The Changing Face of Auditor Reporting in the Broker-Dealer Industry

Abstract

SUMMARY The broker-dealer (BD) industry is facing increasing scrutiny because of the recent financial crisis and well-publicized scandals. As is often the case for public companies, a root cause of the problems underlying scandals in the BD sector is ineffective internal controls. This paper describes the current regulatory environment for auditors of BDs, focusing on Congressional actions taken, as well as guidance for auditors in preparing their reports on clients' internal controls and compliance with regulations as required by the SEC. We describe aspects of current attestation standards contributing to uncertainty with respect to the level of assurance that auditors should obtain when evaluating their clients' internal controls for purposes of SEC reporting, and evidence from regulators on the variability in audit quality. Then, we describe the SEC's proposed changes to BD reporting and the PCAOB's proposal for related attestation standards. We conclude with some thoughts about the implications of these proposals for auditing and reporting in this important industry sector.