Top risks and controls for Financial Reporting

From the Doorstep International risk register, curated by Ahmer Nehal. Last updated 17 Oct 2026.

The Financial Reporting register lists 42 key risks and 107 best-practice controls across 8 units: Financial Controls, Financial Planning and Analysis, Financial Reporting Analysis, Financial Systems, General Ledger, Management Reporting, Regulatory Reporting, Tax Reporting. Use it to identify risks, benchmark your existing controls or start a risk and control self-assessment (RCSA).

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Financial reporting plays a crucial role in banks since it gives stakeholders useful information about the bank's performance and financial health.

Financial reporting, however, comes with inherent hazards because of the structure of the banking sector.

Therefore, conducting risk assessments to identify potential hazards and putting controls in place to reduce them is crucial for the financial reporting function of a bank.

The financial reporting function can protect the bank's reputation and financial stability by conducting routine risk assessments to guarantee the integrity and dependability of financial reports, maintain regulatory compliance, and secure the bank's brand.

Financial Controls: key risks and controls

Accountable for putting in place and keeping up with financial controls that guarantee the integrity and accuracy of financial data. They could also be in charge of creating and putting into practice policies and procedures to reduce the risk associated with financial reporting.

Risk	What can go wrong	Best-practice controls
Accuracy of financial statements	There is a risk of errors in financial statements, which can lead to inaccurate financial reporting. This can happen due to errors in accounting entries, incorrect classification of transactions, or incorrect valuations of assets and liabilities.	Establish clear and comprehensive accounting policies and procedures that define how transactions should be recorded, classified, and valued. Assign responsibilities for financial reporting to competent and knowledgeable personnel with appropriate training and experience. Implement segregation of duties to ensure that no single individual controls all aspects of a financial transaction. For example, different individuals should be responsible for authorizing transactions, recording them in the books, and reconciling accounts. Use accounting software that has built-in controls, such as validation rules and error-checking features.
Credit risks	Credit risks such as loan losses, bankruptcies, and defaults can affect the financial health of the bank and impact financial reporting.	Risk Assessment and Credit Underwriting: Conducting a thorough risk assessment and implementing effective credit underwriting practices is crucial. This control involves evaluating borrowers' creditworthiness, including their financial statements, credit history, collateral, and cash flow projections. By assessing risks upfront and making informed lending decisions, banks can minimize the likelihood of defaults and loan losses. Effective Portfolio Management and Risk Mitigation: Implementing robust portfolio management practices and risk mitigation strategies is vital in mitigating credit risks. This control involves actively monitoring and managing the loan portfolio to ensure it is well-balanced and diversified across different industries, sectors, and borrower types. By regularly reviewing and adjusting the portfolio composition, the bank can reduce the vulnerability to defaults and bankruptcies. Effective portfolio management also includes conducting stress tests and scenario analyses to assess the potential impact of adverse events and take proactive measures to mitigate risks.
Fraud	Fraudulent activities such as embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, and manipulation of financial statements can occur. Fraud can be committed by bank employees, customers, or third-party vendors.	Segregation of Duties: This control involves dividing critical tasks and responsibilities among different individuals to create checks and balances. For example, different employees should handle functions like authorization, recording transactions, and custody of assets. This segregation helps prevent any single individual from having complete control over financial processes, reducing the risk of fraud. Robust Internal Controls and Policies: Establishing and enforcing comprehensive internal controls and policies is vital for mitigating fraudulent activities. These measures involve defining clear guidelines and procedures for financial transactions, ensuring proper documentation and approvals, and conducting regular internal audits to identify any irregularities or discrepancies. By implementing strong internal controls, organizations create a structured framework that promotes accountability, transparency, and adherence to ethical standards, reducing the risk of fraud.
Internal control weaknesses	Weaknesses in internal controls can lead to errors in financial reporting and fraud. For example, lack of segregation of duties can allow a single person to manipulate financial statements.	Segregation of duties: Assigning different responsibilities and tasks to different people to ensure that no single person has complete control over a financial transaction from beginning to end. Regular reviews and audits: Conducting regular reviews and audits of financial statements to identify and correct errors, as well as to detect potential fraud. Mandatory vacations: Requiring employees to take mandatory vacations can help detect fraud or errors that may be hidden when a single employee is in control for an extended period.
Operational risks	Operational risks such as system failures, human errors, and natural disasters can disrupt financial reporting processes and lead to inaccurate reporting.	Robust Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning: Developing comprehensive business continuity and disaster recovery plans is crucial to minimize the impact of system failures and natural disasters. These plans should include procedures for data backup and restoration, alternative communication channels, redundant systems, and off-site backup locations. Regular testing and updating of these plans are essential to ensure their effectiveness. Segregation of Duties and Access Controls: To prevent both intentional and unintentional errors that may impact financial reporting accuracy, it's essential to establish a system of segregation of duties. This involves dividing tasks among different employees to ensure no single individual has complete control over critical financial reporting processes. Additionally, access controls should be put in place to restrict access to sensitive systems and data based on job roles and responsibilities. Regular reviews and audits of user access privileges are necessary to ensure proper authorization and minimize the risk of unauthorized access.
Regulatory compliance	Banks need to comply with various regulations and standards such as GAAP, IFRS, and SOX. Non-compliance with these regulations can lead to penalties, legal action, and damage to the bank's reputation.	Robust Internal Controls and Compliance Framework: Implementing a comprehensive internal controls and compliance framework is crucial for ensuring adherence to regulations. This includes establishing policies, procedures, and control mechanisms to monitor and manage compliance effectively. Regular internal audits can be conducted to assess the effectiveness of controls and identify any gaps or areas for improvement. Automated Compliance Monitoring Systems: Utilizing automated compliance monitoring systems can greatly enhance the bank's ability to track and manage regulatory compliance.

