...A conceptual framework for financial reporting A conceptual framework, in the field we are concerned with, is a statement of generally accepted theoretical principles which form the frame of reference for financial reporting. The financial reporting process is concerned with providing information that is useful in the business and economic decision-making process. Therefore a conceptual framework will form the theoretical basis for determining which events should be accounted for, how they should be measured and how they should be communicated to the user. Although it is theoretical in nature, a conceptual framework for financial reporting has highly practical final aims. The danger of not having a conceptual framework is demonstrated in the way some countries' standards have developed over recent years; standards tend to be produced in a haphazard and fire-fighting approach. Where an agreed framework exists, the standard-setting body act as an architect or designer, rather than a fire-fighter, building accounting rules on the foundation of sound, agreed basic principles. The lack of a conceptual framework also means that fundamental principles are tackled more than once in different standards, thereby producing contradictions and inconsistencies in basic concepts, such as those of prudence and matching. This leads to ambiguity and it affects the true and fair concept of financial reporting. Another problem with the lack of a conceptual framework has become apparent in the...
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...THE PREPARATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENT ARE REGULATED BY LAWS. REQUIRED: (1) LIST THESE LEGAL PROVISIONS. The constitutional and the regulatory framework of public sector accounting. Public sector accounting is governed by the following regulatory framework; such as: (a) Nigerian constitution: The 1999 constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria Is one of the legal frameworks that regulate the receipts and pa;yments of public funds. (b) Audit Ordinance of 1956 or Act of 1956: section 13,sub- sections 1-3 mandate the accountant General of the Federation to finish the Auditor- general for the federation with the country’s financial statements. The Auditor- general shall within 60 days of the Accountant – General’s financial statements submit his report to each House of the National Assemble. (c) Finance (control & management) Act of 1958: This governs the management and operation of all government funds. It regulates the accounting system, the books of account to be kept and the procedures to be followed in the preparation of accounts and financial statements. (d) Financial Regulations: these are the accounting manual of the government ministries / Extra ministerial Departments which deals with financial and accounting matters. It set out the procedures and steps to be followed in treating most of government transctions. (e) Finance/ Treasury Circulars: These are administration tools which are used to amend the provisions...
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...begins to prepare financial statements and reports at the end of an accounting cycle they generally use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and “the collective process of recording and processing the accounting events” (Definition of ‘Accounting Cycle’, 2012), known as the accounting cycle. There are nine steps involved in the accounting cycle. Walmart would begin the process by collecting and analyzing data from their events and transactions. Next, the company puts those transactions into a general journal. After journalizing their transactions the company posts these entries to the general ledger. The next step in the accounting cycle is to prepare an unadjusted trial balance. Once the unadjusted trial balance is completed the company makes the appropriate adjustments and then prepares an adjusted trial balance. Adjustment entries are made to ensure the company follows revenue recognition and the matching principle and report appropriate assets, liabilities, and owner’s equity at the statement date; and ensure proper reporting of revenues and expenses for the accounting period. This is an important step in the accounting process because the data in the unadjusted trial balance may not be up-to-date and complete. This happens because not all events require daily journalizing and because the company may have some costs that expire with the passage of time and are not yet recorded. Now Walmart is ready to organize the accounts into financial statements and close the books. After...
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...death or withdrawal of any single partner * Limited partnership: a partnership with two kinds of owners, general partners and limited partners * General partners: same rights and privileges as partners in any general partnership * Limited partners: limited liability, the death or withdrawal of a limited partner does not dissolve the partnership, and no management authority * Limited liability company * Like a limited partnership but without a general partner * Owners have limited liability * Unlike limited partners, owners can run the business * Corporation * A legally defined, artificial being, separate from its owners * Must be legally formed * No limit on the number of owners; ownership stake of a corporation is divided into shared known as stock * Limited liability * Owners cannot manage the firm but they legally may * S corporation: at most 100 owners, personal taxation * C corporation: unlimited owners, double taxation Financial manager * Make investment decisions * Most important job * Weigh the costs and benefits of each investment or project and decide which of them qualify as good uses of the money stockholders have invested in the firm * Make financing decisions * Decision of how to pay for the investments * Make short-term cash needs * Ensure that the firm has enough cash on hand to meet its obligations from day to day Goal of...
