NGO audit by CA

Non-profit organizations (NGOs) run social programs with public contributions. NGOs are registered as trusts under the Trust Laws or as corporations under the Companies Act 2013. Audits are necessary for NGOs, and they are conducted by Chartered Accountants (CA). Section 12A(b) of the Income Tax Act mandates audits if NGO earnings exceed a specified threshold.

The NGOs are registered as trusts for public benefit under the Trust Laws or Societies Registration Act or as corporations per the Companies Act 2013. It is a necessity that the NGO get a global commitment to have its books of record inspected through the Chartered Accountants (CA).

The accounts of an NGO are scrutinized according to its incorporation law, depending on its kind of registration. Reviews are conducted per the Trust Act, Social Orders Act, Organizations Act, or Annual Expense Act.

Section 12A(b) of the Income Tax has made audits mandatory for non-governmental organizations if the total earnings of the organization exceed the amount that could not be charged for income tax in the previous year. The receivables and accounts of an organization must be scrutinized under the provisions of Section 12A(b) of the Act.

Introduction to the NGOs

An NGO is founded by a group of individuals who provide services without making money but with the sole aim of helping the people in society. The NGO is a non-profit organization funded through donations, members, or contributors. In NGOs, money is also raised through donations and by achieving social goals such as providing education and financial aid to the less fortunate, providing medical and health facilities, and dealing with social problems.

An NGO is a non-profit organization created to provide services to its citizens and the country. An NGO's main source of income comes from contributions from the government and other donors who want to contribute to society. The NGO keeps books of accounts for incoming and outgoing funds. The NGO may also have the books audited in their interests by an auditing firm independent of the organization. This will ensure that donors can rely on the information. NGOs also need to file income tax returns.

Benefits of Auditing for NGOs

There are many advantages to auditing an NGO. The primary advantages of auditing for an NGO are:

The audit assists the NGO in proving the authenticity and truthfulness of their financial reports and the procedures used to prepare them. Auditors are informed of modifications issued by the government. Auditors can provide valuable guidance to the NGO about control of finances and financial issues. An audit permits the NGO to use and analyze the information provided by the auditors. The NGO also seeks the help of an auditor to examine specific problems.

Steps in the Audit Process

Types of Audits for NGO

An NGO can conduct four types of audits to check its operations and confirm its functioning under the law without intervention, i.e., independently. These audits are conducted as follows:

External Audit
Internal Audit
Donor Audit
Investigative Audit

The purpose of audits

The various reasons behind the various types of audits are as follows:

External Audit
Internal Audit
Donor Audit
Investigative Audit

Forms of financial statements to serve the purpose of auditing NGOs

The financial statement is part of the general purpose financial statements of an NGO.

Balance sheet
Account for income and expenditure
Statements of cash flow

Fund-based accounting can be useful for NGOs

The account for income and expenditure includes three columns that report the income and expenses associated with the restricted funds, as distinguished from funds that are not restricted:

Funds with restrictions
Funds with no restrictions (designated as General Funds and Designated)
Column displaying the total revenue as well as expenses for the funds that are restricted as well as unrestricted

The NGO can separate designated funds from unrestricted funds in its internal auditing accounts

The NGO has to take care when making its financial statements public. The NGO must also provide an integral balance sheet for auditing. Financial statements.