Financial Planning and Analysis: key risks and controls

Accountable for creating and managing the bank's budget and financial plan. They could also be in charge of examining financial data to aid in corporate decisions.

Risk	What can go wrong	Best-practice controls
External factors	External factors such as changes in the regulatory environment, economic conditions, or competitive landscape can impact the accuracy of financial reporting. FP&A must consider these factors in their analysis and forecasting to mitigate the risks associated with external factors.	Regularly monitor and analyze changes in the regulatory environment, economic conditions, and competitive landscape to identify potential risks and opportunities. Implement a robust forecasting process that takes into account the potential impact of external factors on financial performance. Establish clear communication channels with relevant stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, industry associations, and competitors, to stay informed about changes and trends in the external environment. Develop contingency plans that can be activated in the event of significant changes in the external environment. Conduct regular stress testing to assess the impact of various external factors on financial performance.
Financial modeling errors	Financial modeling is a key function of FP&A. However, modeling errors can lead to inaccurate financial reporting, misinterpretation of data, and poor decision-making.	Robust Validation and Testing Procedures: Implementing comprehensive validation and testing procedures is crucial to ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial models. This control involves conducting thorough reviews of formulas, assumptions, data sources, and calculations within the models. It may include stress testing, sensitivity analysis, and comparing the model's outputs with historical data or benchmarking against similar models. Regularly validating and testing financial models help identify and rectify errors, improving the quality of financial reporting and decision-making. Documentation and Change Management: Establishing robust documentation and change management processes is essential for effectively managing financial models. This control involves maintaining detailed records of assumptions, formulas, data sources, and any modifications made to the models. By documenting all changes, it becomes easier to track the model's evolution and identify potential sources of errors. Additionally, implementing change management procedures ensures that any updates or modifications undergo appropriate review and approval before being implemented. This control helps maintain the integrity and accuracy of financial models, reducing the risk of errors and supporting reliable financial reporting and decision-making.
Inaccurate forecasting	FP&A relies heavily on accurate forecasting to support financial reporting. Inaccurate forecasting can lead to wrong conclusions and poor decision-making, which can have a significant impact on the bank's financial performance.	Establish clear and well-documented policies and procedures for the forecasting process, including the roles and responsibilities of different teams involved in the process. Use historical data and statistical analysis to support the forecasting process, including using multiple scenarios to identify potential outcomes. Develop and maintain a robust model that is regularly updated and validated to ensure its accuracy and reliability. Implement a system of checks and balances, including regular reviews of the forecasting process by independent parties, to ensure accuracy and consistency. Encourage transparency and open communication among teams involved in the forecasting process, including sharing assumptions and data inputs.
Inadequate controls	Inadequate controls in FP&A can lead to errors, fraud, or data manipulation. This can result in inaccurate financial reporting and can have significant implications for the bank's financial performance and reputation.	Segregation of Duties: Implementing a clear segregation of duties ensures that no single individual has complete control over the entire FP&A process. This control prevents one person from manipulating or falsifying data without detection. By separating responsibilities across different roles, the risk of errors, fraud, or data manipulation is significantly reduced. Strong Internal Controls Framework: Establishing a robust internal controls framework is crucial to mitigate risks in FP&A. This framework should include policies, procedures, and guidelines that clearly define the roles and responsibilities of individuals involved in the FP&A process.
Lack of data integrity	FP&A relies on accurate data to provide reliable financial analysis. Data integrity risks can arise from poor data quality, errors in data collection, or inadequate data management processes.	Data Governance Framework: Implementing a robust data governance framework is the most effective control to mitigate data integrity risks. This framework should include defined data quality standards, data ownership, data stewardship, and clear accountability for data management. It ensures that data is properly managed, monitored, and controlled throughout its lifecycle, reducing the chances of poor data quality or errors in data collection. Data Validation and Reconciliation: Implementing strong data validation and reconciliation processes is crucial to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data used in financial analysis.

