The U.S. Department of Labor has issued results of a study of employee benefit plan audits that show a continuing need for improvement. A new AICPA audit quality initiative for the profession has a focus on employee benefit plan audits.
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TOPICS / AUDIT & ASSURANCE
Peer review
AICPA releases 6-point plan to enhance audit quality
The AICPA released a six-point plan with recommendations for improving audit quality, which covers several stages in the process of being or becoming an auditor.
Evolving practice monitoring to improve quality in A&A engagements
A new vision for practice monitoring in the future aims to prevent quality issues in accounting, auditing, and attestation engagements. A new technological platform is being developed to provide more timely feedback to peer reviewers and firms.
Evolving practice monitoring to improve quality in A&A engagements
In a new concept of practice monitoring the AICPA envisions for the future, peer reviewers and firms will use a new technology platform to enable more thorough analysis and provide more timely feedback for accounting, auditing and attestation engagements.
Learn from data to improve audits
Data collected by the AICPA Peer Review team can drive better audits by helping audit firms focus remedies on areas that frequently have been associated with accounting and auditing deficiencies.
AICPA seeks feedback on private-entity audit quality initiative
In one of the first steps of the new Enhancing Audit Quality (EAQ) initiative, a major effort to improve auditing of private entities, the AICPA has released a discussion paper seeking stakeholder perspectives. Through the two-phased initiative, the AICPA is coordinating resources to improve performance in audits of private entities,
Proposed peer review change would remove inconsistencies for engagement reviews
Changes to peer review standards proposed last week by the AICPA Peer Review Board (PRB) are designed to remove inconsistencies and improve the transparency of reports for engagement reviews. The proposal, outlined in an exposure draft, would change the impact to an engagement review report when all of the following
Banking
For news from the AICPA and state societies, visit www.cpa2biz.com, which also offers online CPE, AICPA professional literature, practice management aids and links to state society Web sites. Loan-loss provisions totaled $11.4 billion in the quarter, a 75.3% increase from the year-ago period. The value of loans and leases
Enhancing Public Confidence: The GAO’s Peer Review Experience
Origin and Mission The GAO is part of the legislative branch of the federal government and thus is independent of the executive branch. Congress established the GAO in 1921 to investigate all matters relating to the receipt, disbursement and application of public funds. Since then, Congress has expanded the GAO’s
Peer Review Is Stronger and Better Now
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE AICPA REVISED ITS STANDARDS for performing and reporting on peer reviews for firms that do not audit SEC registrants. The revised standards, effective for reviews commencing on or after January 1, 2005, will enhance the quality of peer reviews and increase the usefulness of peer review reports
Renewing a Great Profession
Robert L. Bunting, CPA, became chairman of the AICPA board of directors in October 2004. His acceptance speech, delivered at the Institute’s annual meeting, appears in these pages. A JofA interview with him appeared in the November issue (see “ Managing Change ,” page 27). n preparation for the coming
Increasing Transparency in Peer Review: Members Speak Out
At its spring 2004 meeting, the AICPA’s governing council approved a resolution in support of increased transparency in the peer review process. It also authorized a member awareness program to inform members about peer review and the related transparency issues and to assess their desire for greater transparency. Two principal
Make Strategic Relationships a Success
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ALL BUSINESSES, THE NUMBER of strategic relationships has been growing 25% per year since 1985. A FIRM’S FIRST STEP TOWARD a strategic alliance is to decide what capabilities it wants to add. Then it should decide what it wants to achieve: Does the firm wish to
Day Trading Debate Continues
After noting the inconsistencies between two articles in the JofA, Oct.00, “Paying the Piper: Some Tax Rules for Day Traders” (page 115) and “Being a Trader in Securities” (page 118), I read with interest the clarification “Day Trading and Self-Employment Taxes” ( JofA , Jan.01, page 80). While researching the
The Value of Tax Practice Peer Reviews
I believe fellow tax practitioners need to take a close look at their own practices and that all CPAs should take to heart “Tax Practice Reviews” ( JofA , Dec.00, page 88 ). The article pointed out some important benefits of the tax practice review but did not highlight the
Auditing Employment Benefit Plans—Another Factor.
“ERISA Liability for CPAs” ( JofA , Dec.00, page 39) pointed out the delicate issues surrounding employee benefit plans. However, the article did not mention one potential problem area our firm has encountered in auditing such plans—companies’ use of third-party administrators (TPAs). TPAs handle the day-to-day transactions and final plan-year
You Read About It First in the JofA
The recently issued SAS no. 93, Omnibus Statement on Auditing Standards—2000 ( JofA , Jan.01, pages 14 and 116), specifies the auditor’s report should indicate which country’s accounting principles and auditing standards were used to prepare the financial statements and audit them. This reference to the country of origin will
More on Day Trading
I believe I can offer a very clear and concise method the courts could take in the day trading arena ( “Day Trading and Self-Employment Taxes” [ JofA , Jan.01, page 80] ). Since the primary question is what constitutes a trade or business, that determination could be made based
An End to the Plain-Paper Debate?
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE AICPA ACCOUNTING AND REVIEW SERVICES committee concluded more than 20 years of debate by issuing Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services no. 8, Amendment to Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services No. 1, Compilation and Review of Financial Statements in October 2000. EFFECTIVE
Peer Review For Small Firms
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE AICPA REVISED ITS STANDARDS FOR PERFORMING and reporting on peer reviews for firms that do not audit SEC registrants. The new rules, which become effective January 1, 2001, are designed to improve the quality of financial reporting and to protect members of the public that use
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