Discussion Prompt #1 - Discuss the simplified procedures used to prepare and evaluate the pro forma income statement and the pro forma balance sheet. What ethical issues do you believe are present in these procedures and how does the SOX Act address these concerns? In your response, you should also discuss the judgmental approach.
Discussion Prompt #2 - Simplified approaches for preparing pro forma statements assume that the firm's past financial condition is an accurate indicator of the future. There are several examples from the past where organizations were not accurately reporting their financial information. Discuss the relationship between the external auditor and the organization. What steps have been taken to ensure that the relationship is truly neutral and no bias is shown by the external auditing firm?