Financial Reporting Analysis: key risks and controls

Tasked with understanding and analysing financial data in order to provide financial reports. They could also be in charge of creating financial forecasts and models.

Risk	What can go wrong	Best-practice controls
Cybersecurity Risks	Financial reporting departments at commercial banks store sensitive financial data that is vulnerable to cyber attacks. Cybersecurity risks can include data breaches, hacking, and malware attacks.	Access Control Measures: Implementing strong access controls is crucial for protecting sensitive financial data. This includes practices such as enforcing strong passwords, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), and limiting access privileges to only authorized personnel. Regularly reviewing and updating access rights is also important to prevent unauthorized access. Data Encryption: Encrypting sensitive financial data can provide an additional layer of protection against cyber attacks. By encrypting data both in transit and at rest, even if a cyber attacker gains access to the data, it will be difficult for them to read or use it.
Inaccurate Financial Reporting	One of the major risks in financial reporting is inaccurate reporting of financial information. This can be due to errors in accounting or data entry, lack of internal controls, or intentional misrepresentation of financial information.	Strong internal controls: Establish and maintain a system of internal controls to ensure the accuracy and completeness of financial reporting. This includes implementing policies and procedures to ensure that financial transactions are properly authorized, recorded, and reviewed. Segregation of duties: Assign different responsibilities to different individuals to ensure that no single person has complete control over a financial transaction. For example, the person who approves a financial transaction should be different from the person who processes the transaction. Independent review: Conduct periodic independent reviews of financial information to ensure its accuracy and completeness.
Operational Risks	Financial reporting departments rely heavily on technology and systems to process financial data. Operational risks can arise due to system failures, data errors, or employee negligence.	Segregation of Duties: Implementing a segregation of duties policy ensures that different individuals are responsible for distinct tasks within the financial reporting process. By separating roles and responsibilities, this control reduces the risk of data errors or fraud caused by a single employee's actions. For example, different individuals should be responsible for entering financial data, verifying its accuracy, and approving financial reports. Robust System Monitoring and Controls: Deploying a comprehensive system monitoring and control framework helps identify and address potential system failures or vulnerabilities promptly.
Regulatory Compliance Risks	Commercial banks must comply with various financial reporting regulations, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, SEC rules, and other local regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in penalties, legal action, and reputational damage.	Robust Internal Controls Framework: Implementing a comprehensive internal controls framework is crucial for mitigating risks associated with financial reporting regulations. This framework should include clear policies and procedures that ensure compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, SEC rules, and local regulations. It should cover areas such as financial reporting, data management, segregation of duties, and monitoring of regulatory changes. Regular Compliance Audits: Conducting regular compliance audits is essential to identify any gaps or weaknesses in the bank's adherence to financial reporting regulations. These audits should be performed by an independent internal or external audit function. The audits should assess the effectiveness of internal controls, identify non-compliance issues, and recommend remedial actions.
Reputational Risks	Financial reporting departments are responsible for providing accurate financial information to investors, regulators, and other stakeholders. Any misrepresentation or inaccuracies in financial reporting can result in reputational damage to the bank.	Segregation of duties: Financial reporting responsibilities should be segregated among different individuals or teams to prevent any single person from having complete control over the reporting process. Internal controls: The bank should have internal controls in place to ensure that financial reports are accurate and complete. This includes procedures for verifying data, reconciling accounts, and monitoring for errors or discrepancies. Adequate training: Employees involved in financial reporting should receive adequate training to ensure they understand the importance of accuracy and how to comply with reporting standards.

