What Verdica's 827 score means for Scott Carothers
Scott Carothers in Florida has earned a composite score of 827 out of 850, placing him in Verdica's "excellent" band (800–850). This score reflects strong overall compliance across the three dimensions Verdica tracks: professional credentials, PCAOB audit history, and disciplinary record.
A score in the excellent band means that the underlying regulatory data—state licensing records and federal audit findings—shows no significant red flags. For a potential client evaluating an accounting provider, an 827 score suggests that this provider has cleared the compliance bar set by both state and federal regulators. It does not guarantee error-free work or customer satisfaction; rather, it reflects that available regulatory records do not surface material concerns.
Readers should understand that this score is built on objective, third-party regulator data, not customer reviews or performance metrics. Since no independent customer reviews are currently indexed for Scott Carothers, this score cannot speak to responsiveness, pricing fairness, or audit quality in practice. It only speaks to licensing validity and regulatory standing.
How the sub-scores break down
License & Credentials (830/850): This sub-score reflects Scott Carothers' state board registration and professional credential status in Florida. A score of 830 indicates that his licensing record is clean and current. In the accounting industry, a licensed CPA or similar credential from a state board is a baseline compliance requirement; scores in this range suggest the provider holds valid, current licenses with no significant suspensions, lapses, or credential challenges on record.
PCAOB Record (810/850): The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board maintains a database of audit findings and inspection results for firms that audit public companies. A score of 810 indicates that Verdica's review of available PCAOB data found no material audit deficiencies or patterns of concern. In practice, PCAOB inspections can flag issues ranging from audit documentation quality to independence violations. A score near the top of the range suggests either a clean inspection history or findings that fall within acceptable tolerances for the provider's size and scope of work.
Disciplinary (850/850): A perfect 850 on the disciplinary sub-score means no disciplinary actions are recorded by the state board or other tracked regulators. This is the strongest possible indicator in this dimension. Disciplinary records typically include complaints, sanctions, license restrictions, or censures issued by state accounting boards or the SEC. A perfect score here signals no regulatory action history.
What regulators in FL track for accounting providers
Florida's state board and the PCAOB maintain separate but complementary oversight of accounting providers. The state board ensures that CPAs and other licensed professionals meet education, experience, and ethical standards; they investigate complaints, impose sanctions, and can suspend or revoke licenses. Common infractions that lower scores include failure to maintain continuing education, ethical violations, incompetence, or fraud.
The PCAOB, a non-profit established under federal law, focuses on audit quality for public company audits. They conduct inspections to assess compliance with auditing standards, quality control, and independence rules. Audit findings can cite deficiencies in how work was documented, tested, or reviewed—issues that affect the reliability of public company financial statements. Firms with repeated or unresolved findings see their scores decline.
Together, these two data streams create a picture of both professional standing (state board) and audit practice quality (PCAOB). A provider with strong scores in both areas has cleared both hurdles: they maintain valid credentials and demonstrate acceptable audit execution in regulated engagements.
Bottom line
Scott Carothers' score of 827 places him in the excellent compliance band, with particularly strong marks on disciplinary history and solid standing in credentials and PCAOB records. For a business evaluating this provider, the regulatory data is favorable; however, you should independently verify current references, service offerings, and pricing, since Verdica's score does not assess customer experience or service quality.