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...treasurer. Your management committee and members must know who is responsible for the financial tasks in the organization and these should be clearly defined in your trustees' written roles and responsibilities Financial controls Which accounting system? Reserves Budgeting Cash flow Book keeping Petty cash Bank reconciliation Finance reports Annual accounts Glossary Financial controls are the written rules and procedures for financial control and management that all organizations should have. Financial controls should cover, for example, who can sign cheques, who maintains the cash books, and how petty cash is administered. Some of these rules will be laid down by the constitution (or, in the case of registered companies, memoranda and articles of association) and others may simply be unwritten understandings, or ways of working traditionally adopted by the management committee or staff of the organization. Accounts can be simple or complex it's usually best to keep them simple. Simple accounts are sometimes called ‘cash accounts’ or ‘receipts and payments accounts’. This system only recognizes money received or paid out when it takes place. The basic rule is: if it happened, write it down. More complex accounts are sometimes called 'accrual accounts' or 'income and expenditure...
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...In financial accounting, a cash flow statement, also known as statement of cash flows or funds flow statement,[1] is a financial statement that shows how changes in balance sheet accounts and income affect cash and cash equivalents, and breaks the analysis down to operating, investing, and financing activities. Essentially, the cash flow statement is concerned with the flow of cash in and cash out of the business. The statement captures both the current operating results and the accompanying changes in the balance sheet.[1] As an analytical tool, the statement of cash flows is useful in determining the short-term viability of a company, particularly its ability to pay bills. International Accounting Standard 7 (IAS 7), is the International Accounting Standard that deals with cash flow statements. People and groups interested in cash flow statements include: * Accounting personnel, who need to know whether the organization will be able to cover payroll and other immediate expenses * Potential lenders or creditors, who want a clear picture of a company's ability to repay * Potential investors, who need to judge whether the company is financially sound * Potential employees or contractors, who need to know whether the company will be able to afford compensation * Shareholders of the business. Contents [hide] * 1 Purpose * 2 History & variations * 3 Cash flow activities o 3.1 Operating activities o 3.2 Investing...
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...Financial Statements: Foundational Accounting Principles and Terminology Shane R. Wagner TUI University Module 1 Case Study 29 August 2010 Abstract This paper will discuss the common fundamental accounting principles and analyze the financial statements of three major businesses. A basic understanding of the General Accepted Accounting Principles and the standards established within these practices, allow for investors to obtain an accurate snapshot of the financial health of a business. The different methods of documenting both current and future transactions, can have an impact on the information portrayed by the financial statements of an organization. In addition, the basic format of the financial statements can disclose additional considerations of the business, as will be discussed in the analysis of three major businesses within this paper. Information for the analysis portion was retrieved from the financial statements included in the assignment. Keywords: Accrual Basis Accounting; Cost Basis Accounting; Current Assets and Liabilities; Double Entry Accounting; Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB); General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); Historic Cost; Non-current Items; Security Exchange Commission (SEC); Financial Statements: Foundational Accounting Principles and Terminology Introduction The basic of understanding of an organizations financial statement requires one to be familiar with fundamental accounting principles...
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...BTEC National Business Assignment No. 5 Business Accounting Task 1.1 Task 1.2. International accounting standards are a set of rules and/or practices in recording and registering business transactions in company’s ledgers and accounts, keeping books and preparing reports on the financial and other business results and standing to owners, public and authorities. Certainly all standards are based on a golden rule of accounting – double entry. Accounting standards are necessary so that financial statements are meaningful across a wide variety of businesses. In the past the authorities of each country endorsed their own rules and instructions on how the financial reports should be made up but in the second half of the XX-th century international business and governments recognized that the international capital markets require both transparency and unification, otherwise, the accounting rules of different companies would make comparative analysis almost impossible and the economic development and growth could be hindered when international investors were deprived of the possibility to compare cost-effectively their investments options across the trading board. Initial efforts focused on harmonization—reducing differences among the accounting principles used in major capital markets around the world. By the 1990s, the notion of harmonization was replaced by the concept of convergence—the development of a unified set of high-quality, international accounting standards that...
