TENTH CANADIAN EDITION INTERMEDIATE ACCOUNTING Prepared by: Lisa Harvey, CPA, CA Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto 21 CHAPTER 21 Accounting Changes and Error Analysis Kieso Weygandt Warfield Young Wiecek McConomy

CHAPTER Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. 21 After studying this chapter, you should be able to: Identify and differentiate among the types of accounting changes. Identify and explain alternative methods of accounting for accounting changes. Identify the accounting standards for each type of accounting change under ASPE and IFRS. Apply the retrospective application method of accounting for a change in accounting policy and identify the disclosure requirements. Apply retrospective restatement for the correction of an accounting error and identify the disclosure requirements. Apply the prospective application method for an accounting change and identify the disclosure requirements for a change in an accounting estimate. Identify economic motives for changing accounting methods and interpret financial statements where there have been retrospective changes to previously reported results. Identify the differences between ASPE and IFRS related to accounting changes. ACCOUNTING CHANGES AND ERROR ANALYSIS 2

3 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Accounting Changes and Error Analysis 3 Changes in Accounting Policies and Estimates, and Errors Types of accounting changes Alternative accounting methods Accounting standards Retrospective application – change in accounting policy Retrospective restatement – correction of error Prospective application IFRS/ASPE Comparison Comparison of IFRS and ASPE Looking ahead Analysis Motivations for change Interpreting accounting changes

4 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Types of Accounting Changes 1.Change in Accounting Policy –Change in the choice of “specific principles, bases, conventions, rules, and practices applied by an entity in preparing and presenting financial statements” 2.Change in Accounting Estimate –Adjustment based on a change in circumstances on which a previous estimate was based or as the result of new information, more experience or subsequent developments 4

5 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Types of Accounting Changes 3.Correction of an error in prior period financial statements –Omissions from or mistakes in financial statements of prior periods caused by the misuse or failure to use reliable information that existed at the time financial statements were prepared –They may be intentional or an oversight 5

6 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Changes in Accounting Policies Under IFRS, change in an accounting policy is permitted only when the change: 1.Is required by a primary source of GAAP, or 2.Results in portraying reliable and more relevant information about effects of transactions, events or conditions (voluntary) 6

7 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Changes in Accounting Policies Under ASPE, there is a third type of policy change permitted without having to meet the reliable but more relevant test: 3. Between or among allowed ASPE accounting options for: –Investments in subsidiaries, and investments with significant influence or joint controls –Development phase expenditures on internally generated intangible assets –Defined benefit plans –Income taxes –Measuring equity component of certain financial instruments 7

8 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Changes in Accounting Policies Does not result from adoption of a: 1.Different policy necessitated by events or transactions clearly different in substance from those previously occurring 2.New policy that recognizes events that have occurred for the first time or that were previously immaterial 8

9 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Changes in Accounting Policies Examples of situations that are not changes in accounting policy: –Adopting interest capitalization during construction of own long-term assets, when company had not previously been involved in self-construction –Deferral of development expenditures when previously these expenses were expensed as they were immaterial 9

10 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Changes in Accounting Estimates Future conditions and events and their effects cannot be known with certainty; therefore estimation requires exercise of judgment Use of reasonable estimates is essential to the accounting process and does not undermine the reliability of financial statements 10

11 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Changes in Accounting Estimates Examples of items requiring estimates include: –Uncollectible receivables –Inventory obsolescence –Fair value of financial assets/liabilities –Useful lives and residual values of depreciable assets –Liabilities for warranty costs 11

12 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Changes in Accounting Estimates Differentiating a change in policy and a change in estimate can be difficult For example, is a change in depreciation method a change in policy or a change in estimate? –At first glance, a change in depreciation method appears to be a change in accounting policy –However, it is a change in estimate if it is a change in estimate of the pattern in which company benefits from the asset Where it is not clear, treat the change as a change in estimate 12

13 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Correction of a Prior Period Error Examples of accounting errors include: –Change from non-GAAP to GAAP e.g. change from cash basis of accounting to accrual basis –Mathematical mistakes e.g. incorrect totaling of inventory count sheets –Oversight e.g. failure to defer expenses or revenues –Misappropriation of assets e.g. discovery of inventory theft 13

14 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Correction of a Prior Period Error Distinguishing between correction of an error and a change in estimate can be difficult Example: a lack of a previous year’s accrual of reassessed income taxes – was the information overlooked (i.e. an error) or do we have more information or was there subsequent developments (i.e. an estimate)? General rule: if an estimate was calculated incorrectly due to lack of expertise, it is considered an error; If a careful estimate was made in a previous year which is later determined as incorrect, it is considered a change in estimate 14

15 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Alternative Accounting Methods Three approaches have been suggested for reporting changes in the accounts: 1.Retrospective 2.Current 3.Prospective 15

16 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Retrospective Treatment Also known as retroactive application Requires calculating the cumulative effect of the change on the financial statements at the beginning of the period as if the new method or estimate had always been used An adjustment is made to the financial statements equal to this cumulative effect Results in restating all affected prior years’ financial statements on a basis consistent with the newly adopted policy (i.e. as if the new accounting policy had always been used) 16

17 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Current Treatment New accounting method or estimate’s cumulative effect on the financial statements at the beginning of the period is calculated An adjustment is reported in current year’s income statement Prior years’ financial statements are not restated 17

18 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Prospective Treatment Previously reported results remain; no change is made Opening balances are not adjusted and no attempt is made to correct or change past periods New policy or estimate is adopted for current and future periods only and applied to balances existing at the date of the change 18

