What Verdica's 656 score means for Judy Zehring
Judy Zehring's composite score of 656 out of 850 places her in the "elevated risk" band (580–669). This means her compliance profile shows some strengths but also meaningful gaps that warrant attention from prospective clients or audit committee members evaluating her services.
A score in this range typically indicates that while the provider meets baseline regulatory thresholds, there are areas—often licensing, credentials, or disciplinary history—that pull the overall profile down. For a public entity considering engagement, this score suggests due diligence beyond name recognition is warranted. It does not mean the provider is unsafe or non-compliant across the board; rather, it signals mixed performance across the dimensions regulators and auditors prioritize.
The lack of independent customer reviews in Verdica's index means you cannot yet cross-reference this regulatory assessment with client experience. In such cases, the sub-score breakdown becomes especially important for understanding where the risk concentrates.
How the sub-scores break down
License & Credentials (340 / 850): This is the weakest dimension in Zehring's profile. A sub-score of 340 suggests material gaps in licensure status, credential verification, or continuing education compliance tracked by Colorado's state board. In the accounting industry, this dimension typically reflects whether a CPA maintains an active, unrestricted license and meets ongoing professional development requirements. A score this low is a red flag that deserves clarification—whether due to lapsed credentials, restricted scope of practice, or incomplete registrations—before engagement.
PCAOB Record (810 / 850): This is Zehring's strongest dimension. A score of 810 indicates a relatively clean audit history with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The PCAOB inspects registered audit firms and documents findings on audit quality, compliance with standards, and internal controls. A high score here suggests that any inspections or audits on record have not surfaced significant quality or compliance failures. This is a meaningful positive signal.
Disciplinary (850 / 850): A perfect score here indicates no material disciplinary actions on record with state or federal regulators. This dimension tracks sanctions, investigations, fines, or formal complaints tracked by boards like the Colorado State Board of Accountancy or the SEC. A clean record in this category is expected for any provider you would consider; the presence of disciplinary issues would typically disqualify a provider entirely.
What regulators in CO track for accounting providers
Colorado's state board and the PCAOB together maintain the regulatory framework that informs Verdica's scoring:
State Board Registration: Colorado tracks CPA licenses, firm registrations, and compliance with continuing education (typically 120 hours per three-year renewal cycle). The board investigates complaints about competence, ethical violations, or unlicensed practice. A low sub-score here often reflects renewal lapses, incomplete disclosures, or board findings against the licensee.
PCAOB Audit Findings: The PCAOB inspects registered public accounting firms annually or triennially, evaluating audit file quality, compliance with auditing standards (GAAS), and adherence to independence rules. Inspection reports document deficiencies by severity. Common infractions include inadequate evidence, incomplete risk assessments, or failure to test key controls. Firms with recurring or significant findings see lower PCAOB-derived scores.
Disciplinary History: State boards and the SEC maintain records of formal actions—cease-and-desist orders, license suspensions, fines, or restitution—against accountants. These are public documents that regulators rely on to protect the public.
Bottom line
Judy Zehring's 656 score reflects acceptable audit quality (per PCAOB) and a clean disciplinary record, but a notably weak licensing or credentials profile that requires clarification before engagement. Anyone considering her services should request detailed verification of her current Colorado CPA license status, any scope restrictions, and the reasons for the gap in the credentials dimension. Without customer reviews yet available, this regulatory crosscheck is your most actionable step.