Financial Systems: key risks and controls

In charge of overseeing the bank's financial systems, including the general ledger system and other instruments for financial reporting. They make certain that these systems are set up and kept up to date in a way that supports accurate financial reporting.

Risk	What can go wrong	Best-practice controls
Compliance risks	These risks relate to the bank's failure to comply with relevant laws and regulations. For example, if the bank's financial reporting system does not meet regulatory requirements, it could be subject to penalties or fines.	Robust Regulatory Compliance Framework: Implementing a comprehensive regulatory compliance framework is crucial to ensuring adherence to relevant laws and regulations. This includes establishing clear policies and procedures, assigning accountability to individuals or teams responsible for compliance, conducting regular compliance assessments, and providing ongoing training to employees. A well-designed framework helps identify gaps and ensures proactive measures are in place to meet regulatory requirements. Effective Financial Controls and Reporting Systems: Establishing and maintaining effective financial controls and reporting systems is crucial for mitigating compliance risks. This involves implementing robust processes and mechanisms to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of financial data. This includes regular review and validation of financial records, segregation of duties to prevent fraudulent activities, utilization of automated tools for enhanced control and monitoring, and thorough documentation of financial transactions. By implementing these measures, the bank can minimize the risk of errors, discrepancies, and non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
Data integrity risks	These risks relate to errors or inaccuracies in financial data that can lead to incorrect financial reporting. For example, if there is a glitch in the bank's reporting system, it could cause errors in financial statements.	Implement strong data validation procedures: Establish a rigorous process for validating financial data to ensure its accuracy before it is entered into financial reports. This may include automated data validation tools and manual checks by qualified personnel. Perform regular reconciliations: Regular reconciliations of financial data against source documents, such as invoices or bank statements, can help identify errors or discrepancies before they become significant. Maintain robust IT controls: IT controls such as access controls, change management, and system logs can help prevent unauthorized changes to financial data and enable effective troubleshooting of any issues that arise.
Integration risks	These risks relate to the bank's ability to integrate different financial systems and ensure that they are working together properly. If there are integration issues, it could lead to errors or other problems in financial reporting.	Comprehensive System Testing: Conduct thorough testing of the integrated financial systems before implementation. This should include functional, integration, and regression testing to identify any errors or issues in the integration process. Testing should cover various scenarios to ensure proper functioning and accuracy of financial reporting. Robust Change Management Process: Implement a well-defined change management process that includes proper documentation, approvals, and controls for any changes made to the financial systems or their integrations.
System availability risks	These risks relate to the potential for the bank's financial reporting system to be unavailable due to technical problems or other issues. This could lead to delays in financial reporting or other operational problems.	Regular system maintenance and upgrades: Regular maintenance and upgrades to the financial reporting system can help prevent technical problems that may cause it to become unavailable. Back-up and disaster recovery procedures: Back-up and disaster recovery procedures should be in place to ensure that financial reporting data is available in the event of a system failure. Redundancy and failover mechanisms: Redundancy and failover mechanisms can be implemented to ensure that the financial reporting system is available even if a component of the system fails.
System security risks	These risks relate to the potential for unauthorized access to the bank's financial reporting system. If someone gains access to the system, they could tamper with financial data, steal sensitive information, or commit other types of fraud.	Access Control Measures: Implementing robust access control measures is essential to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access. This includes practices such as strong authentication methods (e.g., two-factor authentication), strict password policies, role-based access control (RBAC), and regular reviews of user access privileges. By limiting access to authorized individuals and enforcing strong authentication, the potential for unauthorized access is significantly reduced. Robust Network Security Measures: Implementing a strong network security framework is paramount in mitigating the risk of unauthorized access to the bank's financial reporting system. This involves deploying advanced firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to actively monitor and control network traffic. Regular assessments, including vulnerability scans and penetration testing, should be conducted to identify and address any potential vulnerabilities in the network infrastructure. By maintaining a proactive approach to network security, the bank can significantly reduce the likelihood of unauthorized access and protect against potential breaches.