19 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Accounting Standards Type of Accounting ChangeAccounting Method Applied Change in Accounting Policy – Adoption of primary source of GAAP Apply method approved in transitional provisions section of the primary source; if none, then use retrospective application (if impractical, apply prospectively). Change in Accounting Policy – Voluntary Apply retrospectively. If impractical, apply prospectively Change in accounting estimateApply prospectively. Correction of an errorApply retrospectively. 19

20 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Retrospective-with-Restatement Requirements of this method include: 1.Retroactive application of the new method, including income tax effects using an accounting entry 2.Prior-period financial statements included for comparative purposes are restated 3.Description of the change and effect on current and prior period financial statements disclosed so that statements remain comparable 20

21 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Retrospective-with-Restatement - Example 21 Given: Voluntary change to capitalizing all avoidable interest costs on self-constructed assets Cumulative effects at January 1, 2014: Capitalizing interest: $20,000 + $200,000 = $220,000 Income tax effect: $6,000 + $60,000 = $66,000

22 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Retrospective-with-Restatement - Example January 1, 2014: To record retroactive change Buildings220,000 Deferred Tax Liability 66,000 Retained Earnings 154,000 22

23 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Retrospective-with-Restatement - Example 23

24 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Retrospective-with-Restatement - Example 24

25 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Retrospective-with-Restatement - Example 25

26 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Retrospective with Partial Restatement Retroactively restating prior years’ financial statements requires information that may be impractical to obtain on a cost-benefit basis Some standards allow for a partial retrospective application The change in policy is applied at the beginning of the earliest period for which restatement is possible 26

27 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Retrospective with Partial Restatement - Example Assume that it was impractical for Denson Ltd. to determine the effects of the change in policy on specific years any further back than The journal entry to record the change in policy is the same as the one made for full restatement: January 1, 2014: To record change Buildings220,000 Deferred Tax Liability 66,000 Retained Earnings 154,000 However, years prior to 2013 are not restated 27

28 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Retrospective with Partial Restatement Any comparative financial statements prior to 2013 are not restated Without restatement, leaves the comparative financial statements as originally reported and The change’s cumulative effect prior to Jan. 1, 2013 is presented as an adjustment to Jan. 1, 2013 Retained Earnings 28

29 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Disclosures – Changes in Accounting Policy For changes in policy resulting from initial application of a primary source of GAAP or from a voluntary change, the following must be disclosed: For first-time application of IFRS or primary source, its title, nature of change and that made in accordance with transitional provisions, and what provisions are (including those that affect future periods) The nature of any voluntary change in accounting policy, and why the new policy results in reliable and more relevant information (under ASPE, some voluntary changes are exempt from this requirement) The amount of the adjustment for each financial statement line item that is affected for current and prior periods The reasons it was not practicable for restatement of particular periods, with a description of how the change was applied and from what date 29

30 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Disclosures – Changes in Accounting Policy IFRS also requires disclosures for new primary sources of GAAP that are not yet effective and have not been applied: 1.Disclose the fact that new primary source has been issued, and 2.Any reasonably reliable information useful in assessing possible impact on financial statement in the period in which it will be first applied 30

31 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Correction of an Error Under ASPE, full retrospective adjustment is required Under IFRS, partial retrospective adjustment is allowed if full retrospective restatement is impracticable 31

32 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Disclosures –Correction of an Error Where a change is the result of an accounting error, companies must disclose that an error occurred in a prior period(s) and disclose, in the year of the correction: The nature of the error; The amount of the correction to each line item on the financial statements presented for comparative purposes; The amount of the correction made at the beginning of the earliest prior period presented. 32

33 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Disclosures –Error Correction IFRS requires additional disclosures: –Where partial retrospective restatement is made on grounds of impracticability, additional information relating to impracticability and adjustment is required –Effect of correction on basic and diluted EPS for each period presented 33

34 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Prospective Application Effects of changes in estimates are handled prospectively No changes are made to previously reported results –Changes in estimates are viewed as normal recurring corrections and adjustments Effect of a change in estimate is accounted for by including it in net income or comprehensive income as appropriate in: –The period of change if the change affects that period only –The period of change and future periods if the change affects both 34

35 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Disclosure – Change in Estimate Minimum disclosures are as follows: 1.The nature of the change in estimate 2.The amount of the change in estimate affecting the current period IFRS also requires disclosure of the nature and amount of any change expected to impact future periods –If it is not practicable to estimate effect, this fact is disclosed 35

36 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Accounting Changes and Error Analysis 36 Changes in Accounting Policies and Estimates, and Errors Types of accounting changes Alternative accounting methods Accounting standards Retrospective application – change in accounting policy Retrospective restatement – correction of error Prospective application IFRS/ASPE Comparison Comparison of IFRS and ASPE Looking ahead Analysis Motivations for change Interpreting accounting changes

37 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Motivations for Change 1.Political costs – larger firms, larger profits, may become political targets; select policies to reduce profits 2.Capital structure – debt/equity structure will impact accounting policies due to debt covenants 3.Bonus payments – when bonuses attached to income, managers may select methods that maximize income 4.Smooth earnings – gradual increase (decrease) in income to shift attention 37

38 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Interpreting Accounting Changes Accounting changes often make it difficult to develop trend data –Users of the financial statements should look at accounting changes closely when they occur and adjust trend data as appropriate

39 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Accounting Changes and Error Analysis 39 Changes in Accounting Policies and Estimates, and Errors Types of accounting changes Alternative accounting methods Accounting standards Retrospective application – change in accounting policy Retrospective restatement – correction of error Prospective application IFRS/ASPE Comparison Comparison of IFRS and ASPE Looking ahead Analysis Motivations for change Interpreting accounting changes

40 Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Looking Ahead No significant changes are expected in the immediate future

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