Accounting Standards And Its Effect On Us Countries Globally By Using The United States Alone As An Example

The purpose of this report is to look at the advantages and disadvantages that would occur if the United States were to switch their financial reporting standards from U.S GAAP

As the responsibilities of the global harmonization of accounting standards IFRS and GAAP transfer to IASB, FASB’s influence is waning. Advantages of the convergence include high quality financial reporting, which lowers cost of capital for investors and the cost of borrowing for companies. However, there are disadvantages to be noted, such as the costs of introducing IFRS to current and potential accountants and the risk of reducing the uniformity of financial reports due to the lax rulings of IFRS, which promotes earnings management amongst companies. Although arguments regarding the convergence remain prevalent, the completion of IFRS and GAAP is inevitable. Come year 2015, accountants, investors, and companies alike will discover whether or not the pros outweighed the cons; or vice versa.

SFAC No. 8 addresses the cost constraint on useful financial reporting, “Cost is a pervasive constraint that standard setters, as well as providers and users of financial information, should keep in mind when considering the benefits of a financial reporting requirement.” (SFAC No. 8 BC 3.47) However, the ability to place a dollar value and fully enumerate a cost or benefit is almost an impossible task for standard-setters. Additionally, there is no way to successfully identify and measure all of the economic consequences associated with a new standard. The FASB should be applauded though for advancing uniformity in accounting standards, however; uniform financial reporting suggests a one size fits all approach. “Smaller, non-publicly listed firms (and their auditors) argue that accounting standards are formulated mainly for larger, publicly traded firms” and that “compliance costs are disproportionately higher and the

The IOSCO plan does not cover accounting standards.(66) These standards are important for providing financial statements in a scheme that are prepared in the similar manner as those by issuers from other countries. The development of international accounting standards is the subject of a distinct project by IOSCO, and many accounting professionals who are concomitant with that undertaking are hopeful that a satisfactory solution is within reach.(67) Supposing, however, that an agreement is possible on a core set of financial standards and that they too are embraced by securities regulators as compulsory for foreign issuers, the road to commonality has at least two other impediments.

This research project will inform the reader of the difference between the United States accounting standards and International accounting standards. The United States uses the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) to issue financial reporting procedures. The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). There are proposals for the United States to adopt the International standards. Financial reporting procedures are debated about the United States using the Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures (GAAP) or following the global procedures. This

Over a decade ago, it was believed that the whole world would likely adopt the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). At the point in time, the International Financial reporting Standards (IFRS) was only about ten years old. In the last decade, the IFRS has been adopted in many growing countries. Currently, it is anticipated that the U.S. will converge its GAAP with the international IFRS, leaving behind only a modified IFRS. This may occur as early as 2014.

For nearly half a century, a movement has been underway to establish a high-quality, comprehensive set of international accounting standards, with the goal of facilitating international trade and investment. In the global capital market, differences in the rules of accounting for the purposes of recognition, measurement, and reporting of financial results have impaired the smooth transfer of information across borders. Given that it accounts for nearly a third of the global market, there is considerable pressure for the United States to conform to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), as promulgated by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). While moving to a single set of accounting standards could create

A set of internationally recognized accounting standards facilitates capital flows across borders. Globally accepted standards make financial information readily comparable for its users. Foreign investors are more inclined to put money into a U.S. company if they are familiar with the company’s financial reporting. Conversely, U.S. investors will find it easier and less risky to invest in foreign companies when they know the local accounting standards (Epstein 2009). This will make U.S. companies and capital markets more competitive, since it saves costly reconcilition of different standards. Preparers, investors, auditors, and others will benefit from these cost effieciencies, since a Results of an IFAC Survey among accounting leaders around the world with respect to the importance of convergence to International Financial Reporting Standards for economic growth in their countries:

It is very difficult for political and social goals to not influence US accounting standard setting. According to Solomons (1978, p. 65) quoting Charles Horngren, “the setting of accounting standards is as much a product of political action as of flawless logic or empirical findings. Why? Because the setting of standards is a social decision. Standards place restrictions on behavior; therefore, they must be accepted by the affected parties…getting acceptance is an exceedingly complicated process that requires skillful marketing in a political arena.” When a person or group of people see an issue that they feel needs to be addressed, they are going to want it handled in the way most desirable to them and their position. Hand in hand with

The 2007 financial crisis renewed attention on accounting standards as stakeholders sought possible contributors to the crisis (Hellenier, 2011). Accounting standards are set regulations that limit the manner in which transactions are made and accounted for. They are meant to instill sanity into the financial system. The 2007 financial crises has been attributed to weak financial regulations which encouraged accounting malpractices like mis-presentation of the financial situation of businesses in order to keep investors interested (Hellenier, 2011). Accounting standards set requirements for the preparation and reporting of financial information. They, therefore, help minimize such incidences by facilitating the flow of accurate financial information to investors, creditors, regulators, banks, etc (Hertog, 2003). Having an internationally acceptable system of presenting this information brings sanity to the financial system in addition to increasing investor and consumer confidence in banking institutions, businesses, governments, etc.

Globalization, from a business aspect, is the process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale. Countries have long been involved in business; however, there is a concern regarding the lack of consistency in standards that businesses are to follow. The rapid advancement of technology and conducting business from country to country has become common practice, creating the need to unify as many of the financial rules and regulations as possible. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the two types of financial reporting systems began, discuss combining the two systems or

There is a clear roadmap to social globalization and convergence of US.GAAP – IFRS Standard as prescribed by the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) for users that set up financial statements in accordance with IFRS as issued by IASB. This followed would lead to a worldwide adoption of IFRS over the next few years. In his work, Barry (2009, p.26-27) states, “The advantage of a single set of financial reporting standards are manifest, particularly as internationalization of business activities became the norm. In particular, having uniform, high quality standards has been extolled as fostering international business relationships, with the goal being the facilitation of cross border capital flows and lowering the cost of capital _ the expected results of the anticipated reduction of perceived accounting risk”.

are the differences between nations. These alteration in Accounting Practices are results of specific environmental factors, which have shaped them. Therefore, one of the first problems with standardisation I conclude is that the result of the harmonisation process could neither be a copy of the Anglo-American Model nor one of the Continental-European Model. The Anglo-

These areas have been underlined, as well as the accounting regulations, due to the economic difficulty that has been experienced and for the IASB to take a course of action to try re-gaining the trust of investors and large organisations. The amendments made by the IASB consist of: impairments, connecting gaps involving different accounting standards which apply to similar circumstances, financial instruments, changes in the area of consolidation, derecognizing, and improving the accounting for the off balance sheet items (IASB, 2009). ). The issue of bridging the gap between accounting standards has gone through some transition. Initially accounting regulations were able to use various techniques, in which increased the difficulty of compatibility. This was highlighted by the European Unions request for changes in re-classifying financial assets, analogous to the stance taken in the US, namely the Generally Accepted Accounting Policies (IAS)

that are inevitable among countries have been pushed down to the level of implementation, and now will be concealed by a veneer of uniformity. The notion that uniform standards alone will produce uniform financial reporting seems naïve, if only because it ignores deep-rooted political and economic factors that influence the incentives of financial statement preparers and that inevitably shape actual financial reporting practice. I envisage