Finding 525594 (2023-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
A
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2023
Accepted
2025-03-04
Audit: 344694
Organization: Child Start, Inc. (MT)
Auditor: Jccs PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Inadequate internal controls led to errors in journal entries, specifically inaccurate payroll accruals and negative allocations.
  • Impacted Requirements: This resulted in a $45,320 overpayment of federal funds, affecting compliance with federal expenditure reporting.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Conduct a thorough year-end review of balances and journal entries before submitting federal reimbursement requests.

Finding Text

Finding 2023-001: Invalid Journal Entries (Compliance) Condition and Criteria: During the current year audit, we discovered deficiencies in internal controls over journal entries posted to the Organization's records. We identified several errors related to inaccurate payroll accruals and negative payroll allocations within funds. This required the Organization to adjust payroll costs based on accurate accruals and to eliminate negative payroll allocations within funds. These adjustments resulted in a $45,320 reduction in payroll expenses charged to the major program. Cause: There was inadequate review of 2023 balances during the year-end close process. Effect and Questioned Costs: The effect of these deficiencies in internal controls was known questioned costs of $45,320 charged to the major program. This resulted in over payment of federal funds to the Organization in the amount of $45,320. The potential effect of these deficiencies is the misstatement of federal expenditures reported on the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards and the noncompliance with Allowable Activities and Allowable Costs requirements per the Compliance Supplement. Recommendation: We recommend the Organization perform a thorough year-end review which should include comparing current balances to the prior year, reviewing details of account balances, as necessary, and reviewing journal vouchers posted during the year for reasonableness, prior to submitting reimbursement requests for federal programs.

Corrective Action Plan

Invalid Journal Entries (Compliance) Recommendation: We recommend the Organization perform a thorough year-end review which should include comparing current balances to the prior year, reviewing details of account balances, as necessary, and reviewing journal vouchers posted during the year for reasonableness, prior to submitting reimbursement requests for federal programs. Management’s Response: We concur with the recommendation, and the corrective action will be implemented as of January 31, 2025.

Categories

Questioned Costs Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Cash Management Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 525590 2023-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 525591 2023-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 525592 2023-005
    Material Weakness
  • 525593 2023-006
    Material Weakness
  • 525595 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1102032 2023-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1102033 2023-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1102034 2023-005
    Material Weakness
  • 1102035 2023-006
    Material Weakness
  • 1102036 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1102037 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.600 Head Start $3.63M
10.558 Child and Adult Care Food Program $107,249
93.575 Child Care and Development Block Grant $16,252