...Abstract As the world continues to expand into a global marketplace, the necessity for standardizing financial reports has become prominent. Companies with branches in multiple countries are currently reporting their financial statements based on the criteria for that country. For example, a European based organization is reporting under the IFRS standard while their branch in the United States is using US-GAAP. While the differences do not outweigh the similarities, GAAP and IFRS standards have caused some concerns in financial reporting. These concerns have led to the evaluation of these two reporting standards and the discussion on whether to move IFRS worldwide. This paper will outline a few of the differences between GAAP and IFRS as well as review the discussion of standardized reporting using IFRS. Introduction Historically, accounting and reporting standards in the United States have been set by the AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accounts) as laid out by the regulations set by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In 1973, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) was developed by the AICPA as a council for establishing standards for reporting for all United States companies. Under FASB, GAAP was reorganized into approximately 90 accounting standards offering concise methods to follow for financial reporting. This not only allowed for ease of access when reading US financials statements, but also allowed for comparison of documentation...
Words: 3687 - Pages: 15
...US GAAP vs. IFRS The basics March 2010 Table of contents 2 5 7 8 11 13 14 16 18 20 26 28 31 33 35 38 40 42 43 44 46 47 Introduction Financial statement presentation Interim financial reporting Consolidations, joint venture accounting and equity method investees Business combinations Inventory Long-lived assets Intangible assets Impairment of long-lived assets, goodwill and intangible assets Financial instruments Foreign currency matters Leases Income taxes Provisions and contingencies Revenue recognition Share-based payments Employee benefits other than share-based payments Earnings per share Segment reporting Subsequent events Related parties Appendix — The evolution of IFRS Introduction It is not surprising that many people who follow the development of worldwide accounting standards today might be confused. Convergence is a high priority on the agendas of both the US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) — and “convergence” is a term that suggests an elimination or coming together of differences. Yet much is still made of the many differences that exist between US GAAP as promulgated by the FASB and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as promulgated by the IASB, suggesting that the two GAAPs continue to speak languages that are worlds apart. This apparent contradiction has prompted many to ask just how different are the two sets of standards? And where differences exist, why do they exist...
Words: 19604 - Pages: 79
...IFRS vs. GAAP: What are the differences, how does it affect net income reporting and what difficulties may exist in mandating IFRS in the U.S. Introduction I propose to write a paper on some of the major differences which still remain between IFRS and US GAAP. Although the FASB and IASB along with the SEC have been working to converge the two accounting systems, many differences still exist. In particular I plan to show the effects on the reported net income of companies and highlight the difficulties of mandating the use of IFRS in the U.S. Resources abound on this topic, some include: Hughes S, Sander J. A U.S. Manager's Guide to Differences Between IFRS and U.S. GAAP. Management Accounting Quarterly [serial online]. Summer2007 2007;8(4):1-8. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 7, 2014 SMITH L. IFRS and U.S. GAAP: Some Key Differences Accountants Should Know. Management Accounting Quarterly [serial online]. Fall2012 2012;14(1):19-26. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 7, 2014. de Mesa Graziano, C., & Heffes, E. M. (2008). IFRS Section: Definition of Fair Value, One of the Differences Between U.S. GAAP and IFRS. Financial Executive, 24(10), 14 Romeo, G., & Bao, D. (2012). TEACHING INVENTORY USING U.S. GAAP AND IFRS: A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE. Journal For Global Business Education, 1225-34. Siegel J., & Shim J. (2010) Accounting Handbook, Barron’s Educational Services,...
Words: 988 - Pages: 4
...AUDIT | DECEMBER 2012 THE POWER OF BEING UNDERSTOOD U.S. GAAP VS. IFRS: IMPAIRMENT OF LONG-LIVED ASSETS AT-A-GLANCE Increasing globalization coupled with related regulations continues to put pressure on moving towards a common global accounting framework – International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Currently, more than 100 countries use IFRS, so if your business goals include global expansion, it is critical to educate yourself about the impact of IFRS on your financial reporting processes and business now. To gain a better understanding of what IFRS means for your organization, we have prepared a series of comparisons dedicated to highlighting significant differences between IFRS and U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). This particular comparison focuses on the significant differences between U.S. GAAP and IFRS when accounting for the impairment of long-lived assets. For other comparisons available in this series, refer to our U.S. GAAP vs. IFRS comparisons at-a-glance series. A discussion about U.S. GAAP and IFRS would not be complete without mentioning the status of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) activities focused on determining whether the application of IFRS by U.S. registrants should be required or allowed. While the SEC has not made any final decisions with respect to use of IFRS by U.S. registrants, its activities are ongoing. For more information, refer to our IFRS Resource Center. The guidance related to accounting for the...
