Tax Non-Audit Services and Client Income Tax Estimation Error

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preeti Choudhary ◽  
Allison Koester ◽  
Robert Pawlewicz
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Income Tax ◽  
Knowledge Spillovers ◽  
Estimation Error ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Policy Debate ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Accounting For Income Taxes ◽  
Non Audit Services

The provision of non-audit services (NAS) to audit clients can increase or decrease financial reporting quality, depending on whether NAS generate knowledge spillovers that enhance auditors’ judgments or self-review and self-interest threats that impair auditors’ independence. Prior research finds mixed evidence of a relation between tax NAS and clients’ (actual and potential) material GAAP violations in accounting for income taxes. As auditors are likely to avoid material GAAP violations, we re-examine this issue using a measure that reflects immaterial or within-GAAP estimation error in clients’ income tax expense. We find that greater amounts of tax NAS are associated with greater income tax estimation error, consistent with tax NAS threating auditors’ independence. The association is partially offset by auditor expertise and concentrated in engagements where auditors face both self-review and self-interest threats. Our findings inform the ongoing policy debate regarding whether accounting firms should provide tax NAS to their audit clients.

scholarly journals Does Selling Non-Audit Services Impair Auditor Independence? New Research Says, “Yes”

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. P1-P6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Causholli ◽  
Dennis J. Chambers ◽  
Jeff L. Payne
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Strong Evidence ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Auditor Independence ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Fresh Perspective ◽  
New Research ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Non Audit Services

SUMMARY A recently published academic study by Causholli, Chambers, and Payne (2014) brings new evidence to a long-standing debate about whether the provision of non-audit services (NAS) can impair auditor independence. Prior research on this question has largely found no evidence of lower financial reporting quality when auditors provide high levels of NAS. By considering the potential that future NAS, rather than current NAS levels, could impair auditor independence, Causholli et al. (2014) bring a fresh perspective on the question. They argue that it is the potential for new NAS revenue that would most likely cause auditors to have impaired independence. They find strong evidence that audit quality suffers when clients are willing to purchase future NAS from their auditor.

Internal control and financial reporting quality of small firms

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-246
Author(s):  
Jagan Krishnan ◽  
Jayanthi Krishnan ◽  
Sophie Liang
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Policy Debate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The Dodd–Frank Act of 2010 exempts small, non-accelerated filers from compliance with Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX) Section 404b internal control audits. However, these firms are required to comply with other internal control regulations, namely, SOX Sections 302 and 404a, starting in 2002 and 2007, respectively. A small number of these firms also voluntarily adopted (and sometimes dropped) Section 404b during 2004-2010. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of a series of internal control regulations introduced by SOX on the financial reporting quality of small firms. Design/methodology/approach The research design for this study is empirical. Using unsigned and signed discretionary accruals as measures of financial reporting quality, the authors compare the financial reporting quality for adopters and non-adopters across four regulation regimes over the period 2000-2010: PRESOX, SOX 302, SOX 404a and SOX 404b. Findings The results indicate that most of the adopters and non-adopters benefited from SOX 302 and 404a compared with the PRESOX period. However, only the non-adopters gained incrementally when moving from SOX 302 to SOX 404a. Also, Section 404b benefited firms with material weaknesses, as well as firms without material weaknesses that had the lowest reporting quality, in the PRESOX period. Research limitations/implications This study helps inform the important policy debate on whether to increase the threshold that is used for the SOX 404b exemption. It shows incremental benefits for firms that adopted Section 404b audits, even when they were complying with Section 302 and Section 404a. Consequently, extending the exemption to more companies would result in a loss of the reporting quality benefit of 404b. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by focusing exclusively on non-accelerated filers and by examining differences across four regulation regimes over a long window compared to prior studies. It provides evidence that the financial reporting benefit of SOX 404b is not transitional, but rather extends for a few years even after some firms discontinued the 404b audits.

scholarly journals The Impact of Corporate Governance Mechanisms on Compliance with IFRS and Financial Reporting Quality

2021 ◽  
pp. 57-79
Author(s):  
Cheng-Wen Lee Lee ◽  
Yi Tang Hu
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Governance Mechanisms ◽  
Corporate Governance Mechanisms ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Non Audit Services

The present study examines the impact of corporate governance mechanisms on compliance with IFRS and financial reporting quality, especially focusing on non-audit service and accountant’s tenure. The adoption of IFRS is launched in Taiwan since 2012. The study aims to investigate this issue using a sample of 3997 data gathered from listed companies traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange and OTC over the period from 2012 up to 2019. The results show the evidence to support that the collective effect of non-audit services/accountant’s tenure on audit quality has changed to be more influential. This research findings also open valuable insights to regulators, stock markets, practitioners, and academicians in this issue. JEL classification numbers: D22, G32, M41. Keywords: IFRS, Non-audit services, Accountant’s tenure.

scholarly journals GLOBAL ACCOUNTING REGULATION: IMPACT OF IFAC ON FINANCIAL REPORTING QUALITY

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Ayeni Popoola ◽  
Aina Adeyemi ◽  
Ibitoye Temitope
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Corporate Management ◽  
Corporate Boards ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Mandatory Requirement ◽  
Financial Infrastructure

This paper provides an analysis of various dimensions of accounting and corporate governance that have led to the currently troubling state of affairs in the financial reporting environment. Good Corporate Governance (GCG) is a mandatory requirement in today’s corporate world by every stakeholder groups. Failure of giant corporate groups in the last twothree decades strengthens the demand further. And surprisingly, in some of such failures, accounting as a discipline is held liable. The way accounting is practiced or the interpretations that may give different prescriptions in similar situations are some dark areas that may open some scope for the corrupted accountants. The paper covers the concept of corporate governance, its legal framework, its current status and how accounting may be practiced to protect corporates from corruption by establishing governance. The paper analyzes how IFAC is succeeding as an international standard setter with an established place in the global financial infrastructure and it reveals a growing reliance on governance by experts together with a growth in influence of the large, multinational accounting firms. Until corporate boards are truly independent of corporate management and are knowledgeable enough to act as effective shareholder advocates, changes in accounting will be of limited impact.

