Accounting Fundamentals Flashcards
What is the double-entry system?
15th century Italy by Luca Pacioli involving debits and credits
What is accounting?
Academic discipline involving the reporting, interpretation, and organization of a financial structure for a business.
What is the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) law?
This law requires additional work and investigation surrounding the accuracy of financial reporting. It also forces management to be individually responsible for the accuracy of their financial information.
What is GAAP?
Who does it apply to?
What is it’s objective?
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
Represents the accounting standards for U.S. companies. Publicly traded U.S. companies are required to use U.S. GAAP; many privately held companies, although not required to use it, still do.
Help financial statements achieve three things:
- Relevance. Is the information relevant to the message we are trying to send through our financial statements?
- Reliability. Can we rely on the information?
- Comparability. Can we compare the financial statements of two different entities?
What is IRFS?
Who does it apply to?
What is it’s objective?
International Financial Reporting Standards
Represents the accounting standards for all international companies. This means that if you are doing business any any countries outside of the U.S., you would use IFRS.
Standardized the accounting procedures across all nations.
What is the AICPA?
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Established in 1887
It is the main professional association for CPAs and develops additional guids that assist them when they are implementing U.S. GAAP.
What is the GASB?
Governmental Accounting Standards Board
Established in 1984
This board is in place to develop standards of financial reporting for state as well as local governments.
What is the FASB?
Financial Accounting Standards Board
Established in 1973
Likely the most important governing body. Has a critical role relating to developing U.S. GAAP. The FASB develops new standards and controls the implementation of previous standards, as well as new standards that are coming out.
What is the SEC?
Securities and Exchange Commission
Established in 1934
Rule enforcer: develop rules and enforce securities law.
What is the GAO?
Government Accountability Office
Established in 1921
Government watchdog: work for Congress and play a very important role in investigating program spending related to the use of public funds.
What is the IRS?
Internal Revenue Service
Established in 1862
Tax Man: deal with collecting taxes and enforcing the IRS code.
What is managerial accounting?
A branch of accounting that is focused on internal reporting to assist internal management with decisions, structure, and goals.
What is financial accounting?
A branch of accounting that is focused on external reporting of financial status to provide information to decision-makers and interested parties.
What is the role of the shareholder?
An individual or organization that legally owns one or more shares in a company.
What is the role of the investor?
An individual who has dedicated capital to a company with an expectation of a return on that investment.
What is the role of the bookkeeper?
An individual who documents an organization’s monetary transactions.
What is the role of the accountant?
A practitioner with acquired skills in the field of accountancy.
What is the role of the controller?
An individual within an organization accountable for all aspects of financial reporting and accounting.
What is the role of the auditor?
An individual who conducts an objective appraisal of accounting processes and data within an organization.
What is a sole proprietorship?
A type of company that is owned by a single individual, where the individual and the business are legally treated the same.