A Review of Materiality Research in Auditing and Assurance Services

SUMMARY Materiality is a fundamental concept in auditing. Regulatory changes and improved data availability have motivated renewed interest in research on auditors’ materiality judgments. This literature review synthesizes and summarizes empirical research on materiality related to financial statement audits, internal control audits, and sustainability assurance. Some of the more important findings include the following: pre-tax income continues to be the most common benchmark, but it is often adjusted for other factors; lower materiality thresholds lead to increased audit effort and audit quality; investors do not have a good understanding of the materiality concept; and applying materiality in a sustainability assurance engagement presents major challenges. The findings are important to audit practice, policymaking, and research. The review also identifies several avenues for future research.