Audit 354747

FY End
2024-12-31
Total Expended
$15.03M
Findings
4
Programs
22
Organization: Legal Aid Chicago (IL)
Year: 2024 Accepted: 2025-04-28

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
556015 2024-001 Significant Deficiency Yes G
556016 2024-002 Significant Deficiency - E
1132457 2024-001 Significant Deficiency Yes G
1132458 2024-002 Significant Deficiency - E

Contacts

Name Title Type
YCCJDNSBW236 Mark Kennedy Auditee
3123478319 Thure Ross Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: SUBRECIPIENTS Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (Schedule) includes federal award activity of Legal Aid Chicago for the year ended December 31, 2024, and is presented on the accrual basis of accounting. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of Legal Aid Chicago, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets, or cash flows of Legal Aid Chicago. The Organization maintains separate general ledger accounts for each grant. There were no noncash awards in the current year. Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on an accrual basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following, as applicable, the cost principles contained in Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowed or are limited as to reimbursement. Pass-through entity identifying numbers are presented where available. De Minimis Rate Used: Y Rate Explanation: Legal Aid Chicago has elected to use both 10% de minimis cost rate and its pre-determined rate beginning June 1, 2024 of 48.5% on applicable grants. Legal Aid Chicago provided $14,978 of federal awards to subrecipients during the year ended December 31, 2024.
Title: FEDERAL LOANS, FEDERAL LOAN GUARANTEES, AND FEDERAL NONCASH ASSISTANCE Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (Schedule) includes federal award activity of Legal Aid Chicago for the year ended December 31, 2024, and is presented on the accrual basis of accounting. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of Legal Aid Chicago, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets, or cash flows of Legal Aid Chicago. The Organization maintains separate general ledger accounts for each grant. There were no noncash awards in the current year. Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on an accrual basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following, as applicable, the cost principles contained in Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowed or are limited as to reimbursement. Pass-through entity identifying numbers are presented where available. De Minimis Rate Used: Y Rate Explanation: Legal Aid Chicago has elected to use both 10% de minimis cost rate and its pre-determined rate beginning June 1, 2024 of 48.5% on applicable grants. Legal Aid Chicago did not have any federal loans or federal loan guarantees outstanding at December 31, 2024. Legal Aid Chicago did not receive any federal noncash assistance during the year ended December 31, 2024 that should be included in the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards.
Title: INSURANCE Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (Schedule) includes federal award activity of Legal Aid Chicago for the year ended December 31, 2024, and is presented on the accrual basis of accounting. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of Legal Aid Chicago, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets, or cash flows of Legal Aid Chicago. The Organization maintains separate general ledger accounts for each grant. There were no noncash awards in the current year. Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on an accrual basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following, as applicable, the cost principles contained in Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowed or are limited as to reimbursement. Pass-through entity identifying numbers are presented where available. De Minimis Rate Used: Y Rate Explanation: Legal Aid Chicago has elected to use both 10% de minimis cost rate and its pre-determined rate beginning June 1, 2024 of 48.5% on applicable grants. Legal Aid Chicago had the following insurance coverage in effect paid with federal funds during the year ended December 31, 2024: Lawyers Professional Liability $ 1,000,000 Management Liability $1,000,000 Employment Practices $500,000 Business Personal Property $6,971,600 General Liability (per Occurance) $1,000,000 Crime $750,000 Workers' Comp $1,000,000 Umbrella $2,000,000 Fiduciary $1,000,000 Cyber $1,000,000

Finding Details

Federal Agency: Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Federal Program: LSC Grants Assistance Listing Number: 09.514020 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 09.514020 - 2024 Award Period: January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance and Other Matters Criteria or Specific Requirement: PAI time is required to be tracked separately to document compliance with the PAI requirement under the LSC grant. Condition: Not all PAI time entries tested were for eligible PAI time. Questioned costs: None Context: Two of the 60 PAI time entries tested had time coded to PAI despite not being eligible PAI time. Cause: Unknown. Effect: Entering ineligible PAI time leads to a higher risk of noncompliance with regulations. Repeat finding: This finding is a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that management implement a control to review PAI time entries to ensure they are accurate. Views of Responsible Official: There is no disagreement with this finding.
Federal Agency: Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Federal Program: LSC Grants Assistance Listing Number: 09.514020 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 09.514020 - 2024 Award Period: January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance and Other Matters Criteria or Specific Requirement: Cases involving representation are required to have a retainer agreement signed by the client and an authorized Legal Aid Chicago staff member. Condition: Not all cases involving representation had a complete signed retainer agreement. Questioned costs: None Context: For one of the 60 cases selected for testing, the case did not have a retainer agreement signed by an authorized Legal Aid Chicago Staff member. Cause: Unknown. Effect: Cases for which a retainer agreement is not maintained results in noncompliance with LSC’s outlined requirements for determining case eligibility. Repeat finding: This finding is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that management implement a control to ensure complete documentation is maintained for all cases that require a retainer agreement. Views of Responsible Official: There is no disagreement with this finding.
Federal Agency: Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Federal Program: LSC Grants Assistance Listing Number: 09.514020 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 09.514020 - 2024 Award Period: January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance and Other Matters Criteria or Specific Requirement: PAI time is required to be tracked separately to document compliance with the PAI requirement under the LSC grant. Condition: Not all PAI time entries tested were for eligible PAI time. Questioned costs: None Context: Two of the 60 PAI time entries tested had time coded to PAI despite not being eligible PAI time. Cause: Unknown. Effect: Entering ineligible PAI time leads to a higher risk of noncompliance with regulations. Repeat finding: This finding is a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that management implement a control to review PAI time entries to ensure they are accurate. Views of Responsible Official: There is no disagreement with this finding.
Federal Agency: Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Federal Program: LSC Grants Assistance Listing Number: 09.514020 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 09.514020 - 2024 Award Period: January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance and Other Matters Criteria or Specific Requirement: Cases involving representation are required to have a retainer agreement signed by the client and an authorized Legal Aid Chicago staff member. Condition: Not all cases involving representation had a complete signed retainer agreement. Questioned costs: None Context: For one of the 60 cases selected for testing, the case did not have a retainer agreement signed by an authorized Legal Aid Chicago Staff member. Cause: Unknown. Effect: Cases for which a retainer agreement is not maintained results in noncompliance with LSC’s outlined requirements for determining case eligibility. Repeat finding: This finding is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that management implement a control to ensure complete documentation is maintained for all cases that require a retainer agreement. Views of Responsible Official: There is no disagreement with this finding.