Finding Text
Criteria: The District should have policies and procedures to ensure that bank reconciliations are completed timely and discrepancies between the bank and accounting records are researched and resolved. Condition: During the audit, we found correspondence that indicated that as of July 6, 2022, there had been two accounts partially reconciled through October, 2021. These and remaining bank accounts were subsequently reconciled to a point; however, significant audit adjustments were required to correct the books. Various journal entries resulted in a decrease to General Fund cash of $301,751. There were numerous checks written in December, 2021 that had a different check number in the general ledger system than the actual check number that cleared the bank. As a result, these checks were not marked as cleared in the system and the bank reconciliation did not agree with the general ledger. We had to go back through the bank statements to determine why the reconciliation and general ledger were not in balance. We found approximately $128,306 in checks that were on the outstanding check list that had already cleared the bank. There were also numerous old checks on the reconciliation that should have been investigated and voided and/or reissued. These checks totaling $158,360.34 were added back to cash through an audit adjustment. Balances for the three previous districts were appropriately brought forward in the ledger; however, activity in these accounts were posted in the wrong cash accounts, resulting in our having to track various activities to the account where it was posted and reclass to the correct cash account. We also found activity for Clarendon County School District Three's regular account throughout the year that had not been recorded. Effect: Cash as recorded in the trial balance presented for audit was overstated by $301,751. By not reconciling bank accounts each month when received and researching and resolving discrepancies, errors or fraud may go undetected by the District. By not investigating old outstanding checks and adding those voided, lost, and/or replaced back to cash, cash is understated and expenditures are overstated. Cause: Unknown. Recommendation: Bank statements should be promptly reconciled to the District's general ledger monthly upon receipt. Any discrepancies should be researched and resolved. Checks outstanding for more than a month should be investigated to determine proper disposition. District response: The District no longer exists due to consolidation. Bank reconciliations will be reconciled in a timely manner by the Finance team.