Module 9a Flashcards
Who has the mandate to write US GAAP
The SEC has the mandate but they have always delegated it to others.
Who writes GAAP?
The FASB
What is the objective of GAAP
The objective of general purpose financial reporting is to provide financial information about the reporting entity that is useful to existing and potential investors, lenders, and other creditors in making decisions about providing resources to the entity.
What is the highest level of Authority for GAAP?
FASB statements of accounting standards and interpretations, FASB Staff Positions, AICPA Accounting Research Bulletins, Accounting Principles Board Opinions (not superseded by the FASB)
What is the 2nd highest level of authority for GAAP?
FASB Technical Bulletins, AICPA Industry audit and accounting guides (if cleared by FASB), Statements of Position
What is the 3rd highest level of authority for GAAP?
AICPA accounting standards executive committee practice bulletins (that have been cleared by FASB), Consensuses positions of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force, and EITF Abstracts
What is the lowest level of authority for GAAP?
Implementation guides (Q&A’s) ACIPA Accounting Interpretations, AICPA industry audit and accounting guides, Practices that are widely recognized and prevalent
What is materiality?
it is an error or omission which would effect the judgment of a reasonable person who is relying on the financial statement
Who is not a primary user of financial statements according to GAAP?
Regulators and members of the public, management.
What are the Qualitative Characteristics?
They establish criteria for selecting and evaluating accounting alternatives which will meet the objectives.
What are the fundamental qualitative Characteristics?
1) Relevance - Which is Predictive value, and confirmatory value. 2) Faithful representation - Which is complete, nuetral, and Free from Error
What are the enhancing qualatitive characteristics?
Comparability, Verifiability(both direct and indirect), timeliness, and Understandability
What are the 2 basic concepts of capital maintenance?
1)Return on Capital(Earnings) or Financial Capital. 2) Return of Capital (Capital Recovery). or Physical Capital
What is Capital Maintenance?
The notion that before any capital can be returned during a period to the owners the company has to be “Well Off” at the end of the year.
What is the Financial Capital definition of Well-Offness?
Earnings may not be recognized untill the dollar investment in net assets, measured in units of money or purchasing power is returned.
What is the Physical Capital definition of Well-Offness?
Earns may not be regognized untill the current replacement costs of assets with the same productive capabilities of the assets used up are returned. (Cost Accounting)
What is the SFAC Definition of Comprehensive Income?
Any change to total Shareholder Equity which does not involve the shareholders or Owners. NOT GAAP Definition
What is the ACS Codification organization?
Topics- Subtopics -Sections - Subsections
ACS Section 105 covers?
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles,
ACS Sections 200’s cover what basic theme?
Presention of the financial Statements
ACS Sections 300’s cover What basic theme?
Assets
ACS Sections 400’s Cover What basic Theme?
Liabilities
ACS Sections 500’s Cover What basic Theme?
Equity
ACS Sections 600’s Cover What basic Theme?
Revenue
ACS Sections 700’s Cover What basic Theme?
Expenses
ACS Sections 800’s Cover What basic Theme?
Broad Transactions
ACS Sections 900’s Cover What basic Themes?
Industry
ACS Section 808 covers?
Collaborative arrangements
ACS Section 958 Covers?
Not - For Profit Entities
What is the general rule under Accrual based accounting?
Revenue is generally recognized at the point of sale? Or at time when service is performed?
Is Cash based accounting GAAP?
No, you have to convert Cash based statements to accrual for GAAP Purposes.
What is an Asset
A probable future economic benefit controlleed by a particular entity as a resuly of past transaction or events.
What is a liability?
A Probable future sacrifice of economic benefit, arising from present obligations of a partiular entity that result from past transactions or events.
What is Equity?
the owners residual interest in the assets of an entity that remains after deducting liabilties.