FASB voted on Wednesday to endorse a GAAP alternative initiated by the Private Company Council (PCC) that will exempt private company lessees from a requirement to consolidate variable-interest entities (VIEs) in common-control leasing arrangements. The exemption will be allowed only if: The private company lessee and the lessor entity are
FASB financial accounting & reporting
FASB to focus on targeted GAAP improvements for insurance
FASB will consider targeted changes rather than a significant overhaul of U.S. GAAP’s financial reporting requirements for insurance contracts. The board voted Wednesday to consider potential targeted improvements to long-duration insurance contracts. For short-duration contracts, the board will consider targeted improvements that will be focused solely on disclosures. Board members
FASB to consider disclosure requirements for government assistance
Businesses may one day have specific requirements under GAAP for making disclosures in their financial statements about the government assistance they receive, because of a new project that FASB added Wednesday to its technical agenda. Board members said the lack of guidance on disclosure of government assistance leads to a
Lessors, lessees see difficulties in proposed changes
Businesses expect difficulties in implementing proposed changes to lease accounting rules, according to a new Deloitte survey. FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) have resumed deliberations in the difficult convergence project, which inspired significant opposition after the release of a second exposure draft in May. Final rules could
Six developments for CPAs to watch in 2014
If you enjoy change, 2014 should be a good year. The months ahead will see the accounting profession gearing up for new regulations and handling significant financial reporting developments, including preparing to implement changes in accounting for revenue. Here are a few of the likely financial reporting and regulatory developments
Seven changes new revenue standard may bring
The prospect of preparing for a historic, game-changing revenue recognition standard at a huge, global public company is a bit daunting for GE Technical Controller Russell Hodge, CPA. “I’ll admit to it being a little bit overwhelming to us,” Hodge said. “We have $150 billion of revenue and so many
Financial instruments convergence in doubt after FASB decisions
FASB took what appears to be two steps back from convergence with the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) last week with a pair of major tentative decisions in its project on accounting for financial instruments. In the classification and measurement portion of the project, the board decided not to continue
FASB aiming to make preparers’ jobs easier
FASB is trying to make financial statement preparers’ jobs easier without diminishing the useful information they provide to investors, board Chairman Russell Golden said Tuesday. The board is in the final stages of developing an internal policy that would guide the board in considering complexity as it develops and amends
AICPA groups seek consistency in insurance contract standards
Comment letters to accounting standard setters submitted jointly by an AICPA committee and expert panel urge convergence on at least some critical issues in financial reporting rules for insurance contracts. The AICPA Financial Reporting Executive Committee and Insurance Expert Panel advised FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) that
FASB to seek feedback on accounting for income taxes
FASB plans to ask financial statement users, preparers, auditors, and others for feedback on how to best address concerns about its standard on accounting for income taxes. The board also plans to ask stakeholders whether addressing those concerns should be a priority in comparison to other projects that could be
Private company GAAP exceptions get thumbs up from FASB
FASB endorsed two GAAP exceptions for private companies Monday, marking a milestone in the work to provide simpler, less costly rules for private companies while producing financial statements that reflect economic reality. The endorsement by FASB of exceptions crafted by the Private Company Council (PCC) means exceptions for private companies
Accounting for income taxes standard achieves purpose, panel finds
A review panel has concluded that a 1992 financial reporting standard addressing accounting for income taxes generally achieves its purpose but may not have reduced complexity. The Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF) post-implementation review team received input for its report from financial statement users, preparers, auditors, and academics on FASB Statement
Costs often derail qualitative goodwill impairment assessment
Many companies are not making use of an optional, qualitative goodwill impairment test FASB recently introduced to enable less burdensome financial reporting, a new survey report shows. Just 29% of public companies and 22% of private companies participating in financial advisory and investment banking firm Duff & Phelps’s 2013 U.S.
Prepare for new revenue guidance with six key actions
There may be some false comfort in the faraway implementation date of the proposed, converged financial reporting standard FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are in the final stages of developing. The standard, scheduled to be released in the first quarter of 2014, would take effect for reporting
New guide helps navigate goodwill impairment testing challenges
Goodwill impairment testing has been a challenging area for many financial statement preparers since the issuance in 2001 of FASB Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Subtopic 350-20 (formerly FASB Statement No. 142). A FASB Accounting Standards Update issued in September 2011 was designed to make this topic easier for preparers. The
FASB proposes eliminating “development stage entity” distinction
A new FASB proposal seeks to eliminate the designation of “development stage entity,” as well as related disclosure requirements, from U.S. GAAP. FASB on Thursday issued a Proposed Accounting Standards Update (ASU) that originated with the Private Company Council (PCC) and was expanded in scope to include public and private
Historic revenue recognition standard takes big step forward
A financial reporting standard designed to increase global comparability of one of the most important items in financial statements is nearing completion after an important vote Wednesday. FASB directed the board’s staff to draft a final revenue recognition standard to be submitted to the board in December for final approval.
Collectibility threshold added in significant change to rev rec proposal
FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) made a significant change in a major project Wednesday by adding a collectibility threshold to the converged financial reporting standard they are developing for revenue recognition. In what’s scheduled to be their last joint meeting on a project that will significantly affect
AICPA committee calls for different dividing line on leases
An AICPA committee has suggested that FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) create a dividing line between Type A and Type B leases that is different from the line the boards proposed. In a letter submitted to the boards Monday, the AICPA Financial Reporting Executive Committee (FinREC) supported
Survey shows division over FASB, IASB credit loss proposals
Investment professionals are hungry for international convergence of financial reporting standards for estimating credit losses, but they are divided on the best method for reporting, according to a new global survey. Despite numerous calls for a converged standard following the financial crisis, FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)
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