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Do corporate pension plans affect audit pricing?

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  • Chen, Yangyang
  • Ge, Rui
  • Zolotoy, Leon

Abstract

We examine whether corporate pension plans of client firms (hereafter, clients) influence auditors’ decisions on audit pricing for the clients in the U.S. We find that, on average, auditors charge higher fees for auditing financial statements of client firms sponsoring defined benefits (DB) pension plans than matched firms without DB pension plans. Moreover, we find that the effect of DB pension plans on audit fees is stronger when clients’ earnings are more sensitive to DB pension estimates, or when managers’ compensation induces more risk taking. Finally, we find that the additional audit fees charged for clients with DB pension plans are negatively associated with the extent of manipulations of DB pension accounting estimates. Collectively, our findings suggest that auditors consider managers’ incentive to manipulate earnings and increase audit effort to reduce audit risk associated with DB pension accounting, which results in higher audit fees.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Yangyang & Ge, Rui & Zolotoy, Leon, 2017. "Do corporate pension plans affect audit pricing?," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 322-337.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jocaae:v:13:y:2017:i:3:p:322-337
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jcae.2017.10.002
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    3. Masaki KUSANO & Yoshihiro SAKUMA, 2019. "Recognition versus Disclosure and Audit Fees and Costs:Evidence from Pension Accounting in Japan," Discussion papers e-19-007, Graduate School of Economics , Kyoto University.
    4. Lieberman, Alicea & Duke, Kristen E. & Amir, On, 2019. "How incentive framing can harness the power of social norms," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 118-131.
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    6. Sun, Xuan Sean & Habib, Ahsan & Bhuiyan, Md. Borhan Uddin, 2020. "Workforce environment and audit fees: International evidence," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1).
    7. Fahad, Nafiz & Ma, Nelson & Scott, Tom, 2020. "The consequences of discount rate selection for defined benefit liabilities," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Pension plans; Audit pricing; Audit effort; Audit risk; Earnings management;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M40 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - General
    • M42 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Auditing
    • M48 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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