Introduction to Forensic Accounting

Author: Lynn Fountain

This course provides a high-level overview and introduction into the world of the forensic accountant. Most accountants have an understanding of the concept of fraud and how it impacts companies, but many individuals do not have a full comprehension of the variance in the work performed by a forensic accountant versus a typical management accountant.

Forensic accountants or auditors take a unique focus on performing their work. Typically, when a person with forensic experience is called in to examine financial records, it is due to suspicion of fraud, evaluation of assets, or even to track down fundamentally incorrect accounting – intentional or not.

As fraud continues to raise its head in business processes, forensic accountants are discovering new and unique ways to identify, examine, and support their hypotheses and investigative techniques. The work performed by a forensic specialist can be interesting and full of potential potholes if evidence isn’t examined according to proper protocols and standards.

In this course, we examine the many processes and roles of the forensic accountant. We discuss rules of evidence and the accountant’s potential need to testify in a court of law. Learners will come away with an understanding of the world of forensic accounting and the many ways in which it may differ from the typical accountant’s role.

Publication Date: June 2022

Designed For
Accountants and Finance professionals, Auditors, Executive management/Board members and Audit Committee members, and Legal and Compliance professionals.

Topics Covered

• Many processes and roles of the forensic accountant
• Rules of evidence
• Accountant's potential need to testify in a court of law
• Concepts in forensic accounting
• The role of forensic accountants
• Differences between litigation and investigative support
• Types of engagements completed by forensic accountants
• Process utilized by forensic accountants
• Specific skill areas that are utilized by forensic accountants

Learning Objectives

• Describe the world of forensic accounting
• Identify distinguishing concepts in forensic accounting
• Differentiate between litigation and investigative support
• Identify the types of engagements completed by forensic accountants
• Recognize the process utilized by forensic accountants
• Describe the practice of concealing a message within another message or a physical object
• Recognize a subset of digital forensics based on the unique approach to investigating cloud environments
• Identify steps in the forensic process after meeting with a client

Level
Basic

Instructional Method
Self-Study

NASBA Field of Study
Accounting (2 hours)

Program Prerequisites
None

Advance Preparation
None