Audit Help!

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  • #164931
    Kentucky1
    Member

    I am in need of some clarification for how I should handle some audit risk questions.

    Can you provide me with some of your thoughts concerning audit risk and when you would adjust IR and CR.

    From what I can gather IR and CR are the inverse of how your would assess DR. But that is about all I clearly understand.

    What are some of situation examples of when you would increase or decrease IR and CR? Is there ever a time where certain situations would cause you to change both at the same time?

    This seems to be a stumbling block that I can’t get over and I would appreciate the insight from some of you.

    Thanks.

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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  • #320271
    rknight21
    Participant

    I'll try my best to explain it… Bare with me since I took the exam last may….Firstly, you must know the equation:

    AR= IR x CR x DR….

    IR & CR together is the Risk of mistatement if I am not mistaken….

    Inherent risk is inherent risk… not much can be done to change this at times..

    with that said CR & DR are inversely related…..

    So the higher control risk is, the lower your detection risk would be… Why you ask? Because AR( audit risk)doesn't change….the variables CR & DR is adjusted accordingly to give the same AR…..

    Eg.

    If test of controls are being done and exceptions/weaknesses are observed, then CR is high. As a result DR is lowered. However when DR is lowered more Substantive test will need to be done…By more substantive test, I mean you would need to do more recalucations, testing more samples and investigating the details more….

    With that said, no one wants to do more substantive work…. I sure dont like do it…

    #320272
    Kentucky1
    Member

    Thanks for the response. IR & CR also has an inverse relationship as well, correct?

    #320273
    rknight21
    Participant

    check the link below…. IR & CR moves together… they are not inversely related

    http://www.buec.udel.edu/jenkinsd/Powerpoint/Chp05.ppt

    #320274
    Kentucky1
    Member

    Sorry for the typo…I meant IR & DR.

    #320275
    yankeeaccountant
    Participant

    @Kentucky

    yes. For me, it was easiest to look at this in a math sense. If I am always trying to keep the overall audit risk the same, then if: IR x CR increased in any way then I would have to reduce DR to come up with the same number. So,

    AR= (IRx CR ) X DR, if AR shouldn't change then the only way to compensate would be to lower/increase DR. This makes sense because Detection risk is the only thing the Auditor has control over. Inherent risk and Control risk is not something the Auditor has control over.

    FYI: Control risk and substantive tests move together.

    I just jumped in, hopefully I made some sense. Good luck.

    #320276
    Kentucky1
    Member

    What are some of the typical things that you would immediately look at and think that procedure either increases/decreases IR and CR?

    #320277
    yankeeaccountant
    Participant

    @kentucky

    Ok, so first I have to thank you. I like to try and answer questions, because it forces me to apply what I have learned or at the very least pull it out of my brain.

    I did a bit of research on your question, I went to the PCAOB site. I used derivatives/hedging as a general category that would increase inherent risk. Here are some details:

    there would be an increase in inherent risk if a company decided to venture into derivatives/hedging to offset price fluctuations in materials or investments (especially never having done it before)

    overall fluctuations in interest rate would increase inherent risk for a company that would be closely related/exposed to what their investment holdings may be, this could also extend to specific industries. For example, currently businesses related to the housing market probably have increased inherent risk.

    The increase in credit risk associated with amounts due under debt securities issued by entities that operate in declining industries increases the inherent risk for valuation assertions about those securities.

    I got most of this from PCAOB 332.08. I will add that I think of inherent risk similar to Beta. It is an overall risk. Think of stocks and what moves them and that is pretty much inherent risk. At least that is how I see it in my head.

    In terms of Control Risk………

    if there was a change in accounting systems for a business, that might increase control risk for the auditor. Some controls may be missing in the transition, and the controls haven't been reviewed as to their effectiveness.

    If a business had recently added a management override function

    If a business recently had large turnovers in its internal control department

    If a business had some management changes and the control environment has changed considerably

    If a business began issuing credit cards for travel purposes

    Ok, well that is what seems logical to me. Hope this helps. Good luck with Audit. It is MY beast. I know everybody has their own ! Now, back to Audit for me, I am reviewing internal control.

    Have a great weekend.

    #320278

    Also, while CR and DR are inversely related, remember that as CR increases you have to do additional substantive tests to reduce DR. I know this has basically been said already but its not as simple as saying when CR is high, DR is low. You have to make DR low by doing additional substantive testing. Sorry if this is redundant but I needed to make this clear before I understood it completely.

    REG - 7/23/11 - 87
    BEC - 8/30/11 - 78
    FAR - 11/23/11 - 89
    AUD - 1/14/12 - 88

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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