In forensic accounting, which is an extremely specialized and narrowly focused area of accountancy, financial and commercial data are thoroughly and intricately investigated and analyzed.  When it comes to what forensic accountant does, it is their responsibility to conduct in-depth financial investigations and analyses on behalf of the company before summarizing, deriving conclusions, and outlining their findings in a way that is understandable to those without forensic accounting training or experience.  The forensic accountant must also make sure that all conclusions are adequately backed up by the required documentation.  

Benefits of forensic accounting for businesses 

 

Having a highly-skilled, legally astute financial expert on board to monitor and control some critical parts of the brand’s day-to-day forensic accounting that may be beyond the capability of the normal company accountant is the simplest way the forensic accountant may aid the modern corporation. Forensic accountants assist in the establishment of rules and procedures that can stop the illegal or unauthorized use of firm resources in the first place, as opposed to merely discovering and correcting potentially detrimental behavior. They conduct advanced risk assessment investigations, identify the business sectors that can be prone to fraud, and bring to light any potential grey areas that top management might have missed.

 

Reasons to hire a forensic accountant

A business or person may hire a forensic accountant for a variety of reasons. Since investigatory auditing is often necessary, their specific talents make them ideal candidates. A forensic accountant can assist you with the following problems: 

 

Mergers and acquisitions

When it comes to corporate mergers and acquisitions of all sizes, skilled individuals in forensic accounting can also be of great value. In these situations, trained professionals are frequently hired to study target companies to determine whether their assessments of their worth, profitability, and overall legality of activities are, in fact, reasonable and true. 

This also holds true when a company decides to start collaborating with another company in a less formal and legally binding manner.

 

Cost savings

 

Above all, the main reason forensic accountants are employed is to cut costs and minimize losses for clients. Costs associated with forensic accounting and auditing can be rather significant, although they are not nearly as costly as losses that may result from ignoring or minimizing fraudulent behavior.

 

The services of a forensic accountant are genuinely priceless when it comes to preventing irreparable reputational harm when a business is discovered to have been operating illegally in any way, even without the knowledge of the individual owners.

 

Conflicting contracts

In order to prepare the parties and their counsel for mediation and arbitration, a forensic accountant can be of great assistance. The forensic accountant may also be present at the meeting or hearing or available by phone to help clarify a financial issue as needed.

 

The forensic accountant will also be in a position to help with trial preparation if the parties are unable to reach a settlement.

 

Inheritance disputes

Families can get into disputes with one another in a variety of ways, including between couples, between parents and kids, and between siblings. Forensic accounting can help with a variety of issues in family conflicts.

 

Litigation

A forensic accountant might offer support during litigation proceedings in situations when an amicable conclusion was not possible. Giving assistance with discovery is one instance of this, which includes evaluating the documentation’s caliber to evaluate whether it is pertinent to the issue at hand.

 

A forensic accountant will also gather information and carry out the appropriate analysis to support or challenge the legal theories offered. They will also provide a thorough report that conveys their findings and recommendations. The forensic accountant can also provide feedback on an opposing expert’s report upon request.

 

How Gerbes Consultancy can help you

Gerbes Consultancy has an established and practicing forensic accounting team who provides prompt and expert solutions. The team act as forensic accountants and expert witnesses in civil, matrimonial, and criminal matters.

 

Gerbes Consultancy is happy to have an initial discussion to discuss any issues you may be facing. Please get in touch to schedule an online or telephonic consultation with us.