Feb 02

Yellow Book Independence and Preparing Financial Statements

By Charles Hall | Auditing , Local Governments

Yellow Book independence is a big deal. And if you prepare financial statements in a Yellow Book audit, you need to be aware of the independence rules. Below I tell you how to maintain your independence—and stay out of hot water,

Yellow Book Independence Impairment in Peer Review

Suppose that--during your peer review--it is determined your firm lacks independence in regard to a Yellow Book engagement.

What could happen? Well, I can't say for sure, but I think it would be nasty. At a minimum, you would probably receive a finding for further consideration. The engagement is definitely nonconforming (not conforming to professional standards).

Then, you'd need to provide a response--explaining what you intend to do about the lack of independence. And this could get very interesting. Not where you want to be.

Preparation of Financial Statements is a Significant Threat

If you prepare financial statements (a nonattest service) for your audit client, you have a significant threat. Why? You are auditing something (the financial statements) that you created. There is a self-review threat.

When there is a significant threat, you must use a safeguard (to lessen the threat). Such as? A second partner review. So, for example, you might have a second audit partner (someone not involved in the audit) review the financial statements. Since the second partner did not create the financial statement, the self-review threat is mitigated.

Notice the safeguard (the second partner review) is something the audit firm does--and not an action of the audit client. Therefore, it qualifies as a safeguard.

2018 Yellow Book

The 2018 Yellow Book states the following in paragraph 3.88:

Auditors should conclude that preparing financial statements in their entirety from a client-provided trial balance or underlying accounting records creates significant threats to auditors' independence, and should document the threats and safeguards applied to eliminate and reduce threats to an acceptable level...or decline to provide the services.

But My Client has Sufficient SKE

You've heard your audit client must have sufficient skill, knowledge and experience (SKE) and that they must oversee and assume responsibility for nonattest services. This is true and is always required when nonattest services are provided to an audit client.

Even so, the client's SKE does not address the self-review threat.

Think of the SKE issue as a minimum requirement. Do not pass "go" if the client does not assign someone (with SKE) to oversee the nonattest service. You are not independent. End of discussion. (If the client does not have sufficient SKE, see section below titled Inadequate Skill, Knowledge, and Experience.)

SKE is not a safeguard

The January AICPA Reviewer Alert distinguishes the SKE requirement from safeguards saying, "Client SKE should not be viewed as a safeguard, but rather a mandatory condition before performing any nonaudit services."

Once the client SKE issue is dealt with, consider if auditor safeguards are necessary. Why? A self-review threat may be present.

The AICPA (in its AICPA Yellow Book Practice aid) provides examples of safeguards (again, these are actions of the audit firm) including:

Obtaining secondary reviews of the nonaudit services by professional personnel who were not involved in planning or supervising the audit engagement.
Obtaining secondary reviews of the nonaudit services by professional personnel who were not members of the audit engagement team.

See Appendix E of the AICPA Yellow Book Practice Aid for additional examples of safeguards and how to apply them.

Independence Documentation is Required

The Yellow Book requires that your independence be documented. If it is not, a violation of professional standards exists.

So, document the SKE of the client and the safeguards used to address significant threats. Also, document which nonattest services are signficiant threats. Peer reviewers focus on Independence documentation.

Document Significant Threats

The January 2019 Reviewer Alert (an AICPA newsletter provided to peer reviewers) provides a scenario where an audit firm performs a Yellow Book audit and prepares financial statements. Then the firm has an engagement quality control review (EQCR) performed, but it does not identify the preparation of financial statements as a significant threat. The newsletter states "the engagement would ordinarily be deemed nonconforming for failure to document identification of a significant threat." So, even if a safeguard (e.g., a second partner review) is in use, the lack of documentation makes the engagement nonconforming.

Judging Client's SKE

Here are examples of client personnel that might be available to oversee the financial statements preparation service:

A 15 year mayor who is a businessman, no accounting education, no formal training in reading governmental financial statements. He understands the fund level statements but can't grasp the reconciliation between the government-wide financial statements and the fund level financial statements.
Second year finance director with no prior accounting experience, graduated from a two year college with a degree in general business.
Finance director with 25 years experience and is a CPA and a member of GFOA. She trains others in governmental accounting.
Finance director with a high school education but has extensive governmental accounting training from the Carl Vinson Institute. He has the ability to create the financial statements from scratch.

As you can see, the Yellow Book independence assessment will sometimes be black and white, but other times, not so. Regardless, the audit client has to have someone with sufficient skill, knowledge and experience to oversee the financial statements preparation. Why? The auditor can't assume responsibility for the statements. This is a management responsibility.

