Non-Audit Services
The SOX Act of 2002 prohibits an auditor from providing most non-audit services (NAS)
to an audit client. The law is motivated by the belief that the resulting economic bond
between auditor and client would impair auditor independence, hence compromising audit
quality. However, professionals counter-argue that the joint provision of audit and NAS
increases auditors’ knowledge base and may result in a more efficient and effective audit.
Empirical evidence in this area is mixed