Improvements Needed In Controls Over The Preparation Of The U S Consolidated Financial Statements PDF Download

"Why GAO Did This StudyTreasury, in coordination with OMB, is primarily responsible for preparing the Financial Report, which contains the CFS. Since GAO's first audit of the fiscal year 1997 CFS, certain material weaknesses and other limitations on the scope of GAO's work have prevented GAO from expressing an opinion on the CFS, exclusive of the Statement of Social Insurance (SOSI). Also, GAO was unable to express opinions on the 2011 and 2010 SOSI and the 2011 Statement of Changes in Social Insurance Amounts because of significant uncertainties, primarily related to the achievement of projected reductions in Medicare cost growth, reflected in these statements.As part of the fiscal year 2011 CFS audit, GAO identified material weaknesses and other control deficiencies in the processes used to prepare the CFS. The purpose of this report is to (1) provide details on new control deficiencies GAO identified related to the preparation of the CFS, (2) recommend improvements, and (3) provide the status of corrective actions taken to address GAO's prior recommendations in this area that remained open at the end of the fiscal year 2010 audit.What GAO RecommendsGAO is making 10 recommendations -9 to Treasury and 1 to OMB-to address new control deficiencies. In commenting on GAO's draft report, Treasury and OMB generally concurred with GAO's findings."