Overview
Third parties are increasingly asking accountants and auditors for access to their working papers. What do you do if SARS, CIPC, professional bodies, SAPS, the Hawks or your client's attorneys ask for your working papers? Do you know how to determine if the request is lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair?
Join this webinar as we inform you how to protect your working papers from unwarranted access, and explain under what conditions you will have to give third parties access. In this webinar we will also inform you of all the latest legislative updates on this matter as well as vital information contained in SARS and IRBA Guides.
Learning objectives
By the end of this event the participants should understand:
- Who has the ownership of working papers;
- Their responsibility for granting access to working papers;
- Circumstances where access to working papers is required by law;
- Circumstances where access to working papers is in compliance with reporting standards (ISA, ISRE, ISRS, and accounting officer);
- Circumstances where they are contractually bound to provide access to working papers; and
- Potential risks when granting access to working papers to third parties, including SARS, SAPS, CIPC, client's attorneys, professional bodies)
Course content
The webinar will cover the following topics in detail:
- Who owns your working papers?
- How to balance the client's right to confidentiality and request from third parties for access to working papers.
- When and how to deny access to your working papers.
- Circumstances where access should be granted to third parties:
- Access required in terms of the Tax Administration Act, POPI, court proceedings, SAPS investigations, CIPC, or foreign jurisdictions.
- Access required in compliance with International Standards and the Code of Professional Conduct for IRBA, SAICA, SAIPA, and SAIBA.
- Access required by internal staff and successor practitioners.
- Access requested in terms of a contractual agreement.
- Potential risks when granting access to working papers to third parties.
- Policies and procedures regarding access to working papers:
- Engagement letters.
- Internal procedures to handle the request for access.
- Client authorisation letters.
- Third party acknowledgements ("Hold harmless letters")
- Extracts from sections 176, and 213 of the Companies Act, 2008.
- Extracts from section 46 and 241 of the Tax Administration Act, 2011.
- Latest SARS, CIPC and IRBA publications on access to working papers.
Obtaining your CPD certificate
Attendance of this 2-hour webinar will accrue 2 CPD hours for members of a relevant professional body such as ACCA, SAICA, AAT, SAIPA, SAIBA, IAC, CIS, ICBA, LSSA, FPI, and the IBA. The SAAA CPD policy is compliant with IFAC IES7 and is recognised by SAICA, AAT, SAIPA, SAIBA, IAC, CIS and others.
Complete the free online assessment at the end of the event and receive an additional 1 CPD hour.
Who should attend
The following persons will benefit from attending this webinar:
Professional Accountants including: CA(SA),PA(SA) and BAP(SA);
Registered auditors, (RA);
Tax practitioners;
Bookkeepers; and
Accounting officers.
Price:
- R 399.00 - Online admission - Individual.
- R 699.00 - Online admission - Company.
- Choose Individual if you would like to attend this event yourself or choose Company if you would like to share this event to with your entire firm.
- This webinar is free if you are already an SAAA CPD subscriber.
- Click here to find out about the Technical Resource Centre & CPD Subscription options.
- Click here to create a profile and then register for the event (There is no charge to create a user profile and gain access to our free Monthly Practice Management Series).
Additional material
By attending this webinar you will be provided with:
- Summarised slide presentation,
- Detailed course material and reference documents.
- You can ask questions during the webinar via the online portal, and you will also have access to me the presenter via e-mail after the webinar.