To enhance the auditor’s understanding of the client’s business
- Identify unusual transactions, events or amounts
What should an auditor consider when assessing control risk?
- The auditor should consider evidence that was discovered in previous audits regarding the operational controls of procedures
- If the auditor determines that there is not enough evidence other than test of controls, then the auditor will stop at test of controls
Is an emphasis of matter paragraph required in the auditor’s report?
- Non-Issuer: An emphasis of matter paragraph is required in order to emphasize a matter that is reported on the financial statement
- PCAOB: Not Required
What are some types of audit evidence that is reliable, but not as reliable as external confirmations?
- Analytical procedures
- Inquiries
What is a way to detect overstatement of sales?
Begin with the accounting records and review the source documents
What is the difference between existence and occurrence?
- Occurrence relates to transactions (Income Statement)
- Existence relates to balance sheet items and presentation
Section 4.4: Accounting Estimates and Fair Value
What are the key factors in evaluating reasonableness of an estimate?
- Significant accounting estimates.
- Variations
- Deviations from historical patterns
- Is the information possibly subject to misstatement and bias?
Section 4.4: Accounting Estimates and Fair Value
What are the different approaches an auditor would use to evaluate the reasonableness of an accounting estimate?
- Review and test management’s process.
- Develop an independent expectation to corroborate the reasonableness of management’s estimate.
- Review subsequent events or transactions.
Section 4.1: Using the Work of Internal Auditors
What areas may an internal auditor provide assistance?
- Assist the auditor in obtaining the understanding of internal control
- Perform test of controls
- Perform substantive tests
Section 4.4: Accounting Estimates and Fair Value
What are some of the significant assumptions than an auditor considers in evaluating an entity’s accounting estimates?
- Economic conditions
- Management’s own modified assumptions based on their selection of market partcipant’s assumptions.
- Management’s plans
- Past experiences
- Prior-period adjustments
Section 4.4: Accounting Estimates and Fair Value
What are the components of low estimation uncertainty?
- Accounting estimates that are not complex
- Accounting estimates that are frequently made and updated because they relate to routine transactions
- Accounting estimates derived from readily available data
- Fair value accounting estimates based on a method of measurement that is simple and applied easily
- Fair value accounting estimates based on a well-known or generally accepted model
Section 4.4: Accounting Estimates and Fair Value`
What are the components of high estimation uncertainty?
- Accounting estimates due to litigation
- Accounting estimates for instruments not publicly traded
What type of reports are created in a compilation engagement?
- Prospective Financial Statements
- Pro Forma Financial Statements
- Other Historical Information
What are the preconditions of an audit?
The use of an acceptable financial reporting framework in the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements
What does an auditor do for a recurring audit engagement?
- If the auditor concludes that a revision is not needed for the preceding engagement, then they should remind mangement, either orally or in writing, that the terms of the preceding engagement will govern the current engagement
- If the reminder is done orally, then it will need to be documented by the auditor
Section 9.2: The Auditor’s Communication with Governance
What is the auditor required to communicate to with those charged with governance?
When the issue has a significant effect on the entity’s financial reporting process
* Material, corrected misstatments
* Suggested adjustments that were suggested by the auditor and recorded by management
Section 13.2: Subsequent Events and Subsequently Discovered Facts
What procedures should an auditor perform in order to obtain evidence about subsequent events?
- Reading the latest subsequent interim statements, if any
- Ask management about subsequent events and various financial and accounting matters
- Reading the minutes of meetings of owners
- Obtaining a management letter
- Ask legal counsel about any litigation that occurred after year’s end
- Obtain an understanding of management’s procedures for identifying subsequent events.
Section 13.2: Subsequent Events and Subsequently Discovered Facts
What are examples of issues that are not classified as subsequent events?
- Comparing financial statements being reported with prior period financial statements
- Communicate material weaknesses in internal control to the client’s audit committee
- Applying analytical procedures to the details of financial statements that were tested at interim dates
Section 13.2: Subsequent Events and Subsequently Discovered Facts
What would be considered as a subsequent event?
- A loss that is probable at the reporting date and can be reasonably estimated (i.e. Reporting a loss on an A/R account that has claimed bankruptcy at the beginning of the following year)
- Obtaining a letter of representation from manager regarding any asset appropriations by governments or assets destroyed by natural disasters
- Any sudden customer bankruptcies
- Understanding management’s procedures for identifying subsequent events
- Inquiring about new commitments, borrowing or guarantees of related party debt that was entered into by management
Section 13.2: Subsequent Events and Subsequently Discovered Facts
What is a Type I Subsequent Event?
