Third Party Verification (Comfort) Requests- What Are Options for Responding and How to Determine Which Professional Standards to Apply?
Total Credits: 2 including 2 Auditing- Technical
- Average Rating:
- Not yet rated
- Categories:
- ACPEN Industry Institute | Accounting and Auditing
- Faculty:
- Jennifer Louis, CPA
- Course Levels:
- Basic
- Duration:
- 2 Hours
- License:
- Product Setting: Expires 30 day(s) after program date.
Description
Frequently, third parties may request certain financial and nonfinancial information to be verified by the external accountant (often referred to as ";comfort letters"). This course will provide insight into how to respond to requests for comfort in a way that will minimize professional liability risk.
Basic Course Information
Learning Objectives- Describe the various nonattest and attest options available for appropriately responding to third party verification requests
- Explain how to select the most appropriate type of engagement to meet the client's needs
- Discuss how to meet the needs of your client and satisfy third parties, without putting your practice at risk
Major Subjects
- Common third party verification requests
- Differentiating the allowable options for responding to requests for comfort, including SSARS, SAS and SSAE engagements
- Critical elements of professional standards that may apply to nonattest and attest services performed
- Establishing an understanding with the client regarding the nature and scope of services
Course Materials
IMPORTANT_CPE Credit Instructions_Read Before Webcast_2025 Update (434.2 KB) | Available after Purchase |
Faculty

Jennifer Louis, CPA Related Seminars and Products
President
EMERGENT SOLUTIONS GROUP
Jennifer has over 25 years experience in designing and instructing high-quality training programs in a wide variety of technical and “soft skills” topics needed for professional and organization success. In 2003 she founded Emergent Solutions Group, which is dedicated to meeting organization’s professional training needs on a project or part-time basis. Jennifer serves a wide variety of clients, including public accounting firms, state CPA societies, private industry corporations, and public sector agencies.Previously Jennifer served as the Director of Audit Product Development at Surgent Professional Education for three years. Prior to that, Jennifer was Executive Vice President/Director of Training Services at AuditWatch, Inc., a highly respected training and audit process consulting firm later acquired by Thomson Reuters. Over her six years at AuditWatch, Jennifer served many roles. She began her career at AuditWatch as Vice President of Product Development. Jennifer also served as an instructor and consultant for the firm’s Audit Productivity Improvement Program (a comprehensive program enabling accounting firms to enhance audit quality and improve audit efficiency), as well as various other training courses. Later, Jennifer was primarily responsible for working with clients to design high-caliber, customized training programs. She led the Training Services Division, which includes AuditWatch University (“core-level” staff training for new hires to managers) and related offerings. She also co-authored the Guide to Value-Added Auditing (Thomson/Practitioners Publishing Company, Fort Worth, TX, July 2001).
Before joining AuditWatch, Jennifer was the Financial/Operational Audit Manager at AARP. While at AARP she served as one of their specially trained facilitators available as a resource throughout the organization for designing and leading strategic meetings and trainings.
Jennifer was also an Audit Manager at Deloitte, in Washington, DC. During her five years with Deloitte, she was a frequent local and national instructor. Jennifer also served as an instructor for the firm’s national “Train the Trainers” program.
Jennifer graduated summa cum laude from Marymount University with a BBA-Accounting. She is currently a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and is licensed to practice accounting in the Commonwealth of Virginia and North Carolina.Contact Jennifer via email at jlouis@emergentgroup.net, or via LinkedIn
Dates
Fri, Jun 27, 2025 - 11:00am to 01:00pm PDT
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Tue, Jul 08, 2025 - 01:00pm to 03:00pm PDT
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Wed, Jul 23, 2025 - 07:00am to 09:00am PDT
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Thu, Aug 07, 2025 - 09:00am to 11:00am PDT
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Wed, Aug 27, 2025 - 11:00am to 01:00pm PDT
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Thu, Sep 04, 2025 - 04:00pm to 06:00pm PDT
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Wed, Sep 17, 2025 - 07:00am to 09:00am PDT
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Wed, Oct 08, 2025 - 09:00am to 11:00am PDT
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Sat, Oct 25, 2025 - 11:00am to 01:00pm PDT
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Thu, Nov 06, 2025 - 01:00pm to 03:00pm PST
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Thu, Nov 20, 2025 - 07:00am to 09:00am PST
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Mon, Dec 08, 2025 - 09:00am to 11:00am PST
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Thu, Dec 18, 2025 - 11:00am to 01:00pm PST
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Sat, Dec 27, 2025 - 01:00pm to 03:00pm PST
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Tue, Jan 06, 2026 - 04:00pm to 06:00pm PST
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Wed, Jan 21, 2026 - 09:00am to 11:00am PST
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Thu, Feb 12, 2026 - 11:00am to 01:00pm PST
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Mon, Feb 23, 2026 - 01:00pm to 03:00pm PST
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Thu, Mar 05, 2026 - 07:00am to 09:00am PST
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Tue, Mar 24, 2026 - 09:00am to 11:00am PDT
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Wed, Apr 01, 2026 - 11:00am to 01:00pm PDT
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Sat, Apr 18, 2026 - 01:00pm to 03:00pm PDT
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Wed, May 13, 2026 - 07:00am to 09:00am PDT
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Tue, May 26, 2026 - 04:00pm to 06:00pm PDT
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Sat, Jun 06, 2026 - 11:00am to 01:00pm PDT
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Wed, Jun 10, 2026 - 01:00pm to 03:00pm PDT
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Thu, Jun 25, 2026 - 07:00am to 09:00am PDT
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Additional Info
Basic Course Information
Prerequisites NoneAdvanced Preparation None
Designed For Anyone who performed nonaudit services
Original Recording Date 06/2025
Course Developer EMERGENT SOLUTIONS GROUP
Date Added to Catalog 03/2025
Yellow Book No
Additional Information
Complaint Resolution PolicyPlease contact Anne Taylor for any complaints. anne.taylor@acpen.com, (972-377-8199).
Official Registry Statement
Business Professionals' Network, Inc. is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org
Instructional Delivery Method
Group Internet Based
Course Registration Requirements
Online Registration
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Please contact the ACPEN help desk 1-877-602-9877 or help@acpen.com if you wish to cancel your attendance for a previously purchased webcast and are requesting a refund or transfer.