Management Responsibilities

The 2018 Yellow Book (paragraph 3.75) says the following about management responsibilities:

In cases where the audited entity is unable or unwilling to assume these responsibilities (for example, the audited entity does not have an individual with suitable skill, knowledge, or experience to oversee the nonaudit services provided, or is unwilling to perform such functions because of lack of time or desire), auditors should concluded that the provisions of these services is an impairment to independence.

Additionally, paragraph 3.73 of the Yellow Book states:

Auditors should determine that the audited entity has designated an individual who possesses suitable skill, knowledge, or experience and that the individual understands the services to be provided sufficiently to oversee them.

If the government has no one with sufficient SKE, then the external auditor is not independent and can't perform the audit.

So, is there another option when the client does not have sufficient SKE?

Inadequate Skill, Knowledge, and Experience

If the auditor can't get comfortable with the client's SKE (e.g., the client's ability to review the financial statements and assume responsibility), what can be done? The audited entity can hire someone with sufficient SKE. For example, the entity could contract with a CPA not affiliated with the external audit firm to review the financial statements on their behalf.

Many smaller governments need to contract with an outside person in order to have sufficient SKE. The problem, however, is they may not have the funds to do so. If you as the auditor make this suggestion, be prepared for this question: "Isn't this why I hired you?" Regardless, the client has to have sufficient SKE before the auditor can issue an opinion.

In Summary

Here's the lowdown to protect your firm:

Document the nonattest services you are to perform
Document the client person that will oversee and assume responsibility for the nonattest service
Document the SKE of the designated person
Consider whether any nonattest services are significant threats
Document which, if any, nonattest services are significant threats
Use (and document) a safeguard to address each significant threat (examples of safeguards include an EQCR or a second-partner review)

Looking for a tool to document Yellow Book independence? Consider the AICPA's practice aid. Here is the free PDF version. You can also purchase the fillable version here. (Cost is $39 for AICPA members.) This is the 2011 Yellow Book aid. I am thinking the AICPA will create a 2018 Yellow Book version as well.

Jul 17

Government Auditing Standards 2018 Revision (Hot Off the Press)

By Charles Hall | Auditing , Local Governments

Government Auditing Standards 2018 Revision

The Government Accountability Office just issued the new Yellow Book titled Government Auditing Standards 2018 Revision.

Get Your Free Copy

An electronic version of the 2018 Yellow Book can be accessed on GAO’s Yellow Book web page at http://www.gao.gov/yellowbook.

Major Changes

The introduction to the new Yellow Book summarizes the significant changes as follows:

This revision contains major changes from, and supersedes, the 2011 revision. These changes, summarized below, reinforce the principles of transparency and accountability and strengthen the framework for high quality government audits.

All chapters are presented in a revised format that differentiates requirements and application guidance related to those requirements.
Supplemental guidance from the appendix of the 2011 revision is either removed or incorporated into the individual chapters.
The independence standard is expanded to state that preparing financial statements from a client-provided trial balance or underlying accounting records generally creates significant threats to auditors’ independence, and auditors should document the threats and safeguards applied to eliminate and reduce threats to an acceptable level or decline to perform the service.
The peer review standard is modified to require that audit organizations comply with their respective affiliated organization’s peer review requirements and GAGAS peer review requirements. Additional requirements are provided for audit organizations not affiliated with recognized organizations.
The standards include a definition for waste.
The performance audit standards are updated with specific considerations for when internal control is significant to the audit objectives.

Effective with the implementation dates for the 2018 revision of Government Auditing Standards, GAO is also retiring Government Auditing Standards: Guidance on GAGAS Requirements for Continuing Professional Education (GAO-05-568G, April 2005) and Government Auditing Standards: Guidance for Understanding the New Peer Review Ratings (D06602, January 2014).

Effective Dates

The 2018 revision of Government Auditing Standards is effective for financial audits, attestation engagements, and reviews of financial statements for periods ending on or after June 30, 2020, and for performance audits beginning on or after July 1, 2019.

Early implementation is not permitted.

The 2018 revision of Government Auditing Standards supersedes the 2011 revision (GAO-12-331G, December 2011), the 2005 Government Auditing Standards: Guidance on GAGAS Requirements for Continuing Professional Education (GAO-05-568G, April 2005), and the 2014 Government Auditing Standards: Guidance for Understanding the New Peer Review Ratings (D06602, January 2014).

