If you have an upcoming AML Compliance Review from your professional body, be sure to follow these six essential steps to prepare.

  1. Ensure that you have an appropriate Policies & Procedures document and a Firm-Wide Risk Assessment accompanied by a note of annual reviews of and amendments to the assessment.
  2. Ensure that relevant staff have received money laundering training accompanied by a record of training completion.
  3. Carry out some test checks of records of your client Risk Assessments and Client Due Diligence documentation to assess whether the firm’s Policies & Procedures are being properly implemented.
  4. Check whether an external AML Compliance Review beforehand might be beneficial.
  5. Check that the information held by your supervisory body about the firm and its MLRO are up to date and correct according to the firm’s most recent Annual Return.
  6. Ensure that all the work which the firm is doing is correctly licensed under the terms of the firm’s authorisation from your supervisory body (e.g. insolvency work and Clients’ Money).

Following these six steps will ensure that your firm is well prepared for its AML Compliance Review.

All our CPD courses are listed here, including our Audit Update webinar.

To hear more about the latest AML developments and how to be on the alert for suspicions of money laundering and terrorist financing under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Acts 2010 to 2021, see our latest Anti-Money Laundering webinar here.

Please also go to our website to see our:

  • Anti-Money Laundering Policies Controls & Procedures Manual (March 2022) – View the Table of Contents click here.
  • AML Webinar (December 2023) available here, which accompanies the AML Manual. It explains the latest legal AML reporting position for accountancy firms and includes a quiz. Upon completion, you receive a CPD Certificate of attendance in your inbox.
  • letters of engagement and similar templates. Please visit our site here where immediate downloads are available in Word format. A bulk discount is available for orders of five or more items if bought together.
  • ISQM TOOLKIT or if you prefer to chat through the different audit risks and potential appropriate responses presented by this new standard, please contact John McCarthy FCA by e-mail at john@jmcc.ie.
  • We typically tailor ISQM training and brainstorming sessions to suit your firm’s unique requirements. The ISQM TOOLKIT 2022 is available to purchase here.