Fabrication Holdings Ltd. (FH) has been a client of KFP Partners for many years. You are an audit senior and have been assigned to the FH audit for the first time for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012. You are completing the audit planning for the property, plant, and equipment (PPE) account class, which is one of FH's most material balances. You are also aware that FH has made a large investment in a new manufacturing process to place itself in a more competitive position. Your analytical procedures indicate an increase in acquisitions of PPE.
You are testing the appropriateness of the depreciation rate assigned to PPE, and whether it is consistent with the present condition and expected use of the assets over their remaining life. You have sampled 35 PPE items, with a total dollar value of $1,145,000. The results show that for the sample items, some depreciation rates were too low and/or the remaining useful life of the equipment was overstated by management. Together, these issues produce an error in the sample of $48,500. FH has a profit before tax for the current year of $1,875,000, and a PPE account balance at the end of the year of $11,345,000.
Required
Discuss the appropriate method of sampling PPE for the planned tests of depreciation. Define the population. What assertions are most at risk?