The Demand for Audit and Other Assurance Services Part 1

Chapter 1 The Demand for Audit and Other Assurance Services 1.1 Learning Objective 1-1 1) In the auditing process, A) the types and amounts of evidence remain constant from audit to audit. B) the criteria for evaluating information will not vary depending on the information being audited. C) the audit report communicates the auditor's findings to users. D) records are gathered by the auditor to determine whether the audited information is stated in accordance with SEC standards. Answer: C 2) Which of the following is considered audit evidence? A) Oral statements Written Auditor made by management Communications Observations Y N N B) Oral statements made by management N C) Oral statements made by management Y D) Oral statements made by management N Answer: C Written Communications Y Auditor Observations Y Written Communications Y Auditor Observations Y Written Communications N Auditor Observations Y 3) Which of the following can be used as a criterion for evaluating information being audited? A) International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) B) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) C) Internal Revenue Code (IRC) D) all of the above Answer: D 4) Auditors do not provide which of the following? A) assurance on financial statements B) assurance on the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting C) assurance on corporate sustainability reports D) absolute assurance on the financial statements including assuming responsibility for them Answer: D 5) The accumulation and evaluation of evidence about information to determine and report on the degree of correspondence between the information and some established criteria is defined as A) accounting. B) financial reporting. C) tax reporting. D) auditing. Answer: D 6) The criteria by which an auditor evaluates the information under audit may vary with the information being audited. Answer: TRUE 7) One criterion used by an external auditor to evaluate published financial statements is known as generally accepted auditing standards. Answer: FALSE 8) Auditors strive to maintain a high level of independence to keep the confidence of users relying on their reports. Answer: TRUE 9) To perform an audit, there must be information in a verifiable form and some criteria by which the auditor can evaluate the information. Answer: TRUE 10) An auditor must be competent and have an independent mental attitude. Answer: TRUE 11) Auditors are not allowed and should not audit subjective information like the effectiveness of computer controls or the efficiency of manufacturing-related operations. Answer: FALSE 12) In an audit of internal controls over financial reporting, the auditor may rely upon Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by COSO. Answer: TRUE 13) In circumstances where the auditor is being asked to audit subjective types of information, typically, the auditor and the entities being audited should agree in writing about the criteria being audited after the audit starts. Answer: FALSE 14) Evidence is paramount to audit and attestation engagements. List the four basic types of audit evidence. Answer: The four types of audit and attestation evidence include 1. Electronic and documentary data about transactions 2. Written and electronic communications with outsiders 3. Observations by the auditor 4. Oral testimony of the auditee (client) 1.2 Learning Objective 1-2 1) Recording, classifying, and summarizing economic events in a logical manner for the purpose of providing financial information for decision making is commonly called A) finance. B) auditing. C) accounting. D) economics. Answer: C 2) An accountant A) must possess expertise in the accumulation of audit evidence. B) must decide the number and types of items to test. C) must have an understanding of the principles and rules that provide the basis for preparing the accounting information. D) must be a CPA. Answer: C 3) When auditing accounting data, auditors focus on A) determining whether recorded information properly reflects the economic events that occurred during the accounting period. B) determining if fraud has occurred. C) determining if taxable income has been calculated correctly. D) analyzing the financial information to be sure that it complies with government requirements. Answer: A 4) The trait that distinguishes auditors from accountants is the A) auditor's ability to interpret accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. B) auditor's education beyond the bachelor's degree. C) auditor's ability to interpret FASB Statements. D) auditor's expertise in the accumulation and the interpretation of audit evidence. Answer: D 5) Auditors focus on determining whether recorded information properly reflects the economic events that occurred during the accounting period. Answer: TRUE 6) Both accountants and auditors must possess expertise in the accumulation and interpretation of audit evidence. Answer: FALSE 7) Accountants are not directly responsible for developing a system that ensures the entity's economic events are properly recorded on a timely basis and at a reasonable cost. Answer: FALSE 8) Financial statement users do not confuse auditing with accounting any longer. Answer: FALSE 9) Discuss the differences and similarities between the roles of accountants and auditors. What additional expertise must an auditor possess beyond that of an accountant? Answer: The role of accountants is to record, classify, and summarize economic events in a logical manner for the purpose of providing financial information for decision making. To provide relevant information, accountants must have a thorough understanding of the principles and rules that provide the basis for preparing the accounting information. In addition, accountants must develop a system to ensure that the entity's economic events are properly recorded on a timely basis and at a reasonable cost. The role of auditors is to determine whether the recorded information prepared by accountants properly reflects the economic events that occurred during the accounting period. Because U.S. or international accounting standards provide the criteria for evaluating whether financial information is properly recorded, auditors must thoroughly understand those accounting standards. In addition to understanding accounting, the auditor must possess expertise in the accumulation and interpretation of audit evidence. It is this expertise that distinguishes auditors from accountants. Determining the proper audit procedures, deciding the number and types of items to test, and evaluating the results are unique to the auditor. 