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Item 4.01
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Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant
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On June 16, 2021, Citizens, Inc. (the “Company”) dismissed Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”) as its independent registered public accounting firm and on June 18, 2021, engaged Grant Thornton LLP (“Grant Thornton”) to serve as its independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2021. The decision to change accountants was approved by the Company’s audit committee, which has the sole authority to terminate and engage the Company’s independent registered public accountants. Grant Thornton was selected based on an evaluation of capabilities that would best meet the needs of the Company based on the Company’s size and market position.
For the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019: (i) Deloitte’s report on the Company’s consolidated financial statements did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, nor was the report qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles; (ii) for such periods and the three months ended March 31, 2021, there were no disagreements (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions to Item 304 of Regulation S-K) on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreement(s), if not resolved to the satisfaction of Deloitte, would have caused Deloitte to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement(s) in connection with such reports; and (iii) for such periods and the three months ended March 31, 2021, there were no “reportable events” (as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).
During the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 and through March 31, 2021, neither the Company nor anyone on its behalf has consulted Grant Thornton with respect to (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed; or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements; or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) or a reportable event.
The Company has provided Deloitte with a copy of the disclosures required by Item 304(a) of Regulation S-K contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K (“8-K”) and has requested that Deloitte furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether Deloitte agrees with the statements made by the Company in this 8-K and, if not, stating the respects in which it does not agree. A copy of Deloitte’s letter, dated June 22, 2021, is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this 8-K.