Preparing and Reviewing Client-Prepared Financial Statements and General Attest Engagements

Overview

The ultimate objective of a financial statement audit is to issue the independent auditor’s report. Reviews and preparations are different. This course discusses the review and preparation process, introduces key elements of financial statements, and provides best practices for auditors who either prepare or review the client’s financial statements. Most CPA firms perform some level of compilation and review engagements, and some perform engagements under attestation standards. This course provides a deep dive into the most frequently missed issues in compilations and reviews engagements. We will also focus on attestation engagements and the various types of engagements a CPA can perform.

Highlights

• Objective of financial reporting
• Interrelationships of financial statements and disclosures
• Accounting changes
• Financial statement preparation and review process
• Best practices for financial statement preparation and review
• Frequently missed issues in compilation and review engagements as noted by peer reviewers
• Understand how to comply with AR-C 100 on International Standards and AR-C 120, Compilations of Pro forma Information
• Introduction to attestation standards (AT)
• Performing attestation examination engagements
• Performing attestation review engagements
• Performing agreed-upon procedures

Prerequisites

Understanding of key differences between assurance, attestation, and audit engagements

Designed For

Accountants who perform compilations, reviews, and other attestation engagements

Objectives

• Explain the key elements and variations of the auditor's report
• Understand the appropriate treatment for accounting changes and error corrections
• Discuss the basic financial statements, their key elements, and required disclosures
• Understand the Codification layout and be able to perform research on presentation and disclosure issues that arise
• Use a framework to prepare or review client prepared financial statements
• Identify best practices for financial statement preparation or review of client prepared financial statements
• Recall SSARS basics
• Understand advanced SSARS reporting issues, such as complying with international standards and preparing compilations of pro forma information
• Explain how to avoid peer review deficiencies in compilation and review engagements
• Identify the distinction between different levels of engagements performed in accordance with the attestation standards (examinations, reviews, and agreed-upon procedures)

Notice

All materials will be available to download in advance and participants will receive an email two days prior to the course date. Materials will also be posted in the “My CPE” section of the NESCPA website.