1.3 Learning Objective 1-3 1) ________ risk reflects the possibility that the information upon which the business decision was made was inaccurate. A) Client acceptance B) Information C) Business D) Control Answer: B 2) The possibility that a business may not be able to repay a bank loan because of an economic downturn is referred to as A) materiality risk. B) information risk. C) interest rate risk. D) business risk. Answer: D 3) A bank loan officer is trying to decide whether the bank should make a loan to a particular company. The interest rate the bank will charge the company is determined by many factors. Which of the following factors is influenced by the auditor's report? A) the risk-free interest rate risk B) information risk C) the business risk for/of the customer D) All of the above are influenced by the auditor's report. Answer: B 4) Auditing can have a significant effect on both information risk and business risk. Answer: FALSE 1.4 Learning Objective 1-4 1) A correct relationship among the auditor, the client, and the external users is A) management of a public company hires the independent auditor. B) the audit committee of a private company hires the independent auditor. C) the client provides capital to the external users. D) the external users can rely upon the auditor's report to reduce information risk. Answer: D 2) The most common way for users to obtain reliable information is to A) have an internal audit. B) have an independent audit. C) verify all information individually. D) verify the information with management. Answer: B 3) External users of the financial statements A) value the auditor's report because of the auditor's independence from the client. B) look to the auditor's report as an indication of the statements' reliability. C) use the audited information on the assumption that it is reasonably complete, accurate, and unbiased. D) all of the above. Answer: D 4) Which of the following is not a cause of information risk? A) Society, today, is not as complex as it used to be. B) Remoteness of information. C) The volume and the complexity of data and exchange transactions. D) The biases and the motives of the information provider. Answer: A 5) Large businesses, especially, have the ability to reduce information risk. Which of the following is not a way for a large business to reduce information risk? A) Paying higher interest rates on loans. B) The user verifies the information they need by any possible means. C) The user of information shares information risk with management. D) Having an independent audit performed of the financial statements. Answer: A 6) As society becomes more complex, decision makers are more likely to receive reliable information. Answer: FALSE 7) Management is required by GAAP to reduce information risk, even if the costs outweigh the benefits. Answer: FALSE 8) Explain what is meant by information risk, and list the four causes of this risk. Answer: Information risk reflects the possibility that the information upon which the business risk decision was made was inaccurate. Four causes of information risk are • remoteness of information, • biases and motives of the provider, • voluminous data, and • complex exchange transactions. 1.5 Learning Objective 1-5 1) In the audit of historical financial statements, management asserts that the financial statements are fairly stated in accordance with what standards? A) regulatory accounting principles B) applicable international accounting standards C) applicable U.S. accounting standards D) B and C Answer: D 2) Any service that requires a CPA firm to issue a report about the reliability of an assertion that is made by another party is a(n) A) accounting and bookkeeping service. B) attestation service. C) assurance service. D) tax service. Answer: B 3) Three common types of attestation services are A) audits of historical financial statements, reviews of historical financial statements, and audits of internal control over financial reporting. B) audits of historical financial information, verifications of historical financial information, and attestations regarding internal controls. C) reviews of historical financial information, verifications of future financial information, and attestations regarding internal controls. D) audits of historical financial information, reviews of controls related to investments, and verifications of historical financial information. Answer: A 4) Which of the following services provides the lowest level of assurance on a financial statement? A) review B) audit C) Neither service provides assurance on financial statements. D) Each service provides the same level of assurance on financial statements. Answer: A 5) Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding assurance services? A) Assurance services must be performed by a CPA. B) An attestation service is not a type of assurance service. C) Assurance services improve the quality of information for decision makers. D) Assurance services can only be performed on financial data. Answer: C 6) Audits A) are an assurance service, but not an attestation service. B) are designed to provide absolute assurance that the financial statements are free of material misstatement. C) are required for publicly traded companies in the United States. D) do not require the auditor to express their opinion in a written report. Answer: C 7) A high, but not absolute, level of assurance is called A) probable assurance. B) reasonable assurance. C) limited assurance. D) incomplete assurance. Answer: B 8) Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding the various types of other assurance services? A) Assurance services must be about the reliability of another party's assertion about compliance with specified criteria. B) Other assurance services must meet the definition of an attestation service. C) The primary purpose of a management consulting engagement is to improve the quality of information. D) The market for other forms of assurance services is open to non-CPA competitors. Answer: D 9) CPA firms are never allowed to provide bookkeeping services for clients. Answer: FALSE 10) Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires public companies to have an external auditor attest to their internal control over financial reporting. Answer: TRUE 11) Most public companies' audited financial statements are available on the SEC's EDGAR database. Answer: TRUE 12) The primary purpose of a management consulting engagement is to generate a recommendation to management. Answer: TRUE 13) The primary purpose of a management consulting engagement is to generate a recommendation to management. Answer: TRUE 14) Audits and some types of attestation services are no longer limited by regulation to licensed CPAs. Answer: FALSE