Attestation Engagement
An engagement in which a CPA reports on subject matter or an assertion that is the responsibility of another party.
AUD loves to test the three levels of assurance: an examination yields reasonable (positive) assurance, a review yields limited (negative) assurance, and an agreed-upon procedures (AOP) engagement yields no assurance—the practitioner only reports findings. The classic tell is a question describing a CPA reporting on non-financial-statement subject matter (greenhouse-gas data, a schedule of investment returns, MD&A), then asking which standards apply: the answer hinges on the SSAEs (AT-C sections), not the SASs (AU-C sections) that govern GAAS financial-statement audits.
The trap is conflating attestation with auditing. An audit is itself an attest service, but a financial-statement audit is performed under the SASs, while the SSAEs cover other attest subject matter. Distinct from both, SSARS governs compilations (AR-C 80) and preparations (AR-C 70)—nonassurance services that are not SSAE attestation engagements. Don’t confuse a SSARS review (historical financials, AR-C 90) with an SSAE review (other subject matter, AT-C 210); AOP lives at AT-C 215. SOC 1/SOC 2 are examinations under the SSAEs. Hook: E-R-A—Exam, Review, AOP, high to zero assurance.
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