Anne Arundel County?s Office of the Register of Wills was not verifying that collected checks were deposited, according to an audit released Monday.
The office “made an initial list [of checks] when they opened the mail, but then nobody went back to check that itwas actually deposited,” said Bruce Myers, a legislative auditor for the state Department of Legislative Services.
“The [office] collected almost $5 million in one year; about half of it was by checks received in the mail,” he said. “We call that significant, and something that needs to be addressed.”
The office was logging checks, including inheritance taxes and fees, received in the mail but had no system to confirm the checks were deposited, according to the audit.
The audit conducted by Audit Manager Phyllis Clancy and Senior Auditor Carlton Sexton examined the office?s financial transactions, records and internal control from February 2004 to April 2007.
The Office of the Register of Wills “will be implementing [the] recommendation that an employee independent of the collection and deposit function … will verify that all recorded mail collections initially recorded on the check log have been deposited,” Register of Wills Lauren Park said in a written response to the audit.
The Office of the Register of Wills is a public office established under the state constitution to oversee the estates of the decedents and assist people in administering estates.
The audit was conducted to assist the Maryland General Assembly in improving state operations.
BY THE NUMBERS
Anne Arundel?s Office of the Register of Wills? fiscal 2006 gross receipts totaled $4,819,203:
» $3,142,877 in inheritance tax collections
» $1,676,326 in fees and commissions
Source: August 2007 Audit Report
