The AICPA provides white papers for its members to provide updates on new or highly debated issues in the profession.
Notice to Readers
White papers are an other auditing publication as defined in AU-C section 200, Overall Objectives of the Independent Auditor and the Conduct of an Audit in Accordance With Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (AICPA, Professional Standards). Other publications have no authoritative status; however, they may help the auditor understand and apply the Statements on Auditing Standards, or the practitioner apply other relevant standards.
Note that if an auditor applies the auditing guidance included in an other auditing publication, he or she should be satisfied that, in his or her judgment, it is both relevant to the circumstances of the audit and appropriate. Any auditing guidance in these document has been reviewed by the AICPA Audit and Attest Standards staff and published by the AICPA and is presumed to be appropriate. This document has not been approved, disapproved, or otherwise acted on by a senior technical committee of the AICPA.