Financial Reporting

AICPA Board Chairman James G. Castellano testified in February before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in support of accounting, auditing and financial reporting reforms. He called for a modernized financial reporting model, more frequent reporting, revised accounting rules for special purpose entities, a new auditing standard enabling auditors to better detect financial statement fraud and a requirement that companies’ management ensure and testify to the effectiveness of their internal control systems, with subsequent auditor reporting on the effectiveness of management’s assertion. ( http://ftp.aicpa.org/public/download/news/stmt_jgc_021402.pdf )

FASB Chairman Edmund L. Jenkins, who testified before the same House committee, said in the second quarter the board will propose guidance on consolidated reporting for special purpose entities.