Audit & Assurance
Audit that reads the business, not just the ledgers
An audit done properly is not an adversarial exercise and not a rubber stamp. It is a careful read of the books by someone who knows what problems look like before they become findings — and who tells you plainly what needs attention, in time to do something about it. Thirty years of practice means very few situations arrive here for the first time.
What gets audited, and why
Statutory audit
Companies are audited every year regardless of size — it is a requirement of the Companies Act, not a function of turnover. The auditor must be appointed within thirty days of incorporation.
Tax audit
Required under the Income Tax Act once business or professional receipts cross the applicable threshold. The report is filed with the return, so its deadline is tied to the filing calendar.
Certifications and reports
Net worth certificates, turnover certificates, certificates for banks, visas and tenders — the documents businesses are routinely asked to produce and need a CA to sign.
Books that need attention first
Some businesses arrive at audit season with books that are not ready to be audited. Getting the accounts into shape is its own piece of work, and it is better done before the deadline pressure starts.
How an audit runs here
Scope is settled at the start
Which audit applies, which reports are due, and by when. Statutory, tax or both — the obligations stack for many businesses, and the timetable works backwards from the filing deadlines.
The books are read before the fieldwork
A first pass over the trial balance and ledgers, so that the audit effort goes where the risk actually is rather than evenly everywhere.
Queries come in batches, not a drip
Questions and document requests are collected and sent together, so your staff are not interrupted daily for weeks.
Findings are discussed before they are written
Nothing appears in the report that has not been raised with you first. Where something needs fixing, you hear about it while there is still time to fix it.
Reports are signed and filed on time
The audit report, and the filings that hang off it, delivered against the statutory calendar.
What the audit will need
- Books of account — ledgers, cash book, journals
- Bank statements for the year, with reconciliations
- Sales and purchase invoices
- GST returns filed during the year
- TDS returns and challans
- Fixed asset register
- Loan statements and sanction letters
- Prior year audited financials, for a first engagement
Auditor independence is not a formality. Where the audit is signed here, the bookkeeping it audits is kept at arm's length — that separation is what makes the signature worth something.
Fees
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Statutory auditDepends on size and state of the books | Call and discuss |
| Tax audit | Call and discuss |
| Certificates — net worth, turnover and similar | Call and discuss |
Audit fees depend on the size of the entity and the state of the books, so they are quoted after a look at the trial balance rather than from a price list.
Questions people ask first
Does my business need an audit at all?
Companies need a statutory audit every year regardless of turnover. For proprietorships, firms and professionals, the tax audit requirement depends on receipts crossing the threshold that applies to your kind of income. Call with the basic numbers and you will get a straight answer.
When should the auditor be appointed?
For a new company, within thirty days of incorporation — this is one of the most commonly missed early obligations. For an established business, well before year-end, so the audit is planned rather than crammed against the filing deadline.
What are the key deadlines this year?
For AY 2026-27: the tax audit report is due by 30 September 2026 and the audited return by 31 October 2026. Advance tax instalments fall due on 15 September and 15 December 2026, and 15 March 2027. Monthly TDS deposits are due by the 7th of the following month. Working backwards from these dates is exactly what audit planning means.
Our books are behind. Can you still audit them?
The books need to be brought current first — an audit of incomplete accounts helps nobody. Both pieces of work can be arranged, but they are distinct, and starting early is what makes the deadline achievable.
Can you audit a company whose accounts you also keep?
No — independence rules exist precisely for that reason, and they are taken seriously here. What can be done is one role or the other, arranged so that whichever is signed is genuinely independent.
What does the audit cost?
It depends on the size of the entity and the state of the books, so it is quoted after a look at the trial balance. What you will not get is a number invented on the phone before anyone has seen the accounts.
Get the audit planned, not crammed
Call with the shape of the business — entity type, rough turnover, and where the books stand. You will get a clear view of which audits apply and what the timetable looks like.