1. Chapter 1: Financial Accounting and Accounting Standards
Intermediate Accounting, 11th Edition
Kieso, Weygandt, and Warfield
Chapter 1: Financial Accounting and Accounting Standards
Prepared by
Jep Robertson and Renae Clark
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, New Mexico 2

2. Chapter 1: Financial Accounting and Accounting Standards
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
Identify the major financial statements and other means of financial reporting.
Explain how accounting assists in the efficient use of scarce resources.
Identify some of the challenges facing accounting.
Identify the objectives of financial reporting. 

3. Chapter 1: Financial Accounting and Accounting Standards
Explain the need for accounting standards.
Identify the major policy-setting bodies and their role in the standards-setting process.
Explain the meaning of generally accepted accounting principles.
Describe the impact of user groups on the standards-setting process.
Understand issues related to ethics and financial accounting.

4. Characteristics of Financial Accounting
Accounting identifies, measures and communicates financial information.
This information is about economic entities.
Information is communicated to interested parties such as investors, creditors, unions and governmental agencies.

5. Accounting and the Efficient Use of Scarce Resources
Financial Reporting aids users in the allocation of scarce resources.

6. Objectives of Financial Reporting by Business Enterprises
The objectives are specified in Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 1.
The objectives are as follows:
Information provided must be useful in investment and credit decisions.
Information must be useful in assessing cash flow prospects.
Information must be about enterprise resources, claims to those resources and changes therein.

7. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
The profession has developed GAAP that present fairly, clearly and completely the financial operations of the enterprise.
GAAP consist of authoritative pronouncements issued by certain accounting bodies.

8. The Standard Setting Process: Parties Involved
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)

9. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
The FASB enjoys the following advantages compared to its predecessor, the Accounting Principles Board:
* smaller membership
* greater autonomy
* increased independence of members
* broader representation on the Board

10. FASB Due Process
In establishing financial standards, the FASB follows a due process procedure.
The due process procedure gives time to interested persons to make their views known to the Board.

11. FASB Due Process Public Hearing 3 4 AGENDA 1 Discussion Memorandum 2
A public
hearing is
conducted
AGENDA 1
Topics for
standard
setting are
identified
Discussion
Memorandum 2
The FASB
issues
initial
research and
analysis

12. FASB Due Process 4 5 Exposure Final Standard Draft The FASB The FASB
issues
an exposure
draft
(tentative
standard)
Final Standard 5
The FASB
evaluates
responses and
issues the
final
standard

13. Major Types of FASB Pronouncements
Standards and Interpretations
Financial Accounting Concepts
Technical Bulletins
Emerging Issues Task Force Statements

14. Organizational Structure for Setting Standards
Financial
Accounting
Foundation
FASB
Financial
Accounting
Standards
Advisory
Council
GASB
Governmental
Accounting
Standards
Advisory
Council
Staff and
Task Force

15. House of GAAP

16. Challenges Facing Financial Accounting
Non-financial measurements need to be developed and reported.
More information needs to be provided regarding soft assets (intangibles).
Forward-looking information, in addition to historical information, must be provided.
Statements may have to be prepared on a real-time basis (and not just periodically).

17. The Expectations Gap An expectations gap exists between the
public’s perception of the profession’s accountability and profession’s perception of its accountability to the public.
Corrective steps include the setting up of the:
SEC Practice sections and
Public Oversight Board.

18. International Accounting Standards
The International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) was formed in 1973.
The objective was to narrow divergence in international financial reporting.
There are many similarities between U.S. and International accounting standards.
The concern is that international standards may not be as rigorous as U.S. standards.

19. COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted in Section 117 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without the express written permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Request for further information should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The purchaser may make back-up copies for his/her own use only and not for distribution or resale. The Publisher assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, or damages, caused by the use of these programs or from the use of the information contained herein.