Professional Documents
Culture Documents
AUDIT OF CASH
INTRODUCTION TO AUDIT OF CASH
Cash is a legal tender that can be used to exchange goods, debt, or services. It is one of the most important
assets of a business. Almost all the entity's transactions ultimately result in either receipt or payment of
cash. Cash usually includes cash in bank, cash on hand, and cash equivalents. Cash equivalents (CE) are
short-term, highly liquid instruments that are both easily convertible to a known amount of cash.
Examples of cash and cash equivalents include, but not limited to, petty cash fund, payroll fund, money
orders, cashier's checks, treasury bills, and others. (Asuncion, Ngina, & Escala, 2018)
Generally, cash has a higher degree of inherent risk, which results in more audit time devoted to the audit
of the account than its peso amount. The amount flowing in and out of cash is frequently larger than any
other account in the financial statement. In addition, the susceptibility of cash to defalcation is greater
than any other type of assets because other assets must be converted to cash first to make them usable.
Cash in Bank
1. Checking Account ✓
2. Savings Account ✓
3. Time Deposit ✓ (part of CE)
4. Compensating balance
a. Legally restricted ✓
b. Not legally restricted ✓
5. Deposit in Foreign Bank
a. Legally restricted ✓
b. Not legally restricted ✓
c. Silent ✓
6. Deposit in Closed bank ✓
7. Bank Overdraft
a. Different Bank ✓
b. Same Bank ✓
c. Silent ✓
Cash Fund
1. Cash fund for operation
a. Petty cash fund ✓
b. Revolving fund ✓
c. Change fund ✓
d. Payroll fund ✓
e. Tax fund ✓
f. Interest fund ✓
g. Dividend fund ✓
h. Travel fund ✓
2. Cash fund not for the operation
✓ (if disbursement is ✓ (if disbursement is
a. Sinking fund
w/in 12 months) beyond 12 months)
✓ (if disbursement is ✓ (if disbursement is
b. Pension fund
w/in 12 months) beyond 12 months)
c. Preference share redemption ✓ (if disbursement is ✓ (if disbursement is
fund w/in 12 months) beyond 12 months)
d. Plant acquisition fund ✓
e. Depreciation fund ✓
f. Contingency fund ✓
g. Insurance fund ✓
Included as CE Excluded as CE
Cash Equivalents (CE)
1. Time deposit ✓ (within 3 months) ✓ (beyond 3 months)
2. Money order ✓ (within 3 months) ✓ (beyond 3 months)
3. Treasury shares ✓ (within 3 months) ✓ (beyond 3 months)
4. Investment in preference share with
✓ (within 3 months) ✓ (beyond 3 months)
redemption date
Three-month rule test – The counting of three (3) months is from the date of acquisition of cash
equivalents to the date of maturity of cash equivalents. (StuDocu, n.d.)
Definition of Terms
• Currencies and coins are money in the form of paper or coins, usually issued by a government and
generally accepted at its face value as a method of payment.
• Money order is a certificate usually issued by governments and banking institutions, that allows the
stated payee to receive cash-on-demand.
• Bank drafts refers to a negotiable instrument that can be used as payment that is guaranteed by the
issuing bank. The total amount of the draft is drawn from the requesting payer's account—their bank
account balance decreases by the money withdrawn from the account—and is usually held in a
general ledger account until the draft is cashed by the payee.
• Cashier’s check is a secure way to make large payments. The check itself is written by a financial
institution such as a bank or credit union against its own funds.
• Certified check is a type of check for which the issuing bank guarantees that there will be enough cash
available in the holder's account when the recipient decides to use the check.
• Manager’s check a check drawn by the bank’s manager upon the bank itself and accepted in advance
by the bank by the act of its issuance. It is really the bank’s own check and may be treated as a
promissory note with the bank as its maker.
• Personal check a check that is drawn against funds deposited in your personal checking account.
• Traveler’s check is a product typically is used by people on vacation in foreign countries. It offers a
safe way to travel overseas without cash. The issuing party, usually a bank, provides security against
lost or stolen checks.
• Customer’s postdated check is a check on which the customer has stated a date later than the current
date.
• Customer’s not sufficient funds (NSF)/drawn against insufficient funds (DAIF) check is a check that
was not honored by the bank of the entity issuing the check, on the grounds that the customer's bank
account does not contain sufficient funds. This situation may also arise when a bank account has been
closed.
