Independent audit and attestation services provide assurance to your stakeholders without slowing down your business. Whether you’re seeking financing, attracting investors, or strengthening internal controls, our team of experienced pros helps you deliver timely, relevant, and accurate financial information that builds trust, supports growth, and keeps your business moving forward.
Audit & Attest Services
Gain Confidence with Expert Audit and Attest Services
Understanding Audit and Attestation Services
When you need confidence in your financial statements, audit and attestation services from Mowery & Schoenfeld certified public accountants (CPAs) give you objective reporting and insights to make the best decisions for your business.
Under the strict professional standards set by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), audit and attestation services can include the following:
- Audits offer the most comprehensive level of assurance and are typically initiated because of lender, investor, or regulatory requirements. CPAs independently test and verify your information, in line with Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP), and express an opinion on the company’s financial statements.
- Reviews provide more limited assurance. CPAs perform analytical procedures on financial statements to get a general understanding of the company’s finances, but they don’t express an opinion on the financial situation. Frequently used when limited third-party confidence is enough.
- Compilations provide no assurance. A CPA assembles your financial information into basic financial statements, but does not verify their accuracy. Useful for management or when formal financial statements are needed.
- Attestation services (sometimes just called attest services) are also performed by CPAs, who review a company’s financial statements and deliver a final report with conclusions on the data’s reliability. Smaller in scope than an audit, attestations are objective examinations performed according to the Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE), the authoritative guide for CPAs. Companies often need attestation services when securing a loan, selling a business, or contracting with the government.
Why Assurance Matters for Growing Businesses
As your business grows, so does the need for financial transparency. Company leadership, lenders, and investors want reliable information before making decisions.
Independent audit and attestation services offer objective assessments that increase confidence with banks, investors, and partners. Audits can reveal gaps in internal controls or compliance issues before they become costly problems. And with clear, accurate reporting, business leaders can implement smarter strategies and uncover opportunities to streamline processes that improve efficiency.
In short, assurance isn’t just about compliance. It’s about building trust and unlocking insights to help your company build for the future.
The Mowery & Schoenfeld Audit and Attestation Process
Our audit and attestation engagements are streamlined and efficient, aiming to ease the burden on your team. The result is a smooth, cost-effective process with minimal disruption to your business operations. During an audit or review, our four-step approach ensures clarity and value at every stage:
Step 1: Planning and interim procedures
This stage sets up everyone for success during the engagement. We start by laying out a detailed timeline with an exhaustive checklist of the information we need from you for the audit. Our team performs any interim procedures, such as substantive and analytical testing, if needed. And we always take time to understand your business and how you fit into your industry.
Step 2: Fieldwork
Our team performs testing with a focus on efficiency to minimize disruption to your company, often completing fieldwork in less than two weeks.
Step 3: Preparation and review
After our team prepares the draft financial statements, all findings are carefully reviewed — first by experienced managers and then by a partner — to ensure accuracy and completeness before we deliver them to you for approval.
Step 4: Presentation
Once approved, our team finalizes the financial statements. We meet with you to share the final reports, answer your questions, and share our practical recommendations for strengthening internal controls, accounting systems, and business processes.
Industry Expertise and Tailored Engagements
No two businesses are alike — and neither are our audits. Our team tailors each engagement to the size, complexity, and industry of your business.
We bring deep expertise in:
- Construction and landscaping
- Manufacturing and distribution
- Healthcare
- Technology
- Professional services
This industry focus means we know the common reporting challenges and how to test them effectively. Whether you’re a privately held company or backed by private equity, we design engagements around your unique risk profile and goals.
Why Businesses Choose Mowery & Schoenfeld
When you partner with Mowery & Schoenfeld, you gain confidence in the accuracy and clarity of your financial statements. Our experienced professionals deliver comprehensive audits tailored to a range of industries, ensuring both compliance and meaningful insights. We are committed to providing dependable reports that not only meet regulatory standards but also help you strengthen your business operations. As a top-10 Illinois firm with 200+ employees and 20+ partners, we combine the robust resources of a larger organization with the attentive, personalized service of a boutique firm.
Preparing Your Business for an Audit
The more prepared you are, the smoother your audit will be. A few steps can make a big difference:
- Gather documentation: Your auditor will provide a comprehensive list of what they need, including financials, internal control policies, major contracts, and supporting documents.
- Plan your timing: Schedule audits outside peak operational cycles when possible. Undertaking interim procedures early in the year can help spread out the workload.
- Communicate openly: Timely, clear responses help auditors keep the process on track.
Audits don’t have to be disruptive. With the right planning, they can be completed efficiently and with minimal impact on your daily operations.