Internal auditing is best described as:

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Internal auditing is about providing independent assurance and consulting to improve risk management, control, and governance. It operates independently from management to evaluate whether the organization’s risk processes, internal controls, and governance practices are effective and operating as intended. The work isn’t limited to examining financial statements or past events; it assesses the design and effectiveness of controls, compliance with policies and laws, and how well risks are being managed across the organization. In addition to giving objective assurance, internal auditors offer advisory services to help strengthen processes, improve control environments, and support better governance practices, often reporting to the board or an audit committee to preserve independence. This makes it fundamentally broader than a tax function, not merely forecast-oriented, and clearly connected to governance, rather than excluded from it.