Can I Use My Firm’s Public Accountant for My Broker Dealer Audit?

In response to the rampant securities fraud discovered during the financial meltdown that unfolded at the end of 2007, the United States Congress passed into law the landmark Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. The historically significant federal law implemented several standards to prevent securities fraud and other types of financial crimes. As the body responsible for regulating the behavior of broker dealers, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) sets the standards for accounting firms to follow when providing broker dealer audit services.

One of the standards created and monitored by the PCAOB concerns how often broker dealers must undergo the audits conducted by firms that provide broker dealer audit services. This standard grants broker dealers some flexibility, as they should complete audits every one to four years. At Ernst Wintter & Associates, we recommend that broker dealers undergo thorough audits at least one time a year to ensure fully financial integrity. Another area of oversight for the PCAOB involves establishing the guidelines for the types of auditors that qualify to provide broker dealer audit services.

This brings up one important question for broker dealers: Can I use my firm’s public accountant for my broker dealer audit?

One of the underlying principles followed by the PCAOB when monitoring compliance with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 is to ensure full compliance with the groundbreaking federal law. This means every audit provided by firms that conduct broker dealer audit services should result in the release of 100 percent accurate financial data and information. The PCAOB clearly states that full financial report compliance is not possible if broker dealers use in-house accountants to conduct audits. This means the firms that provide broker dealer audit services must be completely independent of the broker dealers that they audit.

Let’s review three common financial areas that an independent accounting from such as Ernst Wintter & Associates reviews when conducting a full audit for a broker dealer.

Financial Statements

The most important of the broker dealer audit services provided by an independent accountant concerns ensuring a client files accurate financial statements with the SEC before all mandated deadlines. Submitting accurate financial statements ensures non-profit organizations maintain their tax-exempt status, as well as helps private corporations avoid hefty fines. The key to filing accurate financial statements is to limit the number of filing exemptions.

Confirm Revenue Sources

If you have heard of the term “cook the books,” it typically refers to altering financial statements to look like an organization is financially healthy. An independent accounting firm like Ernst Wintter & Associates meticulously combs through financial statements to verify every revenue stream. For example, we verify the payments made by the customers of private businesses. In addition, we ensure that non-profit organizations do not treat the promise of donations as donations that are listed in financial statements.

Bill Payments

It is one thing to confirm every revenue stream. It is quite another to pay every bill. One of the key services provided by an independent auditor is to ensure clients pay every bill. A surprising number of both private and non-profit organizations fail to keep up with their debt obligations. From not paying rent to failing to cover loan payments, falling behind on bills is a recipe for financial disaster. The independent auditors at Ernst Wintter & Associates discover every unpaid bill to ensure our clients never fall into a deep financial hole.

Am I Required By Law to Use Broker Dealer Audit Services Regularly?

Broker dealers represent businesses that buy and sell securities either for themselves or on behalf of clients. To follow the guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), broker dealers must have their financial statements examined by an independent accounting firm. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 grants management of the auditors of broker dealers to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).

The question is not should firms that buy and sell securities use broker dealer audit services. The answer clearly is yes as mandated by the SEC and closely monitored by the PCAOB. The question becomes how often do broker dealers have to undergo independent audits by firms such as Ernst Wintter & Associates? To comply with SEC regulations, broker dealers should use broker dealer audit services every one to four years. However, receiving an independent audit at least one time a year ensures compliance with PCAOB inspection and registration guidelines, as well as SEC regulations.

What Does the Law Require From Broker Dealers?

When broker dealers file their reports with the SEC, they are required by federal law to include financial statements and every supporting schedule. They also must submit the audit reports compiled by an independent accounting firm that is registered with the PCAOB. Broker dealers use broker dealer audit services to file exemption and compliance reports, along with review and examination documents prepared by the same independent accounting firm that prepared the audit reports.

The Dodd-Frank Act authorizes the PCAOB to create an inspection program for the independent accountants that provide broker dealer audit services. Most of the federal law regulating broker dealer audit services gives the PCAOB flexibility in determining the scope of inspections, as well as how often they must occur. Every audit conducted by accountants that provide broker dealer audit services must comply with PCAOB standards.

What Are the Standards for Providing Broker Dealer Audit Services?

One standard required by the PCAOB concerns the requirements broker dealers must follow when adding statements to their financial reports. According to the PCAOB, broker dealers must gather sufficient evidence based on empirical data to comply with the examination standards established by the PCAOB. Independent accounting firms that provide broker dealer audit services must follow all examination standards during the most recent fiscal year. The examination standards monitored by the PCAOB also should consider the risk of fraud, which includes the abuse of consumer financial assets.

Every examination standard created and monitored by the PCAOB should be implemented based on the size and organizational structure of an audited broker dealer. The PCAOB defines what qualifies exemptions of certain information to ensure broker dealers do not omit critical financial data and information. According to SEC Rule 17a-5, independent accounting firms that provide broker dealer audit services must obtain assurance from broker dealers that the audit broker dealers meet the exemption requirements set forth by the PCAOB.