When the financial statements need to be restated because of something that happened after the financial reporting year
Section 13.2: Subsequent Events and Subsequently Discovered Facts
How are subsequent events that did not exist at the balance sheet date in order to prevent misleading financial statements reported?
- Presented in the pro forma financial statement
- It is not necessary to adjust the financial statements
Section 13.2: Subsequent Events and Subsequently Discovered Facts
What is a Type II Subsequent Event?
An event that does not require the financial statements to be restated, but does require disclosure in the notes to the financial statements
Section 13.3: Written Representations
What should management acknowledge in a management representation letter?
Their responsibilities for the design and implementation of programs and controls to detect fraud (ICFR)
Section 13.3: Written Representations
When is materiality not a concern in a management representation letter?
- Fraud involving governance or management
- Availability of financial records
- Completeness of board of directors meeting minutes
Section 12.1: Substantive Testing of Accounts Payable and Purchases
What is the assertion when renewing a note payable
Classification because it needs to be determined if the note payable will be classified as current or long-term
Section 12.1: Substantive Testing of Accounts Payable and Purchases
What is the procedure when properly measuring accounts payable?
- Reviewing the Accounts Payable account to the supporting documentation
- This ensures that the money paid are for items and services received
- Will also reveal unrecorded liabilities
Section 12.1: Substantive Testing of Accounts Payable and Purchases
How can an auditor determine unauthorized payments were issued?
Review the cancelled check and the attached supporting documentation
Section 12.1: Substantive Testing of Accounts Payable and Purchases
What is an auditor’s primary concern about the payment of a liability?
Accounts payable are not understated
Section 12.1: Substantive Testing of Accounts Payable and Purchases
How does the auditor test for the completeness assertion for purchases?
Review the purchase order and receiving reports to the purchase journal and cash disbursements journal
Section 12.3: Substantive Testing of Property, Plant, and Equipment
How does an auditor test for unrecorded retirements of PP&E?
- Review property ledger to see if the assets were recorded
- Tour the plant facility to see if the asset is still there
Section 12.3: Substantive Testing of Property, Plant, and Equipment
How does an auditor test for the existence assertion for PP&E?
Inspect new additions listed on the analysis of plant and equipment
Section 12.4: Substantive Testing of Investments
Why would an auditor use analytical procedures when testing investments?
- An auditor would use analytical procedures to test for the completeness of the invested income
- By calculating the expected rate of return, the auditor can determine if there was income from investment income or if any investments were sold
Section 12.4: Substantive Testing of Investments
What audit provides the assurance of existence of the general ledger balance for investments in stocks and bonds?
- Vouching all changes made during the year to the broker’s statements and advices
- inspect and count of stocks and bonds
- Confirmation with a broker-dealer
Paid Checks Do Not provide assurance
Section 12.4: Substantive Testing of Investments
How does an auditor gather evidence on existence or occurrence and rights and obligations assertions for investments?
Confirm with an outside agent the securities that they are holding for the client
Section 12.4: Substantive Testing of Investments
How does an auditor determine dividend income from investments?
- Review records produced by investment services
- Reconciling amounts received with published dividend records
Section 12.5: Substantive Testing of Noncurrent Debt
How will an auditor obtain assurance from an affiliate regarding guaranteed indebtedness?
- Review the minutes of the board meeting
- Obtain a representation letter that all of the affiliate’s guranteed indebtedness have been identified
The auditor does not obtain written confirmation of indebtedness
Section 12.6: Substantive Testing of Equity
What is included when an auditor audits equity?
- Declared dividends were closed to retained earnings
- Trace the authorization of dividends to the board of directors meeting minutes
- Determine that dividends declared are in compliance with debt agreements
The auditor DOES NOT perform detail checking of dividends paid
Section 12.7: Substantive Testing of Payroll
What substantive test for payroll are performed when the RMM is assessed as low?
- Applying analytical procedures (i.e. compare payroll costs with the company’s standards or budgets)
- Recalculate payroll accruals to test for completeness and cutoff
Section 12.7: Substantive Testing of Payroll
How does an auditor check for accuracy in hours worked?
- Compare clock cards with the shop job time tickets
- The job time tickets will show the total hours worked for each job
Section 12.7: Substantive Testing of Payroll
Why would an auditor observe the distribution of regular payroll checks?
