Final Exam - Part 2 (MULTIPLE CHOICE) Flashcards
What is the most important benefit of having an audit by a CPA firm?
Provide REASONABLE (not absolute) assurance to investors and other outsiders that the financial statements are RELIABLE AND FREE FROM MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT, which facilitates decision making
Enhances the degree of confidence that intended users can place on the financial statements
What is the OBJECTIVE of an audit?
to attest (“report”) to the FAIRNESS and RELIABILITY of the financial statements for others to rely on them
What does ATTEST mean and what is an ATTEST ENGAGEMENT?
Attest: provide assurance as to its RELIABILITY
Attest Engagement: CPA firm ISSUES AN OPINION (report) on an examination (audit), a review, or agreed-upon procedures report on subject matter or an assertion about subject matter that is the responsibility of another party (i.e., client/company management)
In order to provide attestation services, an auditor must have what?
HINT: a GAAS Standard
Independence
Which attest engagement provides the highest form of assurance?
Examination (audit)
What is an INTEGRATED AUDIT?
an audit that includes providing assurance on BOTH the financial statements and EFFECTIVENESS of internal control over financial reporting as required by SOX and the PCAOB.
REQUIRED for publicly traded companies in the US
List some non-assurance services
-Tax services
-Management consulting services
-Bookkeeping
Do you need to be independent to provide non-assurance services?
No
What financial reporting framework is used in the US?
GAAP
In a financial audit, what statements are ordinarily audited?
-Balance Sheet
-Statements of Income
-Stockerholders’ Equity
-Cash Flows
-Footnote Disclosures
Who is responsible for the fair presentation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP?
Client management (NOT the auditors)
Who “owns” the assertions over the financial statements?
Client management
What are the THREE major financial statement components that assertions are established
- Classes of transactions and events
- Account balances
- Presentation and disclosure
What are management’s assertions?
HINT: ACCA; COVERUP
A = Accuracy
C = Completeness
C = Classification
A = Allocation
C = Cut-off
O = Occurrence
V = Valuation
E = Existence
R = Rights and Obligations
U = Understandability
P = Presentation and Disclosure
Because of the risk of material misstatement, an audit of financial statements in accordance with GAAS should be planned and performed with an attitude of:
Professional skepticism (“questioning mind”)
What best describes the purpose of the auditor’s consideration of internal control in a financial statement audit?
to determine the NATURE, EXTENT, and TIMING (NET) of audit testing
What is GAAP?
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
-principles for presentation of financial statements and underlying transactions that client management uses in preparing financial statements
What is GAAS?
Generally Accepted Auditing Standards
-standards the auditors should follow when conducting an audit
What governing body oversees the audits and standard setting of PUBLIC (issuer) companies?
PCAOB (under the SEC)
What governing body oversees the audits and standard setting of NONPUBLIC (non-issuer) companies?
AICPA
Who has the authority to regulate CPAs and CPA firms?
State Board of Accountancy
-issue and revoke licenses
What are the 3 Responsibilities/General of GAAS?
HINT: TIP
T = Training and Proficiency (competence and capabilities) - experience and expertise
I = Independence - independence in fact (in mind) and independence in appearance
P = (Due) Professional Care - level of performance by reasonable auditor in similar circumstances
-Professional Skepticism = questioning mind and critical assessment of evidence
-Professional Judgment = application of relevant training, knowledge and experience
What are the 3 Performance/Fieldwork of GAAS?
HINT: PIC
P = Planning and Supervision - preparation of the audit plan (list of audit procedures) and establishing materiality
I = Internal Controls and Understanding of Entity - risk assessment
C = Corroborative Audit Evidence (substantive tests)
-Sufficient = quantity
-Appropriate = quality
*Relevant (does evidence address assertion(s) of interest
*Reliable (from high to low)
What are the 4 Reporting of GAAS?
HINT: ACDE
A = Accounting Principles - financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP
C = Consistency - accounting principles and rules have been consistently applied
D = Disclosures - prepared in accordance with GAAP
E = Expression of Opinion by auditor based on evidence
The Code of Professional Conduct consists of two sections.
What are they and describe each briefly?
- Principles - “aspirational goals;” provide overall framework; expresses the profession’s responsibilities to the public, clients, and colleagues and provides a framework for the Rules
- Rules - govern performance of professional services; a group of ENFORCEABLE ethical standards
What are interpretations?
they provide guidelines as to the scope and application of rules
What are the TWO parts of independence?
- Independence in FACT (in mind) = permits the CPA to perform an attest service without being affected by influences that might compromise professional judgment thereby allowing that individual to act with integrity and to exercise objectivity and professional skepticism
- Independence in APPEARANCE = which is the avoidable circumstances that might cause a reasonable and informed third party, aware of all relevant information, including safeguards applied, to reasonably conclude that integrity, objectivity, or professional skepticism of an audit firm or member of the attest engagement team has been compromised
The communication between a CPA and their clients is considered what?
CONFIDENTIAL (not privileged like attorneys, clergymen, or physicians)
Information may be subpoenaed in a court of law
Is the successor auditor required to communicate with the predecessor auditor?
YES, before accepting the engagement
Can the successor auditor communicate directly with the predecessor auditor?
NO, must first get client’s consent
Audit Planning procedures include (4):
- Develop an AUDIT STRATEGY
- Develop an AUDIT PLAN
- Develop an AUDIT PROGRAM
- Prepare an ENGAGEMENT LETTER
What is an ENGAGEMENT LETTER?
a contract between the client and the auditors (required!)