How Much Does a Forensic Audit Cost?

Last Updated on February 13, 2024
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

Forensic audits can be an expensive yet necessary procedure for businesses and organizations to undertake when financial fraud is suspected. But what exactly goes into the costs of a forensic audit? This comprehensive guide examines the many factors that influence pricing and provides tips for budgeting for these critical financial investigations.

A forensic audit is a thorough examination of an organization’s financial records to uncover evidence of fraud or misconduct. While a standard financial statement audit focuses on whether the numbers present a true and fair view, a forensic audit takes a deeper dive to detect intentional manipulation and abuse of funds.

Forensic audits involve detailed inspection of accounting records, financial statements, bank statements, invoices, contracts, emails, and other documents. Forensic accountants and auditors use interviewing, data analytics, forensic accounting techniques, and technology tools to uncover anomalies that may indicate fraudulent activities.

How Much Does a Forensic Audit Cost?

The costs of a forensic audit can vary greatly depending on the nature and extent of the investigation, ranging anywhere from $10,000 for a small business to over $5 million for large corporations. Industry expertise, geographic location, and the complexity of detecting sophisticated financial crimes also impact pricing.

For small to mid-sized companies, total costs typically range from $15,000 on the low end up to $100,000 on the high end. Small retail businesses or simple fraud cases could fall in the $15,000 – $30,000 range. Larger investigations into manufacturing companies or healthcare practices may cost $40,000 – $75,000.

For major public corporations, fees can easily exceed $100,000 and even reach millions of dollars for complex global investigations. Massive fraud cases at Fortune 500 companies often incur fees above $5 million, especially if legal proceedings result.

Some sample pricing examples for common scenarios:

• $25,000 – $75,000 range for a forensic audit of an alleged embezzlement scheme at a mid-sized construction contractor
• $125,000 – $300,000 range to investigate whistleblower claims of financial misreporting and accounting manipulation at a public manufacturing company
• $500,000 – $1 million+ range for a multi-national retailer requiring audits across Asia, Europe, and the Americas to look into suspected bribery of foreign officials
• $50,000 – $150,000 range to examine shareholder allegations of expense report fraud by executives at a technology startup
• Up to $5 million for a massive financial statement audit ordered by the SEC of a Fortune 100 company involved in major accounting scandals

As shown by the wide ranges, the specifics of each case significantly sway pricing. The number of transactions, accounts, years, and locations under review as well as the discovery of multi-layered schemes all increase costs. Understanding the potential scope ahead of time allows for more accurate budgeting.

According to SpaceCoastForensics, an average per-hour cost range to expect for normal audits is $150 – $300 per hour.

Factors That Influence Forensic Audit Costs

Many elements contribute to the total fees charged for forensic auditing services. The main factors include:

• Scope and breadth of the investigation – The larger the volume of financial records and transactions to review, the greater the time and resources required. Expanding the number of years audited or areas of the business probed will increase costs.
• Level of accounting complexity – Untangling intricate accounting schemes or transactions across many corporate entities and subsidiaries will necessitate more billable hours.
• Industry expertise required – Specific knowledge of accounting norms and risks in certain industries (e.g. healthcare, construction) may command higher fees if specialists are needed.
• Travel expenses – If auditors must travel to multiple corporate locations or international offices, expenses like airfare, lodging, meals and incidentals add up.
• Technology tools and data analytics – Forensic audits often utilize advanced analytics software and data mining tools that come with licensing/subscription fees.
• Legal/litigation support – If the audit is part of legal proceedings or an investigation, legal counsel fees and case preparation support get factored in.
• Extent of fraud discovered – Uncovering greater levels of financial abuse or asset misappropriation will necessitate more audit testing and time-consuming analyses.

The credentials and experience level of the forensic accounting team also impact costs. Senior forensic partners and certified fraud examiners (CFE) with specialized expertise may charge hourly rates ranging from $200 to $500+.

Typical Pricing Models Used for Forensic Audits

Forensic accounting firms offer several pricing structures:

• Hourly fees – The most common model bills the client based on hourly rates for staff working on the engagement. Rates vary based on the experience level and specialty of auditors.
• Fixed/flat fees – Some firms charge a set fee upfront for the defined scope of the forensic audit. This provides cost certainty but may involve fee overruns if the scope expands significantly.
• Hybrid model – A retainer fee covers an estimated number of hours, with hourly billing above the retainer amount if the investigation is more extensive than anticipated.
• Contingency pricing – Fees are based on a percentage of any financial recoveries from uncovered fraud, creating a contingency incentive arrangement.
• Outsourced vs in-house – Hiring external forensic specialists is more expensive than utilizing internal audit staff but brings specialized skills.

