Presented by:Gayle L. Cagianut, CPA

CAGIANUT & COMPANY, CPAACCOUNTING SEMINAR 10-23-15

A clean audit from start to finish!Performance at its best ~

SUPER CHARGE YOUR ACCOUNTING:

SPEED, POWER AND VICTORY!

START YOUR ENGINES!!

Before the Audit Process Begins

GETTING READY…

DO’S & DON’TS

DO:

• Make sure you have documentation or explanation for all material balances on the financial statements.

• Have year-end statements for ALL (that means ALL) cash and investments

DON’T:

• Expect the auditor to “fix” the financial statements.

• Do NOT make adjustments after issuing reports.

• Do not give us reports that don’t agree.

GETTING THE GREEN FLAG

Starting the Audit Process

GETTING THE DOCUMENTS TO AUDITORElectronic• Using C&C DropBox• E-mail• Allowing C&C Access to System

Paper Files • Shipped at C&C expense• In a few cases, picked up by C&C

Most importantly – take the time to ensure that the files are complete

COMMUNICATION DURING THE AUDIT PROCESS• Who – your end??

– We try and ask the right questions of the right people. If we miss it – let us know!

• Who – our end?– Tax extension, starting audit process, preauditor, auditor & reviewer

• Timeliness is VERY important– Let us know if this is not a good time for you so we can put the audit aside and not keep bugging you.– Within 2-3 days seems reasonable to us

CAUTION!!! YELLOW FLAG

Warning: Crash Ahead or Debris on the Track

Those Accounting Issues That Get Us Off Track

WHAT BRINGS OUT THE YELLOW FLAG:• Bad Debts

• Foreclosures, etc.

• Per Use Fees

• Fixed Assets

• Insurance Claims

• Management Transitions

• Fund Reconciliations

• Special Assessments

BAD DEBTS• Determining the Allowance for Bad Debts

– It is an ESTIMATE– Must be made by the Association, not us

• Writing off the Bad Debt – Board decision– Write off to expense or against allowance?

• Adjusting the Allowance During the Year– Depends

• Bad Debt Recovery– Current year income

FORECLOSURES, ETC• Is it an Association asset?

• How to account for the Receivable at the time of possession

• Continuing Monthly Assessments

• Other Costs

• Renting out the unit - from an accountant’s standpoint

• What if additional monies are received from bank?

• When the units sells…and there is a profit

PER USE FEES

•Types of Per Use Fees•Accounting for Per Use Fees•Internal Controls•Taxation of Per Use Fees

PER USE FEES

•Types of Per Use Fees–Move In/Out Fees–Guest Suite Rentals–Parking/Storage Rentals–Other Amenity Usages–Laundry

PER USE FEES

•Accounting for Per Use Fees–Separate income category for significant amounts

–Offsetting expenses should clearly be identified in a separate expense account

PER USE FEES

•Internal Controls–Completeness is the objective–Fraud OR Error–Independent verification–Reconciliation, Review or Random–Document

PER USE FEES

•Taxation of Net Per Use Fees–Form 1120-H – Taxable unless charged annually

–Form 1120 – Nonmember income is taxable

FIXED ASSETS• GAAP – Real Property

– Real Property Directly Associated with Units– Real Property Not Directly Associated with Units– Removing Real Property from Financial Statements

• GAAP - Personal Property

• Accounting – Operating Fund– How to account when reserve monies are used to purchase asset

• Depreciation

• Capitalization policy

INSURANCE CLAIMS

• Segregate Accounting•Reconcile to Insurance Claim Documents•Defer Insurance Proceeds when

appropriate• Excess Insurance Proceeds

MANAGEMENT TRANSITIONS• What to DO

– Enter financial statement balances exactly as shown on the last financial statement/general ledger

– Include ALL A/R as shown on the prior aging report– Verify that equity agrees– Enter year-to-date income statement balances.– Enter transition adjustments in a separate equity

account– Keep documentation and backup of the transition

reports , reconciliations and adjustments

MANAGEMENT TRANSITIONS• What NOT to do

– Enter the bank balance and not the reconciled bank balance• Do not ignore outstanding checks, deposits in transit and

other reconciling items– Use a financial statement that is not the final from

prior management company – different cut-off dates

Let’s agree to cooperate with one another!

FUND RECONCILIATIONS• Fund Accounting is not required, but recommended

– FASB – More informative to users– Recommended by CAI and most CPAs

• Accounting Basics– Keeping the Fund in Balance!

• Due Between Funds

• Transfer Between Funds

Accounting – Provide the Reconciliation so the Board, with Management’s input, can decide!

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS & LOANSBasic Scenario• The Association has a major project.

• It is decided that there will be a special assessment.

• The members have the option of paying their portion in full or over time.

• The Association gets a bank loan for those members that are financing

• The unit owners who pay over time pay interest per loan.

• The bank loan is repaid at the same rate as the special assessments are billed/paid.

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS & LOANSAccounting Basics • A 3rd Fund should be considered.

• Separate cash account and chart of accounts set up.

• Loan is recorded on books & adjusted monthly.

