It is important to ensure that service providers are aligned with your firm’s culture, values, management, staff, clients and operations, therefore there are many issues to consider when choosing a SMSF auditor.
While the most common question will be in relation to price, it is definitely not the most important.
The thought of having to select a new SMSF auditor for any practitioner can be overwhelming. The relationship between the SMSF auditor and accountant is a unique one that has to be built on mutual respect and professional trust.
This checklist is provided as a starting point only, to which you can add your own list of customised questions to complete your due diligence. Then you will be able to make an informed choice and select the SMSF audit firm that is right for you.
The following checklist should help you assess and select the right SMSF auditor.
Checklist
Questions/Issues: Are they in order Y/N
Is your SMSF auditor registered with ASIC? Individuals are registered with ASIC, not the firm.
Does the firm’s website show the names of their approved auditors?
Do you know who you are dealing with?
Is the person on ASIC’s banned and disqualified SMSF auditor list?
Are you outsourcing audits to a SMSF audit firm who will then outsource your SMSF audits to another firm?
Do your research on the firm you intend using.
How long have they been operating?
Who are the Directors/Principals? Do they have a good reputation?
Will your SMSF audits be processed offshore? There is an obligation under APES 110 to inform clients if their work is not processed in Australia. This responsibility should be addressed in the initial terms of engagement letter between the client and the Accountant.
Will you have to reissue a terms of engagement letter to your client?
Do you have to email your documents to the firm?
Does the firm have systems in place to ensure your information remains confidential?
Does the SMSF audit firm provide access to an audit portal or client portal?
Do you know in which country your client’s confidential information is being held or transited through?
How secure is the portal? What platform is used to receive and store documents?
Cloud-based systems have been hacked several times over the past couple of years – is your client’s sensitive financial information secure?
Does the firm have an outsourcing agreement?
The agreement should set out the firm’s approach to providing their services and should be developed in accordance with APES 110, APES 320 & APES 325.
Will they provide an SMSF audit checklist?
Do you know what documents are required for the audit?
Is there a record of documents already provided and/or uploaded to the portal?
This can save a lot of time and discussion between parties if there is a breakdown in the audit process.
What is the turnaround time to complete work?
Are they proactive or reactive to your practice’s workflow requirements?
What is the turnaround time during peak periods?
Will you miss your lodgement deadline?
When you provide fund documents, are you emailed back a signed audit report almost immediately?
As there will almost always be additional documents required for the audit, this may indicate that the audit is not being undertaken in line with professional standards and legislation.
Are management letters provided?
Best practice is that a management letter is always provided, even if there are no additional comments addressed to the trustees.
Do they provide SMSF technical advice and assistance?
Does the firm provide SMSF advice that will assist in rectifying breaches?
Do you have to pay extra for this service?
Is the firm a dedicated SMSF audit firm?
Do they provide any other services?
Will independence be an issue?
Are property title searches undertaken annually?
This confirms that the trustees have been correctly registered on the title and also ensures that there are no mortgages or encumbrances on the property.
Are bank audit certificates obtained?
What if the cash component is material?
Once again, confirmation of correct title ownership is important, which may not be shown by the bank statements alone.
BACs can also highlight other issues, such as whether there is an encumbrance or lien on the investment, whether the bank account went into overdraft, etcetera.
If you would like to know more about how Chan & Naylor Audit Services can help you and your business, please go to the
Chan & Naylor website and ask for a FREE ten minute phone call with one of our Auditing Team. Alternatively please call 1300 250 122.