Financial Management: Improper Payments Reported in Fiscal Year 2000 Financial Statements
Abstract
As agreed with your office, this letter is in partial response to your request for an update on our report entitled Financial Management: Billions in Improper Payments Continue to Require Attention (GAO-01-44, October 27, 2000). Specifically, it provides information on the amount of improper payments' that federal agencies reported in their fiscal year 2000 financial statements and identifies some current improper payment-related actions that the Administration has taken. We identified the amount of improper payments reported by obtaining and reviewing the financial statements of the 24 federal agencies and their related components that the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act of 1990, as expanded by the Government Management Reform Act of 1994, and 0MB Bulletin No. 01-02, Audit Requirements for Federal Financial Statements, require to issue financial statements. Enclosure I lists these agencies and components. We did not independently verify the accuracy of the improper payment information contained in the statements. In addition, we obtained and reviewed documentation on recent Administration initiatives and guidance to agencies on erroneous payment reporting and related issues. At your request, we are currently (1) determining the extent to which 0MB has implemented our prior recommendations dealing with providing government wide guidance on identifying and reporting improper payments, (2) assessing the extent to which agencies' fiscal year 2002 performance plans address improper payments, and (3) identifying other actions that might encourage agencies to better report the extent of their improper payments. We will report to you separately on these issues.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 02, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA397408
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office