Auditing Developments - v14 (Course Id 2279)

The objective of this course is to address the latest developments affecting 2023 and 2024 audit engagements. 

Topics include: addressing the auditor’s consideration of the business and economic environment in which the client operates; accounting and auditing engagement issues during post-COVID-19 including the impact of the pandemic on an entity’s ability to continue as a going-concern;  client and employee fraud;  specific accounting risks for auditors to consider;  limiting auditor’s liability; key audit focus areas during volatile times; lessons from litigation; efficiency engagements to reduce auditor time; various practice issues related to audits; dealing with DOL audits of employee benefit plans; and more.

Additionally, in this course, auditors will learn about auditing estimates, obtaining audit evidence,  changes made to the auditor’s understanding of the entity and its environment, risk assessment procedures, using the work of specialists as audit evidence, changes to compliance audits, and more. These changes are found in newly issued SAS Nos. 142-149. 

The course focuses on recalling, recognizing and identifying rules related to auditing standards including new developments pertaining to those standards.

NASBA QAS - Text - NASBA Registry - 2279

Section 1
Auditing Developments - Part 1 to Part 9

• Identify an example of a concentration which might require disclosure
• Recall the definition of near term
• Identify a scenario in which it would be impracticable for an auditor to attend a physical inventory
• Recognize an advantage of remote auditing
• Recognize a behavioral trait of most occupational fraudsters
• Recognize the difference between fraud and an error
• Recall the three conditions of the fraud triangle
• Identify common types of financial statement fraud noted by the FBI
• Recognize an example of a misappropriation of assets
• Identify an additional procedure required to deal with the risk of management override of internal controls
• Recognize a factor to consider in evaluating going concern of an entity
• Recall how an investment in equity security should be accounted for under GAAP
• Recognize the new sales tax rules in the wake of the Wayfair decision
• Recognize an example of a coverage ratio
• Recall the timeframe within which most lawsuits against auditors occur
• Identify a recommendation to tighten up auditor workpapers

Section 2
Auditing Developments - Part 10 to Part 19

• Identify a suggestion for an auditor reducing time and increasing audit efficiency
• Recognize when negative accounts receivable confirmations should not be used
• Identify the form of a comfort letter that would be appropriate for an accountant to make to a lender
• Recall the rule for an auditor presenting his or her city and state on the audit report
• Identify the rules for an auditor communicating deficiencies found in an audit
• Recognize an example of a result that can occur if there is a problem with a DOL employee benefit plan audit
• Identify a type of fraudster
• Recognize an example of an attribute of information obtained as audit evidence per SAS No. 142
• Identify how inherent and control risk should be assessed under the SAS No. 143 requirements
• Recall the three approaches that an auditor can use to perform further audit procedures required by SAS No. 143
• Identify some instances in which an auditor may conclude that a specialist’s work is not adequate
• Identify a type of risk assessment procedure that an auditor can use in accordance with SAS No. 145
• Recall examples of risk assessment procedures that an auditor may perform in SAS No. 145
• Recognize how to perform risk assessment procedures when relying on information obtained from previous experience with an entity
• Identify examples of risk assessment procedures to obtain audit evidence in accordance with SAS No. 145
• Recognize a new requirement made by SAS No. 145 in connection with assessing inherent risk and control risk in an audit, and
• Identify how an auditor should respond if the auditor does not plan to test the operating effectiveness of an entity’s controls
• Recall the date by which an engagement partner must take responsibility for determining that ethical requirements are fulfilled
• Identify certain requirements an engagement partner must satisfy in performing an audit engagement
• Recognize examples of resources assigned or made available by a firm to support performance of an audit engagement
• Identify a type of unconscious bias defined in SAS No. 146
• Recall a possible action that an engagement team may take to mitigate impediments to exercise professional skepticism
• Identify when a successor auditor should request management to authorize a predecessor auditor’s response to the successor auditor’s inquiry
• Recognize one of the new inquiries a successor auditor should make of a predecessor auditor by SAS No. 147
• Recall the extent of a predecessor auditor’s response to a successor auditor’s inquiries when there are certain restrictions on the predecessor auditor
• Identify an example of a recently issued auditing standard that SAS No. 148 incorporates into amendments to AU-C 935, Compliance Audits
• Recognize one of the five components of a system of internal control identified in SAS No. 145 and incorporated into Au-C 935 by SAS No. 148 amendments
• Recall examples of inherent risk factors related to identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in a compliance audit
• Identify the party required to take overall responsibility for the quality on a group audit engagement in accordance with SAS No. 149.

