From tutorial Flashcards
Describe the standard setting process of the IASB
The standard setting process of the IASB for issuing IFRSs has six stages.
- Setting the agenda.
- Planning the project.
- Developing and publishing the discussion paper.
- Developing and publishing the exposure draft (ED).
- Developing and publishing the standard.
- Procedures involving consultation and evaluation after an IFRS has been issued.
Identify the potential benefits of harmonized accounting standards
Potential benefits of a globally accepted set of accounting standards include:
Using a principles based approach
Greater comparability
Reduction in the cost of financial statement preparation
Greater mobility of staff
Explain going concern
The going concern assumption is important in that all measures of performance and financial position, and all classifications in a statement of financial position (current and non-current) implicitly assume that the entity is going to continue
Explain accrual basis
The accrual basis assumption is made in the preparation of general-purpose financial reports. Under this assumption, the effects of all transactions and other events are recognized in the accounting records when they occur, rather than when cash or its equivalent is received or paid.
Define ‘equity’, and explain why the Conceptual Framework does not prescribe any recognition criteria for equity.
The Framework defines equity as ‘the residual interest in the assets of the entity after deducting all its liabilities’.
There is no need for recognition criteria for equity as it is a residual, determined after recognition criteria are applied to the other elements.
What choices of measurement model exist subsequent to PPE being initially recognized?
- Cost model
- Revaluation model
What is meant by ‘significant parts depreciation’?
Each part of an item of property, plant and equipment with a cost that is significant in relation to the total cost of the item shall be depreciated separately.
Explain how revaluation decreases are accounted for under the revaluation model.
Revaluation decrease:
The decrease shall be recognized in profit or loss.
But: revaluation decrease debited directly to equity under the heading of revaluation surplus to the extent of any credit balance existing in the revaluation surplus in respect of that asset
Explain how revaluation increases are accounted for under the revaluation model.
Revaluation increase:
The increase shall be credited directly to equity under the heading of revaluation surplus.
But: revaluation increase in P&L to the extent that it reverses a revaluation decrease of the same asset previously recognized in profit or loss
Discuss the importance of a theory of accounting and the link to the existing conceptual framework of the IASB.
Accounting theory should help in providing a frame/reference for accounting behavior
Framework of the IASB as an attempt to provide an accounting theory
Consistent basis
“Universal”
Discuss the arguments in favor of the capitalization of borrowing costs as part of the cost of an asset.
Arguments in favor of capitalization are:
No difference to other costs that do qualify for capitalization
Accrual/matching concept
More consistency: companies that construct their own assets vs companies that choose to buy their assets
Discuss the arguments against the capitalization of borrowing costs as part of the cost of an asset.
Arguments against capitalization are:
Interest charging
Inconsistency
Difficult determination of the way an asset has been financed
Capitalization ceases at completion of asset vs. lifetime financing cost of the asset
More prudent
In what circumstances, if any, do you think that regulation should allow the non-depreciation of owned buildings?
If the buildings are current assets, which is quite possible, then depreciation is definitely not logical. For investment properties, we are into the general ‘fair value’ debate, about which strong, and different, views are likely to be found.
What is the difference between “research” and “development”?
Research is original and planned investigation undertaken with the prospect of gaining new scientific or technical knowledge and understanding.
Development is the application of research findings or other knowledge to a plan or design for the production of new or substantially improved materials, devices, products, processes, systems or services before the start of commercial production or use.
Why is it easier to recognize intangibles that are acquired in a business combination than those that are internally generated?
Reliable measurement
Banned assets
Research
What are some internal indicators of impairment?
Evidence of obsolescence or physical damage
Assets becoming idle, plans to discontinue operations, plans to dispose of assets
Economic performance is worse than expected
What are some external and internal indicators of impairment?
Significant decline in market value
Significant changes in the technological, market, economic or legal environment in which the entity operates
Increases in market interest rates
The carrying amount of the entity’s assets exceeds the entity’s market capitalization
What is a cash generating unit?
A CGU is the smallest identifiable group of assets that generates cash inflows largely independent of the cash flows from other assets or groups of assets.
How are impairment losses accounted for in relation to cash generating units?
Reduce the carrying amount of any goodwill allocated to the CGU
Allocate any balance of loss to the other assets of the CGU pro rata on the basis of their carrying amounts
Leases are classified on the basis of ‘substance over form’. What does this criterion mean?
The IFRS Conceptual Framework in paragraph 35 states that ‘if information is to represent faithfully the transactions and other events that it purports to represent, it is necessary that they are accounted for and presented in accordance with their substance and economic reality and not merely their legal form. The substance of transactions or other events is not always consistent with that which is apparent from their legal or contrived form’.
Leases are classified on the basis of ‘substance over form’, how does it relate to the capitalization of finance leases?
if ‘in substance’ substantially all of the risks and rewards incident with ownership are transferred from the lessor to the lessee the arrangement is giving rise to a finance lease.
What are ‘minimum lease payments’?
Minimum lease payments = (i) Payments over the lease term
+ (ii) Guaranteed residual value
+ (iii) Bargain purchase option
- (iv) Contingent rent
- (v) Reimbursement of costs paid by the lessor
Explain the required classifications of cash flows under IAS 7
Cash flows must be classified into:
- Cash flows from Operating activities
- Cash flows from Investing activities
- Cash flows from Financing activities
Operating activities
Are the principal revenue-producing activities of an entity and any other activities that do not fall within investing and financing activities.
Investing activities
Are the acquisition and disposal of long-term assets and other investments not included in cash equivalents.
Financing activities
Are activities that result in changes in the size and composition of the equity capital and borrowing of an entity.
What are the 6 criterion that has to be evaluated within R&D
Technical feasibility Intention to complete and sell Existence of a market Ability to use or sell Availability of resources Ability to measure costs reliably (TIE-AAA)
What are the strong indicators for Finance lease
o Transfer of ownership to the lessee by the end of the lease term
o Lessee has the option to purchase the asset at a price that is expected to be sufficiently lower than the FV at the date of the option (i.e. a bargain purchase option exists)
o The lease term is for the major part of the economic life of the asset
o PV of MLPs amounts to at least substantially all of the FV of the asset
o Leased asset is of such a specialized nature that only the lessee can use it without major modifications
Discuss why capitalization of outlays may not provide relevant information about the intangible assets held by an entity.
There is no necessary link between capitalized costs and expected future benefits
Time gap
Correlation gap
Discuss why managers may prefer to expense outlays on intangibles rather than capitalize them.
Managers prefer to inflate future profits
Investors generally consider write-offs as one-time items, of no consequence for valuation
Immediate expensing obviates the need to provide explanations in case of failure
Cost and benefit
Lack of relevance of capitalized numbers
Volatility
Discuss the main problem related to the current standard IAS 17 for leases
Off-balance sheet accounting
Asset/Liability missing for lessee
Biased picture of company regarding solvency
Compare and contrast the impact on the reported profit and asset value for an accounting period of the first-in, first-out method and the weighted average method.
The key issue for discussion in this question is the relevance and reliability of financial information produced under each method.
- FIFO values the asset at the latest price and includes the earliest purchases in inventory and thus in times of rising prices may defer losses to the next accounting period and may overstate assets.
- Weighted average ‘smooths’ the impact of price rises across income and asset values but may mask problems with obsolescence.