May 2000

State to Begin Audit for CPE Compliance

At the New York State Board for Public Accountancy's April 26 meeting, Executive Secretary Daniel Dustin announced that the State Education Department will begin its audit to verify the reporting and recording of continuing professional education compliance in mid-May.

Each month, the department will randomly select a number of CPAs and CPE providers for verification. The department will then determine whether they are in compliance with state laws and regulations regarding the certification of CPE credits by CPAs and the granting of such credits by providers. The SED first announced its plans to audit CPE participants and providers last fall, as reported in the October issue of The Trusted Professional.

Under current regulations, every licensee required to take CPE must maintain a record of completed hours, including each program's title, date, location, number of credits and the provider's name and sponsor number. The licensee must retain these records for at least five years from the date of each completed program.

According to Dustin, the department will require the selected CPAs to submit written proof of each CPE course or program attended and completed. The department also will send a survey to the selected CPE providers or sponsors, seeking detailed information on courses or programs offered, the process for granting and measuring credits, and records on enrollment and participation of CPAs.

Dustin emphasized that this audit is not a one-time endeavor but marks the beginning of an ongoing process to verify and audit the CPE program.

The NYSSCPA's new membership database allows Society members to access information about all courses taken through the Foundation for Accounting Education. See the accompanying sidebar for details. *