2025 SEC and PCAOB Update: Comment Letters, Clawbacks and Oversight

Overview

Financial professionals and public companies should stay current on recent SEC and PCAOB standards to ensure compliance, improve disclosures, and strengthen audit quality. John Fleming, Kaplan Financial Education discussion leader, explains the SEC’s pay-versus-performance, cybersecurity and clawback rules, staff guidance on materiality, and top comment-letter trends. He also reviews PCAOB standards’covering audit evidence, analytical procedures, confirmations, and quality-control requirements.

Highlights

• PCAOB standards
• artificial intelligence in accounting
• financial disclosure requirements
• GAAP compliance
• automation for accountants
• financial reporting
• audit report writing

Objectives

• Identify the key requirements of the SEC's pay-versus-performance, cybersecurity disclosure, and executive compensation clawback rules.
• Recognize the top 10 SEC comment-letter trends and the staff guidance on quantitative and qualitative materiality considerations.
• Distinguish among PCAOB standards (AS 1000, AS 1105, AS 2301, AS 2310) and their respective auditor responsibilities for evidence, risk responses, and confirmations.
• Estimate the sufficiency and appropriateness of audit evidence and substantive analytical procedures based on assessed risk of material misstatement.