What level of assurance does an audit provide regarding the accuracy of Gold Star's consolidated financial statements?
Gold_Star Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America; this includes the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is required to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about Gold Star Chili, Inc., its subsidiary, TCWW, LLC and its consolidated entity, GCS Properties, LLC's ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the consolidated financial statements are available to be issued.
Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not absolute assurance and therefore is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control. Misstatements are considered material if there is a substantial likelihood that, individually or in the aggregate, they would influence the judgment made by a reasonable user based on the consolidated financial statements.
Board of Directors and Stockholders Gold Star Chili, Inc. Page 3
In performing an audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, we:
- Exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit.
- Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, and design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks. Such procedures include examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements.
- Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of Gold Star Chili, Inc., its subsidiary, TCWW, LLC, and its consolidated entity, GSC Properties, LLC's internal control. Accordingly, no such opinion is\nexpressed.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 53–163)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Gold Star's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, an audit aims to provide "reasonable assurance" that the consolidated financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. The auditor's report includes their opinion on the financial statements. This level of assurance is considered high but is not absolute, meaning there's no guarantee that an audit will always detect every material misstatement.
The document clarifies that the risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than that of one resulting from error. This is because fraud may involve intentional concealment, such as collusion, forgery, or intentional omissions, which are designed to evade detection. Misstatements are considered material if they would likely influence the judgment of a reasonable user of the financial statements.
In conducting an audit, the auditor exercises professional judgment, maintains professional skepticism, identifies and assesses risks of material misstatement, and designs audit procedures responsive to those risks. These procedures include examining evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements on a test basis. The auditor also obtains an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit but does not express an opinion on the effectiveness of Gold Star's internal control.
Furthermore, the auditor evaluates the appropriateness of accounting policies used, the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, and the overall presentation of the financial statements. They also conclude whether there are conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about Gold Star's ability to continue as a going concern. The auditor communicates with those charged with governance regarding the audit's scope, timing, significant findings, and internal control related matters identified during the audit.