The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush in July 2002 to restore investor confidence in response to major corporate accounting scandals. It requires senior management to verify the accuracy of financial reports and for companies to implement internal controls to secure financial data and verify the accuracy of reporting. Companies must have their auditing firm confirm the effectiveness of these internal controls through an extensive auditing process, increasing accountability around a company's financial reporting.

1. An Introduction to the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act

2. An
Introduction to
the Sarbanes-
Oxley Act
 As the tax director of La-Z-Boy Incorporated, Rodney Metzger
supervised the company's compliance with the Internal Revenue
Service and other regulating bodies. During his two-year tenure,
Rodney Metzger oversaw all matters related to the Sarbanes-
Oxley Act.

3. An
Introduction to
the Sarbanes-
Oxley Act
 In July 2002, President George W. Bush signed the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act. The act sought to restore investor confidence by requiring
members of senior management to verify the accuracy of
corporate statements. This came about in direct response to
financial reporting scandals in which executives denied knowledge
of financial problems within their companies.

4. An
Introduction to
the Sarbanes-
Oxley Act
 The act also requires companies to implement internal data
security controls and to verify the accuracy of these methods. This
particular element of the act aims to show investors that
companies are - and have reason to be - confident in their financial
reports, as the data is effectively protected. Companies must also
have their auditing firm confirm the effectiveness of these internal
controls, which can only be done following an extensive audit. The
process is designed to increase a company's accountability in
regards to its financial data.