General Ledger: key risks and controls

Accountable for keeping the general ledger, the bank's basic record of all financial transactions, up to date. They guarantee that every transaction is accurately noted and categorised in compliance with accounting standards and bank regulations.

Risk	What can go wrong	Best-practice controls
Failure to reconcile accounts	Reconciling accounts is an important part of maintaining the accuracy of the general ledger. If accounts are not reconciled regularly, it can lead to errors or inconsistencies in financial reporting.	Set up a schedule for regular account reconciliations, including all accounts that require reconciliation, and ensure that this schedule is followed consistently. Assign responsibility for account reconciliations to a specific individual or team, and ensure that they are trained and competent to perform the task. Implement segregation of duties so that the person responsible for reconciling an account is not the same person who has access to or can modify the account. Implement appropriate software and tools to facilitate the reconciliation process and automate the detection of any discrepancies.
Inaccurate or incomplete entries	If entries in the general ledger are not accurate or complete, it can lead to errors in financial reporting, which can have serious consequences for the bank.	Segregation of Duties: Implement a system of segregation of duties to ensure that multiple individuals are involved in the financial reporting process. This separation helps prevent errors or intentional manipulation of data. Assign different personnel to perform tasks like recording transactions, verifying entries, and reconciling accounts. This control ensures that no single person has complete control over the general ledger entries. Accurate Documentation and Record-Keeping: Maintain a robust system of accurate documentation and record-keeping for all financial transactions. This involves diligently capturing and organizing supporting documents such as invoices, receipts, and bank statements. By consistently maintaining an organized and reliable record-keeping system, discrepancies in the general ledger can be identified and rectified promptly, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of financial reporting.
Insufficient controls	If there are not adequate controls in place to ensure the accuracy and completeness of general ledger entries, it can increase the likelihood of errors or fraudulent activity.	Segregation of Duties: Implementing a segregation of duties policy ensures that different individuals are responsible for different aspects of the general ledger entries. By separating duties such as recording, approving, and reconciling transactions, it becomes more difficult for a single individual to manipulate or conceal errors or fraudulent activities. Regular Reconciliation and Review: Conducting regular reconciliations and reviews of the general ledger entries is crucial to identify and correct any errors or irregularities promptly.
Lack of segregation of duties	It is important to have clear segregation of duties when it comes to managing the general ledger. If one person is responsible for both creating and approving entries, it can increase the risk of errors or fraud.	Separation of duties: Ensure that there is a clear separation of duties between the person who creates entries and the person who approves them. Job rotation: Rotate employees between different roles in the finance department, so that no one person is solely responsible for managing the general ledger for an extended period. Mandatory vacations: Require that employees take regular vacations or time off, so that any irregularities in the accounting records can be identified in their absence. Access controls: Limit access to the general ledger system to only authorized personnel, and implement strict password policies to prevent unauthorized access.
Technology-related risks	If the bank's general ledger system is not secure, it can be vulnerable to cyber attacks or other technology-related risks, which can compromise the accuracy and security of financial data.	Access Controls: Implement strong access controls to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to the general ledger system. This includes implementing robust authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication, strong password policies, and user role-based access controls. Regularly review and update access privileges to minimize the risk of unauthorized access. Encryption: Utilize encryption techniques to safeguard sensitive financial data within the general ledger system. Encrypting data at rest and in transit adds an extra layer of protection.
Unauthorized access	If individuals who are not authorized to access the general ledger are able to do so, it can result in unauthorized entries or changes to the ledger, which can also impact the accuracy of financial reporting.	Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): RBAC is a security measure that assigns access permissions based on individuals' roles and responsibilities within an organization. By implementing RBAC, you can ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the general ledger. This control helps prevent unauthorized individuals from making entries or changes to the ledger, thus reducing the risk of inaccurate financial reporting. Segregation of Duties (SoD): SoD involves separating key tasks and responsibilities within the financial reporting process to prevent a single individual from having complete control over the entire process. By implementing SoD, you can minimize the risk of unauthorized entries or changes to the general ledger.