When payroll duties are not segregated and would not reduce the control risk
Section 15.1: The Auditor’s Reporting Responsibility
How does an auditor report items marked as “unaudited” or “not covered by the auditor’s report” when issuing an audit report?
If the auditor wants to reference these items in the auditor report, then it will be included in the “Emphasis of Matter” Paragraph
Section 15.1: The Auditor’s Reporting Responsibility
How does an auditor express an opinion on the financial statements that are fairly presented?
By determining through sufficient and appropriate evidence that the audit risk is low
Section 15.1: The Auditor’s Reporting Responsibility
What must a company disclose in the audited financial statements?
“CLiP”
* Changes in method of accounting for inventory
* LIFO Reserves
* Pledged Inventory
Section 15.1: The Auditor’s Reporting Responsibility
What is the auditor’s basis regarding the overall financial statements
That the financial statements are within the framework of GAAP
Section 15.5: Adverse Opinions
What changes in an Adverse Opinion when compared with the Unmodified Opinion?
Adverse Opinion: No Change
Basis for Adverse Opinion: Change
Management’s Responsibility: No Change
Auditor’s Responsibility: No Change
Section 15.6: Disclaimers of Opinion
When does an auditor issue a disclaimer of opinion?
- When sufficient appropriate evidence cannot be obtained to determine whether the financial statements are fairly presented.
- If the financial statements are fairly presented, but a component is incorrect, then the report would be a qualified opinion
Section 15.6: Disclaimers of Opinion
How does an auditor report when management does not provide a reasonable justification for a change in accounting principle?
- As a qualified or adverse opinion
- This situation does not warrant a disclaimer of opinion
Section 17.1: Interim Financial Information
What is the objective of reviewing interim financial information?
- Whether material modifications should be made to conform with the applicable financial reporting framework
- A reason for a modification would include inadequate disclosures
Section 17.3: Required Supplementary Information (RSI)
What is the auditor’s responsibility when reporting supplementary information?
- Perform limited procedures
- Inquiry
- Compare the supplementary information to the financial statements
- The auditor does not express an opinion on RSI, but does include a paragraph after the opinion
Section 17.4: Supplementary Information to the Financial Statements
What is the purpose of expressing an opinion on Supplementary Information?
An opinion to express on supplementary information is based on the materiality level used for the audit of the statements
What are the relative assertions of Existence and Completeness for cash?
Existence: Cash comes in
Completeness: Cash goes out
What types of gathering is used to determine Test of Details?
- Test of Transactions
- Test of Balances
What are the test of balances?
The auditor directly tests the amounts that are used to determine the ending balance
What is a test of transactions?
The auditor verifies the transactions that resulted in the account balance to change from the previous year
How are materiliaty limits referenced in the Management’s Representation Letter?
Materiality limits are applied when it pertains to the financial statement amounts
What types of questions would a successor auditor ask a predecessor auditor?
- The reason for the change in accounts
- Integrity of Management
- Communications between the auditor and governance regarding internal control or fraud
What financial statement balances are based on estimates?
- Depreciation Expense
- Pension Expense
- Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
What is not required from an auditor before performing an engagement?
- Knowledge of the accounting priniciples used in the industry
- Knowledge of the auditing procedures for similar companies in the industry
What are examples of an auditor’s professional skepticism?
- The auditor’s belief that management is neither honor or dishonest
- The auditor is aware of evidence that contradicts other evidence
What is professional skepticism?
- Relates to unbiased and objective view with respect to the audit
- Because if the risk of material misstatement, the objective of the auditor is to perform the audit with an attitude of professional skepticism
What are the outcomes of accounting firms and PCAOB?
- Before PCAOB, accounting firms were completely self regulated
- Accounting firms must register with the PCAOB in order to perform audits for issuers
- Accounting firms registered with the PCAOB are subject to inspection, disciplinary proceedings and sanctions
Who is responsible for issuing GAAS?
The Auditing Standards Board, which is regulated by the AICPA, is responsible for the Statements on Auditing Standards
What are the overall objectives of an independent auditor when performing an audit?
- Obtain reasonable assurance as to whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement
- Express an opinion whether or not the financial statements are fairly presented in all material respects
How is the Accuracy and Valuation assertion determined in regard to cash?
- Compare the general ledger balance with the amount reported on the financial statement
- Cash receipts are recorded as they are received by the company at the end of the day
- An employee total all cash receipts to compare to the cumulative number
What should a predecessor auditor do in regard to comparative financial statements?
