Accountant's Letter
Definition of 'Accountant's Letter'A letter that usually precedes a financial report. An accountant's letter is produced by a company's independent auditors. It summarizes the scope of the accountant's audit and its results in very general terms. The term is frequently used interchangeably with the term "auditor's opinion". |
|
Investopedia explains 'Accountant's Letter'The accountant's letter usually expresses a "clean" opinion, which means the accountant or accounting firm believes the financial statements are accurate and that they fairly present the company's financial condition. A "qualified" opinion indicates deficiencies in the company's procedures or presentation (meaning the financial statements may not be accurate or may not conform to GAAP).An "adverse" opinion, which indicates that a company's financials are misrepresented, is yet another possibility. The most well known opinion is the "going concern", which means that the accounting firm has doubts about the company's financial health and its ability to remain in business. |
Related Definitions
Articles Of Interest
-
12 Things You Need To Know About Financial Statements
Discover how to keep score of companies to increase your chances of choosing a winner. -
Common Clues Of Financial Statement Manipulation
Search for the "bloody" fingerprints in accounting crimes. -
Examining A Career As An Auditor
Stricter government regulations have put auditing professionals in demand. -
Advanced Financial Statement Analysis
Learn what it means to do your homework on a company's performance and reporting practices before investing. -
Using Accounting Analysis To Measure Earnings Quality
Learn the accounting concepts that will help you to dig into to the details to find earnings manipulation. -
Pay Attention To The Proxy Statement
Don't overlook this overview of a company's well-being. -
Explaining Amortization In The Balance Sheet
Amortization is important to account for intangible assets. Read to find out more about amortization. -
Top 4 Most Competitive Financial Careers
If your goals include a big paycheck and working for a Wall Street firm, then you need to learn how to meet employers' expectations. -
A Day In The Life Of A Public Accountant
Here's an inside look at the workdays of two experienced CPAs, to give you an idea of what it might be like to pursue a career as a public accountant. -
Depreciation: Straight-Line Vs. Double-Declining Methods
Appreciate the different methods used to describe how book value is "used up".
Free Annual Reports