Finding 1228619 (2026-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2026
Accepted
2026-09-01
Audit: 410251
Organization: Berkshire Retirement Home INC (MA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: A distribution was made that exceeded the allowable surplus cash amount.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with internal controls regarding cash distributions.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Update policies to ensure final audited surplus cash calculations are used for year-end distributions.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Program Name: Section 232 Mortgage Insurance for Nursing Homes Assistance Listing Number: 14.129 Award Period: June 1, 2025 – May 31, 2026 Type of Finding: • Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance • Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: The Project take distributions in excess of surplus cash. Condition: A distribution was taken in excess of surplus cash that was calculated as of 5/31/2025. Questioned costs: $95,897 Context: No sampling, entire population tested. Cause: Management mistakenly utilized an interim surplus cash calculation to determine the distribution amount, and not the final audited surplus cash calculation as of 5/31/2025. Effect: Resulted in a distribution in excess of allowable amount. Repeat finding: No Recommendation: We recommend that management update its policies and procedures over distributions from surplus cash, and ensure that the final audited calculation is utilized when making a distribution from surplus cash at year-end. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Corrective Action Plan

MATERIAL WEAKNESS Section 232 Mortgage Insurance for Nursing Homes – Assistance Listing No. 14.157 Recommendation: The auditor recommends that management update its policies and procedures over distributions from surplus cash and ensure that the final audited calculation is utilized when making a distribution from surplus cash at year-end. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: The surplus cash calculation used for the fiscal yearending 05/31/2025 inadvertently used the interim surplus cash calculation and not the final audited surplus cash calculation, which resulted in a slight overage in surplus cash distribution to its supporting charity organization. Once identified, provisions were made for immediate repayment, which was completed on 8/20/2026. The policy and procedure process was modified to ensure that the audited surplus cash calculation is used prior to any distribution. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Edward Forfa, Executive Director, Berkshire Retirement Home, Inc. DBA Berkshire Place, 290 South Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 413-445-4056 #160; eforfa@berskhireplace.com Planned completion date for corrective action plan: 08/20/2026

Categories

HUD Housing Programs Material Weakness Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1228620 2026-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.129 MORTGAGE INSURANCE NURSING HOMES, INTERMEDIATE CARE FACILITIES, BOARD AND CARE HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES $10.47M