• Customer’s stale check is a check that is presented at the paying bank after a certain period (typically
six months) of its payment date. A stale check is not an invalid check, but it may be deemed an
'irregular' bill of exchange.
• Company’s unreleased check or company's undelivered are company's check drawn and recorded
but are not actually issued or delivered to the payees as of reporting date.
• Company’s postdated check is a check on which the issuer has stated a date later than the current
date. Postdated checks are still considered as accounts receivable.
• Company’s stale check is the same with customer's stale check.
• Checking Account is a deposit account held at a financial institution that allows withdrawals and
deposits. Also called demand accounts or transactional accounts, checking accounts are very liquid
and can be accessed using checks, automated teller machines, and electronic debits, among other
methods.
• Savings Account is an interest-bearing deposit account held at a bank or other financial institution.
Though these accounts typically pay a modest interest rate, their safety and reliability make them a
great option for parking cash you want available for short-term needs.
• Time Deposit is an interest-bearing bank account that has a pre-set date of maturity. Time deposits
generally pay a slightly higher rate of interest than a regular savings account. The longer the time to
maturity, the higher the interest payment will be.
• Compensating balance is a minimum deposit that must be maintained in a bank account by a
borrower.
• Bank Overdraft happens when an individual's bank account balance goes down to below zero,
resulting in a negative balance.
• Petty cash fund is a small amount of cash kept on hand to pay for minor expenses, such as office
supplies or reimbursements.
• Revolving fund is a fund that is continually replenished as withdrawals are made such as a working
capital fund.
• Change fund is a set amount of money used to make change for customers who pay for purchases
with cash.
• Payroll fund is a set amount of money to be used for company's payroll expenses.
• Tax fund is a set amount of money to be used for company's tax liability.
• Interest fund is a set amount of money to be used for company's interest expenses.
• Dividend fund is a set amount of money to be used for company's dividend expenses.
• Travel fund is a set amount of money to be used for company's travel expenses.
• Sinking fund is a fund containing money set aside or saved to pay off a debt or bond. A company that
issues debt will need to pay that debt off in the future, and the sinking fund helps to soften the
hardship of a large outlay of revenue.
• Pension fund is established by employers to facilitate and organize the investment of employees'
retirement funds.
• Preference share redemption fund is a fund to ensure the eventual redemption of preferred stock.
• Plant acquisition fund is used for the construction, renovation, and acquisition of capital assets.
• Depreciation fund is an amount of money that a company invested to buy new assets. It comes from
the investment of a sum equal to the depreciation allowance for its existing assets. As depreciation
charges are incurred to reflect the asset's falling value, a matching amount of cash is invested.
• Contingency fund is fund used to meet obligations that may arise from contingencies like pending
lawsuits.
Illustrative Example 1:
The following information has been extracted from the accounting records of EXO COMPANY on
December 31, 201A. What total amount should EXO COMPANY report as “cash” on December 31, 201A?
Solution:
Cash on hand P 40,800
Reconciled balance in DEF bank checking account 374,000
Balance in GHI savings account 342,400
Total cash P757,200
MANAGEMENT ASSERTIONS
When auditing an account balance, the auditor should use assertions for classes of transactions, account
balances, and presentation and disclosures in sufficient detail to form a basis for the assessment of risks
of material misstatement and the design and performance of further audit procedures.
Assertions used by the auditor fall into the following three (3) broad categories:
1. Assertions about classes of transactions and events for the period under audit:
a. Occurrence – Transactions and events that have been recorded have occurred and pertain
to the entity.
b. Completeness – All transactions and events that should have been recorded have been
recorded.
c. Accuracy – Amounts and other data relating to recorded transactions and events have
been recorded appropriately.
d. Cutoff – Transactions and events have been recorded in the correct accounting period.
e. Classification – Transactions and events have been recorded in the proper accounts.
2. Assertions about account balances at the period end:
a. Existence – Assets, liabilities, and equity interests exist
b. Rights and obligations – The entity holds or controls the rights to assets, and liabilities are
the obligations of the entity.
c. Completeness – All assets, liabilities, and equity interests that should have been recorded
have been recorded.
d. Valuation and Allocation – Assets, liabilities, and equity interests are included in the
financial statements at appropriate amounts and any resulting valuation or allocation
adjustments are appropriately recorded.
