Think Like An Auditor: Techniques for Financial Reporting
Foresight Advisors | Strategy and Management Consulting
Helping organizations with business planning and operations during critical periods of growth.
Diligent quarterly and annual reporting for your business is essential for audit preparedness, whether an audit is imminent or not. Accurate record-keeping not only saves time and reduces stress in the event of an audit, but also ensures control over financial affairs. As a bonus, thorough reporting sets the foundation for accurate performance tracking, regulatory compliance, and tax adherence.
An audit is an independent examination of your business’ financial statements and related operations. The primary aim is to ensure the financial reports are accurate and comply with applicable accounting standards and regulations. Businesses typically hire external audit firms to conduct these audits, ranging from Big Four firms (e.g., Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) to smaller, specialized firms. In some cases, larger businesses may hire internal audit personnel, however, external audit firms are still needed for independent assessment.
Several factors may determine the need for an audit, such as (a) size, with larger businesses, for example, a fund manager with over $150M in assets under management, having more likelihood to be audited due to increased complexity and risk; (b) investor demands, with limited partners (LPs) possibly requiring audits as a condition of their investment; ? formation document policies, with governing documents like your Limited Partnership Agreement (LPA), subscription agreements, side letters, or offering documents potentially stipulating audit requirements; and (d) regulatory requirements, which vary by country and jurisdiction, for example, the US’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requiring audits for registered investment advisers managing more than $150M in AUM, or the EU’s European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) mandating through the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) for those with more than €100M in AUM to undergo audits [1] sec.gov, [2] sec.gov, [3] esma.europa.eu. Audit needs can evolve over your life cycle and from vintage to vintage based on business size, investor demands, and regulatory requirements.
This article will outline how to navigate audits and the steps to take in preparation.
1. Quarterly/Annual Reporting and Performance
Why It Matters:
Quarterly and annual reporting along with performance assessments are essential operational requirements, as your LPs expect regular and accurate updates. Think like an auditor when preparing quarterly and year-end reports: maintain a centralized mailbox for investment-related communications to ensure ease of information retrieval and continuity during staff changes. Grant access to external accounting teams, such as fund administrators and outsourced CFOs to enhance efficiency in document retrieval and recordkeeping. Be sure to delegate day-to-day tracking of new investments and related materials to a member of your team.
Elements May Include:
Accounting, Fund Administration, Outsourced CFO Combined:
Auditor Examples:
2. Portfolio Tracking and Valuation
Why It Matters:
Negotiate adequate information rights with portfolio companies upfront to secure the financial data needed for reporting and audits, such as cap table updates or quarterly budgets and balance sheets. Proactively discuss reporting schedules with portfolio companies to streamline information requests and avoid surprises.
Elements May Include:
Third-Party Accounting, Third-Party-Maintained Cap Table Examples:
3. Tax Reporting
Why It Matters:
Accurate and timely tax filings are legal and regulatory requirements that are part of your overall financial health. Keeping tax returns and related documents up-to-date is key in ensuring that all filings have been made on time and that there are no outstanding tax liabilities or issues. Properly handling tax matters helps you and your LPs avoid costly penalties or interest charges that can arise from late or incorrect filings, which can negatively impact your performance. Proper tax management ensures smooth fund operations while helping you to maintain the trust of investors and regulatory authorities but can be a pricey endeavor.
Elements May Include:
Tax Examples:
Proactive preparation combined with regular reporting keeps investors and stakeholders informed about your performance, investments, and financial health, building trust by demonstrating your commitment to transparency and accountability. By fostering open communication with portfolio companies and leveraging the expertise of external accounting and tax teams, you can keep up with compliance and regulatory obligations while laying the groundwork to comply with potential audits, demonstrating operational excellence as you grow and scale your business.
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Sincere appreciation to our contributor Linda Maduwura, founder of Fife Avenue Partners, an accounting, CFO, and back office solution for venture capital and high net worth individuals; written along with Shea Tate-Di Donna and Kaego Ogbechie Rust, authors of The Venture Fund Blueprint.
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Disclaimer: The providers, companies, examples, products, and services shared represent only a subset of available options and are based solely on internal fund manager conversations. These options are intended to be a general framework, not an exhaustive catalog, and should not be viewed as legal or tax advice, endorsements, recommendations, approvals, or rankings. We encourage you to do additional research into each category to find the resources that best fit your specific needs.
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Kaego Ogbechie Rust is CEO at Foresight Advisors?—?working with foundations, investment firms, non-profits, and for-profit ventures?—?offering comprehensive support across vision & strategy, investing & financing, and operational planning during critical periods of your growth. If you’re looking for help, contact [email protected] or visit www.foresightadvisors.com.
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