Commercial Accounting and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

The two approaches have many aspects in common but there are two key differences that distinguish one from the other. The difference in cash accounting and accrual accounting is the way debits and credits are applied in bookkeeping. Cash based accounting recognizes income at the time it is actually received. This means that invoiced income is not counted as an asset until payment for the invoice is received. This approach is also used for debits and any expenses incurred are not posted until they are paid. Small businesses often time use the cash accounting because it is simple and easy. It is important to recognize that this type of accounting can complicate matters when the business is up for sale or a merger is offered. The type of accounting method used in any business should not be assumed.

g. On December 31, 2012, the company completed the work on a contract for an out-of-province company for $7,900 payable by the customer within 30 days. No cash has been collected and no journal entry has been made for this transaction.

The AICPA published the generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS). GAAS are those guidelines which auditors must follow while conducting an audit of a company's financial statements. It must also be stated in the audit report that the audit was conducted following GAAS.

Student Cases with Solutions to accompany Accounting & Auditing Research: Tools & Strategies (7th edition)

Cash basis accounting gives an accurate reflection of a businesses’ cash flow. Since it only records revenue and expenses when they actually occur, the business knows how much cash it has on hand in that particular moment.

GAAP stands for Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. This is a key component to know in any business. GAAP is based on established concepts, objectives, standards and conventions to guide how financial statements are prepared and presented. GAAP’s objective is to provide information that is useful to investors, lenders, or others that provide resources to a company or not-for-profit organization. GAAP includes principles on a few things. One is recognition. Recognition is defined as what items are to be listed on the financial statements. This includes assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. The next is measurement. This refers to the amounts that need to be reports of each part of the financial statement. Another is presentation. This refers to what is displayed and listed on the statement and how they are organized. And lastly there is disclosure. This includes the specific information that is the most important to the people that utilize the financial

22. If a parcel of land that was originally acquired for $85,000 is offered for sale at $150,000, is assessed for tax purposes at $95,000, is recognized by its purchasers as easily being worth $140,000, and is sold for $137,000, the land should be recorded in the purchaser 's books at:

As accountants and auditors we are held to, and must comply with, two standards of professional conduct. Those standards are generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS). GAAP enforces the uniform standards for preparing and presenting financial statements. GAAS governs the ways and means are used by public accountants when conducting an audit. GAAS establishes the standards for field work and mandates that sufficient evidence be found to provide reasonable assurance for issuing an audit opinion.

The Morley (2012) website states that generally accepted accounting principles are standards that determine how accountants in the U.S. “Conduct and format their reports are determined by the FASB, U.S. Accounting records must be seen by a number of people outside of the organization for transparency purposes” (Morley, 2012). The Morley (2012) website states that if each company created its own accounting reporting methods, comparing financial statements would be inefficient and hiding information would be easier. According to the FASB, entities such as the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants recognize FASB's authority to set standards. This law ensures that no money is pocketed without being taxed and that all revenues are reported. As far as general financial ethical standards, “financial professionals have obligations to be competent, accountants and financial professionals must not only have secured education and practice that prepares them for their positions, but they must also continue that education by learning new information that can affect their practices” (Morley, 2012). According to “Associations For Financial Professionals” (2012), “financial professionals have an obligation to their

GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) determine the content and format of financial statements. SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) requires publicly traded companies to issue annual audit. Concerns are about adequacy of disclosure; and behavioral implications are secondary.

The major distinction between the accrual and the cash basis of accounting is when revenue and expenses are recognized. When the cash method is used, revenue is recorded when money is received. Expenses are recorded only when money is paid. The Accrual method accounts for revenue when it is earned. Expenses for goods and services are recorded when they are incurred. The

The case centers on actual events that occurred in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans from 2001 to 2009. In 2008, the archdiocese announced that it had lost more than $100 million as a result of Hurricane Katrina — because insurance failed to cover all its property losses. Those losses had no bearing on the parish a closure, the church says. Not all the faithful are convinced. Later released prospectus indicated that the Archdiocese paid over $10 million directly from its own assets to settle claims of sexual abuse, and these payments were not part of financial statement or notes. Due to unauthorized expenditure parishioners and media questioned about Good Counsel’s. Good Counsel’s parishioners were very

In the instant case of Elegant Housing, Inc. neither has the affirmative customer acceptance been received by Caltron Computers, Inc. nor has the 6 month trial period ending on May 15, 20X2 lapsed. In light of the above circumstances and the revenue recognition provisions, it is recommended that the revenue of $400,000 should not be recognized.

There are general rules and concepts that preside over the field of accounting. These general rules, known as basic accounting principles and guidelines, shape the groundwork on which more thorough, complex, and legalistic accounting rules are based. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) uses the basic accounting principles and guidelines as a foundation for their own comprehensive and complete set of accounting rules and standards.

The US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is a set of international accounting rules which originated from the United States. US GAAP can be defined as a set of accounting principles, standards and procedures that companies use to compile their financial statements (Elliott & Elliott, 2008). The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on the other hand are accounting rules originating from the United Kingdom. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are a set of accounting rules designed with a common global language for business affairs so that financial accounts of companies are understandable and comparable across international boundaries (Devinney, Pedersen & Tihanyi, 2010).