Three Steps to Correct Cash Flow Statement Errors

By Charles Hall | Accounting

Related Party Transactions: Fraud

By Charles Hall | Auditing , Financial Statement Fraud , Fraud

How to Review Financial Statements

By Charles Hall | Accounting and Auditing

Most CPA firms create financial statements for their clients. This blog post tells you how to create and review financial statements efficiently and effectively.

Create Financial Statements

First, where possible, electronically link the trial balance to the financial statements. (Linking is often done from the trial balance to Excel. Then the Excel document is embedded into a Word document.) Doing so will expedite the financial statement process and enhance the integrity of the numbers.

Do the following:

• Prepare the initial draft of the statements
• Create clear disclosures
• Complete a current financial statement disclosure checklist 
• Research any nonstandard opinion or report language (place sample reports from PPC or other sources in the file). Later the partner or manager will compare this supporting document to the opinion or report
• Research any additional reports (e.g., Yellow Book, Single Audit). Place a copy of such reports in the file. Later the partner or manager will compare the supporting document to the opinion or report. 
• The staff person should review the audit planning document to see if any new standards are to be incorporated into this to year’s financial statements

Next you’ll need to proof the financial statements.

Proof the Financial Statements

Proof your financial statements. The proofer usually does the following before the partner or managers’ review:

• Add (foot the numbers for) all statements, notes, schedules
• Tick and tie numbers such as:
  • Total assets equal total liabilities and equity
  • Ending cash on the cash flow statement agrees with the balance sheet
  • Net income on the income statement agrees with the beginning number of an indirect method cash flow statement
  • Numbers in the notes agree with the financial statements
  • Numbers in the supplementary schedules agree with the financial statements
• Review financial statements for compliance with firm formatting standard 
• Read financial statements for appropriate grammar and punctuation (consider using Grammarly)
• Compare the table of contents to all pages in the report
• Review page numbers

Partner or Manager Review

Finally, the partner or manager reviews the financial statements. Having the proofer do their part will minimize the review time for this final-stage review.

Here are tips for the final review:

• Scan the complete set of financials to get a general feel for the composition of the report (e.g., Yellow Book report, supplementary information, the industry, etc.). This is a cursory review taking three or four seconds per page.
• Read the beginning part of the summary of significant accounting policies taking note of the reporting framework (e.g., GAAP), type of entity (e.g., nonprofit), and whether the statements are consolidated or combined. Doing so early provides context for the remaining review of the financials.
• Read the opinion or report noting any nonstandard language (e.g., going concern paragraph)
  • Agree named financial statement titles in the opinion or report to the financial statements
  • Agree the dates (e.g., year-end) in the opinion or report to the statements
  • Compare supporting sample report (as provided by your staff member and noted above) to the opinion or report
  • Compare representation letter date to the opinion or review report date
• Review the balance sheet making mental notes of line items that should have related notes (retain those thoughts for review of the notes)
• Review the income statement
• Review the statement of changes in equity (if applicable)
• Review the cash flow statement
• Review the notes (making mental notes regarding sensitive or important disclosures so you can later see if the communication with those charged with governance appropriately contains references to these notes)
• Return to the balance sheet to see if there are additional disclosures needed (since you just read the notes, you will be more aware of omissions — e.g., intangibles are not disclosed)
• Review supplementary information (and related opinion for this information if applicable)
• Review other reports such as Yellow Book and Single Audit (the staff member preparing the financial statements should have placed supporting examples in the file; refer to the examples as necessary)
• If the review is performed with a printed copy of the statements, use yellow highlighter to mark reviewed sections and numbers
• If you review a paper copy, pencil in corrections and provide corrected pages to the staff member for amendments to be made
• If the review is performed on the computer, take screenshots of pages needing corrections and provide to the staff member
• Better yet, review electronically. See my related post Review Financial Statements on Computer Screens

Last Step

Destroy all drafts. Or at a minimum, don’t leave them in the file. Once the financial statements are complete, there is no reason to retain drafts.

Your Suggestions

What other review procedures do you use?

Debt Covenant Violations: How to Report

By Charles Hall | Accounting

How does a debt covenant violation affect the presentation of debt on a balance sheet? If a waiver from the lender is obtained, should the violation be disclosed? In this article, I will tell you how to report debt covenant violations.

Lenders commonly include debt covenants in loan agreements. Those covenants might require certain profitability, liquidity, or cash flow ratios. A violation of such requirements can make long-term debt callable. And, by definition, the debt becomes current since it is now due within one year of the balance sheet date. 

If a debt covenant violation occurs, the debt should be classified as current unless the lender provides a waiver for more than one year from the balance sheet date. (See an exception below when there are subsequent measurement dates within one year of the balance sheet date.)

How should debt be classified if a cure occurs prior to the issuance of the financial statements? Debt is shown as noncurrent if the company is able to cure a violation subsequent to the balance sheet date but before the issuance date (or date available for issuance) of the financial statements.

Additionally, some loans provide for a grace period. If the violation is cured during the grace period, the debt will be reported as long-term. Also if the cure has not already occurred but the company demonstrates it is probable that the cure will occur within the grace period, then the debt will be reported as long-term.

Reporting Debt Covenant Violations

When a violation occurs, the main consideration in classifying long-term debt is whether the amount is due or callable within one year of the balance sheet date. If the loan is due or callable within the year after the period-end, the amount generally should be reported as current. If a debt covenant violation is timely cured within a grace period, then the debt is no longer callable and will, therefore, remain long-term. Noncurrent classification is also appropriate if the creditor provides a waiver that extends more than one year beyond the balance sheet date.

Waivers do not, however, guarantee long-term debt classification, particularly if there are other measurement dates within the year after the period-end. 

