Question - You are a seasoned senior auditor at a large CPA firm. Assurance and attestation services are an important part of your firm's business. You have been assigned a new, inexperienced staff member to mentor, train, and make a part of the audit team you are in charge of. You only have a few days in the office before your next engagement begins, and you need to outline for the new staffer what to expect as part of her work.
Prepare a memorandum of 2-3 pages to the new staff member in which you do the following:
Explain attestation services and how the statement of standards on auditors addresses these services.
Outline the differences between the various types of attestation services that auditors can perform.
Answer the following questions in the memo:
What types of assurance can be provided by the auditor?
What level of assurance is provided by each type of service?
What are some examples of attestation services?
What authoritative source should auditors look toward for guidance, and how does this differ from government standards?