The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board plans to host forums for auditors of small businesses and smaller broker-dealers.
The forums are designed to share important information about PCAOB activities with registered public accounting firms that have clients operating in the small business community.
"These forums allow us to highlight important program areas and provide meaningful insight into the issues of auditors with small business clients," said PCAOB chairman James R. Doty in a statement.
The 2012 forum agenda features several case studies presented by staff from the PCAOB Division of Registration and Inspections, the Division of Enforcement and Investigations, and the Office of the Chief Accountant.
Topics to be discussed at the small business forums include standard-setting priorities, audit committee communications, audit risks related to new and proposed accounting standards, key inspection findings, relevant standards and case studies, and the remediation process.
In addition, staff from the Securities and Exchange Commission Division of Corporation Finance will provide an update on recent SEC activities and observations about common financial reporting issues facing smaller public companies.
The schedule is as follows:
• San Francisco, Calif., May 2
• Minneapolis, Minn., June 7
• Atlanta, Ga., June 19
• New York, N.Y., July 18
• Denver, Colo., Sept. 13
• San Diego, Calif., Nov. 7
• Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Nov. 29
The forums for auditors of smaller broker-dealers will cover topics such as an overview of PCAOB programs, interim inspection program for audits of brokers and dealers, an overview of the inspection process, an update on inspection findings, and proposed auditing standards applicable to audits of brokers and dealers.
The 2012 broker-dealer forums will be held in:
• Chicago, Ill., April 26
• Houston, Texas, May 23
• Jersey City, N.J., Oct. 25
• San Diego, Calif., Nov. 8
More information is available on the PCAOB website at
