Question

1. Research about the governing bodies of GAAP and write a 250-word summary for each describing their mission and activities.

Answer 1

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP or U.S. GAAP) is the accounting standard adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). While the SEC previously stated that it intends to move from U.S. GAAP to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the latter differ considerably from GAAP and progress has been slow and uncertain. More recently, the SEC has acknowledged that there is no longer a push to move more U.S companies to IFRS so the two sets of standards will "continue to coexist" for the foreseeable future.

Financial reporting should provide information that is:

· Useful to present to potential investors and creditors and other users in making rational investment, credit, and other financial decisions

· Helpful to present to potential investors and creditors and other users in assessing the amounts, timing, and uncertainty of prospective cash receipts about economic resources, the claims to those resources, and the changes in them

· Helpful for making financial decisions

· Helpful in making long-term decisions

· Helpful in improving the performance of the business

· Useful in maintaining records

These organizations influence the development of GAAP in the United States.

· United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

The SEC was created as a result of the Great Depression. At that time there was no structure setting accounting standards. The SEC encouraged the establishment of private standard-setting bodies through the AICPA and later the FASB, believing that the private sector had the proper knowledge, resources, and talents. The SEC works closely with various private organizations setting GAAP, but does not set GAAP itself.

· American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)

In 1939, urged by the SEC, the AICPA appointed the Committee on Accounting Procedure (CAP). During the years 1939 to 1959 CAP issued 51 Accounting Research Bulletins that dealt with a variety of timely accounting problems. However, this problem-by-problem approach failed to develop the much needed structured body of accounting principles. Thus, in 1959, the AICPA created the Accounting Principles Board (APB), whose mission it was to develop an overall conceptual framework. It issued 31 opinions and was dissolved in 1973 for lack of productivity and failure to act promptly. After the creation of the FASB, the AICPA established the Accounting Standards Executive Committee (AcSEC). It publishes:

1. Audit and Accounting Guidelines, which summarizes the accounting practices of specific industries (e.g. casinos, colleges, airlines, etc.) and provides specific guidance on matters not addressed by FASB or GASB.

2. Statements of Position, which provides guidance on financial reporting topics until the FASB or GASB sets standards on the issue.

3. Practice Bulletins, which indicate the AcSEC's views on narrow financial reporting issues not considered by the FASB or the GASB.

· Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)

Realizing the need to reform the APB, leaders in the accounting profession appointed a Study Group on the Establishment of Accounting Principles (commonly known as the Wheat Committee for its chair Francis Wheat). This group determined that the APB must be dissolved and a new standard-setting structure is created. This structure is composed of three organizations: the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF, it selects members of the FASB, funds and oversees their activities), the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council (FASAC), and the major operating organization in this structure the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). FASB previously had 4 major types of publications:

1. Statements of Financial Accounting Standards – the most authoritative GAAP setting publications. 168 standard has been issued before the New codification.

2. Statements of Financial Accounting Concepts – first issued in 1978. They are part of the FASB's conceptual framework project and set forth fundamental objectives and concepts that the FASB use in developing future standards. However, they are not a part of GAAP. There have been 7 concepts published to date.

3. Interpretations – modify or extend existing standards. There have been around 50 interpretations published to date.

4. Technical Bulletins or Staff Positions – guidelines on applying standards, interpretations, and opinions. Usually solves some very specific accounting issue that will not have a significant, lasting effect.

In 1984 the FASB created the Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) which deals with new and unusual financial transactions that have the potential to become common (e.g. accounting for Internet-based companies). It acts more like a problem filter for the FASB – the EITF deals with short-term, quickly resolvable issues, leaving long-term, more pervasive problems for the FASB.

However, now all GAAP resides in the ASC (Accounting Standards Codification) so the FASB and EITF do not issue new standards but rather updates to the Codification. The Concepts statements still exist outside of the ASC but are not authoritative.

· Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)

Created in 1984, the GASB addresses state and local government reporting issues. Its structure is similar to that of the FASB's, and the FASB and GASB are located together and share resources.

· Other influential organizations: The Government Finance Officer's Association (GFOA) also influences financial policies for governments (disagreements between the GFOA and GASB are rare, but can continue for many years); American Accounting Association, Institute of Management Accountants, Financial Executives Institute.

MISSION: GAAP is a combination of authoritative standards (set by policy boards) and the commonly accepted ways of recording and reporting accounting information. GAAP aims to improve the clarity, consistency, and comparability of the communication of financial information.

GAAP helps govern the world of accounting according to general rules and guidelines. It attempts to standardize and regulate the definitions, assumptions, and methods used in accounting across all industries. GAAP covers such topics as revenue recognition, balance sheet classification, and materiality.

The ultimate goal of GAAP is ensure a company's financial statements are complete, consistent, and comparable. This makes it easier for investors to analyze and extract useful information from the company's financial statements, including trend data over a period of time. It also facilitates the comparison of financial information across different companies.

These 10 general concepts can help you remember the main mission of GAAP:

1.) Principle of Regularity

The accountant has adhered to GAAP rules and regulations as a standard.

2.) Principle of Consistency

Accountants commit to applying the same standards throughout the reporting process, from one period to the next, to ensure financial comparability between periods. Accountants are expected to fully disclose and explain the reasons behind any changed or updated standards in the footnotes to the financial statements.

3.) Principle of Sincerity

The accountant strives to provide an accurate and impartial depiction of a company’s financial situation.

4.) Principle of Permanence of Methods

The procedures used in financial reporting should be consistent, allowing comparison of the company's financial information.

5.) Principle of Non-Compensation

Both negatives and positives should be reported with full transparency and without the expectation of debt compensation.

6.) Principle of Prudence

Emphasizing fact-based financial data representation that is not clouded by speculation.

7.) Principle of Continuity

While valuing assets, it should be assumed the business will continue to operate.

8.) Principle of Periodicity

Entries should be distributed across the appropriate periods of time. For example, revenue should be reported in its relevant accounting period.

9.) Principle of Materiality / Good Faith

Accountants must strive to fully disclose all financial data and accounting information in financial reports.

10.) Principle of Utmost Good Faith

Derived from the Latin phrase “uberrimae fidei” used within the insurance industry. It presupposes that parties remain honest in all transactions.

ACTIVITIES:

GAAP is used primarily by businesses reporting their financial results in the United States.
It is used by organizations to:

· Properly organize their financial information into accounting records;

· Summarize the accounting records into financial statements; and.

· Disclose certain supporting information