Recently, accounting standard-setting body such as the IASB have focused on the issue of how assets and liabilities should be measured (Penman, 2007, p.33). This issue is related to the fair market value accounting as an alternative method against historical cost accounting. The fair market value of an asset (liability) is the amount at which that asset (liability) could be bought or sold (incurred or settled) in a current transaction between willing parties. Historical cost accounting is based on actual transactions, the recorded amounts are reliable and verifiable. This paper describes this measurement concepts and compares them.
Even if one is sympathetic to the arguments against fair value accounting, it does not automatically follow that historical cost accounting would be better, although many opponents of fair value accounting implicitly or explicitly assume so. At times, fair value accounting may not provide relevant information, but in many cases, (amortized) historical costs do not provide relevant information either. Historical costs do not reflect the current fundamental value of an asset either fair value accounting does not prevent firms from providing additional information, including management’s estimates of fundamental values (Laux,
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According to Penman (2007, p. 36) in the fair value accounting method the primary vehicle for conveying information to shareholders is the balance sheet. It satisfies the valuation objective and the income statement provides information about risk exposure and management performance. In the historical cost method the income statement is the primary vehicle for conveying information about value to shareholders. This method does not report the present value from the balance sheet, it rather reports the progress that has been made by recording the value added
The estimates of fair value of reporting units are based on the best information available as of the date of the assessment. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss will be recognized in an amount equal to such excess, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. If the carrying value of an individual indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its fair value, such
We utilize an accrual basis for accounting because it provides a much more
Pros and Cons of the Fair Tax Act If you've experienced filing and paying taxes taxes, you know how confusing and how much of a hassle it can be. Many people don't only complain about the complex process, they also express that wealthy persons and families, businesses, and special interest groups pay less tax than they're supposed to due to certain exemptions and loopholes. Because of these frustrations, the Fair Tax Act is gaining a strong following. This plan aims to replace the federal tax income system with a flat national sales tax. Supporters of the plan believe this would help to evenly spread the tax burden, get rid of loopholes, and take away the hassle of collecting taxes without affecting federal tax revenues.
Introduction Cost-benefit analysis has been a prolonged topic of debate since its introduction by Gary Becker. Becker tried to explain each and every action by human beings using his analysis. However, oppositions to this standpoint arrived immediately. Therefore, we can say that it became a battle of giants with respected intellectuals on each side (Sen 2000, 931). Since this debate cannot be settled even by some great intellectuals, my intentions in writing this paper is nowhere near providing an answer to the reader regarding who the winner is.
Prior research on the persistence and valuation of cash flows vs accruals focuses on the role of accruals as a component of profitability, but overlooks the role of accruals as a component of growth in net operating assets. Their study probes the extent to which the differential persistence and valuation of accruals documented in prior research can be explained by the role of accruals as a component of growth in net operating assets. In other words, they investigate whether the differential persistence and apparent mispricing of accruals that Sloan (1996) documents apply more
The question is whether historical cost accounting or fair value must be used is questioned and for the instant, as Zeff (2007) opinion, fair value is becoming more prominent in the standards of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) as well as in the standards of its U.S. counterpart, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). This shows that the universal financial reporting comparability is developing, as Zeff (2007) further argues. After the IAS regulation of 2002 went into influence, approximately 800 registered companies in the European Union are started to get ready their consolidated financial statements with the help of using
Clients must keep records and books of accounts including cash book, sales ledger, purchases ledger and general ledger. Supporting documents such as invoices, bank statements, pay-in slips, cheque butts, and receipts for payments, payroll records and copies of receipts issued should be retained. A valuation of the stock in trade should be made at the end of the accounting period and the appropriate records maintained. Company should record sufficient to explain each transaction and to enable a true and fair profit & loss account and balance sheet to be prepared. At the end of the accounting period, a physical stock-take should be made to ascertain the quantity and the cost of the stock in hand or the cost of work in progress statements and
Throughout the years, several different methods have been developed, which are dependent on the respective regulations of countries and institutions, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The most common inventory methods include FIFO (first-in, last-out), LIFO (last- in, first-out), HIFO (highest-in, first-out), FEFO (first-expired, first-out), as well as the average costing method (AVCO). Each of them has their specific advantages and disadvantages, and comes with certain restrictions and regulations (Lee and Hsieh, 1983, p.7). This paper is going to take a look at the choice of inventory accounting methods of FIFO and LIFO, and is therefore not going to consider the other inventory accounting methods, as that goes beyond the topic of this
The Financial Accounting Standards Board of the United States and the International Accounting Standards Board began the process with the adoption of the Norwalk Agreement of with the ambitious goal of implementing a single set of internationally accepted accounting principles by 2015. The IASB and the FASB came into the convergence project on revenue recognition from vastly different starting points. Both bodies came into the project with two main criteria for revenue recognition; however, this is where the similarities cease. IASB’s standards and framework provided that revenue would be recognized when 1) it is probable that any future economic benefit associated with the item will flow to or from the enterprise and 2) the item’s cost or value can be measured
Edmonds, T. P., Tsay, B., & Olds, P. R. (2011). Fundamental managerial accounting concepts (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
Abstract Charlene Battle, controller for Castle Corporation is preparing the company’s financial statements at year-end. She notes that the company lost a considerable amount on the sale of some equipment it had decided to replace. Since the company has sold equipment routinely in the past, Battle knows the losses cannot be reported as an unusual item. She also does not want to highlight it as a material loss since she feels that will reflect poorly on her and the company. She reasons that if the company had recorded more depreciation during the assets’ lives when they were in use, the losses would not be so great.
In 2002, the SEC adopted new rules and amendments to address public companies’ disclosure or release of certain financial information that is calculated and presented on the basis of methodologies other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The accrual accounting is more popular and be widely used in business world because it produces more accurate and faithful financial statements that constitute better representation of actual circumstances than its main competitors. The major weakness of accrual accounting is that there is some time issue such like the time of occurred and time of recorded would probably be different and it increases the risk of financial information and the risk of correctness. Also, the accrual accounting generally cost more to operate compared with cash accounting
Historical inventory “cost” is used in applying the lower of cost or net realizable value over the entire period that the inventory is held. Write-downs are reversed as selling prices rise. Over the entire period of an enterprise, the amount of expense and profit are the same in the income statement on US GAAP and IFRS. However, the inventory and cost of goods sold balances can vary dramatically in any given period.
Accountants try to spread the cost of the asset over the service life of the asset. Do not make the mistake of thinking that depreciation is an attempt to value the asset. Depreciation and market value have
It is this that justifies accounting history as a crucially important academic discipline. “History, in itself is instinctive and indigenous to all of us” (Carnegie. et al, 2011), whether individuals know it or not, everyone’s decision making process is strongly based on past experiences, and the past is the key source resorted to whenever a decision is needed to be made. The same is applicable to accounting, the decisions made today in all practices and approaches are drawn from the historical developments in the accounting process, that have led the practice