Busch Corporation has an existing loan in the amount of $4.5 million with an annual interest rate of 5.5%. The company provides an internal company-prepared financial statement to the bank under the loan agreement. Two competing banks have offered to replace Busch Corporation's existing loan agreement with a new one. United National Bank has offered to loan Busch $4.5 million at a rate of 4.5% but requires Busch to provide financial statements that have been reviewed by a CPA firm. First City Bank has offered to loan Busch $4.5 million at a rate of 3.5% but requires Busch to provide financial statements that have been audited by a CPA firm. Busch Corporation's controller approached a CPA firm and was given an estimated cost of $20,000 to perform a review and $45,000 to perform an audit.

Required
a. Explain why the interest rate for the loan that requires a review report is lower than that for the loan that did not require a review. Explain why the interest rate for the loan that requires an audit report is lower than the interest rate for the other two loans.
b. Calculate Busch Corporation's annual costs under each loan agreement, including interest and costs for the CPA firm's services. Indicate whether Busch should keep its existing loan, accept the offer from United National Bank, or accept the offer from First City Bank.
c. Assume that United National Bank has offered the loan at a rate of 4.0% with a review, and the cost of the audit has increased to $55,000 due to new auditing standards requirements. Indicate whether Busch should keep its existing loan, accept the offer from United National Bank, or accept the offer from First City Bank.
d. Discuss why Busch may desire to have an audit, ignoring the potential reduction in interest costs.
e. Explain how a strategic understanding of the client's business may increase the value of the audit service.