backOn January 22, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the 2026 budget for the PCAOB and the related accounting support fee. As previously reported in the December 19, 2025 Auditor Liability Bulletin, the 2026 budget, totaling $362.1 million, represents a 9.4% decrease from 2025.
In a statement, SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins stated “[the SEC’s] diligent oversight of the PCAOB is a crucial check on the considerable authority that the Board holds over audit firms … A significant aspect of this oversight is the Board’s budget. The PCAOB must exhibit a strong commitment to responsible stewardship of the accounting support fee, which is its primary source of funding and functions as a tax on public companies and broker-dealers. This includes being mindful of and transparent about material investments so that the Commission can appropriately exercise our budget oversight responsibilities. The decrease in this year’s budget does not detract from the significance of the PCAOB’s mission, which remains crucial; rather, it underscores that fiscal discipline and regulatory effectiveness complement each other.”
The SEC’s press release can be found here and Chair Atkin’s full statement can be found here.