Management Reporting: key risks and controls

The senior management team of the bank will get financial reports from them that they will prepare and present. They offer perceptions into the bank's financial performance and could offer suggestions for development.

Risk	What can go wrong	Best-practice controls
Compliance Risks	Banks are subject to numerous regulatory requirements, and management reports must comply with these regulations. If reports are inaccurate or do not comply with regulations, banks can be subject to fines, sanctions, or legal action.	Robust Compliance Management System: Implementing a comprehensive compliance management system is crucial to ensuring regulatory requirements are met. This system should include policies, procedures, and controls to monitor, assess, and address compliance risks. Regular internal audits and assessments can help identify and rectify any inaccuracies or non-compliance issues in management reports. Strong Internal Controls Framework: Establishing a robust internal control framework is essential for accurate and compliant reporting. This includes implementing segregation of duties, ensuring appropriate levels of authorization and approval, conducting periodic reconciliations and reviews, and maintaining an effective system of checks and balances.
Errors in Data	Management reports are based on data inputs from various sources. If the data is incorrect or incomplete, the management reports will not reflect the true financial position of the bank. This can lead to incorrect decision-making and reporting of financial results.	Data quality checks: Implementing data quality checks to ensure that the data inputs used in management reports are accurate, complete, and consistent. Data validation: Validate the data inputs with primary sources such as the bank's accounting system, transaction records, and other reliable sources before using them to create management reports. Data governance: Implementing data governance policies and procedures to ensure that data is accurate, complete, and consistent, and that it is available to the right people at the right time.
Fraud	In some cases, management reporting related risks can be due to fraudulent activities. This may include intentional manipulation of financial data or misrepresentation of financial results to stakeholders.	Segregation of duties is a fundamental control that aims to prevent any single individual from having complete control over a process or activity. It involves dividing responsibilities and assigning them to different individuals to create checks and balances. By implementing segregation of duties, the likelihood of fraudulent activities, such as the manipulation of financial data, can be reduced as multiple individuals are involved in the reporting process. Building a robust governance and compliance framework is vital in mitigating the risk of fraudulent activities in management reporting. This involves creating comprehensive policies, procedures, and controls that address financial reporting integrity. It also includes establishing clear roles and responsibilities, conducting regular risk assessments, and ensuring effective oversight by the board of directors or management. By implementing a strong governance and compliance framework, organizations can promote ethical behavior, deter fraudulent activities, and ensure accurate and reliable management reporting.
Human Error	Management reports are often produced by different departments and individuals within the bank. If there is a lack of communication or coordination, there is a risk of human error in the preparation and presentation of the reports.	Standardize reporting processes: Define standard procedures for the preparation and presentation of management reports, including templates, formats, and guidelines. This will help ensure consistency and reduce the risk of errors resulting from miscommunication or lack of coordination. Implement quality control checks: Establish a review process to check for errors, omissions, and inconsistencies in the reports. This can be done through automated tools, manual reviews, or a combination of both.
Systemic Risks	Management reports are generated using complex financial reporting systems. If these systems fail or are hacked, the reports may be inaccurate or even unavailable. This can lead to a loss of confidence in the bank and damage its reputation.	Access Controls and Authentication Mechanisms: Implement strong access controls and authentication mechanisms to protect the financial reporting systems from unauthorized access or hacking attempts. This includes implementing user authentication protocols, multi-factor authentication, and role-based access controls to ensure that only authorized individuals can access and manipulate the financial reporting systems. Regular System Updates and Patching: Keep the financial reporting systems up to date by regularly applying security patches and updates provided by the system vendors. These updates often address known vulnerabilities and weaknesses that can be exploited by hackers. Promptly applying patches helps mitigate the risk of system failures or unauthorized access through known vulnerabilities.