3. Assertions about presentation and disclosure:
a. Occurrence and rights and obligations – Disclosed events, transactions, and other matters
have occurred and pertain to the entity.
b. Completeness – All disclosures that should have been included in the financial statements
have been included.
Rights and C. The entity owns, or has a legal right 9. Review bank statements and
Obligations to, and has unrestricted use on all replies to bank confirmation
the cash on the statement of letters.
financial position at the reporting
date.
Valuation or D. Cash, including bank balances, is 10. Existence of cash in banks under
Allocation stated at realizable value and receivership, cash subject to a
agrees with supporting schedules. court restraining order, in
foreign currency.
Presentation and E. Cash, including bank balances, is 11. Checks with large or unusual
Disclosure properly classified, described, and payments to related parties.
disclosed in the financial 12. Proper financial statement
statements, including notes, in presentation and disclosure of
accordance with PFRS. cash.
F. Lines of credit, loan guarantees,
compensating balance agreements,
and other restrictions (liens) on
cash balances are appropriately
identified and disclosed.
Discussion of Audit Procedures for Cash
Audit procedures presented in this handout merely illustrate typical audit procedures for audits of
merchandising and manufacturing entities. It is also designed for audits of a corporation, and some
discussions are made for partnership and sole proprietorship businesses. However, in actual practice,
audit programs must be tailored to each client's risk and internal control. The audit procedures comprising
audit programs may substantially vary from engagement to the next.
1. Analysis of cash balance and reconcile to the general ledger.
Prepare a schedule that lists all the banks, the account numbers, account types (current, savings, time
deposit), and the year-end balance per books. Trace and reconcile the balances on the list to the general
ledger as necessary.
2. Bank confirmation.
Primary Audit Objectives: Existence, Valuation, Rights and obligations & Presentation and disclosure
The primary procedure when testing the existence and rights and obligations in relation to the reported
cash in the bank is through the confirmation of the balances of the company's accounts with banks or
financial institutions. Exhibit 1 (page 7) illustrates an example of standard bank confirmation.
The following information is ordinarily included in the confirmation request:
1. Balances due to or from the bank, the letter may give the account number, description, and
currency, and should request information on nil balances and accounts closed during the period;
2. Terms and repayments conditions of loan and overdrafts;
3. Collateral given, maturity and interest terms, unused facilities, lines of credit, and any rights of
offset or other rights;
4. Assets held in safe custody and any encumbrances over them;
5. Asset repurchase and resale agreements and options;
NCPAR.INC
We have provided to our auditors the following information as of the close of business on
December 31, 2018, regarding our deposit and loan balances. Please confirm the accuracy of
the information, noting any exceptions to the information provided. If the balances have been
left blank, please complete this form by furnishing the balance in the appropriate space below.
Although we do not request nor expect you to conduct a comprehensive, detailed search of
your records, if, during the process of completing this confirmation, additional information
about other deposit and loan accounts we may have with you comes to your attention, please
include such information below. Please use the enclosed envelope to return the original directly
to our auditors, Asuncion, Ngina, Escala & Co.
1. At the close of business on the date listed above, our records indicated the following
deposit balance(s):
2. We were directly liable to the financial institution for loans at the close of business on the
date listed above as follows:
Date through
Account No./ Interest Description of
Balance* Date Due which Interest
Description Rate Collateral
is Paid
Delivery
143-444 P1,321,432 3/2/2023 11.50% 12/31/2018 Equipment
The information presented above by the customer is in agreement with our records. Although
we have not conducted a comprehensive, detailed search of our records, no other deposit or
loan accounts have come to our attention except as noted below.
Checks: None - - -
Vouchers: Taxi Fare 400.00 400.00
Others: None - - -
Total P7,600.00
The above-listed cash items in the amount of P7,600 were returned to me after count by a representative
of Asuncion, Escala, Ngina & Co. All cash and cash items for which I am accountable to have been
presented for inspection and count
Exhibits 3, 4, and 5 illustrate the forms of bank reconciliation. The forms most frequently used by auditors
are those shown in Exhibit 3 (Bank to Books) and Exhibit 5 (Adjusted Balances).
Exhibit 3: Bank Reconciliation Statement (Bank Balance to Book Balance Method)
SM Company
Bank Reconciliation Statement
December 31, 2019
JYP Company
Bank Reconciliation Statement
December 31, 2019
YG Company
Bank Reconciliation Statement
December 31, 2019
Illustrative Example 2:
The information below was taken from the bank transfer schedule prepared during the audit of TWICE
Company’s financial statements for the year ended December 31, 201A. Assume all checks are dated and
issued on December 30, 201A. Which of the following might indicate kiting?