• Additional principal payments are sent to the bank to reduce the loan.

• Amortization schedules are required for EACH owner

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS & LOANSPerfect World• The special assessment and the loan amount agree at the onset.

• The loan date agrees with the date of the special assessment.

• As payoffs are made, the loan is reduced and/or monthly loan payments are made at the same time as the special assessment payments ~ the loan and special assessment receivable will be reducing at the same rate and they will agree.

• The loan automatically re-amortizes.

• The loan interest coming agrees with the loan interest paid out.

• A true “matching” of monies in and monies out occurs.

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS & LOANSReal World - Part 1• The loan and special assessment dates/amounts do not agree.

• The expenses are over a period of time and the loan is on a draw system; thus, special assessment is being paid ahead of or behind the actual expenses.

• The interest rates are not the same – either at the beginning or the loan resets and the special assessment does not.

• The Board decides to pay down the loan but the special assessments keep going on.

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS & LOANSReal World – Part 2• An additional principal payment is made and is missed being

sent to the bank.– Interest continues to accrue.

• There is a bad debt write-off and that additional amount is not paid to the bank.– Interest continues to accrue.

• A unit pays off (either “just because” or at escrow) and accounting misses it and keeps billing the unit.

• Etc, Etc. Etc

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS & LOANSFull Receivable Method of Accounting for SA•The “pro’s” of this method of accounting:

No negative fund balance/equity (“perfect world”). The receivable is on the books so that everyone is aware of the

responsibility of the owner to pay this assessment over time.•The “con’s” of this method of accounting

Requires an elaborate accounting system – especially when there are various amortization schedules for units

AR systems may not be able to handle inclusion of the full AR on the books – without trying to assess late fees, lien, etc.

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS & LOANSAnnual Assessment Method• The “pro’s” of this method of accounting:

– Bookkeeping is much easier.– The financial statements may be easier to understand for

non-accountants.– The assessment amount received should be what is

budgeted (except for payoffs).

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS & LOANSAnnual Assessment Method• The “con’s” of this method of accounting

– There is a large negative fund balance for the life of the loan,

– The total receivable does not show on on the A/R ledger, so separate “off books” ledgers must be kept to ensure payoff at the time of sale of the unit.

– A separate reconciliation of remaining AR to loan balance should be kept, or prepared at least annually, to ensure that there are adequate monies to repay the loan and to ensure that payoffs have not occurred and not been sent to the bank.

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS & LOANS

Which Method is Correct??–BOTH (for now)–But..whatever method you choose

– do it right!

This is the #1 reason we cannot give an audit opinion

CHECKERED FLAGTaking It to the Finish Line

What to do at the End of the Audit

FINISHING THE RACE (AUDIT):• Review the Internal Control Points

• Make sure the tax return is filed

• Post the adjusting journal entries– Use One Balance Sheet Only Method– Post ALL or NONE of the AJEs– What to reverse – RECONCILE EQUITY IF AJES ARE POSTED!– If not posting AJEs look at carryover balances that make no sense.

REVIEW INTERNAL CONTROL POINTS• CFO/Lead Accountant should be receiving and reviewing

• Review while in DRAFT mode. Ask the following: Is there a process that needs to be revised? Are there controls that are missing? Does the staff need additional training? Did the auditor make an error in fact or judgment? Is there additional information that we neglected to provide ? Are there subsequent events that could mitigate the point?

• Use as Educational tool to better your firm and systems

MAKE SURE TAX RETURN IS FILED

• And…– Taxes are paid, if needed– Estimated tax payments are set up to be paid, if

appropriate

POST ADJUSTING JOURNAL ENTRIES…OR NOT

• # 1 Rule – Post ALL or None of the Entries

• If you post ALL the adjusting journal entries, be sure and reconcile equity. The adjusted beginning equity should agree with the ending equity in the audit.

• IF only posting a few adjustments – Separate equity account– Document and Identify

POST ADJUSTING JOURNAL ENTRIES…OR NOTONE BALANCE SHEET ENTRY (OBSE) – preferred• The audit adjustments will have no impact on the current year’s

budget.

• The year-end financial statements were issued to the Board

• The OBSE highlights that beginning equity was revised.

• Interim financial statements are not GAAP anyway.

• In most cases, the impact to the operating expenses is not material. Thus, we feel that the Board can manage to the exception rather than re-stating the prior year reports.

POST ADJUSTING JOURNAL ENTRIES…OR NOTWhat/When to reverse audit entries?• Leave on books all year

– Most common– Explain to Board that these are audit adjustments.

• Reverse accruals and accrue as needed during year– Prepaid Insurance, Accounts Payable, Prepaid Expenses, Other Liabilities,

Deferred Income– Be sure and not distort next year’s income

• Reverse specific adjustments – to a separate equity account

WINNERS CIRCLE

(Some interesting facts about this industry)

WASHINGTON – 9TH IN THE US!!

GROWTH INDUSTRY

LOOK AT THE $$$ !!!

THIS IS YOUR INDUSTRY!

WWW.HOACPA.COMThank you!!!