The goal of the standards created and implemented by the PCAOB is to persuade broker dealers to maintain and present accurate financial records.

The Bottom Line: Broker Dealers Should Use Broker Dealer Audit Services Regularly

Federal law requires broker dealers to undergo financial inspections conducted by an independent accounting firm. Although broker dealers have up to four years to complete independent audits, they should consider completing audits at least one time a year to comply fully with SEC and PCAOB guidelines and standards.

South of Houston Street

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Habitasse platea dictumst quisque sagittis.

Quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar etiam non. Accumsan sit amet nulla facilisi morbi tempus iaculis urna id. Pharetra sit amet aliquam id diam. Vitae aliquet nec ullamcorper sit amet risus nullam eget felis. Blandit turpis cursus in hac habitasse platea. Auctor eu augue ut lectus. Mauris in aliquam sem fringilla ut morbi. Tellus orci ac auctor augue mauris augue neque gravida. Amet mauris commodo quis imperdiet massa. Porta non pulvinar neque laoreet suspendisse interdum consectetur libero. Ultricies integer quis auctor elit sed vulputate mi sit. Placerat in egestas erat imperdiet. Fermentum leo vel orci porta. Sed sed risus pretium quam vulputate.

Vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales ut eu sem. Nullam eget felis eget nunc lobortis. Nibh sit amet commodo nulla. Rhoncus urna neque viverra justo nec. Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus. Integer eget aliquet nibh praesent tristique magna. Sem nulla pharetra diam sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum. Commodo viverra maecenas accumsan lacus vel. In fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci phasellus egestas tellus rutrum. Ullamcorper dignissim cras tincidunt lobortis feugiat vivamus at augue. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum. Volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu ac tortor. Pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh. Turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed sed risus. Augue ut lectus arcu bibendum at varius vel.

Massa tempor nec feugiat nisl pretium fusce id. Pellentesque dignissim enim sit amet. Mattis ullamcorper velit sed ullamcorper morbi tincidunt ornare massa. Ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus. Consequat ac felis donec et odio pellentesque. Urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id. Condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar. Mauris ultrices eros in cursus turpis. Feugiat nibh sed pulvinar proin. Venenatis a condimentum vitae sapien. Ut faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat. Facilisis leo vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget nulla facilisi. Diam volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus. Et netus et malesuada fames. Aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat. Faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat ac. Diam vulputate ut pharetra sit.

Vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales ut eu sem. Nullam eget felis eget nunc lobortis. Nibh sit amet commodo nulla. Rhoncus urna neque viverra justo nec. Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus. Integer eget aliquet nibh praesent tristique magna. Sem nulla pharetra diam sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum. Commodo viverra maecenas accumsan lacus vel. In fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci phasellus egestas tellus rutrum. Ullamcorper dignissim cras tincidunt lobortis feugiat vivamus at augue. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum. Volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu ac tortor. Pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh. Turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed sed risus. Augue ut lectus arcu bibendum at varius vel.

Massa tempor nec feugiat nisl pretium fusce id. Pellentesque dignissim enim sit amet. Mattis ullamcorper velit sed ullamcorper morbi tincidunt ornare massa. Ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus. Consequat ac felis donec et odio pellentesque. Urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id. Condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar. Mauris ultrices eros in cursus turpis. Feugiat nibh sed pulvinar proin. Venenatis a condimentum vitae sapien. Ut faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat. Facilisis leo vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget nulla facilisi. Diam volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus. Et netus et malesuada fames. Aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat. Faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat ac. Diam vulputate ut pharetra sit.

Summers in Manhattan

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Habitasse platea dictumst quisque sagittis.

Quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar etiam non. Accumsan sit amet nulla facilisi morbi tempus iaculis urna id. Pharetra sit amet aliquam id diam. Vitae aliquet nec ullamcorper sit amet risus nullam eget felis. Blandit turpis cursus in hac habitasse platea. Auctor eu augue ut lectus. Mauris in aliquam sem fringilla ut morbi. Tellus orci ac auctor augue mauris augue neque gravida. Amet mauris commodo quis imperdiet massa. Porta non pulvinar neque laoreet suspendisse interdum consectetur libero. Ultricies integer quis auctor elit sed vulputate mi sit. Placerat in egestas erat imperdiet. Fermentum leo vel orci porta. Sed sed risus pretium quam vulputate.

Vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales ut eu sem. Nullam eget felis eget nunc lobortis. Nibh sit amet commodo nulla. Rhoncus urna neque viverra justo nec. Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus. Integer eget aliquet nibh praesent tristique magna. Sem nulla pharetra diam sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum. Commodo viverra maecenas accumsan lacus vel. In fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci phasellus egestas tellus rutrum. Ullamcorper dignissim cras tincidunt lobortis feugiat vivamus at augue. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum. Volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu ac tortor. Pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh. Turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed sed risus. Augue ut lectus arcu bibendum at varius vel.