Disbursements Receipts
No. From To
Per Books Per Bank Per Books Per Bank
101 BDO Landbank 12/30 1/4 12/30 1/3
102 BPI Metrobank 1/3 1/2 12/30 12/31
103 Landbank PNB 12/31 1/3 1/2 1/2
104 Metrobank Pbcom 1/2 1/2 1/2 12/31
Answer: Check Numbers 102 and 104
10. Existence of cash in a bank under receivership, cash in foreign banks, or foreign currency.
Verifying the existence of cash in a bank under receivership, cash in foreign banks, or foreign currency can
be done through examination of minutes, loan agreements, and confirmations.
Some companies may maintain their bank account in foreign currencies for some business purposes. If
the bank account being reconciled is in a foreign currency, the auditor should test the conversion of the
cash balance to the presentation currency (e.g., Philippine peso) to determine whether cash is stated at
its realizable value. The auditor ordinarily should:
a. Obtain the period-end foreign exchange rate from an independent source;
b. Re-perform the conversion of the cash balance into the currency using this rate; and
c. Compare the resultant amount to the account balance in the general ledger and accounting for
any differences. (Asuncion, Ngina, & Escala, 2018)
11. Checks with large or unusual payments to related parties.
Any large or unusual transactions especially checks payable to directors, officers, employees, affiliated
companies, or cash should be carefully reviewed by the auditors to determine whether the transactions
were properly authorized, recorded, and are adequately disclosed in the financial statements as required
by PAS 24 Related Party Transactions.
12. Proper financial statement presentation and disclosure of cash.
The auditor should review financial statements to make sure that:
a. Cash restricted to certain uses and compensating balances are adequately disclosed,
b. Cash pledged as security loans are properly disclosed in the notes to financial statements; and
c. Bank overdrafts are included as current liabilities.
Illustrative Example 3: (CPA Review School of the Philippines; Auditing Problems, 2020)
The bank statement for the checking account of MSU, INC. showed a December 31, 201A, the balance of
P1,463,212, Information that might be useful in preparing a bank reconciliation is as follows.
a. Outstanding checks were P132,025.
b. December 31, 2021A cash receipts of 57,500 were not deposited in the bank until January 2, 201B.
c. One check written in payment of rent for P24,600 was correctly recorded by the bank but was
recorded by MSU as P26,400 disbursement.
d. In accordance with prior authorization, the bank withdrew P45,000 directly from the checking
account as payment on a mortgage note payable. The interest portion of that payment was
P35,000. MSU has made no entry to record the automatic payment.
e. Bank service charges of P1,400 were listed on the bank statement.
f. A deposit of P87,500 was recorded by the bank on December 13, but it did not belong to MSU.
The deposit should have been made to the checking account of SUM, Inc.
g. The bank statement included a charge of P8,500 for an NSF check. The check was returned with
the bank statement and the company will seek payment from the customer.
h. MSU maintains a P20,000 petty cash fund that was appropriately reimbursed at the end of
December.
i. According to instruction for MSU on December 30, the bank withdrew P1,000,000 from the
account and purchased Treasury Bills for MSU. MSU recorded the transaction in its books on
December 31 when it received notice from the bank. Half of the treasury bills mature in two
months and the other half in six months.
Questions:
1. What is the cash in bank balance per books on December 31, 201A?
review procedures to be applied in a specific situation is a matter of professional judgment of the auditor.
(Asuncion, Ngina, & Escala, 2018)
Additional Audit Consideration: Cash deposits in a closed bank
In some cases, a company may also have bank deposits on banks that have closed during the fiscal period.
In considering the amounts to be reported in the statement of financial position, the auditor should
consider that deposits in a closed bank may be covered under the Philippine Deposits Insurance
Corporation (PDIC). Ordinarily, the auditor should also ensure that cash in closed banks should not be
included as part of cash and cash equivalents, rather it should be part of non-trade receivable. (Asuncion,
Ngina, & Escala, 2018)
References
Asuncion, D. J., Ngina, M. A., & Escala, R. F. (2018). Applied Auditing Book 1 of 2. Baguio: Real Excellence
Publishing.
CPA Review School of the Philippines; Auditing Problems. (2020). Manila.
StuDocu. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.studocu.com/ph.