會計師懲戒程度對簽證保守性之影響

Impact of CPA Discipline on Auditor Conservatism

國內自民國八０年代後期，發生多起企業財報醜聞（含近起之力霸集團弊案），因而接連發生會計師因查核疏失而遭受金管會懲戒之處分，然而這些處分是否對會計師後續簽證保守性產生影響，尚待進一步探究。本研究分析從民國89~96 年間，金管會對會計師之懲戒事件，是否對會計師後續簽證行為之保守性造成影響。研究結果指出，會計師受懲處之輕重程度會影響後續會計師簽證行為之保守性。若會計師遭受停業處分，則繼任會計師對簽證客戶之盈餘管理政策（以簽證企業之裁決性應計金額衡量）會持有更保守之簽證態度；惟若會計師僅受警告處分仍繼續執業，則其後續簽證行為之保守性並未有明顯改變。本研究另發現原任會計師受停業處份後，繼任會計師於接任簽證之第二年相較於第一年，受查企業裁決性應計數明顯提升，此原因可能為會計師把關之門檻變得較為寬鬆，但亦不排除係由於裁決性應計數迴轉之可能性。額外分析於排除其它可能解釋後，支持本研究所發現繼任會計師對於因懲戒事件所接手客戶之保守性簽證態度，應是肇因於懲戒處分所致。

Many auditing failures have occurred in recent years, especially those associated with Procomp, Rebar, and the Chinese Bank. These well-known accounting scandals resulted in auditors being disciplined and led lack of investor confidence in the auditing profession. The effect of disciplining a CPA on subsequent auditing behavior is an interesting issue for investigation. Specifically, this study examines the impact of auditor conservatism after an audit failure. The empirical results show that after auditors were disciplined and forced to transfer their clients to other auditors, client firms largely decreased their discretionary accruals. However, when audited by an auditor simply given a warning, clients do not significantly change their discretionary accruals. This analytical finding indicates that successor auditors become more conservative than disciplined auditors, and the degree of punishment affects the level of conservatism in subsequent audits. Moreover, successor auditors’ conservatism may exist during the first year. At the second year, the discretionary accruals of clients’ earnings management would significantly increase, but it may be the result of accruals reverse. Additional analysis shows that successor auditors become more conservative for clients from disciplined events than those from non-disciplined ones.