1 Conceptual Framework Flashcards
Name the 4 Enhancing Qualitative Characteristics
- Comparability - between sets of info
- Verifiability - by different users
- Timeliness - in time to make a difference
- Understandability
CUT like a V
What are the 4 accounting assumptions?
- Entity Assumption – each business org is a separate entity. Is separate from owners. Owners own shares, don’t own entity’s assets
- Going-Concern Assumption (Continuity Assumption) – business assumed to have an indefinite life, beyond life of owners
- Unit-of-Measure Assumption – measure using monetary unit of country where operate
- Time Period Assumption – indefinite life of business broken into smaller time frames (year and shorter) for evaluation/reporting
Who do the objectives of financial reporting focus on?
The USERS of the financial information (the financial statements)
What is the objective of financial reporting?
- objective of general-purpose financial reporting is to provide information about the entity useful to current and future investors and creditors in making decisions as capital providers.
- Useful information includes: -
- amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows; -
- Ability to generate future net cash inflows; -
- economic resources (assets) and claims to those resources (liabilities) that provides insight into financial strengths and weaknesses, and its liquidity and solvency; -
- The effectiveness with which management has met its stewardship responsibilities; -
- effect of transactions and other events that change an entity’s economic resources and the claims to those resources.
What do a full set of financial statements include?
- Balance Sheet - Financial Position at End of Year
- Income Statement - Earnings for Year
- Statement of Cash Flows - Cash Flows during Year
- Statement of Changes in Owners’ Equity - Investments by and Distributions to Owners during year
- Statement of Comprehensive Income (with IS or separate)
What are the ten Elements of Financial Statements?
- Assets – probable future benefit
- Liabilities – probable future sacricfieces of economic benefit
- Equity – residual interest in firm’s assets = net assets
- Investments by Owners – increases in net assets of an entity from transfers by owners
- Distributions to Owners – decreases in Net assets of entity to owners
- Comprehensive Income – accounting income plus certain holding gains/losses
- Revenues – increases in A/settle L
- Expenses – decreases in A / incr liabilitiesprovide benefit to firm
-
Gains – increases in equity or net assets, from
- Gain contingencies are not recognized
- Losses – decreases in equity or net assets, from no benefit provided ot firm
What is the pervasive constraint that overrides the usefulness of information?
Cost vs. Benefit (cost to present shouldn’t exceed benefit)
What is Comprehensive Income?
All changes in equity (net assets) other than “owner” sources (investments and distributions)
What is meant by Matching?
Recognize a cost as an expense in the same period as the benefit (usually a revenue) is recognized
What is meant by Allocation?
Spreading a cost over more than one period (i.e. depreciation)
What is meant by Recognition?
Booking an item in the financial statements
What is meant by Realization?
Converting non-cash resources into cash or a claim to cash
When does realization occur?
Goods or services have been provided (seller performance is substantially complete); Collectibility of cash is assured - revenue is realizable (buyer performance is complete or assured); Expenses of providing goods and services can be determined. This criterion becomes important when service or production is provided over an extended period of time.
What are the Qualitative Characteristics of Financial Reporting?
RELEVANCE - makes a difference to the user Includes:
- Predictive Value - Future Trends
- Confirming Value - Past Predictions
- Materiality - Could affect User Decisions
FAITHFUL REPRESENTATION
- Completeness - Nothing omitted that would impact the decision-making of a user
- Neutrality - Information is presented is without bias
- Free from Error - No material errors or omissions
How does Conservatism affect the recording of accounting transactions?
When an estimate is necessary due to uncertainty conservatism chooses the best option that won’t overstate the financial position of the company least optimistic
What is an accrual?
- Earned (Revenue) or Incurred (Expense) but no Cash Receipt/Outlay yet
- Economic event before cash activity