Regulatory Reporting: key risks and controls

Liable for drafting and submitting regulatory reports to governmental bodies such the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Reserve. They make that the bank complies with all relevant rules and reporting specifications.

Risk	What can go wrong	Best-practice controls
Inaccurate or incomplete reporting	If the financial reporting department fails to report accurate or complete information, the bank may face penalties, fines, or legal action. This can be due to errors in data collection, processing, or reporting.	Establish clear roles and responsibilities within the financial reporting department to ensure proper segregation of duties. This reduces the risk of errors and fraud by requiring multiple individuals to review and approve financial information before reporting. Implement robust internal control procedures, such as regular reconciliations, independent reviews, and stringent approval processes, to ensure accuracy and completeness of data collection, processing, and reporting.
Inadequate resources	Preparing regulatory reports requires significant resources, including time, money, and personnel. If the financial reporting department lacks the necessary resources, it can lead to delays, errors, or incomplete reporting.	Resource Allocation and Capacity Planning: This control involves effectively allocating resources and planning the capacity of the financial reporting department to ensure that it has the necessary staff, time, and budget to meet regulatory reporting requirements. It includes regularly assessing resource needs, optimizing workloads, and ensuring adequate staffing levels. Process Automation and Streamlining: By implementing automation tools and streamlining processes, organizations can significantly reduce the time and effort required for preparing regulatory reports. Automation can help automate repetitive tasks, eliminate manual errors, and improve the overall efficiency of the reporting process.
Inadequate systems and controls	Banks need to have robust systems and controls in place to ensure that regulatory reports are prepared accurately and timely. If these systems and controls are inadequate, it can lead to errors, omissions, or even fraud in the regulatory reports.	Segregation of Duties: This control involves separating responsibilities and tasks among different individuals to ensure that no single person has complete control over the entire process of preparing regulatory reports. By implementing segregation of duties, banks can prevent potential collusion and reduce the risk of intentional errors or fraud going undetected. Automation and Validation Tools: Utilizing automated systems and validation tools can significantly enhance the accuracy and timeliness of regulatory reports. These tools can help validate data inputs, perform calculations, and generate reports with minimal manual intervention.
Internal and external data quality issues	The data used in regulatory reporting can come from multiple sources, including internal systems and external vendors. If this data is of poor quality, it can lead to errors or incomplete reporting.	Establish data quality standards: Define clear data quality standards that need to be met for all data sources used in regulatory reporting. These standards should include accuracy, completeness, consistency, and timeliness. Conduct regular data quality checks: Regularly check the quality of data used in regulatory reporting to ensure that it meets the established data quality standards. This can be done through automated data checks, manual reviews, or a combination of both. Use data validation tools: Implement data validation tools that can automatically check the quality of data as it is received from external sources.
Lack of understanding of regulatory requirements	Regulations and reporting requirements can be complex and constantly changing. If the financial reporting department is not aware of these requirements, it can lead to incorrect or incomplete reporting, which can result in penalties or fines.	Keep up-to-date with relevant regulatory requirements and reporting standards: Stay informed about changes to regulations, laws, and reporting requirements through regular research and engagement with industry groups, trade associations, and regulatory bodies. Conduct regular training and education for financial reporting staff: Provide training and education for financial reporting staff on regulatory requirements, accounting standards, and reporting best practices. Implement a system for tracking regulatory changes: Establish a process for tracking and monitoring regulatory changes, including updates to accounting standards, and ensuring that these are communicated to relevant stakeholders.

Tax Reporting: key risks and controls

Liable for drafting and submitting tax returns on the bank's behalf. They guarantee that the bank complies with all relevant tax laws and rules.