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...ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET 1. ASSIGNMENT DETAILS: | | | Student ID: | 22009138 | Submission Date: | 5th June 2012 | Assignment Number: | | Assignment Type | Essay | Word Count: | 1690 | 2. PROGRAMME DETAILS: | | | Programme of Study: | BA (HONS) BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT/Combined Studies | Lecturer / Tutor: | Posi Olatubosun | Module Title: | Principles Of Finance | Module Code: | OUBMC 1507 | 3. STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICITY: | | | I have read and understood the regulations regarding plagiarism, and in handing in this work testify that unless otherwise acknowledged, the work submitted herein is entirely my own. Student signature: | Gerard Reyford | Date: | 5TH June 2012 | Work which is not submitted by the date / time specified will incur the automatic penalty of being capped at 40% (lowest possible pass). This means 40% is the highest grade that piece of work will receive. It is vitally important that you plan your time to ensure that you submit your work on time. This means making allowance for possible delays in transportation, printing, and any other potential problems which may be planned for, and therefore do not constitute just grounds for mitigation. If you wish to apply for mitigation, you should make sure you have read the guidelines in the Student Handbook, and obtain a form from the office. Work which is late, and accompanied by an application for mitigation, will be capped until the outcome of the mitigation application...
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... Accounting Activities Accounting is an information and measurement system that identifies, records and communicates relevant, reliable, and comparable information about an organizations business activities. B. Users of Accounting Information 1. External Information Users—those not directly involved with running the company. Examples: shareholders (investors), lenders, customers, suppliers, regulators, lawyers, brokers, the press etc. a. Financial Accounting—area of accounting aimed at serving external users by providing them with generalpurpose financial statements. b. General-Purpose Financial Statement—statements that have broad range of purposes which external users rely on. 2. Internal Information Users—those directly involved in managing and operating an organization. a. Managerial Accounting—is the area of accounting that serves the decision-making needs of internal users. b. Internal Reports—not subject to same rules as external reports. They are designed with special needs of external users in mind. 3. Internal Controls—procedures set up to protect company property and equipment, ensure reliable accounting reports, promote efficiency, and encourage adherence to company policies. C. Opportunities in Accounting Four broad areas of opportunities are financial, managerial, taxation, and accounting related. 1. Private accounting offers the most opportunities. 2. Public accounting offers the next largest number of opportunities 3. Government (and not-for-profit) agencies, including...
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...The Super Project Tobey Overview • Case Summary • Problem Statement • ROFE & Capital Budgeting • Incredible Incremental • Analysis Options • Cash Flows • Recommendations Case Summary • General Foods is a large corporation organized by Product Lines. • Super is a proposed new instant desert, based on a “flavored, water-soluble, agglomerated powder.” • General Foods has numerous projects with strict criteria to judge worthiness. • There are basically three types of Capital Investment proposals at General Foods: Safety, Quality, Increased Profit • Increased Profit: Cost Reduction, Capacity, New Product • Max 10 years payback: as low as 20% PBT • … if expected to be permanent product addition • … if facilities highly reconfigurable • Three analysis types: Incremental, Facilities-based and Fully Allocated. Problem Statement • Above all, Super’s worthiness as a capital investment must be evaluated according to General Foods’ accepted criteria. • Memos indicate that General Foods’ finance personnel are questioning the same criteria’s ability to accurately reflect the value of the Super project. • This is not an accounting exercise. In accounting, one tries to track and attribute all sources of costs. Also, one alters transaction timings to match expenses with income. • This is a capital budgeting exercise. We’re interested in cash flows to judge the value of a project, and when those cash flows occur. • Therefore, our team must 1) evaluate the pertinence of each of the...