Section 1 - Auditing Developments - Part 1 to Part 9

I. Introduction

II. Implications of the Current Economic Environment for Auditors

A. General

B. State of the U.S. Economy in 2024- Impact on Auditors

III. Accounting Issues Related to the Post-COVID-19 Economic Climate

A. General

B. Post- COVID-19 Accounting and Disclosure Issues for Auditors to Consider

Review Questions

IV. Auditing Engagement Issues- Post-COVID- 19

A. Remote Auditing

B. Accounts Receivable Confirmations

C. Physical Inventory Observations

D. The Future of Remote Auditing

E. Fraud and Internal Control in the Post- COVID-19 Environment

V. Going Concern and COVID-19

A. Overview- Going Concern

B. GAAP Requirements- Going Concern

C. Auditing Engagement Requirements- Going Concern

D. One-Year Going-Concern Window and COVID-19

E. Going-Concern Mitigating Factors in the 2024 Economic Climate

F. Using a Financial Support Letter to Mitigate Substantial Doubt of Going Concern

Review Questions

VI. Client and Employee Fraud

A. General

B. 2024 Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse

Review Questions

C. Types of Fraud

D. Small Business (Private Company) Fraud

E. Evaluating an Entity’s Fraud Environment

Review Questions

F. Time Theft

G. Employee Background Checks and Credit Reports

H. The Auditor's Role in Dealing with Fraud

I. Specific Fraud Issues

J.  Fraud Through Money Laundering

K. Anti-Fraud Measures

L. Post Madoff and the Single Auditor Issue

M. FTX Fraud and Crypto Currencies in Audits

Review Questions

VII. Specific Accounting Risks for Auditors to Consider in 2023-2024 Audits

A. Specific Accounting Risks

Review Questions

VIII. Attempting to Limit Auditor’s Liability

A. Criticism of Auditors Who Do Not Detect Fraud

IX. Impact of Going-Concern Report Modifications

A. General

B. Historical Impact of Going Concern Report Modifications

X. Retaliation Against Auditors Who Issue Adverse Opinions

XI. Restatements

Review Questions

XII. Key Focus Areas for the Auditor in Volatile Times

A. General

Review Questions

XIII. Lessons from Litigation

A. Introduction

B. Common Pitfalls for Accountants

C. Top Ten Actions to Minimize the Risk of Being Sued

Review Questions

Section 2 - Auditing Developments - Part 10 to Part 19

XIV. Efficient Engagements- Reduce Time, Make More Money Without Increasing Risk

A. Staffing Problems

B. Efficiency Auditing Takes the Pressure Off Staffing Issues

C. Implementing Efficiency Auditing

XV. Practice Issues Relating to Auditing

A. Engagement Letter

B. Inventories

C. Confirmation Procedures

D. Auditing Cash

E. Auditing Cash-Basis Financial Statements

F. Legal Letters

G. Unusual Reporting Issues

H. Issuing Comfort Letters to Client Lenders

I. Management Representations-Prior Periods Audited by Predecessor Auditor

J. Signing and Dating Audit Reports-Naming the City and State of the Auditor

Review Questions

XVI. Communicating Internal Control Related Matters Identified-AU-C 265

XVII. Watch Out for the DOL and Audits of Employee Benefit Plans

XVIII. Why Do Individuals Cheat and Commit Fraud?

XIX. Signing at the Beginning of a Document- Decreasing Dishonest Self Reports

XX. Auditing Standards Board (ASB) Agenda

XXI. PCAOB and SEC Approve Naming Engagement Partners in Audit Engagements

Review Questions

XXII. Summary of Recent Auditing Standards

SAS No. 142: Audit Evidence

Review Questions

SAS No. 143: Auditing Accounting Estimates and Related Disclosures

SAS No. 144: Amendments to AU-C 501, 540, and 620-  Use of Specialists and Use of Pricing Information Obtained From External Information Sources

Review Questions

SAS No. 145: Understanding the Entity, Its Environment and  Assessing Risks of Material Misstatement

Review Questions

SAS No. 146: Quality Management for an Engagement Conducted in Accordance With GAAS

Review Questions

SAS No. 147: Inquiries of the Predecessor Auditor: Fraud-Noncompliance With Laws and Regulations

Review Questions

SAS No. 148: Amendment to AU-C Section 935

A. Scope and Applicability of the Standard

B. Risk-Based Approach

C. New Terminology to Describe Reporting Options

D. New Terms and Definitions

E. Managing and Achieving Audit Quality in a Group Audit- Engagement Partner

F. Equity Method Investments

G. Scalability

H. Professional Skepticism

I. Communications Between the Group Auditor and Component Auditors

J. Restrictions on Access to Information

K. Documentation Requirements

L. Auditor’s Report

M. Group Audit Scenarios and Relevant Requirements

Review Questions

Glossary