Subsequent Measurement Dates

470-10-45 of the FASB Codification provides the following guidance:

Some long-term loans require compliance with quarterly or semiannual covenants that must be met on a quarterly or semiannual basis. If a covenant violation occurs that would otherwise give the lender the right to call the debt, a lender may waive its call right arising from the current violation for a period greater than one year while retaining future covenant requirements. Unless facts and circumstances indicate otherwise, the borrower shall classify the obligation as noncurrent, unless both of the following conditions exist:

a. A covenant violation that gives the lender the right to call the debt has occurred at the balance sheet date or would have occurred absent a loan modification.
b. It is probable that the borrower will not be able to cure the default (comply with the covenant) at measurement dates that are within the next 12 months.

If both of these conditions exist, then the debt is shown as current.

Consider a scenario where a company has a covenant violation on December 31, 2019, and it obtains a waiver from the lender that lasts through January 1, 2021. If a September 30, 2020 measurement date is required by the loan agreement and it is probable that the company will not be in compliance, then the loan is classified as current on December 31, 2019, even though the waiver was obtained. Why? The new violation would make the loan callable within one year of the balance sheet date. (The prior waiver was in relation to the December 31, 2019 violation, not a subsequent violation.)

Is Disclosure Required if a Waiver is Obtained?

If a company obtains a waiver for more than one year from the balance sheet date, must the financials disclose this fact (that a waiver was obtained)?

The AICPA answers this question–in Q&A section 3200 (paragraph 17)–with the following:

The authoritative literature applicable to nonpublic entities does not address disclosure of debt covenant violations existing at the balance-sheet date that have been waived by the creditor for a stated period of time. Nevertheless, disclosure of the existing violation(s) and the waiver period should be considered* for reasons of adequate disclosure. If the covenant violation resulted from nonpayment of principal or interest on the debt, inability to maintain required financial ratios or other such financial covenants, that information may be vital to users of the financial statements even though the debt is not callable.

*Emphasis added by CPAHallTalk

Translation: It is wise to disclose the debt covenant violation and the existence of the waiver.

FASB’s Current Work on a New Debt Standard

The FASB has an ongoing project regarding the classification of debt. The FASB issued a revised Exposure Draft on September 12, 2019, Debt (Topic 470): Simplifying the Classification of Debt in a Classified Balance Sheet (Current versus Noncurrent). Comments were due October 28, 2019. It has taken FASB over two years to deliberate this topic. So you call tell the classification decision is not an easy one.

Additional Information About Auditing Debt

See my post regarding the audit of debt.

How to Write Clear Financial Statement Disclosures

By Charles Hall | Accounting and Auditing

Creating clear financial statement disclosures is not always easy. Creating (unintentional) confusion? Well, that’s another matter.

Clear Financial Statement Disclosures

Let’s pretend that Olympic judges rate your most recent disclosures, flashing scores to a worldwide audience. What do you see? Tens everywhere—or something else?

Balance sheets tend to be clear. Why? The accounting equation. Assets always equal liabilities plus equity. But there is no disclosure equation (darn it), and without such, we flounder in our communication. 

CPAs tend to be linear thinkers. We enjoy Pascal more than Hemingway, numbers more than words, debits and credits more than paragraphs. Our brains are wired that way.

But accounting is more than just numbers. It is the communication of financial statements and disclosures. In the name of clear disclosures, I offer these suggestions.

Consider Your Readers

Who will read the financial statements? Owners, lenders, and possibly vendors. Owners—especially those of smaller businesses—may need simpler language. Some CPAs write notes as if CPAs (alone) will read them. While accounting is technical, we need—as much as possible—to simplify.  

Use Short Paragraphs

Lengthy paragraphs choke the reader. Breaking long paragraphs into shorter ones makes the print accessible. 

Less is more in many instances. When we try to say too much, we sometimes say…too much. Additionally, short sentences are helpful.   

Use Short Sentences

CPAs may have invented the run-on sentence. As I read one of those beauties, I feel as though I can’t breathe. And by the end, I’m gasping. Breaking long sentences into shorter ones makes the reader more comfortable. And she will thank you. 

Use Shorter Words

CPAs don’t receive merit badges for long, complicated words. Our goal is to communicate, not to impress. For example, split is better than bifurcate.  

Attorneys are not our model. I sometimes see notes that are regurgitations of legal agreements, copied word for word—and you can feel the stiltedness. Do your reader a favor and translate the legalese into digestible—and might I say more enjoyable—language. 

Use Tables

Long sentences with several numbers can be confusing. Tables are easier to understand.

Write Your Own Note

Too many CPAs copy disclosures from the Internet without understanding the language. Make sure the language is appropriate for your company.

Put Disclosures in the Right Buckets 

Think of each disclosure header as a bucket. For example, if the notes include a related party note, then that’s where the related party information goes. If the debt note includes a related party disclosure (and this may be necessary), place a reference in the related party note to the debt disclosure. You don’t want your reader to think all of the related party disclosures are in one place (the related party note) when they are not. The same issue arises with subsequent event notes.

Have a Second Person Review the Notes

When writing, we sometimes think we are clear when we are not. Have a second person review the note for proper punctuation, spelling, structure, and clarity. If you don’t have a second person available, perform a cold review the next day—you will almost always see necessary revisions. I find that reading out loud helps me to assess clarity.

I also use Grammarly to edit documents. The software provides grammar feedback as you write. If you don’t have a second person to review your financials, I recommend it.

Use a Current Disclosure Checklist

Vetting your notes with a disclosure checklist may be the most tedious and necessary step. FASB and GASB continue to issue new statements at a rapid rate, so using a checklist is necessary to ensure completeness.   

Winning Gold

I hope these suggestions help you win gold–10s everywhere. I think I hear the national anthem.