FAR SU1 Flashcards
Memorize SU1
What is the Financial Accounting Standards Board?
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 authorized the SEC to recognize a standard setter for U.S. GAAP to be applied by nongovernmental entities. The SEC formally recognized the FASB as that standard setter.
What is the International Accounting Standards Board?
It is an independent group of experts that are responsible for:
- The development and publication of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), including the IFRS for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
- Approving Interpretations of IFRS as developed by the IFRS Interpretations Committee.
What is the Governmental Accounting Standards Board?
The GASB was established by the FAF as the primary standard setter for state and local governmental entities
What is the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board?
The FASAB establishes accounting principles for the federal government and issues Statements of Federal Financial Accounting Standards.
What is the Financial Accounting Foundation?
An independent body established by the accounting profession in 1972. Oversees the:
- The Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council (FASAC)
- The Private Company Council (PCC)
- The Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)
- Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
What is the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council?
Advises the FASB on priorities and proposed standards and evaluates its performance.
What is the Private Company Council?
a. Proposes exceptions to and modifications of U.S. GAAP for private companies and
b. Advises the FASB on private company issues before new pronouncements are issued.
What is the Emerging Issues Task Force?
Addresses new and unusual accounting issues that require prompt action to avoid differences in accounting treatments. An example is the guidance provided regarding losses from the 9/11 attacks.
a. Many consensus positions of the EITF have been included in Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs).
b. Unlike the FASAC and the PCC, the EITF was created by the FASB.
What is the FASB process to issue final pronouncements?
- Financial reporting issues are identified based on communications with stakeholders, research, and other activities.
- The decision to add a project to the technical agenda is based on an analysis by the FASB’s staff.
- Deliberation of the issues occurs at a public meeting(s).
- An Exposure Draft is published to solicit broad stakeholder responses. (Sometimes, a Discussion Paper also may be issued at an early stage for input.)
- A public meeting regarding the Exposure Draft may be held if needed.
- The staff analyzes the information obtained in the preceding steps. The FASB then redeliberates the proposals with stakeholder input at a public meeting(s).
- The FASB votes on a final draft proposal. If a majority of the seven board members approves, an Accounting Standard Update (ASU) is issued to amend the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC).
What are NFPs Distinguishing Characteristics?
- Lack defined ownership interests
- They report net assets rather than equity (assets – liabilities).
- Investor-owned entities that provide economic benefits directly to owners, members, or participants (e.g., credit unions or employee benefit plans) are not considered not-for-profit entities.
NPF Financials Reporting Objectives
- Useful to providers in making resource allocation decisions
- Useful in assessing services and the ability to provide services
- Useful in assessing management stewardship and performance
- About economic resources, obligations, net resources, and changes in them
- About managers’ explanations and interpretations to help users understand financial information
Governmental-Type Activities
Characteristics of the governmental environment:
- The representative form of government and the separation of powers
- National, state, county, and city governments and the interflow of revenues
- The expectations of taxpayers about the services they receive
- A budget as a policy decision and a legally binding control
- Use of fund accounting
- Governments at the same level with dissimilar functions.
- Assets, e.g., highways and bridges that do not earn revenue
- Citizens who want the maximum services for the minimum taxes
Users of Governmental-Type Activities
- Citizens (those to whom the government is directly accountable)
- Legislative and oversight bodies (representatives of the citizenry)
- Investors and creditors (providers of financing)
Uses of Governmental Reporting
- Comparing actual results with budgeted amounts
- Assessing financial condition and operating results
- Determining compliance with laws, rules, and regulations
- Evaluating efficiency and effectiveness
Business-Type Activities
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Government Reporting Objective
Accountability is the primary objective of all governmental financial reporting. It is based on the public’s right to know.
Types of Accountability in Government Financial Reporting
- Fiscal accountability
2. Operational accountability
What is Fiscal Accountability?
Fiscal accountability is the responsibility of a government to justify that its actions comply with public decisions about obtaining and expending public resources in the short term.
What is Operational Accountability?
Operational accountability is the responsibility to report the extent to which accounting objectives have been met efficiently and effectively using available resources.
a. It is also the responsibility to report whether those objectives can be met for the foreseeable future.
State & Local Government Financial Reporting Objectives
- Public accountability
- Evaluating operating results.
- Assessing services provided.
What is Public Accountability? (objective)
The government should provide information about:
- Whether current revenues suffice to pay for current services
- Compliance with the budget and other requirements
- Service efforts, costs, and accomplishments
What is Evaluating Operating Results? (objective)
The government should provide information about
- Sources and uses of financial resources
- How its activities were financed and its cash needs were met
- Whether its financial condition improved or declined
What is Assessing Services Provided? (objective)
The government should provide information about
- Financial position and condition
- Noncurrent nonfinancial resources
- Legal or contractual restrictions and potential risks
Assumptions of Financial Accounting
- Economic-entity assumption
- Going-concern assumption
- Monetary-unit assumption
- Periodicity assumption
Principles of Financial Accounting
- Revenue recognition and matching principles
- Historical cost principle
- Full-disclosure principle
Constraints of Financial Accounting
- Cost constraint
- Industry practices constraint
- Conservatism constraint
What is the Economic-Entity Assumption?
The reporting (accounting) entity is separately identified for the purpose of economic and financial accountability. The economic affairs of owners and managers are segregated from those of the reporting entity.
What is the Going- Concern Assumption?
Unless evidence indicates otherwise, every business is assumed to be a going concern that operates indefinitely. As a result, the liquidation basis of accounting is not used. It is assumed that the entity will not be liquidated in the near future.
What is the Monetary-Unit Assumption?
Accounting records are stated in units of money. The changing purchasing power of the monetary unit is assumed not to be material.
What is the Periodicity Assumption?
Economic activity can be divided into distinct time periods. This assumption requires reporting estimates in the financial statements. It sacrifices some degree of faithful representation (i.e., accuracy) of information for increased relevance.
What is Revenue Recognition and Matching Principles?
The revenue recognition and matching principles have been formally incorporated into the conceptual framework as recognition and measurement concepts. Revenue is reported in the period earned, and costs required to produce those revenues are matched to those revenues.
What is Historical cost principle?
Transactions are recorded initially at cost because it is the most objective determination of fair value. It is a reliable measure. However, more and more items are being reported at fair value under the assumption they would be liquidated to pay for obligations.
What is Full-disclosure principle?
Financial statements report any and all information that could influence investor and creditor decisions.
- Full disclosure often requires footnotes in addition to GAAP, but it does not substitute for reporting in accordance with GAAP.
What is Cost Constraint?
The costs of all financial reporting should be justified by the benefits.
What is Industry Practices Constraint?
GAAP may be modified in certain industries to avoid reporting misleading or unnecessary information.
- For example, banks and insurers typically measured marketable equity securities at fair value before this treatment became generally accepted. Fair value and liquidity are most important to these industries.
What is Conservatism Constraint?
This constraint is a response to uncertainty. When alternative accounting methods are appropriate, the one with the less favorable effect on net income and total assets is preferable.
Name the Fundamental Qualitative Characteristics
- Relevance
2. Faithful representation
Define as Relevance pertaining to the Fundamental Qualitative Characteristic
Information is relevant if it can make a difference in user decisions. To do so, it must have predictive value, confirmatory value, or both.
Characteristics of Faithful Representation
a. Completeness (containing what is needed for user understanding)
b. Neutrality (unbiased in its selection and presentation)
c. Freedom from error