Matribhumi Samachar English
Washington, D.C.–(Newsfile Corp. – January 22, 2026) – The Securities and Exchange Commission today approved the 2026 budget for the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and the related accounting support fee.
The 2026 PCAOB budget totals $362.1 million. The 2026 budget reflects a 9.4% ($37.6 million) decrease from the prior year and includes a 52% and 42% reduction in the chairperson and other Board members’ compensation, respectively. The accounting support fee (ASF) totals $306.0 million, an 18.4% ($68.9 million) decrease from the prior year, of which $280.3 million will be assessed on public company issuers and $25.7 million will be assessed on brokers and dealers.
“Both during my time as a Commissioner and now as Chairman, I have recognized–and continue to recognize–the importance of driving improvements in audit quality. Nevertheless, all regulators, including the Commission and the PCAOB, must continually assess how and whether current approaches to fulfilling the Board’s responsibilities provide benefits to investors without imposing excessive burdens on businesses. For the Commission, its diligent oversight of the PCAOB is a crucial check on the considerable authority that the Board holds over audit firms and the risks of potentially excessive burdens,” said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins in a statement. “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.”
“This year’s budget decrease represents progress. However, the ongoing initiatives by the Commission and PCAOB to re-assess the PCAOB’s strategic plan, operations, and budget remain key priorities for the future,” said SEC Chief Accountant Kurt Hohl. “The SEC remains committed to robust oversight of the PCAOB and ensuring that its operations are transparent, justified, and worthy of the trust placed in it by investors and the public.”
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which established the PCAOB, provides the Commission with oversight responsibility over the PCAOB. This includes reviewing and approving the PCAOB’s budget and accounting support fee annually.