Words: 1851 - Pages: 8
...countries. In particular, the issue of American adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is of importance because IFRS standards are used by companies in many countries around the world, including all the countries in the European Union, and some say that the best hope for assuring that the international standards are uniformly followed would be having The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), responsible for deciding what accounting rules apply in the United States, involved in enforcing them (Norris, 2012). But, efforts have been under way for years to accomplish this convergence and in a number of areas they have been unable to reach agreements. Because of the expansion of commerce worldwide by many businesses, other issues have arose in this process, such as the need for common global regulation of banks and a need for a global set of ethical standards. In the 1970s, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FPCA) sent a chill throughout the business community by criminalizing the act of making payments outside the US in pursuit of contracts (George, 2008). Making payments to obtain business is common practice in many developing markets and some companies feel that they need to “play the game” in order to compete. The fact that many US executives lobbied to relax these provisions, arguing that they were at a competitive disadvantage in bidding against non-US companies, has increased the ethics debate, in particular the need for a set of ethical policies that...
Words: 2102 - Pages: 9
...IFRS vs. GAAP: Same or Different ACC407 January 27, 2013 Catherine McBride IFRS vs. GAAP: Same or Different The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are working on nearly a dozen joint projects designed to improve both U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and ultimately make the standards fully compatible. But in the mean time, the two predominant accounting standards to this day are the U.S. GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards). These two standards have several differences because they both take a completely different approach to their methodology. The U.S. GAAP is more rule-based, where IFRS is principal-based. With IFRS's principal-based approach, a lot of room was left open for interpretations for similar transactions. It gives room for second guessing, debate and conjecture. Anytime you have a fundamental system that can be debated you create a forum of uncertainty that then requires an arbitrator who can settle the dispute. This arbitrator is called the standards setting board, and it provides fewer exceptions than a rule based system (Parrott, 2008). With the U.S. GAAP you have a rule-based system. This is a more clear approach that distinguishes between what seems correct and what is correct. There is no room for interpretation. Each process has a set...
Words: 2138 - Pages: 9
...IFRS vs U.S. GAAP Victoria Harris American Public University Acct 610 There are two sets of accounting standards that are used worldwide. One is the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). There is a huge desire for there to one set of accounting standards worldwide with the increase of companies performing business in many different countries and global expansion. The International Financial Reporting Standards are issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. These set of accounting standards are international in more than 110 countries and the state how certain transactions and other events should be reported in the preparation of financial statements. This set of standards’ purpose is to make international comparisons easier. This is not an easy task, though, because there is already set rules in every country. U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles are another set of accounting standards that is adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and are the rules followed by companies in the United States when compiling financial statements. These set of standards was originally developed by auditors and regulated by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) historically. The SEC is now considering changing the standards for the United States and going with the International Financial Reporting Standards in order to create a more constant...
Words: 1532 - Pages: 7
...harmonisation and accounting standardisation where harmonisation allows countries to have different accounting standards provided that they do not have logical conflict with the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). Therefore the accounting standards in different countries are not identical but very similar from one to another which allows convergence of accounting practices. However, standardisation of accounting has the direct opposite meaning of harmonisation where the standardisation requires all accounting practices in various countries to be exactly the same. Harmonisation tends to be associated with IASB which carries out the process of coordination whereas standardisation is the process of uniformity that can be seen in the European Union (EU) where transnational legislation occurs. According to various accounting scholars, they said it is important to distinguish between harmonisation of accounting practices (de facto) and harmonisation of accounting regulations (de jure). De facto is often associates with harmonisation while de jure is associated with standardisation. Reasons for Harmonisation RELIABILITY OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE USERS One of the reasons that international harmonisation of accounting standards should be carried out is to ensure comparability, reliability and quality of financial reports and disclosure of foreign enterprises. This allows investors and financial analysts to understand the financial statements of foreign companies whose...
