Effective for audits of financial statements for periods ending on or after December 15, 2021, the...

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Effective for audits of financial statements for periods ending on or after December 15, 2021, the AICPA has mandated a new audit report. [SAS 134, AU-C Section 700 "Forming an Opinion and Reporting on Financial Statements"] Below contains the new Audit report that will affect most audits for the year 2021. Independent Auditor's Report [SAS 134] Effective December 15, 2021 [NEW REPORT] [Appropriate Addressee] Report on the Audit of the Financial Statements Opinion [PARAGRAPH A] We have audited the financial statements of ABC Company, which comprise the balance sheet as of December 31, 20X1, and the related statements of income, changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for the year then ended, and the related notes to the financial statements. In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of ABC Company as of December 31, 20X1, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Basis for Opinion [PARAGRAPH B] We conducted our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAS). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are required to be independent of ABC Company and to meet our other ethical responsibilities, in accordance with the relevant ethical requirements relating to our audit. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion. Responsibilities of Management for the Financial Statements [PARAGRAPH C] Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and for the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, management is required to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about ABC Company's ability to continue as a going concern for [insert the time period set by the applicable financial reporting framework]. Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements [PARAGRAPH D] Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not absolute assurance and therefore is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with GAAS will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control. Misstatements are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users made on the basis of these financial statements. In performing an audit in accordance with GAAS, we: Exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, and design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks. Such procedures include examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of ABC Company's internal control. Accordingly, no such opinion is expressed. Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluate the overall presentation of the financial statements. Conclude whether, in our judgment, there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about ABC Company's ability to continue as a going concern for a reasonable period of time. We are required to communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit, significant audit findings, and certain internal control-related matters that we identified during the audit. [Signature of the auditor's firm] [City and state where the auditor's report is issued] [Date of the auditor's report] Required: For each of the stated seven items below from the standard auditor's report, identify the Paragraph (A to D above) where this stated item should be found. #1 Reference to the auditing standards used by the auditor #2 Professional Skepticism was used in conducting the audit #3 Defines fraud as possible collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control #4 The auditor considered the estimates made by management in the financial statements #5 The evaluation to continue as a "going concern" #6 The "opinion" rendered by the CPA firm #7 Obtaining an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit Paragraph Effective for audits of financial statements for periods ending on or after December 15, 2021, the AICPA has mandated a new audit report. [SAS 134, AU-C Section 700 "Forming an Opinion and Reporting on Financial Statements"] Below contains the new Audit report that will affect most audits for the year 2021. Independent Auditor's Report [SAS 134] Effective December 15, 2021 [NEW REPORT] [Appropriate Addressee] Report on the Audit of the Financial Statements Opinion [PARAGRAPH A] We have audited the financial statements of ABC Company, which comprise the balance sheet as of December 31, 20X1, and the related statements of income, changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for the year then ended, and the related notes to the financial statements. In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of ABC Company as of December 31, 20X1, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Basis for Opinion [PARAGRAPH B] We conducted our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAS). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are required to be independent of ABC Company and to meet our other ethical responsibilities, in accordance with the relevant ethical requirements relating to our audit. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion. Responsibilities of Management for the Financial Statements [PARAGRAPH C] Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and for the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, management is required to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about ABC Company's ability to continue as a going concern for [insert the time period set by the applicable financial reporting framework]. Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements [PARAGRAPH D] Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not absolute assurance and therefore is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with GAAS will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control. Misstatements are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users made on the basis of these financial statements. In performing an audit in accordance with GAAS, we: Exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, and design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks. Such procedures include examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of ABC Company's internal control. Accordingly, no such opinion is expressed. Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluate the overall presentation of the financial statements. Conclude whether, in our judgment, there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about ABC Company's ability to continue as a going concern for a reasonable period of time. We are required to communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit, significant audit findings, and certain internal control-related matters that we identified during the audit. [Signature of the auditor's firm] [City and state where the auditor's report is issued] [Date of the auditor's report] Required: For each of the stated seven items below from the standard auditor's report, identify the Paragraph (A to D above) where this stated item should be found. #1 Reference to the auditing standards used by the auditor #2 Professional Skepticism was used in conducting the audit #3 Defines fraud as possible collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control #4 The auditor considered the estimates made by management in the financial statements #5 The evaluation to continue as a "going concern" #6 The "opinion" rendered by the CPA firm #7 Obtaining an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit Paragraph