Sample CPA Exam Questions

Last Updated: October 16, 2019

Sample CPA Exam Questions

The AICPA has released sample CPA exam questions.  Here are 3 of the 50 Auditing sample CPA exam questions they have released.  Please note that the AICPA does not release questions that they intend to use again, so studying these concepts may be of benefit to you, but the likelihood that this exact question is on the exam again, is very small.  Specialists at Becker have added their explanation of the problem as well.

You can also take a CPA Practice Test as the actual test date draws near.

AUD Sample CPA Exam Questions as released by the AICPA and Reviewed by Becker CPA

  1. An entity’s comparative financial statements include the financial statements of the prior year that were audited by a predecessor auditor whose report is not presented. If the predecessor’s report was qualified, the successor should:

a. Issue an updated comparative audit report indicating the division of responsibility.

b. Explain to the client that comparative financial statements may not be presented under these circumstances.

c. Express an opinion only on the current year’s financial statements and make no reference to the prior year’s statements.

d. Indicate the substantive reasons for the qualification in the predecessor auditor’s opinion.

Solution:

Choice “d” is correct. When a predecessor auditor’s report is not presented, the successor auditor should indicate the following items:

(i) That the statements were examined by other auditors in prior periods. The predecessor auditors should not be named unless the practice of the predecessors was acquired by or merged with that of the successor;

(ii) The date of the predecessor auditor’s report;

(iii) The type of opinion expressed by the predecessor auditor; and

(iv) The substantive reason(s) for other than an unqualified report.

Choice “a” is incorrect. The comparative audit report does not need to be updated for this situation.

Choice “b” is incorrect. There is no requirement that the comparative financial statements NOT be issued in such circumstances.

Choice “c” is incorrect. There is nothing preventing the successor auditor from referencing the prior year’s statements in this situation.

Sample CPA Exam Questions- AUD

2. How does an auditor make the following representations when issuing the standard auditor’s report on comparative financial statements?

Consistent Examination

application of of evidence

accounting principles on a test basis

a. Implicitly Explicitly

b. Explicitly Implicitly

c. Implicitly Implicitly

d. Explicitly Explicitly

Solution:

Choice “a” is correct. Consistency is implicit in the auditor’s report, while the discussion that the examination of evidence is performed on a test basis is explicitly stated in the scope paragraph.

Choice “b”, “c”, and “d” are incorrect based on the above explanation.

Sample CPA Exam Questions- AUD

3. As a condition of obtaining a loan from First National Bank, Maxim Co. is required to submit an audited balance sheet but not the related statements of income, retained earnings, or cash flows. Maxim would like to engage a CPA to audit only its balance sheet. Under these circumstances, the CPA:

a. May not audit only Maxim’s balance sheet if the amount of the loan is material to the financial statements taken as a whole.

b. May not audit only Maxim’s balance sheet if Maxim is a nonissuer.

c. May audit only Maxim’s balance sheet if the CPA disclaims an opinion on the other financial statements.

d. May audit only Maxim’s balance sheet if access to the information underlying the basic financial statements is not limited.

Solution:

Choice “d” is correct. The auditor may report on one basic financial statement and not the others, as long as access is not limited to information underlying the basic financial statement. This is considered a limited reporting engagement.

Choice “a” is incorrect. Materiality only comes into play when dealing with a piecemeal opinion, not an opinion on one entire statement.

Choice “b” is incorrect. If Maxim is a nonissuer, it would not need to abide by GAAP, thus many of the financial statement requirements would not apply.

Choice “c” is incorrect. A disclaimer of opinion on the other statements is not required as long as there is no limitation on the information underlying the basic financial statements.”

The AICPA has released many questions for each section that you can find online to review.  Again, keep in mind that these questions will most likely not be used again on the exam, but the concepts are solid and it is a great resource to study while preparing for the CPA exam.

Another good resource for sample CPA exam questions is cpareviewforfree.com.  This site was designed to help CPA candidates that are studying for the CPA exam.  You may take practice exams and review CPA review questions on this site.  It is entirely free, unless you sign up for a more comprehensive subscription.  Wiley CPA is also a great resource for sample CPA exam questions.  Their online Test Bank is a terrific program to study practice exam questions and do mock CPA exams.