Recent Developments:
EFFECTIVE MARCH 15, 2018: NYSSCPA ends its operation as an administering entity for the peer review program.
Administration of peer reviews will be conducted by the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs (PICPA) beginning March 15
th. Refer below to the item “NEW IN PEER REVIEW: New Administrating Entity for Peer Review in New York March 15, 2018” and to this article “
Society to Transfer Peer Review Administration to PICPA in March” for further information. Click
here for the PICPA peer review website and contact information.
NEW IN PEER REVIEW: New Administrating Entity for Peer Review in New York March 15, 2018
For many years, NYSSCPA has administered the AICPA Peer Review Program (PRP) for New York CPA firms. Over the past two years, the NYSSCPA Board of Directors, its Executive Committee and staff engaged in extensive analysis and discussion about the administration process, measured the commitment of staff resources to administer the PRP, and evaluated the future complexity of practice monitoring as proposed by the AICPA. The Board determined that in the best interest of the Society and its members it would not elect to renew with AICPA as a PRP administrator. This will allow NYSSCPA staff to focus on strategic objectives identified by the Board that will provide more value and resources to our members, now and in the future, rather than expending resources on an administrative function that could be absorbed by another state society executing the same program. After careful examination of several state CPA societies that administer the AICPA PRP, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) has been selected to administer the PRP for New York firms. They have dedicated, experienced full-time staff who will offer the kind of assistance that New York firms have come to expect.
Effective March 15, 2018, New York firms will work with the PICPA staff in all aspects of administration of their reviews, from scheduling through acceptance, including payment of PRP fees. The NYSSCPA Peer Review Committee will continue, and will work with the PICPA Peer Review Committee as active members, including participation in its Review Acceptance Bodies.
We are pleased to partner with the PICPA, and will work closely together to ensure a smooth transition for all of our firms. If you have any questions, please contact any of the NYSSCPA peer review team at peerreview@nysscpa.org, (212) 719-8300 or at PICPA, Allison Henry at ahenry@picpa.org, (215) 972-6187.
NEW IN PEER REVIEW: October 23, 2017, Governor Signs Law Change for Peer Review in NYS What Sole Proprietors and Small Firms Need to Know About the New Peer Review Law
NEW IN PEER REVIEW: On November 20, NYSSCPA Peer Review Committee members participated in a panel discussion regarding the impact of the new peer review law. To view the discussion, please click here.
NEW IN PEER REVIEW: Peer Review Integrated Management Application (PRIMA) now required in getting your peer review done.
Click here > PRIMA < for overview, training and other information>
Peer Review is a periodic independent qualified third party evaluation of a CPA firm’s accounting and auditing (A&A) practice. It was established by the AICPA almost 30 years ago as a membership requirement for member firms with an A&A practice. Firms enrolled in the AICPA practice monitoring program are required to have a peer review every three years.
Effective January 1, 2012, New York State made peer review a licensing requirement for most firms performing a review, audit or attestation services in NYS. The State program is referred to peer review.
There are two types of peer reviews:
- A System Review includes determining whether the firm’s system of quality control for its A&A practice is designed and complied with to provide the firm with reasonable assurance of performing and reporting in conformity with applicable professional standards in all material respects. This type of review is for firms that perform engagements under the Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) the Government Auditing Standards (Yellow Book), examinations under the Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAEs), or engagements under the PCAOB standards as their highest level of service. The reviewer, referred to as a Team Captain, tests, among other things, a reasonable cross-section of the firm’s engagements with a focus on high-risk engagements as well as significant risk areas for non high risk engagements.
- An Engagement Review is for enrolled firms that perform services under SSARS or services under the SSAEs that do not require a system review. Engagement reviews are designed to determine whether engagements submitted for review are performed and reported on in conformity with applicable professional standards in all material respects.
Both types of reviews culminate in a report. For system reviews, the report states whether the firm’s quality control system provides reasonable assurance of conforming to professional standards in all material respects. For an engagement review, the report states whether the firm's engagements tested by the reviewer conform in all material respects with professional standards.
The NYSSCPA administers peer reviews for the AICPA and administers peer reviews for non-AICPA member firms that are (1) required to have a quality review for NYS licensing purposes or (2) who volunteer to have a quality review.