Section 193A.13.6. Audit, review and other attest services.

         13.6(1) Definitions.

“Attest”  or “attest service”  means providing any of the following services:

            1.      An audit or other engagement to be performed in accordance with the statements on auditing standards.

            2.      A review of a financial statement to be performed in accordance with the statements on standards for accounting and review services.

            3.      Any engagement to be performed in accordance with the statements on standards for attestation engagements.

            4.      Any engagement to be performed in accordance with the auditing standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

The standards specified in the definition of “attest” are those standards adopted by the board, by rule, by reference to the standards developed for general application by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or other recognized national accountancy organization.

“Attest engagement team” means the team of individuals participating in attest service, including those who perform concurring or second partner reviews. The “attest engagement team” includes all employees and contractors retained by the firm who participate in attest service, irrespective of their functional classification.

“Audit” means the procedures performed in accordance with applicable auditing standards for the purpose of expressing or disclaiming an opinion on the fairness with which the historical financial or other information is presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, another comprehensive basis of accounting, or basis of accounting described in the report.

“Review” means to perform inquiry and analytical procedures that permit a CPA to determine whether there is a reasonable basis for expressing limited assurance that there are no material modifications that should be made to financial statements in order for them to be in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles or, if applicable, with another comprehensive basis of accounting.

         13.6(2) Practice privilege. All audit, review, and other attest services performed in Iowa or for a client with a home office in Iowa must be performed through a CPA firm that holds an active Iowa firm permit to practice; provided that, an out-of-state CPA firm exercising a practice privilege may perform review services in Iowa or for a client with a home office in Iowa without first obtaining a firm permit to practice in Iowa as long as the firm complies with Iowa Code section 542.20, subsections 5 and 6, and associated rules. Unless Iowa certification is specifically required by a governmental body or client, the individual CPAs performing such attest services may either hold an active Iowa CPA certificate or exercise a practice privilege as more fully described in Iowa Code section 542.20. LPAs and LPA firms are not authorized to perform attest services.

         13.6(3) Professional skepticism. A CPA shall not subordinate the CPA’s professional judgment to a non-CPA. Professional judgment requires auditors to exercise professional skepticism, which is an attitude that includes a questioning mind and a critical assessment of evidence. Auditors use the knowledge, skills, and experience called for by their profession to diligently perform, in good faith and with integrity, the gathering of evidence and the objective evaluation of the sufficiency, competency, and relevancy of evidence. Since evidence is gathered and evaluated throughout the assignment, professional skepticism shall be exercised throughout the assignment.

         13.6(4) Independence. A CPA or CPA firm shall not issue a report on a client in such a manner as to imply that the CPA is acting as an independent public accountant with respect thereto unless the CPA is independent with respect to such client. Independence will be considered to be impaired if, for example:

            a.               During the period of the professional engagement, or at the time of expressing an opinion, a CPA:

             (1)             Had, or was committed to acquire, any direct or material indirect financial interest in the client; or was a trustee of any trust or executor or administrator of any estate if such trust or estate had, or was committed to acquire, any direct or material indirect financial interest in the client; or

             (2)             Had any joint, closely held business investment with the client or any officer, director or principal stockholder which was material to the CPA; or

             (3)             Had any loan to or from the client or any officer, director or principal stockholder thereof other than loans of the following kinds made by a financial institution under normal lending procedures, terms and requirements: loans which are not material in relation to the net worth of the CPA; home mortgages; and other secured loans, except those secured solely by a guarantee of the CPA.

            b.               During the period covered by the reports, during the period of the professional engagement, or at the time of expressing an opinion, the licensee:

             (1)             Was connected with the client as a promoter, underwriter or voting trustee, a director or officer or in any capacity equivalent to that of a member of management or of an employee; or

             (2)             Was a trustee for any pension or profit-sharing trust of the client.

The foregoing examples are not intended to be all-inclusive.

         13.6(5) Professional judgment. A CPA shall not, in the performance of audit, review or other attest services, knowingly misrepresent facts, subordinate judgment to others, or allow professional judgment and objectivity to be impaired by self-interest or by a conflict of interest between the licensee and a client or between clients.

         13.6(6) Retention period of attest documentation and working papers. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, a CPA or CPA firm shall retain attest documentation and attest working papers for seven years, measured by the report date. If the CPA or CPA firm is notified within the seven-year period of a board investigation or disciplinary proceeding, criminal investigation or proceeding, or other governmental investigation or proceeding, which stems from or relates to the documents at issue, such attest documentation and attest working papers shall not be destroyed until the firm has been notified in writing that the investigation or proceeding has been closed or otherwise fully resolved or until seven years from the report date, whichever period is longer.

         13.6(7) Peer review required. As a condition of renewal of a permit to practice as a CPA firm, the firm shall undergo, at least once every three years, a peer review conducted under the provisions outlined in 193A—Chapter 11 and Iowa Code section 542.7.

         13.6(8) Failure to follow standards, procedures or other requirements in governmental audits. Engagements for audits of governmental grants, governmental units or other recipients of governmental moneys typically require that such audits be in compliance with government audit standards, guides, procedures, statutes, rules, and regulations, in addition to generally accepted auditing standards. If a CPA has accepted such an engagement and undertakes an obligation to follow specified government audit standards, guides, procedures, statutes, rules and regulations, in addition to generally accepted auditing standards, the CPA is obligated to follow such requirements.

[ARC 9003B, IAB 8/11/10, effective 1/1/11; ARC 0174C, IAB 6/13/12, effective 7/18/12; ARC 0413C, IAB 10/31/12, effective 12/5/12; ARC 2152C, IAB 9/30/15, effective 11/4/15]