Accounting

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement no. 154, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections, a replacement of APB Opinion no. 20 and FASB Statement no. 3 ( www.fasb.org/pdf/fas154.pdf ). It applies to all voluntary changes in accounting principle and to changes required by an accounting pronouncement if the pronouncement does not include specific transition provisions, and it changes the requirements for accounting for and reporting them. Unless it is impractical, the statement requires retrospective application of the changes to prior periods’ financial statements. The guidance is effective for accounting changes and corrections of errors made in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2005. Earlier application is permitted for such changes and corrections made in fiscal years that started after June 1, 2005.