Sox: $6 billion cost in 2006.

• Author: Swartz, Nikki
• Position: UP FRONT: News, Trends & Analysis

According to AMR Research, companies will spend $6 billion this year to comply with requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX).

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AMR Research says companies spent $6.1 billion in 2005. In 2006 budgets allocated to internal headcount are expected to fall by 8 percent while technology allocation will grow by more than 13 percent in real dollars over 2005 numbers. External consulting activities, which do not include audit fees, are expected to hold steady in 2006.

These spending predictions support a long-term approach to SOX compliance, says John Hagerty, vice president of research at AMR Research. "Budgets are shifting from headcount to technology so that compliance can become repeatable...