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Assurance level choice, CPA fees, and financial reporting benefits: Inferences from U.S. private firms

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  • Badertscher, Brad A.
  • Kim, Jaewoo
  • Kinney, William R.
  • Owens, Edward

Abstract

Many U.S. private firms choose either a financial statement compilation or review rather than the higher assurance provided by an audit, yet little is known about these choices. We explore economic aspects of private firm choice of less-than-audit levels of assurance applied to GAAP-based financial statements. We find that CPA fees more than double for each increment in assurance. Commonly used financial reporting quality proxies are higher for both reviews and audits relative to compilations but are statistically indistinguishable on average between reviews and audits. Cost of debt is significantly lower for reviews than for compilations and significantly lower for audits than for reviews. Finally, we find that assurance level choices are associated with bank debt, trade credit, and potential internal information reliability and control concerns.

Suggested Citation

  • Badertscher, Brad A. & Kim, Jaewoo & Kinney, William R. & Owens, Edward, 2023. "Assurance level choice, CPA fees, and financial reporting benefits: Inferences from U.S. private firms," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jaecon:v:75:y:2023:i:2:s016541012200074x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jacceco.2022.101551
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Breuer, Matthias & Le, Anthony & Vetter, Felix, 2023. "Audit mandates, audit firms, and auditors," Working Papers 333, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Assurance levels; Audits; Reviews; CPA fees; Financial reporting quality; Cost of debt;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • M42 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Auditing
    • M48 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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