Risk	What can go wrong	Best-practice controls
Failure to comply with tax laws and regulations	Banks must comply with a range of tax laws and regulations, including those related to income tax, payroll tax, and sales tax. Noncompliance can result in penalties, fines, and legal action.	Robust Internal Control Systems: Implementing a comprehensive internal control system is crucial for ensuring compliance with tax laws and regulations. This includes establishing clear policies and procedures, segregation of duties, and regular monitoring and reporting mechanisms. An effective internal control system helps identify and rectify potential noncompliance issues before they escalate and result in penalties or legal action. Regular Tax Compliance Audits: Performing routine tax compliance audits is crucial for proactively identifying and addressing potential areas of noncompliance. These audits help evaluate the accuracy of tax calculations, verify the adequacy of documentation, and identify any vulnerabilities or shortcomings in the compliance process. By promptly detecting and rectifying noncompliance issues, banks can avoid penalties, fines, and legal actions.
Inaccurate tax calculations	Banks must accurately calculate taxes owed, which can be complex and time-consuming. Failure to do so can result in overpayment or underpayment of taxes, which can have financial implications for the bank.	Implement automated tax calculation software that can accurately calculate taxes owed based on the bank's transactions and financial data. Conduct regular tax training for employees responsible for tax calculations to ensure they are knowledgeable about tax laws and regulations and can accurately apply them. Establish a review and approval process for tax calculations by a second person who is knowledgeable about tax regulations and can ensure the accuracy of the calculations. Maintain accurate records of all tax calculations, including supporting documentation, to provide an audit trail for internal and external audits.
Inadequate internal controls	The financial reporting department must ensure that adequate internal controls are in place to identify and address tax-related risks. Failure to do so can result in tax reporting errors and noncompliance with tax laws and regulations.	Segregation of Duties: Implementing a clear segregation of duties within the financial reporting department ensures that no single individual has complete control over the tax-related processes. This control helps prevent fraud, errors, and intentional manipulation of tax reporting. It involves assigning different responsibilities to multiple individuals, such as separating the tasks of tax preparation, review, and approval. Regular Internal and External Audits: Conducting regular internal and external audits of the financial reporting department's tax-related activities is crucial.
Inadequate tax reporting processes	The financial reporting department must have adequate processes in place for tax reporting, including timely and accurate filing of tax returns. Failure to do so can result in penalties and fines.	Establish a tax reporting policy: Create a policy that outlines the requirements and expectations for tax reporting. This policy should include procedures for preparing and filing tax returns, deadlines for submitting tax returns, and the consequences of non-compliance. Assign responsibilities: Assign clear responsibilities for tax reporting, including who is responsible for preparing tax returns, reviewing tax returns, and submitting tax returns. Implement a tax calendar: Develop a tax calendar that outlines all tax deadlines, including federal and state tax returns, quarterly payments, and estimated tax payments.
Incorrect tax reporting	Financial reporting departments may face the risk of incorrectly reporting tax information, such as failing to include all required information or misinterpreting tax laws and regulations. This could result in penalties, fines, and reputational damage for the bank.	Robust Internal Control Framework: Implementing a strong internal control framework is crucial to mitigate the risk of incorrectly reporting tax information. This framework should include documented policies and procedures for tax reporting, segregation of duties, and regular review and reconciliation of tax-related accounts. By ensuring a structured and controlled environment, the bank can significantly reduce the chances of errors or misinterpretations. Tax Compliance Training and Awareness Programs: Conducting regular training sessions and awareness programs for the financial reporting department is essential to mitigate the risk. These programs should focus on educating employees about tax laws and regulations, providing guidance on proper tax reporting procedures, and highlighting the potential penalties and fines associated with non-compliance.

This register is a starting point for risk identification and benchmarking against international practice. Adapt the risks and controls to your institution's size, products, jurisdiction and regulatory requirements.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the key risks in Financial Reporting?

The main risk areas covered are Financial Controls, Financial Planning and Analysis, Financial Reporting Analysis, Financial Systems, General Ledger, Management Reporting, Regulatory Reporting, Tax Reporting. Each unit lists its key risks with a short explanation and the best-practice controls that mitigate them.

How do I use this register for a risk and control self-assessment?

Select the risks that apply to your units, map the listed controls to the controls you actually operate, rate inherent risk and control effectiveness, then agree actions for gaps. The free RCSA workbook on this page has the columns ready.

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