What is the current U.S. Fiscal Policy – is it expansionary or contractionary? If the current GDP has declined or expanded over the past 2 quarters at least, which of the tools of fiscal policy would you use to try to rein in the economy and how is this tool expected to affect Aggregate Demand? Give some examples of past U.S. fiscal policies and comment on their effectiveness. If you were in charge of making changes to U.S. fiscal policy, what changes will you make given the current economic conditions? What are some limitations of fiscal policy? Discuss some other goals besides economic stability that the government may have that would thwart fiscal policy.

Cite Reference in answers

You are the auditor for Bennett Industries, Inc., a public company that makes plastic food containers. You are preparing for the upcoming 06/30/2014 annual audit. In October 2013, Bennett acquired a small private company – Recycled To Reuse Company (RTR) – based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. RTR contracts with local towns and universities to purchase their recyclable “household materials” and then converts those materials into reusable granules for resale.

Bennett management made this investment to appeal to investors’ recent feedback that they would like to see the company promote and support plastic recycling. RTR ships recycled granules to the Bennett manufacturing facility outside of Atlanta, Georgia, where they are used as “raw materials” in their plastic products, especially ones that are sold to environmentally conscious businesses (e.g., Whole Foods; Trader Joes; etc.). Doing so will allows Bennett to label these product lines are “made with recycled materials” (as well as reduce costs associated with raw materials since Bennett does not pay RTR for the granules). 

RTR will continue to sell granules to other manufacturers, since Bennett does not use all types of granules that RTR currently produces. For example, some granules cannot be used by Bennett since they are not “food-grade” to be utilized in Bennett products (example: granules come from products that includes BPA, a toxic material).

1. As the auditor for Bennett Industries, would you consider this arrangement between Bennett and RTR legal? How should it be classified by Bennett?

2. What is required under applicable auditing standards in terms of performing an audit when a client has this type of business arrangement?

3. Under what circumstances would you be able to issue an unqualified opinion? In other words, what would Bennett Industries have to do in order to receive an unqualified opinion from your firm?