The Impact of Going Concern on Financial Reporting Quality: Evidence from Vietnam

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phung Anh Thu ◽  
Nguyen Vinh Khuong
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Financial Distress ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Viet Nam ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Going Concern ◽  
Debt Covenant

The investigation was conducted to contribute empirical evidence of the association between going concern and financial reporting quality of listed firms on the Vietnam stock market. Based on data from 279 companies listed on the HNX and HOSE exchanges in Vietnam for the period 2009-2015, the quantitative research. Results found that the relationship between the going concern and financial reporting quality of listed firms. Research results are significant for investors, regulators to the transparency of financial reporting information. Keywords Going concern, financial reporting quality, listed firms References Agrawal, K., & Chatterjee, C. (2015). Earnings management and financial distress: Evidence from India. Global Business Review, 16(5_suppl), 140S-154S.Bergstresser, D., & Philippon, T. (2006). CEO incentives and earnings management. Journal of Financial Economics, 80(3), 511–529.Burgstahler, D., & Dichev, I. (1997). Earnings management to avoid earnings decreases and losses. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 24(1), 99–126.Charitou, A., Lambertides, N., & Trigeorgis, L. (2007a). Earnings behaviour of financially distressed firms: The role of institutional ownership. Abacus, 43(3), 271–296.Chen, Y., Chen, C., & Huang, S. (2010). An appraisal of financially distressed companies’ earnings management: Evidence from listed companies in China. Pacific Accounting Review, 22(1), 22–41Dechow, P., & Dichev, I. (2002). The Quality of Accruals and Earnings: The Role of Accrual Estimation Errors. The Accounting Review, 77, 35-59.DeFond, M., & Jiambalvo, J. (1994). Debt covenant violation and manipulation of accruals. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 17(1), 145–176.DeFond, M.L., & Park, C.W. (1997). Smoothing income in anticipation of future earnings. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 23(2), 115–139.Dichev, I., & Skinner, D. (2004). Large sample evidence on the debt covenant hypothesis. Journal of Accounting Research, 40(4), 1091–1123.Đinh Thị Thu T., Nguyễn Vĩnh K. (2016). Tác động của hành vi điều chỉnh thu nhập đến khả năng hoạt động liên tục trong kế toán: Nghiên cứu thực nghiệm cho các doanh nghiệp niêm yết tại Việt Nam, Tạp chí phát triển khoa học và công nghệ, Quí 3, tr.96-108.Đỗ Thị Vân Trang (2015). Các mô hình đánh giá chất lượng báo cáo tài chính, Tạp chí chứng khoán Việt Nam, 200, tr 18-21.Habib, A., Uddin Bhuiyan, B., & Islam, A. (2013). Financial distress, earnings management and market pricing of accruals during the global financial crisis. Managerial Finance, 39(2), 155-180.Jaggi, B., & Lee, P. (2002). Earnings management response to debt covenant violations and debt restructuring. Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance, 17(4), 295–324.Kasznik, R., (1999). On the association between voluntary disclosure and earnings management. Journal of accounting research, 37(1), pp.57-81.Lu, J. (1999). An empirical study of earnings management by loss-making listed Chinese companies. KuaijiYanjiu (Accounting Research), (9), 25–35.McNichols, M.F. and Stubben, S.R., (2008). Does earnings management affect firms’ investment decisions?. The accounting review, 83(6), pp.1571-1603.Selahudin, N.F., Zakaria, N.B., & Sanusi, Z.M. (2014). Remodelling the earnings management with the appear- ance of leverage, financial distress and free cash flow: Malaysia and Thailand evidences. Journal of Applied Sciences, 14(21), 2644–2661.Skinner, D.J., & Sloan, R. (2002). Earnings surprises, growth expectations, and stock returns or don’t let an earnings torpedo sink your portfolio. Review of Accounting Studies, 7(2/3), 289–312.Sweeney, A.P., (1994). Debt-covenant violations and managers' accounting responses. Journal of Accounting & Economics, 17(3): 281-308.Trần Thị Thùy Linh, Mai Hoàng Hạnh (2015). Chất lượng báo cáo tài chính và kỳ hạn nợ ảnh hưởng đến hiệu quả hoạt động của doanh nghiệp Việt Nam, Tạp chí phát triển kinh tế, 10, tr.27-50.Trương Thị Thùy Dương (2017). Nâng cao chất lượng báo cáo tài chính công ty đại chúng, Tạp chí tài chính, 1(3), tr.55-56.Uwuigbe, Ranti, Bernard, (2015). Assessment of the effects of firm’s characteristics on earnings management of listed firms in Nigeria, Asian Economic and Financial Review,5(2):218-228.

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