Words: 1777 - Pages: 8
...International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) MBA 691: Managerial Accounting Professor: Prepared by: April 19, 2009 Bibliography: • Ernst & Young, “U.S. GAAP vs. IFRS: The basics”, January 2009. • Securities & Exchange Commission, “Roadmap for the Potential Use of Financial Statements Prepared in Accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards by U.S. Issuers”, www.sec.gov/spotlight/ifrsroadmap.htm (Release No. 33-8982; November 14, 2008). • The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), “Impact of IFRS in Europe”, www.accaglobal.com/publicinterest/activities/research/reports/global_integration/, October 7, 2008. • Internal Auditor, magazine, “Getting Up To Speed with IFRS’, October 2008. • International Accounting Standards Board, “IASB Responds to G20 Recommendation and US GAAP Guidance’, www.iasb.org/News/Press+Releases/IASB+Responds+to+G20+Recommendations+and+US+GAAP+Guidance.htm, April 7, 2009. • EU Finance Ministers Statement, www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/statement-by-the-informal-ecofin-15621/ , April 4, 2009. • National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) – Directors Monthly article, “IFRS – What The Board Needs to Know”, http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/cda/doc/content/us_assur_IFRS_DM%20Sep08_20080911pdf.pdf, September 2008. • Deloitte, www.deloitte.com/us/debates/IFRS. • Deloitte, “IFRS Conversion: Front or back Burner?”...
Words: 2112 - Pages: 9
...Concept Statements in routine preparation of financial statements. (8,2) The IASB and the Interpretations Committee use conceptual framework when developing new or revised International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and interpretations or when amending existing IFRSs. It is used as a point of reference to help preparers of financial statements in applying IFRSs or when no specific guidance is given. The IASB’s Conceptual Framework is not an International Financial Reporting Standard and does not override any specific IFRS. However, the Conceptual Framework is used in development of future standards and the IASB is reviewing IFRSs and the Conceptual Framework to eliminate all conflicts between them. (2,7) Basis of Accounting Both U.S. GAAP and IFRS use a modified historical cost basis with a growing emphasis on fair value when preparing financial statements. When non-U.S. entities operate in a highly inflationary environment and prepare GAAP financial statements; they have the choice to either report price-level adjusted local currency financial statements or measure its financial statements into a non-highly inflationary currency. Under IFRS, an entity is to adjust to state items in the measuring unit at the current reporting date. Entities that follow U.S. GAAP disclose critical accounting policies and estimates outside financial statements. Information that is reasonably possible of...
Words: 3445 - Pages: 14
...Effectively Communicating with Clients By J. David Strother, CFP®, AIFA®, financial advisor at DSF Wealth Management, LLC Of all the elements a CPA or financial advisor needs to consider in order to operate a successful wealth management practice, an effective client communication strategy ranks at the top of the list. Regular communication is critical to the long-term success of your firm, but it has to be done right. The fact is that the vast majority of advisors want to sell, but very few know how to effectively communicate with their clients to successfully conclude the process. In order to strengthen your relationships with current clients and continue to bring in new ones, communication needs to be a priority of your firm’s day-to-day operations. It is very difficult to execute effective communication over longer periods of time unless it's part of your business model, part of the DNA of your firm. In my experience, advisors who establish effective communication principles within their practices will see immediate results, while those who do not come off as erratic and anecdotal. Communication is not an event, it is a process that is lived day by day. Why Effective Communication is Important Communication has the potential to become the ultimate differentiator in prospecting efforts and then in client retention. In our industry, there is a lot of competition for affluent clients and the frequency and quality of your communication can make all of the difference when it...
