Research Project

Public vs. Private Auditors, Big vs. Little Issuers: What’s Influencing the Timeliness of Municipal Bond Audits, by Deborah A. Carroll and Richard A. Ciccarone

Principal Investigator
Carroll, Deborah A.
Co-Principal Investigator
Ciccarone, Richard
Research Area(s)
Debt and Long-Term Obligations
Fiscal Policy and Financial Positions
Government Finance Research
Research Report
Funding Source
Government Finance Research Center & Merritt Research Services, an Investortools Company

Abstract

Public vs. Private Auditors, Big vs. Little Issuers: What’s Influencing the Timeliness of Municipal Bond Audits examines municipal bond issuers' audit times. In this year’s report, we first offer an overview of audit time trends since 2010. We then recognize the timeliest audits for the 2021 fiscal year, grouped by municipal credit sector, from more than 10,000 municipal bond audits in the Merritt Research Services, an Investortools Company database found in CreditScope. Finally, we conduct correlational analysis and difference of means testing to examine some potential reasons for variation in audit timing in an effort to develop solutions for improvement where it might be needed. Published: May 1, 2023. Read the full report here.