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...this assignment is mainly talk about the indirect method for the cash flow statement. The key issues to be discussed in this assignment is about whether the option of using the indirect method of cash flow reporting is beneficial to the users of general purpose financial reports in Australia. Furthermore, the reasons for harmonization, accounting standard AASB 107 Statement of Cash Flows and the Conceptual Framework will also be discussed. In AASB 107, cash flow is defines as inflows of the cash and cash equivalents and ‘cash’ as cash on hand and demand deposits. (AASB 107, 2011) The statement of cash flow can be done using indirect method and direct method. Both methods have the three same categories which is cash flow from operating activities, investing activities and financing activities. However, the different between these methods are the ways that we calculate the net cash flow from the section operating activities. AASB 107 state that an entity using direct method shall report cash flows from operating activities are the major classes of gross cash receipts and gross cash payments are disclosed. For indirect method, profit or loss is adjusted for the effects of transactions of a non-cash nature, any deferrals or accruals of past or future operating cash receipts or payments, and items of income or expense associated with investing or financing cash flows. It also means reconciling from net income to cash provided by operating activities. (James collines,eHow Contributer...
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...stakeholders rely on four primary financial statements: the income statement, the capital statement, the balance sheet, and the statement of cash flows. Naturally, you begin by studying those four financial statements and the accounting processes that lead to their creation. Those processes include recording financial transactions in journals and then posting to the general ledger. In this first week, you learn the purpose of those four statements, what the financial statements include, and how the financial statements are constructed to provide valuable information to stakeholders. You also learn the basic mechanics of accounting. These include journalizing transactions into accounting records using debit and credit rules. You also learn why the general ledger is critical to the accounting process and how transactions are posted to the general ledger. Basic Accounting Principles and Concepts OBJECTIVE: Identify the four basic financial statements. Resources: Ch. 1 & 2 of Financial Accounting Content • Ch. 1: “Introduction to Financial Statements” o Forms of Business Organization • Internal Users • External Users • Ethics in Financial Reporting o Business Activities • Financing Activities • Investing Activities • Operating Activities o Communicating with Users • Income Statement • Retained Earnings Statement • Balance Sheet • Statement of Cash Flows • Interrelationship of Statements • Other Elements of an Annual Report • Ch...
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...Dividends, if cash, is shown in the financing section. | GENERAL rules for the Statement of Cash Flows (Indirect Method) Cash provided by op. activities: Net Income (from Income Statement) + Depreciation, amortization, and/or depletion (From Income Statement) + Decrease in CURRENT Asset accounts other than cash (calculate the difference between this period and last period from Balance Sheet) - Increase in CURRENT Asset accounts other than cash (calculate the difference between this period and last period from Balance Sheet) + Increase in CURRENT Liabilities accounts (calculate the difference between this period and last period from Balance Sheet) - Decrease in CURRENT Liabilities accounts (calculate the difference between this period and last period from Balance Sheet)+ Loss on Disposal of PPE/Fixed Assets used in normal operations (From Income St.)- Gain on Disposal of PPE/Fixed Assets used in operations (From Income Statement) = cash provided by op. activities Cash provided by investing activities: - Increase in PPE and LONG-TERM Assets if paid cash (calculate the difference between this period and last period from Balance Sheet) + Decrease in PPE and LONG-TERM Assets if received cash (calculate the difference between this period and last period from Balance Sheet) - Increase in Investments Assets if paid cash (calculate the difference between this period and last period from Balance Sheet) + Decrease in Investments Assets if received cash (calculate the...
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...CHAPTER 2 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, TAXES, AND CASH FLOWS Learning Objectives LO1 The difference between accounting value (or “book” value) and market value. LO2 The difference between accounting income and cash flow. LO3 How to determine a firm’s cash flow from its financial statements. LO4 The difference between average and marginal tax rates. LO5 The basics of Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) and Undepreciated Capital Cost (UCC). Answers to Concepts Review and Critical Thinking Questions 1. (LO1) Liquidity measures how quickly and easily an asset can be converted to cash without significant loss in value. It’s desirable for firms to have high liquidity so that they have a large factor of safety in meeting short-term creditor demands. However, since liquidity also has an opportunity cost associated with it—namely that higher returns can generally be found by investing the cash into productive assets—low liquidity levels are also desirable to the firm. It’s up to the firm’s financial management staff to find a reasonable compromise between these opposing needs. 2. (LO2) The recognition and matching principles in financial accounting call for revenues, and the costs associated with producing those revenues, to be “booked” when the revenue process is essentially complete, not necessarily when the cash is collected or bills are paid. Note that this way is not necessarily correct; it’s the way accountants have chosen to do it. 3. (LO1) Historical costs can be...
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