Tag Archives: audit

Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide – Completed Initial Edition – 115 Pages Plus Additional Links

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Click on the link at the bottom of this post for a pdf of the completed initial edition of Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide 08042015. The guide is for boards and audit committees of public companies, private companies, nonprofits, and governmental entities. This edition of the guide is 115 pages, plus links to additional resources and materials. The guide is updated regularly as new developments occur, and developments will also be posted to this blog. Please do tell other people about the guide and pass it along. Enjoy, and best to you.

Dave Tate, Esq. (San Francisco/California)
Click on the following link for the guide: Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide 08042015

Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide (July 31, 2015, a work in progress)

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For audit committee members and directors, I have attached three links below, the first for my 2007 audit committee chapter for the California Continuing Education of the Bar, the second for the new audit committee guide that is a work in progress but already contains substantial materials, and the third to the cover and table of contents to Accounting and Its Legal Implications.

Using my blog posts, the 2007 audit committee chapter (which is now unpublished, CEB subsequently cancelled the entire Director and Officer binder), and the new audit committee guide you should get a good feel for new developments and guidance about audit committee member functions and responsibilities.

I also ask that you tell other people about this blog and the new audit committee guide.

1. Here is a link to my 2007 audit committee chapter for the California Continuing Education of the Bar (the chapter and the entire D&O publication has been cancelled for some time), CLICK HERE

2. The following is a link to the new audit committee guide which contains substantial materials although it is a work in progress, Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide (July 31, 2015 version), Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide 07312015 CLICK HERE

3. Cover and Table of Contents from Accounting and Its Legal Implications – I expect to scan and post this entire material shortly – although some is outdated, it is still a good read – originally published by Business One/Irwin Publishing, CLICK HERE

Thank you. Dave Tate, Esq. (San Francisco / California).

Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide, Plus Prior 2007 CEB Audit Committee Chapter

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For audit committee members and directors, I have attached three links below, the first for my 2007 audit committee chapter for the California Continuing Education of the Bar, the second for the new audit committee guide that is a work in progress but already contains substantial materials, and the third to the cover and table of contents to Accounting and Its Legal Implications.

Using my blog posts, the 2007 audit committee chapter (which is now unpublished, CEB subsequently cancelled the entire Director and Officer binder), and the new audit committee guide you should get a good feel for new developments and guidance about audit committee member functions and responsibilities.

I also ask that you tell other people about this blog and the new audit committee guide.

1. Here is a link to my 2007 audit committee chapter for the California Continuing Education of the Bar (the chapter and the entire D&O publication has been cancelled for some time), CLICK HERE

2. The following is a link to the new audit committee guide which contains substantial materials although it is a work in progress, Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide (July 31, 2015 version), Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide 07312015 CLICK HERE

3. Cover and Table of Contents from Accounting and Its Legal Implications – I expect to scan and post this entire material shortly – although some is outdated, it is still a good read – originally published by Business One/Irwin Publishing, CLICK HERE

Thank you. Dave Tate, Esq. (San Francisco / California).

SEC Issues Concept Release – Audit Committee Disclosures About The External Auditor

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This is my third new post about new proposed audit committee duties and responsibilities relating to the evaluation and retention of the external auditor, and the audit committee’s evaluation of the external auditor’s qualifications. It looks like these changes, or some of them, will occur. And they will be game changers.

Audit committee members will have more specific required duties in these areas, and audit committees and external auditors will be even more under the spotlight. These changes would require more specific audit committee oversight of the external auditor, they will change the relationship between the audit committee and the external auditor, and they may force the external auditor to perform better audits, and to provide better services (I say “force” but in fact this also creates good opportunities for auditors who embrace the changes and want to highlight the quality and extent of their services).

Here is a link to the SEC website page, and the following link is to the SEC Concept Release: SEC Concept Release on Audit Committee Disclosures About External Auditor.  Enjoy.

Dave Tate, Esq. (San Francisco / California)

PCAOB Issues Concept Release On Audit Quality Indicators – Important For Audit Committees And External Auditors

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The PCAOB has released a concept release on audit quality indicators. You can find the release HERE, and the relevant PCAOB page HERE. These will be important for audit committees, external auditors, and other people.

As the PCAOB states:

“The indicators are a potential portfolio of quantitative measures that may provide new insights about how to evaluate the quality of audits and how high quality audits are achieved. Taken together with qualitative context, the indicators may inform discussions among those concerned with the financial reporting and auditing process, for example among audit committees and audit firms. Enhanced discussions, in turn, may strengthen audit planning, execution, and communication. Use of the indicators may also stimulate competition among audit firms focused on the quality of the firms’ work and, thereby, increase audit quality overall. Issues raised by the release include: (i) the nature of the potential indicators, (ii) the usefulness of particular indicators described in the release, (iii) suggestions for other indicators, (iv) potential users of the indicators, and (v) an approach to implementation over time of an audit quality indicator project.”

Dave Tate, Esq. (San Francisco / California)

Everyone Needs An On-Call Crisis Quick Response Attorney

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Comments for Audit Committees about the PCAOB May 2015, Audit Committee Dialogue

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This blog post includes a short video discussing the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s May 2015, Audit Committee Dialogue, and below the video you will find a link to the Audit Committee Dialogue. Please pass this blog post to everyone would be interested in these materials. Thank you. Dave Tate, Esq. (San Francisco and California).

Click on the following link for the PCAOB’s May 2015, Audit Committee Dialogue, Click Here.

SSARSs Clarity Project

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The standard eliminates the need for the accountant to determine whether they?ve prepared financial statements by drawing a clear line between preparation and compilation.

Click on the following for the article: www.cpa2biz.com

Why is this important?  Well . . . if you are an accountant who performs review and compilation services, it should be important to you. And if you are someone who depends on information and representations provided in reviews or compilations, it should be important to you, if you care to know whether a compilation or review provides you with any useful information. Speaking of the subject, I never hear anyone discussing whether a quarterly review for a public company provides any useful information. I believe that at least in theory they do, but, if not, then why continue with the expense?  Dave Tate, Esq. (San Francisco)

My other blog: trust, estate, conservatorship and elder abuse litigation and administrations, http://californiaestatetrust.com

On the 2015 Audit Committee Agenda

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10 things that audit committees should keep in mind as they consider and carry out their 2015 agendas.

Click on the following link for the discussion: www.kpmg-institutes.com

Good broad topic areas to consider, although I prefer the following discussion materials that I have written as they are more specific – click on the following link – Audit Committee Self-Evaluation Form David Tate Esq 10302014.

Dave Tate, Esq. (San Francisco / California).

3 Major Changes Congress Wants to Make to Social Security – On the Scale of Risk Management How Would You Score Congress?

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Social Security needs change to survive over the long run, and Congress seems willing to take up the daunting task of a Social Security overhaul. – Sean Williams – Investment planning

Click on the following link for the article: www.fool.com

No surprise here.  Inactive and lack of diligent long-term planning. This issue has been around for 40-50 years.  A serious issue for old, middle age and young alike.

If you are young, why do you want to pay 13-14% (half from you and half from your employer) into this program when there is no reasonable certainty that it will be around for you when you retire, and if it is around there is no reasonable certainty about what the benefits will be.

If you are near or at retirement and you paid into this program for 40-50 years you are probably safe, if you don’t live for another 20 years.

If you are in the middle, not near retirement, and have been forced to pay into this program for 25-35 years, good luck to you.

How would you rate the Social Security program risk management? See my prior blog post about the NIST cybersecurity risk management framework, Click for Post .  I would rate Social Security risk management as Tier 1 – Tier 2.

Dave Tate, Esq. (San Francisco / California)