- Read the old statements being distributed to make sure that nothing has changed
- Read the new statements to make sure that there are no inconsistencies in relation to the previous year’s financial statements
What procedure would an auditor do to determine if cash received in the subsequent year was recorded in the current year?
Compare the cash details journal entries with the daily deposit slips
How is a predecessor auditor’s report included in comparative statements when only the current audit report is shown?
- In the Other Matters Paragraph, the sucessor auditor includes that the financial statements of the prior period were audited by the predecessor auditor
- The predecessor auditor should not be name, unless the predecessor auditor merged with the successor auditor
What is included in the Other Matters Paragraph when it relates to predecessor auditor?
- The date of the predecessor’s auditor report
- The paragraph would include in the opinion expressed
- The reasons for the modifications (if the report was modified)
- If there was an Emphasis of Matter Paragraph, the nature of the paragraph that was included in the previous year’s report
- If there was an Other Matters Paragraph, the nature of the paragraph that was included in the previous year’s report
What procedure would an auditor perform if they suspect they are increasing cash by drawing one check on one account and depositing it in another account?
Prepare a bank transfer schedule
Section 19.2: Examination Engagements
When will an accountant disclaim an opinion on an examination of prospective financial statements?
- When the accountant is not able to perform certain necessary procedures
- Management imposed scope limitation
Section 19.2: Examination Engagements
What is the objective of an assertion-based examination attestation engagement?
Obtain reasonable assurance about whether the presentation of subject matter is free from material misstatement
Section 19.5: Prospective Financial Information
When is an adverse opinion issued with respect to prospective financial statements?
- If signficant assumptions are not disclosed in the presentation
- The presentation omits all disclosures
- The assumptions did not provide a reasonable basis for the prospective financial statements
Section 19.7: Compliance Attestation
What types of reports can be generated in a compliance attestation engagement?
- Provide assurance about compliance with specified requirements
- Obtain an understanding of the relevant portions of internal control over compliance
- Performs procedures to provide reasonable assurance of detecting material noncompliance
It does not provide legal determination of compliance
What happens when the engaging party who is the responsible party does not provide a written representation in a review?
- Scope limitation
- The CPA should withdraw if no written representations is provided
What happens when the engaging party who is not the responsible party does not provide a written representation in a review?
Refused to provide written representation
* The CPA should make inquiries of the responsible party and seek oral responses
* The auditor should report the refusal in the report
* Restrict report to the engaging party
Refused to provide written representation or oral responses
* It is a scope limitation and the auditor should withdraw
Section 2.2: Independence
What is the difference between Independence of mind and Independence of appearance?
- Independence of mind allows the auditor to act with integrity, exercise objectivity and professional skepticism, and being free from bias.
- Independence in appearance is how the auditor is viewed by third parties.
Section 2.1: Code of Professional Conduct
What are the six principles of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct?
“RIP-SOD”
Responsibilities
Integrity
Public Interest
Scope and nature of Service
Objectivity and Independence
Due Care
Section 2.1: Code of Professional Conduct
What are the threats in independence?
- Adverse Interest Threat
- Advocacy Threat
- Familiarity Threat
- Management Participation Threat
- Self-Interest Threat
- Self-Review Threat
- Undue Influence Threat
- Structural Threat
Section 2.1: Code of Professional Conduct
What is adverse interest threat?
The CPA is working against the client
Examples
* Is the client, or an officer, director or shareholder of the client, suing the Auditor?
* A claim is filed against the firm to get back insurance payments made to the client
* A lawsuit filed against the client, its officers and directors, and the auditor firm
Section 2.1: Code of Professional Conduct
What is advocacy threat?
The auditor is more interested in the client’s interest or position that would impair their independence
Examples
* Performing forensic accounting services to the client who is in litigation
* Acting as an investment adviser for an officer, director or 10% shareholder of the client
* Underwriting or promoting a client’s shares
* Act as a registered agent for the client
* Endorses a client’s service or products
Section 2.1: Code of Professional Conduct
What is familiarity threat?
- The auditor has a long or close relationship with the client
- The auditor becomes too sympathetic to the client’s interest or accepts the client’s work without performing due diligence
Example
* An auditor’s immediate family or close relative is employed by the client
* An auditor’s friend is employed by a client
* A former employee of the audit firm is employed by the client in a key position
* The auditor has a close relationship with the office, director of a 10% shareholder of the client
Section 2.1: Code of Professional Conduct
What is management participation threat?
- The auditor will act on behalf of the client or assume client’s management responsibilities
- The auditor cannot act as the CEO of the company