The typical range for external forensic auditors is $100-$300 per hour, depending on qualifications. Review legal invoices closely as attorney fees can exceed $400 per hour for fraud casework.

Potential Additional Cost Considerations

Beyond the core forensic accounting fees, a financial fraud investigation often requires other professional services and expenses:

• Computer forensics experts to extract digital data as evidence
• Private investigators to conduct interviews, surveillance, and background checks
• Industry experts to determine norms and standards for comparison
• Damages experts to quantify financial losses from fraudulent acts
• E-discovery service providers to store and search electronic documents
• Litigation support specialists to analyze accounting records produced for legal proceedings
• Administrative expenses like travel, lodging, meals, photocopying, and document shipping

Budgeting for a Forensic Audit – What to Expect

Accounting for all the variables that impact pricing, budgeting $100,000-$300,000 is a reasonable ballpark for a medium-sized forensic audit engagement. Small businesses can budget around $15,000-50,000 while large corporations often incur seven-figure costs.

Build contingencies into the budget to account for the unpredictable nature of fraud investigations. Discovery of additional scheme layers or expansion into new areas of scrutiny adds costs. A flexible budget with 20-30% padding is prudent.

Understand that legal fees, forensic technology expenses, and litigation support frequently equal or exceed the audit itself. Avoid sticker shock by clarifying these ancillary costs upfront.

Comprehensive fraud risk assessments during the budgeting phase help determine the extent of forensic procedures warranted and can prevent underbudgeting.

Selecting a Forensic Audit Provider

Choosing an experienced firm with specific expertise relevant to the suspected fraud is key. Verify credentials like CFE certifications and look for niche specializations in your industry.

Ask for client references and audit samples to evaluate work quality. Review the expertise of the actual team who will conduct the investigation, not just firm principals.

Compare the project scope and estimated hours across proposals to ensure appropriate staffing levels and coverage are budgeted.

Clearly communicate expectations for the depth of testing, frequency of status updates, and level of actionable findings. Revisit this scope as new fraud red flags emerge.

Balance cost considerations with the scale of fraud risks facing the organization. A lower bid may not devote adequate hours or assign qualified staff to uncover sophisticated schemes.

Pay close attention to agreed-upon hourly rates and provisions for early termination without penalty should the audit’s focus shift.

Forensic Audits for Critical Fraud Prevention

While forensic audits represent a major financial undertaking, the long-term costs of fraud often far exceed audit fees. Not detecting abuse, theft, or noncompliance also creates massive reputation risk and distraction for organizations.

Viewing forensic audits as “insurance” against preventable fraud losses helps justify the expense. Conducting targeted audits when warning signs arise can uncover issues early before they spiral out of control.

You might also like our articles about the cost of a CPA, forensic accountant, or handwriting expert.

Forensic audits also deliver actionable insights to improve fraud prevention controls and financially “inoculate” organizations against future schemes. Though costly, restoring financial integrity saves companies millions in direct fraud costs and immeasurable brand damage.

With vigilant planning, budgeting, and selection of qualified forensic specialists, organizations can maximize value from these intensive financial investigations. Audits enable critical fraud detection, deterrence, and protection well worth the price.

Frequently Asked Question

How long does a forensic audit take?

The duration of a forensic audit engagement depends on the scope and complexity of transactions under review. Small business audits may take weeks while large corporate investigations can span months or years for global conglomerates.

Most last 1-3 months but most forensic accountants refrain from estimating duration upfront before assessing the full scale of records requiring examination.

Who pays for a forensic audit in a divorce?

The spouse requesting the forensic accounting for divorce purposes typically pays the retainer fee to initiate the audit. However, the final payment responsibility gets determined in divorce settlement negotiations.

Both parties usually share costs if joint assets were used to pay for family expenses during marriage under investigation.

Who is eligible for a forensic audit?

Any individual, family, business or organization can hire forensic accountants to investigate suspected financial impropriety or misreporting. Government entities like the IRS, FBI and law enforcement also conduct forensic audits.

Additionally, courts or legal cases involving shareholder disputes and commercial litigation often necessitate independent forensic accounting.