How To Conduct An Effective Audit Prep

By Ann Phillips


Quality audit is one of the key management tools for achieving the objectives set out in order to verify that all the units working in a system are contributing wholesomely to the overall objective of the organization. It also provides an opportunity to identify any loopholes and bottlenecks therefore a crucial consideration in management of a business unit.The assessors may not be considerate about any good intentions you may have to address the problem later therefore making audit prep a very crucial process for any client.

Make sure that you are in a position to clearly and credibly explain on how your tax accountant came up with the figures in the return when you go into the audit.Effective and efficient fraud prevention is the main objective of every assessor participating in the assessment. You therefore have to ensure that your system is free of gray areas that may raise such concerns with the auditor.

State auditors are trained to find every penny of unpaid or uncollected tax during the assessment period, which is typically three to four years depending on the state conducting the assessment. You can avoid an audit if you document any unusual activity. Quality Management assessment requires systematic investigation of an organization or department to determine effectiveness of the Quality System implemented.

As part of the preparations, hiring a consultant to guide you through is also a good idea. This is the recommended practice, but there are other preparations your company can make in case of an audit. Keep accurate and extensive records of all business dealings this includes all meetings and transactions no matter how small.

The same thing is true for any very large medical deductions; attaching the bill to your return will help you avoid an IRS assessment. Ask the assessor to provide you for a list of the information they will be looking for. For the assessment to go easily, these records should be organized in a logical fashion.

Cash flows and cash transactions of the lending company will be carefully scrutinized. Accounting errors and discrepancy will also be most likely be monitored. The total assets and financial status of the lending institution will also be examined. Every reliable data will be gathered and checked. Knowing what questions will be asked in advance allows you to prepare your answers ahead of time, giving you an immediate advantage.

Having this list of information will allow you to gather the things the auditor asks for first. By being able to break down what documents are important, you will be able to maximize the time you spend preparing. When the team leader is satisfied with the evidence presented he/she in turn may discuss any non-compliance with the representative of the client to seek agreement that they exist.

But remember, many assessments result in no change if the detailed information on the return is accurate. An auditor or an attorney will go through every guidelines, rules, regulations, documents and agreements the lending institution have transacted through a specific period, sometimes even through the whole existence of the lending company. Being single-minded will help speed the process along.




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