What Verdica's 656 score means for Craig Stulz
Craig Stulz's composite score of 656 out of 850 places him in the "elevated risk" band (580–669). This means his overall compliance profile shows some strengths—particularly in regulatory audit performance—but also meaningful gaps that warrant attention before engaging his services.
A score in this range typically reflects a provider who meets baseline regulatory requirements but carries enough uncertainty or documented issues that a reasonable business owner or audit committee should conduct additional due diligence. The score is not a failing grade; it's a signal to look closer. For context, scores below 580 are considered high risk, while scores of 670 and above move into acceptable-to-excellent territory. At 656, Stulz sits just below that threshold.
The lack of independent customer reviews indexed on Verdica adds another layer of opacity—there's no third-party feedback available yet to confirm or contradict the regulator-derived scores. This absence itself is neutral data; it simply means anyone considering his services should rely on direct reference checks and past client contact.
How the sub-scores break down
License & Credentials (340/850): This is the weakest component of Stulz's profile. A score of 340 suggests material gaps or deficiencies in licensing status, professional credentials, or state board registration standing. In the accounting field, this typically points to one or more of: expired or lapsed credentials, incomplete continuing education, restricted or conditional licensing, or adverse actions short of full revocation. A low score here is a red flag and warrants direct verification with the Colorado state board before proceeding.
PCAOB Record (810/850): This is Stulz's strongest area. A score of 810 indicates his firm's audit work has been reviewed by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board with largely favorable results. PCAOB inspections examine audit quality, compliance with auditing standards, and documentation practices. A score this high suggests that in inspections or examinations, his audit execution has been solid. This does not mean zero findings—most firms have some—but rather that findings were not severe enough to materially lower the score.
Disciplinary (850/850): A perfect score here means no disciplinary actions, sanctions, or complaints are recorded in the underlying state and federal databases. This is a clean slate from a formal enforcement perspective.
What regulators in CO track for accounting providers
Colorado's state accounting board and the PCAOB maintain parallel oversight:
State Board Registration tracks licensing status, credential currency, and disciplinary history. They require CPAs to maintain active licenses, complete continuing professional education, and comply with ethical standards. Material breaches—fraud, incompetence, violation of independence rules—trigger formal discipline, which shows up in licensing records and can range from warnings to license revocation.
PCAOB Audit Findings assess the quality of audits performed by registered firms. Inspectors test whether audit work complied with PCAOB standards, whether adequate evidence was gathered, and whether financial reporting risks were properly addressed. Common findings include insufficient testing, weak internal controls assessment, or documentation gaps. Repeated or severe findings can lead to restrictions on what audits a firm can perform or to enforcement action.
The score construction weights these three dimensions to reflect that licenses and credentials are foundational (a weak license score is hard to overcome), while audit quality and disciplinary history provide broader context.
Bottom line
Craig Stulz's 656 score indicates an elevated-risk provider whose audit quality is solid but whose licensing or credential standing needs immediate clarification. Before engaging him, verify his current Colorado board status directly, confirm his credential status, and request client references. His PCAOB record is his strength; his license and credentials score is the concern to resolve first.