Pension Plan Funding and IFRS

UK’s IFRSs are designed to make it easier to compare the performance of organizations in different countries, rather than each country maintaining its own GAAP, which makes such comparisons difficult. All listed EU companies have been required to use IFRSs since 2005. The adoption of IFRSs by the private sector is expected to have various benefits for both companies and investors; including (1) UK’s IFRSs will remove the need for companies with foreign subsidiaries to translate the accounts for consolidation with the parent company accounts. Also (2) it will be easier for investors to make informed decisions about the performance of companies in different countries because of the increased transparency and a better understanding of financial statements.

The U.S is moving toward IFRS (Forgeas, 2008). In the near future, all US company may need to report financial statements under IFRS. This makes the adaptation of IFRS unavoidable. Recently, some large multinational

We now want to look into the International Accounting Standards Board and framework for the preparation and presentation of financial statements. The conceptual frameworks are split into five categories and are in the following order: the objective of financial statements; underlying assumptions; the qualitative characteristics that determine the usefulness of information in financial statements; the definition, recognition, and measurement of the elements from which financial statements are constructed; and the concepts of capital and capital maintenance (Ankarath 11). The standards under IFRS are beginning to become much more popular across the world for several different reasons. The International Financial Reporting Standards are currently being used by at the very least 100 countries and “[was] expected that by 2011, more than 150 countries [would] have adopted them” (Ankarath 1). We happen to find this important because it seems that a lot of countries are starting to adopt IFRS to report their financial statements. One of the reasons why many countries made the switch over to IFRS is because “the decision of the U.S. SEC to allow foreign private issuers to list their securities on U.S.

This thesis will discuss the proposed changes of pensions and the new updated leases issued by FASB, which are important issues for entities such as corporations. FASB is the Financial Accounting Standards Board. It is a seven-member independent board consisting of accounting professionals who establish and communicate standards of financial accounting and reporting in the United States. FASB was created to provide users accurate information in one location. Recently, FASB developed the FASB Codification Research System: a web-based system allowing registered users to electronically research accounting issues.

The IFRS is basically a set of accounting rules which are issued by the IASB based in London, UK. These accounting standards have originated from its predecessor IASC defining the term IAS, which occurred in the 70’s. it was only after 2000’s that the IASB took a strong hold under the label IFRS claiming to be a lot more independent even though pertaining to its predecessor, efficiently staffed and better funded. Caffermen and zeff (2006) discuss about the gradual spread of accounting has made a considerable progress over time, and with the adoption of IFRS worldwide, accounting procedures could be smoothened.

With the growth of international business there is a need to standardize financial statements globally. Presently there are “approximately 120 foreign private issuers currently that report to the Commission using IFRS financial statements.” By standardizing accounting practices investors will be able to make informed decisions based on comparability and accuracy of financial statements. The SEC released this statement in 2008, “We believe that IFRS has the potential to best provide the common platform on which companies can report and investors can compare financial information.” The SEC has created a “Roadmap” or plan to convert US GAAP over to IFRS. According to The Committee of

International Reporting Standards (IFRS) are standards that are aimed as a global language that is common for affairs of business, to make sure that the accounts of the company can be understood and are of a certain standard that applies worldwide. IFRS are

But there a certain limit of flexibility of this international standards for cover with all the differences accounting standard or accounting practices in between country. The IFRS is to increase the comparability of annual financial reports no matter oversea or domestic. This only can be success when the new set of accounting standard published by IFRS and adopting by country when only the cultural, economics, politics and other factors within the country change (Chen, 2009).

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), represent the norms that were introduced by IASB. Being an independent organization that was not operational to earn profits, IASB, also known as, International Accounting Standards Board, incepted IFRS to facilitate public companies around the globe. IFRS presented a framework that served as a guide for these corporations directing them on preparation and disclosure of the financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards offered general guidance to the seekers concerning the financial statements. The standards never strived to set industry specific reporting principles or regulations.

IFRS is a set of accounting standards promulgated by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), an international standard-setting body based in London. It was designed as a common global language for business affairs so that company accounts are comparable and understandable across international boundaries (Ghosh, 2010). In June 2002, the European Union (EU) adopted an IAS Regulation requiring European companies listed in an EU/European Economic Area (EEA) securities market to prepare their consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS starting in 2005 (United Kingdom).

The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is the accounting framework used by the European Union, Japan, Canada, and other world economic leaders. The IFRS is based on the tenets of understandability, reliability, and comparability. It is based off the International Accounting Standards (IAS) and had the opportunity to be built from accounting ideas and principles used across the world. In recent years it also has had the chance to look at the United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and modify the rules to enhance clarity and consistency, intentionally setting itself apart from U.S.

Pensions are company-sponsored funds aimed to provide a firm’s employees income after retirement but are not offered by all employers. With the uncertainty of the future of the Social Security program in the United States and its inadequate benefits for many, a lot of people find themselves having to rely on their own savings to prepare for income beyond retirement through savings and retirement accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs. In order to lessen the burden of finding their own source of post-retirement income, employees need to consider not only wages and other current benefits when choosing between employment opportunities, but should also consider post-retirement benefits such as pensions and healthcare when calculating total compensation. From a company’s perspective, firm-sponsored pension plans and other post-retirement benefits are additional ways to attract employees and retain them, reducing costs associated with turnover and being able to keep talent within the company. In response to the implementation of post-retirement benefit plans, standards were established outlining the guidelines for accounting in US GAAP and IFRS. However, different accounting issues exist with regards to pensions that are due to different causes.

Within the accounting profession, there have been challenges to develop a set of standards that are generally accepted and universally practiced. Thus far, the main debate in setting accounting standards is “Whose rules should we play by, and what should they be?” While the answer is unclear, users of financial statements and reporting must find methods that has an universal objective, that allows “Grapes for Grapes” comparisons that clearly, fairly, and completely prepares a company financial statements. For years GAAP has been the common set of standards and procedures for the U.S, the core for establishing a principle of reporting but now IFRS an international friendly financial reporting system has become popular for its use globally.

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).

With complete notion and awareness of how each country has their set of rules, “the goal of IFRS is to provide a global framework for how public companies prepare and disclose their financial statements” (Rouse, 2011). This view is meant to provide general guidelines, as well as international comparisons through conventional and edifying means. To bring broader and vivid objectives, IFRS replaced IAS, the older standards, in order to bring a more comprehensive and simplified accounting procedures.