Audit and Assurance

Specialization
Our audit department performs more than 110 audits all year round not just as "filler work" in the off – tax season. Our specialization in auditing has allowed us to develop techniques and procedures which are highly efficient and enable us to provide more effective audit services at reasonable rates. We not only have specific staff who specialize in audits, we are specialized by industry and are well suited to handle the changing needs of your specific industry. See the list of industries we serve.

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Personal Interest
We take a personal interest in our clients and we believe that, in addition to the audit, we can provide commitment, concern, attention and resources to help you cope with the many challenges of your organization. We are dedicated to providing you with prompt and effective services that are not only responsive to, but anticipate your needs.

No one likes to have someone find they have made a mistake. Many people fear auditors because they fear there will be negative consequences for them if they are caught having made an error or two. We realize that everyone is human and thus, will make mistakes periodically. We are tough when we need to be but always understanding and willing to help. The only personnel that need to have such a fear of us are those that have committed fraud.

We are concerned about completing your audit in a timely manner. We work longer hours during the audit field work and our staff size allows assignment of resources to complete the on-site audit work in the shortest possible time to minimize day-to-day disruption.

Our goal is to ensure that after the audit is complete, we are on the same page. We take the time to review our audit adjustments with your accounting staff and ensure that the audited trail balance is reconciled to your trial balance.

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Open Communication
We believe in open communication and no surprises. We provide draft reports and findings for your review in advance of their issuance. Our audit teams are approachable. We are tough when we need to be but always understanding and willing to help.

The partner will personally manage the entire engagement and see that members of our team are continuously accessible and responsive to your needs.

We understand that while management is responsible for the success of the company, independent accounting professionals can provide valuable resources to support management efforts. HintonBurdick considers itself "on call" twenty-four hours a day and committed to prompt communication.

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Character and Quality of Staff
Our clients frequently tell us that the character and personality of our staff is one of our biggest strengths and they enjoy working with them. Our audit teams consist of a partner and certified public accountants that are highly trained and have sufficient expertise to meet or exceed your highest expectations. We do not assign a team of lower level staff who need to be "trained" by your staff. The partner will personally manage the entire engagement. HintonBurdick has experienced low staff attrition which allows us to provide our clients with experienced professional staff on a continuing basis.

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Analytical and Thorough Audit Approach – Added Value
Because it is a common service, an audit is sometimes viewed as a commodity to be acquired at the lowest price. Many entities have learned by sad experience that this is a dangerous practice. We believe, and have demonstrated repeatedly, that the annual audit should complement and enhance management, in addition to providing the desired assurances of a thorough, professional examination of the records.

Our firm structure and staff size enables us to provide more value by allowing professional staff to perform tasks that match their expertise level. We are constantly alert during our examination, and it is not uncommon for us to discover situations during the audit which result in savings to entities of thousands of dollars, often much greater than our fee. In addition to auditing financial results, we look at the overall performance and operations of the entity. We step back and review financial relationships and analyze expectations based on our knowledge of the client, the industry and our numerous years of experience. This analytical approach often reveals problems that may have been missed by simply performing "canned" audit procedures and checklists. We provide financial trend analysis of your local government during our audit presentation to the Council.

During our new audit engagements, we frequently find that some departments and transactions have been overlooked by prior auditors. We make a point to continue our thorough approach from year to year which enhances the awareness of the audit requirements and encourages department heads to follow policies and procedures. As such, you will receive added value from the audit.

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Practical Findings and Recommendations
As a result of our analytical and thorough approach to our audits, we can provide added value and communicate, in writing, constructive, practical suggestions for strengthening overall management and internal accounting controls and procedures.

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Training
Our standard outlook is to improve your organization's ability to provide accurate and timely financial reports. Our goal is to help you understand your financial statements or the reason things are done the way they are so you get more than just an audit. We will work with your staff to understand the audit adjustments and any findings and recommendations issued as a result of the audit. HintonBurdick has extensive experience with assisting and training our client's with their financial accounting and fiscal responsibilities. We hold educational seminars every year that provide training to officials and accounting staff on accounting, internal control, and compliance issues.

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