Sep 11

Yellow Book CPE Requirements – A Summary

By Charles Hall | Accounting and Auditing , Local Governments

What are the requirements for Yellow Book continuing professional education (CPE)?

Below we will address (1) who is subject to the Yellow Book CPE requirements and (2) what CPE classes satisfy those requirements.

Overview

First realize there are two rules:

The 80-hour rule (every two years)
The 24-hour rule (every two years)

Then you must answer:

Who is subject to each rule?
What classes qualify for each rule?

The 24 Hour Rule – Who is Subject?

The answer: each auditor performing work on a Yellow Book audit; if as an auditor you work on the engagement, you are subject to this rule. If your audit report contains a Yellow Book report (usually located just after the notes to the financial statements), then that engagement is subject to generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS).

The 80-Hour Rule – Who is Subject?

The answer: Auditors who are involved in any amount of:

1. Planning,
2. Directing, or
3. Reporting on GAGAS assignments
and
4. Those auditors who are not involved in those activities but charge 20 percent or more of their time annually to GAGAS assignments.

I interpret 1., 2. and 3. as mainly partners, managers, and in-charges. 4. relates to staff who support the audit.

So a staff person that does not meet the criteria in 4., but still works on a Yellow Book engagement must still satisfy the 24-hour rule (but not the 80-hour rule).

What Classes Qualify?

The Yellow Book states, “Determining what subjects are appropriate for individual auditors to satisfy both the 80-hour and the 24-hour requirements is a matter of professional judgment to be exercised by auditors in consultation with appropriate officials in their audit organizations.”

First we see that there is judgment in what qualifies (no bright yellow lines). But there are differences in the 80-hour rule and the 24-hour rule; otherwise, there would be only one category.

The 80-Hour Rule – Classes that Qualify

The 80-hour rule is broad (encompassing any CPE that enhances the auditor’s professional proficiency); so, for example, CPE classes about writing skills or using Excel would qualify. (Taxation CPE usually does not qualify unless the class addresses audit-related issues. For example, a 1040 tax class does not qualify.)

For those subject to the 80 hour rule, at least 20 hours of CPE should be taken in each year of the two-year period; a total of 80 hours is to be taken in the two-year period.

The 24-Hour Rule – Classes that Qualify

Each auditor performing work under GAGAS should complete, every 2 years, at least 24 hours of CPE that directly relates to government auditing, the government environment, or the specific or unique environment in which the audited entity operates.

The 24-hour rule is specific to:
(1) Government auditing,
(2) The government environment or
(3) To the specific or unique environment in which the audited entity operates.

Government Auditing

Classes directly related to standards used in governmental auditing qualify; since GAGAS incorporates the AICPA statements on auditing standards (SASs) for field work and reporting, then audit classes that include a study of the SASs as they relate to the audit of your governmental entity would qualify. The same is true of pronouncements issued by the FASB. Single Audit classes also obviously qualify.

Government Environment

CPE dealing with Governmental Accounting Standards (GASB pronouncements) will qualify for the 24-hour rule since the class focuses on accounting standards in the government environment.

If you audit a county or a city, then most any CPE dealing with GASB pronouncements or governmental issues (e.g., sales taxes) will satisfy the 24-hour rule; also classes dealing with compliance with laws and regulations qualify.

Classes addressing economic conditions, fiscal trends, and pressures facing the governmental entity qualify.

Specific or Unique Environment in Which the Audited Entity Operates

Suppose you audit electric membership corporations (EMCs) subject to the Yellow Book; a CPE class about electrical supply grids qualifies. Or if you audit banks subject to Yellow Book requirements (e.g., FHA loans), then a CPE class dealing with lending qualifies. These classes address issues in the unique environment in which the audited entity operates.

Two-Year Cycle

An audit organization can adopt a standard 2-year period for all of its auditors to simplify administration of the CPE requirements.

Carryover Credit

Auditors are not allowed to carry over hours taken in excess of the 24-hour or 80-hour rule to the next reporting period.

Proration of Hours for New-Hires (or Those Newly Assigned to a Yellow Book Audit)

You will prorate the hourly requirements based on the remaining 6-month intervals in your two-year reporting period. For example, you hire someone on May 1, 2013 and your two-year cycle ends December 31, 2013. There is only one remaining 6-month period. If you are subject to the 24 hour rule, then you will multiply 25% (one six-month period divided by the four six-month periods in the two-year cycle) times 24 to compute the hours required: 6 hours.

GAO Guidance

Click here for the April 2005 GAO publication: Government Auditing Standards, Guidance on GAGAS Requirements for Continuing Professional Education.

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