Massa tempor nec feugiat nisl pretium fusce id. Pellentesque dignissim enim sit amet. Mattis ullamcorper velit sed ullamcorper morbi tincidunt ornare massa. Ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus. Consequat ac felis donec et odio pellentesque. Urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id. Condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar. Mauris ultrices eros in cursus turpis. Feugiat nibh sed pulvinar proin. Venenatis a condimentum vitae sapien. Ut faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat. Facilisis leo vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget nulla facilisi. Diam volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus. Et netus et malesuada fames. Aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat. Faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat ac. Diam vulputate ut pharetra sit.

Vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales ut eu sem. Nullam eget felis eget nunc lobortis. Nibh sit amet commodo nulla. Rhoncus urna neque viverra justo nec. Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus. Integer eget aliquet nibh praesent tristique magna. Sem nulla pharetra diam sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum. Commodo viverra maecenas accumsan lacus vel. In fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci phasellus egestas tellus rutrum. Ullamcorper dignissim cras tincidunt lobortis feugiat vivamus at augue. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum. Volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu ac tortor. Pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh. Turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed sed risus. Augue ut lectus arcu bibendum at varius vel.

Massa tempor nec feugiat nisl pretium fusce id. Pellentesque dignissim enim sit amet. Mattis ullamcorper velit sed ullamcorper morbi tincidunt ornare massa. Ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus. Consequat ac felis donec et odio pellentesque. Urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id. Condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar. Mauris ultrices eros in cursus turpis. Feugiat nibh sed pulvinar proin. Venenatis a condimentum vitae sapien. Ut faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat. Facilisis leo vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget nulla facilisi. Diam volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus. Et netus et malesuada fames. Aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat. Faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat ac. Diam vulputate ut pharetra sit.

Life in the City

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Habitasse platea dictumst quisque sagittis.

Quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar etiam non. Accumsan sit amet nulla facilisi morbi tempus iaculis urna id. Pharetra sit amet aliquam id diam. Vitae aliquet nec ullamcorper sit amet risus nullam eget felis. Blandit turpis cursus in hac habitasse platea. Auctor eu augue ut lectus. Mauris in aliquam sem fringilla ut morbi. Tellus orci ac auctor augue mauris augue neque gravida. Amet mauris commodo quis imperdiet massa. Porta non pulvinar neque laoreet suspendisse interdum consectetur libero. Ultricies integer quis auctor elit sed vulputate mi sit. Placerat in egestas erat imperdiet. Fermentum leo vel orci porta. Sed sed risus pretium quam vulputate.

Vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales ut eu sem. Nullam eget felis eget nunc lobortis. Nibh sit amet commodo nulla. Rhoncus urna neque viverra justo nec. Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus. Integer eget aliquet nibh praesent tristique magna. Sem nulla pharetra diam sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum. Commodo viverra maecenas accumsan lacus vel. In fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci phasellus egestas tellus rutrum. Ullamcorper dignissim cras tincidunt lobortis feugiat vivamus at augue. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum. Volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu ac tortor. Pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh. Turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed sed risus. Augue ut lectus arcu bibendum at varius vel.

Massa tempor nec feugiat nisl pretium fusce id. Pellentesque dignissim enim sit amet. Mattis ullamcorper velit sed ullamcorper morbi tincidunt ornare massa. Ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus. Consequat ac felis donec et odio pellentesque. Urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id. Condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar. Mauris ultrices eros in cursus turpis. Feugiat nibh sed pulvinar proin. Venenatis a condimentum vitae sapien. Ut faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat. Facilisis leo vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget nulla facilisi. Diam volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus. Et netus et malesuada fames. Aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat. Faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat ac. Diam vulputate ut pharetra sit.

Vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales ut eu sem. Nullam eget felis eget nunc lobortis. Nibh sit amet commodo nulla. Rhoncus urna neque viverra justo nec. Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus. Integer eget aliquet nibh praesent tristique magna. Sem nulla pharetra diam sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum. Commodo viverra maecenas accumsan lacus vel. In fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci phasellus egestas tellus rutrum. Ullamcorper dignissim cras tincidunt lobortis feugiat vivamus at augue. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum. Volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu ac tortor. Pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh. Turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed sed risus. Augue ut lectus arcu bibendum at varius vel.

Massa tempor nec feugiat nisl pretium fusce id. Pellentesque dignissim enim sit amet. Mattis ullamcorper velit sed ullamcorper morbi tincidunt ornare massa. Ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus. Consequat ac felis donec et odio pellentesque. Urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id. Condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Quis varius quam quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar. Mauris ultrices eros in cursus turpis. Feugiat nibh sed pulvinar proin. Venenatis a condimentum vitae sapien. Ut faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat. Facilisis leo vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget nulla facilisi. Diam volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus. Et netus et malesuada fames. Aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat. Faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat ac. Diam vulputate ut pharetra sit.