Words: 2508 - Pages: 11
...Stanley from: Christopher Michael Yelvington subject: IFRS v. US GAAP: Business COMBINATIONS and Financial Statements. date: April 21, 2015 ------------------------------------------------- Dr. Stanley, When acquiring a foreign subsidiary, there are accounting differences that one must consider. Looking at the big picture U.S. GAAP is more rule based and IFRS is more principles based. Under IFRS, more emphasis is on the substance of transactions and more judgment is used. In this memo, I have identified key differences in U.S. GAPP v. IFRS with regards to the acquisition of a foreign entity and the financial statements. The following are the assumptions regarding your aquisition I have used in my analysis: 1. 80% Single Step Equity Purchase 2. Foreign entity currently reports under IFRS 3. Parent does not meet the definition of a investment entity under IFRS 4. Foreign entity’s functional currency is the Euro You as the parent company can continue to report your financials under US GAAP. Likewise, the foreign subsidiary will continue to report their financial statements under IFRS. For the reporting periods following the date of acquisition, you are required to consolidate the foreign subsidiary’s financial statements with the parent entities financial statements under US GAAP (Gannon & Ashwal, 2004). The consolidation model under US GAAP and IFRS differs. To start, the definition of control varies. Under US GAAP, control is based on controlling financial interested...
Words: 1829 - Pages: 8
...goal to establish one set of accounting standards that can be used internationally by attempting to eliminate the differences in the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP). Convergence also seeks to establish understandability amongst users and enforceable by regulators (Erchinger, Melcher, 2007). The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) have been trying to implement a global acceptable standard for financial reporting since the end of 2002 onwards (Fogarty, 2011). However to this day in 2013 the convergence of both IFRS and US GAAP has yet to be completed and implemented. The likelihood of the convergence being completely finished and implemented seems possible but yet so far as both the IASB and FASB have already been trying for ten years to get it completed despite the hurdles they have endured. In November 2007 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted 4-0 in favor of eliminating the requirements that forces foreign companies with U.S listings to reconcile their results with to U.S GAAP therefore companies with a year end of 2007 are no longer required to follow these set of principles (Fogarty, 2011). 2. Evaluate and describe the single most important difference between U.S. GAAP and IFRS rules, and explain your answer. The most important difference between U.S. GAAP and IFRS rules is that the U.S. GAAP is rules based...
Words: 1269 - Pages: 6
...Accounting Principles (GAAP), double entry accounting, historical cost, accrual basis vs. cash basis accounting and current assets and liabilities vs. non-current items. I will also describe the general organization of the following three companies; Apple, Inc., Swatch Group, and Nikon. In doing so, I will attempt to determine and demonstrate what is more useful – net income or cash from operating activities. Part I The field of accounting can be understood as the art of analyzing and interpreting data. Every organization uses a form of accounting in its day-to-day operations. While some may use it knowingly or unknowingly, nonetheless, accounting is an indispensable method in understanding any business/endeavor in today's global marketplace. It is the means of providing the financial information of any given organization. It summarizes all the company’s transactions and provides a clear image of the business. Accounting keeps the record of all financial reports which is very important for all the managers and stakeholders, such as shareholders, creditors or owners. Among the terms that are necessary to be familiar with and understand are the following: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) – Accountants use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles to govern them in recording and reporting financial information. GAAP consists of a wide array of rules established by accounting professionals, along with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). GAAP was created from...
Words: 1405 - Pages: 6
...Property, Plant and Equipment Property, Plant and Equipment I- Nature of Accounting Issues Businesses purchase and use a variety of fixed assets, such as equipment, furniture, tools, machinery, buildings, and land. These fixed assets are long-term or relatively permanent assets. Also, they are tangible assets because they exist physically. They are owned and used by the business and are not offered for sale as part of normal operations. Perhaps the most descriptive titles these assets are known under are plant assets or property, plant and equipment. Depending on the industry, the plant assets of a business can be a significant part of its total assets. That is why the accounting for these long-term assets has important implications for a company’s reported results. In this paper, we discuss the proper accounting for the acquisition, use, and disposition of property, plant, and equipment. Before going over a brief overview of the nature of accounting issues, we ought to take a deeper look at what plant assets really are. The major characteristics of property, plant, and equipment are as follows: * They are acquired for use in operations and not for resale. Only assets used in normal business operations are classified as property, plant, and equipment. For example, an idle building is more appropriately classified separately as an investment. Also, land developers or sub dividers classify land as inventory. * They are long-term in nature and usually depreciated...
Words: 4741 - Pages: 19
