All publicly traded companies must annually disclose their financial performance to the public: GAAP audits ensure that these disclosures are valid. Every year, independent accountants review a ...

Will Kenton is an expert on the economy and investing laws and regulations. He previously held senior editorial roles at Investopedia and Kapitall Wire and holds a MA in Economics from The New School ...

An audit is an inspection of a company's accounting records, usually done by an independent certified public accountant. Audits are performed in an effort to determine whether a business is ...

Investopedia contributors come from a range of backgrounds, and over 25 years there have been thousands of expert writers and editors who have contributed. Erika Rasure is globally-recognized as a ...

Specialized programs that perform a variety of audit functions, such as sampling databases and generating confirmation letters to customers and vendors. It can ...