FAR Flashcards
What is the primary objective of accounting?
to measure income
What does income measure?
a firms efficiency
What are the basis of all economic activity?
monetary units
What are the most authoritative accounting pronouncements?
FASB Codification
What are the two levels of GAAP?
Authoritative and non-authoritative
What are the differences between managerial and financial accounting?
Managerial has a more timeliness focus and does not follow GAAP
What are financial reports used for?
Providing useful information to users (existing and potential investors and creditors)
What reports must be filed with the SEC?
10k- annually and audited, 10Q- quarterly and reviewed
What are the primary constraints of financial reporting?
Cost v benefit and materiality
What are the secondary constraints of financial reporting?
Consistency (the ability to compare year over year) and comparability (the ability to compare company v company)
What are the qualitative characteristics of financial reporting?
Relevance and faithful representation
In order to be relevant, information must have:
Makes a difference to the user. PCM - Passing confirms money Predictive value- predicts the future trends Confirmed value- past predictions Materiality- could affect user decisions
In order for information to be faithfully represented it must be:
Complete. Nothing is omitted that would impact the decision making of the user.
Neutral- free from bias
Freedom from error
What are the enhancing qualitative characteristics of financial reporting?
Comparability- allows users to compare time periods
Verifiability- different users would likely reach the same conclusions with the same information
Timeliness- the information reaches the user in time to make a decision
Understandability
What is an accrual?
Revenue has been earned or an expense has been incurred with no cash outlay yet
What is a deferral?
A cash receipt or outlay that has been received but yet earned or incurred.
What is recognition?
When an item is recorded and included in the financial statements.
Rule of conservatism
When there is uncertainty, conservatism requires you to chose the best option that will not overstate the financial position of the company
Fair value
the price you would receive if you sold an asset. Fair value assumes the asset is at it’s highest and best value that it will be.
What are the market assumptions for fair value?
1- the asset is sold in the most advantageous market to get the best price possible
2- the buyer and seller are not related
3- buyer and seller are knowledgeable
4- the buyer and seller are able and motivated to transact- the buyer actually wants to buy and has the means, the seller actually wants to sell
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