Tara Pendleton, professional practice director at BDO USA LLC, participated in a video interview during REITwise 2022: Nareit's Law, Accounting & Finance Conference held in Orlando, Florida on March 23-25.
Pendleton was asked to recommend a key resource provided by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) for stakeholders. She noted that the most useful resource for investors and preparers of financial statements and audit committees is the staff’s outlook on the upcoming inspection season, as it gives insight into what things the PCAOB thinks are most important to the quality of financial statements.
Pendleton also commented on what she considers to be the information that is most meaningful for people reading audit opinions today. “The critical audit matter standard really has added some additional insight for investors,” she said.
Meanwhile, Pendleton spoke about any potential surprises or new information included in this year’s filings. She noted that the top four or five critical audit matter categories are likely to remain unchanged. At the same time, she added that critical audit matters are unique to every company, a trend that is particularly evident in the REIT industry.