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IAASB Finalizes Changes for Auditor Reporting on Special Purpose Financial Statements

Jan 7, 2016 | New York, New York | English

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board® (IAASB®) today released ISA™ 800 (Revised), Special Considerations—Audits of Financial Statements Prepared in Accordance with Special Purpose Frameworks, and ISA 805 (Revised), Special Considerations—Audits of Single Financial Statements and Specific Elements, Accounts, or Items of a Financial Statement.

Reporting on special purpose financial statements is linked to the IAASB’s new and revised Auditor Reporting standards issued in January 2015, in particular ISA 700 (Revised), Forming an Opinion and Reporting on Financial Statements, and new ISA 701, Communicating Key Audit Matters in the Independent Auditor’s Report. The amendments to ISA 800 and ISA 805 are limited to auditor reporting and are not intended to substantively change the underlying premise of these engagements in accordance with the extant ISAs.

“As a result of our more general work on auditor reporting, we found it necessary in the public interest to also make changes to ISA 800 and ISA 805,” explained IAASB Chairman Prof. Arnold Schilder. “Feedback from our stakeholders has helped us finalize these proposals and provide greater clarity about how the new auditor reporting enhancements apply in the context of special purpose financial statements.”

ISA 800 (Revised) and ISA 805 (Revised) will become effective at the same time as the auditor reporting standards addressing general purpose financial statements–for audits of financial statements for periods ending on or after December 15, 2016.

"The issuance of ISA 800 (Revised) and ISA 805 (Revised) marks another significant milestone in the IAASB’s continued work on the topic of auditor reporting," noted IAASB Technical Director Kathleen Healy.

“The board and its staff remain committed to promoting awareness of its new and revised Auditor Reporting standards and facilitating their effective implementation,” Ms. Healy added.

For more information, visit www.iaasb.org/auditor-reporting.

About the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board(IAASB)
The IAASB develops auditing and assurance standards and guidance for use by all professional accountants under a shared standard-setting process involving the Public Interest Oversight Board, which oversees the activities of the IAASB and the IAASB Consultative Advisory Group, which provides public interest input into the development of the standards and guidance. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IAASB are facilitated by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

About IFAC®
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession, dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. It is comprised of more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.8 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.