## Date the Financial Statements Are Issued (SA 560)
### Definition
"Date the financial statements are issued" is the date on which the auditor's report and audited financial statements are made available to third parties.
### Dependence on Regulatory Environment
The exact date depends on the entity's regulatory framework. In some jurisdictions, it is the date the statements are filed with a regulatory authority (e.g., Registrar of Companies).
### Critical Sequencing Rule
The date financial statements are issued must be:
1. At or after the date of the auditor's report, AND
2. At or after the date the auditor's report is provided to the entity.
Rationale: Audited financial statements cannot be issued without an auditor's report. Therefore, the issuance date logically follows both the signing of the report and its delivery to the entity.
Yes — the issuance date can be later than the date the auditor's report is provided to the entity.
### Why This Matters: Subsequent Events (SA 560)
SA 560 distinguishes two subsequent event periods:
| Period | Auditor's Obligation |
|---|---|
| Year-end → Report date | Active duty to look for events |
| Report date → Issuance date | React if a fact becomes known that would have caused an amendment |
The "date financial statements are issued" is the outer boundary of the subsequent events window. After issuance, SA 560 procedures no longer apply.