The Basics On Financial Audits

By Rena Hudson


Financial audits is the terminology used when referencing the verification of financial statements filed by legal entities with the purpose of expressing audit opinions. These opinions provide assurance, reasonable not absolute, that statements are fairly represented. That is, with true or fair view that is in accordance with the framework of such financial reporting.

The purpose of such audits is to provide independent and objective exam of statements. This increases the credibility and value of statements by management. It also works by increasing the user confidence in the statements, reducing risk of investors and lowering the cost of capital of the statement preparer.

The practice is considered customary by firms of accountants, who are professional experts with this kind of reporting. This sort of audit is an assurance function that is provided through accounting businesses. Many organizations choose to employ or hire internal auditors who are mostly in charge of internal controls for the business. There are also external auditors and these professionals tend to rely less on the work being produced by internal professionals.

Auditing encourages accurate and transparency when it comes to financial disclosures of organizations. Therefore, it typically reduces the concealment of immoral dealings by these corporations. On an international level, the benchmark for this process is the ISA, International Standards on Auditing, which is issued by International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, or IAASB. Nearly all jurisdictions mandate auditors follow ISA or a local variation of it.

This practice can give management more credibility. The statements that they give out should reflect the position and performance of organization. This information is crucial to many stakeholders, who are usually the primary shareholders too. Suppliers, customers, banks, employees and tax authorities are some of the other parties who are concerned with the fairness of these statements.

These do not provide assurance that is complete because they do not include test of all transactions and balances. Instead, they provide a sample. This process is used to reduce the occurrence of misstatements in reports, caused by fraud or simple errors. In general, these provide value by easing the cost of info asymmetry, as well as lowering information risk. Oversight of this kind is also done on government departments in most developed countries.

An assortment of techniques and processes may be involved with this process. When it comes to accumulating and collecting evidence, professional may use many different methods. Auditors are often involved in year-end scrutiny, bank reconciliation, posting checking, inspection, casting, vouching, confirmation, testing, checking, re-computation, physical exam and count, and verification.

Financial audits serve as a sort of oversight. The professionals who handle this work are known as auditors and may be internal or external. The purpose of this practice is to verify that financial statements are fair. It is not intended to find absolute assurance but reasonable assurance that the statements issued by management of organizations is fair and correct. The information gathered from this is important to stakeholders, including shareholders, regulators, customers, suppliers, employees, banks and tax authorities. Numerous techniques are applied when it comes to gathering and assessing information for the purpose of auditing.




About the Author: