Answered step by step
Verified Expert Solution
Question
1 Approved Answer
I need help with the following problem and I need to come up with about a list 7-10 in-depth questions and/or requests for additional information
I need help with the following problem and I need to come up with about a list 7-10 in-depth questions and/or requests for additional information that you would ask the CFO to provide in order to clarify the financial statement data. Data is enclosed
It was Tuesday, January 6, 20X2 and Tom Fasbee had just gotten back from a session of pickleball and lunch. Tom always enjoyed the week after New Year's. The weather was crisp, and his professional practice was underway in earnest. Tom was a partner in the CPA firm of Lake & Lock, a regional accounting firm headquartered in St. Louis. Tom always felt he was born to be an accountant and loved his job. His messages included a call from Nick Riley at Aguamaint, Inc. He and Nick were members of a local athletic club and Nick had just beaten him in two consecutive games. Tom was fairly certain that Nick had called to gloat a little. They had known each other about five years and enjoyed a healthy rivalry in both tennis and pickleball. Lake & Lock had a professional relationship with Nick and his family. It began in late 20X0 when Nick's father passed away and the firm helped settle the estate. Nick and his three sisters each received about $100,000 as their settlement. Nick was a mechanical engineer and was head of maintenance at a fair-sized chemical plant. Ray Ballard, a close friend of Nick's, managed the City Water District. Both men were recognized experts in hydraulics. For several years, Nick and Ray had discussed the market potential of providing hydraulic maintenance services on a contract basis to water districts, chemical plants, refineries, and pipeline pumping stations throughout the Midwest. Both men were convinced that it was more efficient for these enterprises to outsource maintenance services. With Nick's inherited wealth, the possibility of such a business arrangement became more real. The results of a market study proved to be quite promising, and preliminary negotiations resulted in seven maintenance contracts. So in early 20X1, Nick and Ray decided to incorporate a new company in the State of Missouri and named it Aguamaint, Inc. Ray thought it best to keep expenses as low as possible in the first couple of years, so called his cousin Melba Sanders to ask if Aguamaint could rent the empty warehouse she owned. She had been thinking about tearing the building down, but was happy to provide the space to Ray, at least for a while. Nick and Ray set up both their corporate office and maintenance shop in the warehouse. Melba was not interested in owning stock in the company, so they agreed on a cash price for the monthly rent and signed an agreement. The seven new maintenance contracts called for monthly fee payments that were billed and collected after the work was completed at month end. The fees for all seven contracts were fixed and covered all maintenance work, even though the amount of work performed might vary from period to period. Most customers paid off their accounts within 20 to 30 days. Aguamaint required its clients to purchase the material used in its maintenance services directly from third-party suppliers, who provided product warranties in some cases. Since one of the new contracts was with Nick's former employer, he was able to hire most of his former staff, and after extensive training, Aguamaint initiated operations with a competitive work force. Initial financing for the company came from friends and family, including two of Nick's sisters and Ray's father. Lake & Lock helped Aguamaint set up an accounting system and hired its bookkeeper, Jerry Loos. Tom returned Nick's call, and while Nick did gloat about his pickleball triumphs, he also had something else in mind. More contracts were about to materialize, but there was a need for additional financing to support equipment purchases. Aguamaint currently was operating with two rented crew trucks. The trucks were rigged with tooling, but not to the specifications necessary for efficient long-term operations, and they were not exactly new. Trucks with specially designed tooling would be required to handle the new contracts. So, Aguamaint decided to buy two new trucks with customized rigging. Other modifications would be added later in the company's shop, depending on future contract needs. To finance the truck purchases, Nick and Ray decided to approach Midwest Regional Bank about securing a loan commitment. They quickly learned that the bank required the company to provide certain financial information before making a loan decision. Jerry Loos had prepared financial statements as of December 31, 20X1, the end of the company's fiscal year. However, the bank wanted a CPA firm to provide assurances on the integrity of the financial statements in the form of a review. Tom said that Lake & Lock would be glad to do the work and could begin the next afternoon. Tom also got permission to contact Aguamaint's loan officer, Regina Sontag, to be sure he knew if the bank needed information in addition to the review, and if a review would actually meet their needs. When Tom called Regina Sontag at Midwest Regional Bank, Regina assured him that the bank did not want anything as comprehensive as an audit, but something more than a mere compilation. She wanted a review report prepared and signed by Lake & Lock. Regina also stated that the bank wanted earnings per share (EPS) figures and, if appropriate, line of business or segment information for analytical purposes. Tom was able to wrest your services away from another engagement to perform Aguamaint's review. You consulted the latest AICPA Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services (SSARS) and found the following objective of a review of financial statements: The objective of the accountant when performing a review of financial statements is to obtain limited assurance as a basis for reporting whether the accountant is aware of any material modifications that should be made to the financial statements for them to be in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework, primarily through the performance of inquiry and analytical procedures. You and Tom were scheduled to meet with Nick Riley, Jerry Loos, and Regina Sontag for lunch the next day. You always had enjoyed such luncheon meetings; they were with interesting people and always at quality places. Sure enough, the restaurant was top notch and the food was great. Nick emphasized how important the loan was for obtaining the right equipment needed to be able to negotiate new maintenance contracts. With only seven contracts, Aguamaint relied heavily on each customer, and losing even one could be devastating. He had a new contract pending, and he was being pressured to close the deal within a couple of weeks. Tom responded that the review could be completed by Tuesday, January 13, 20X2. Regina Sontag assured Nick that with reviewed financial statements in hand, her loan committee would have a response by the following Friday, January 16. Jerry Loos indicated that the financial statements were ready and that he was prepared to provide detailed information on any of the statements' elements. All agreed that you would accompany Jerry to Aguamaint after lunch and make an initial examination of the financial statements. Based on this preliminary investigation, you would prepare a to-do list for Jerry setting forth your additional information needs. Jerry would have at least some of this ready for you the next day. During your initial visit, Jerry answered a number of your questions. He assured you that the company's bank account had been reconciled with outstanding checks accounting for the only reconciling items. He also assured you that he was pretty sure the accruals through December 31, 20X1 had been booked. Jerry also shared that he was relieved that the payday for crew and shop wages came yesterday after just receiving a customer payment on Monday. He informed you that if he had known he would be in such a cash crunch he may not have paid the insurance premium up front to get the discount he got back in February. He also told you that shop equipment was being depreciated over seven years with no salvage value, depreciation was computed to the nearest full year, and that licensing costs were being amortized over the useful life of the license agreement. Jerry noted that he accrued the income taxes at the statutory rate of 30 percent. He also asked that you prepare the correct income tax entry if adjusting entries were required as a result of your review. REQUIRED: The journal entries and financial statements prepared by Jerry Loos follow. Review these data, and prepare a list of thoughtful questions to obtain any additional information needed from the client that will allow you to provide the assurance needed that the financial statements are in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Be as specific and respectful as possible, and where possible, provide a FASB Codification reference that supports your request. Also, provide a written reason that explains why you are asking each question and be sure that your questions are worded such that you will obtain the needed information from the clientStep by Step Solution
There are 3 Steps involved in it
Step: 1
Get Instant Access to Expert-Tailored Solutions
See step-by-step solutions with expert insights and AI powered tools for academic success
Step: 2
Step: 3
Ace Your Homework with AI
Get the answers you need in no time with our AI-driven, step-by-step assistance
Get Started