Why should an individual learn to read and interpret financial statements?(a) Understanding financial statements will guarantee at least a 20% return on investments.(b) An individual need not learn to read and interpret financial statements because auditors offer a report indicating whether the company is financially sound or not.(c) Learning to read and interpret financial statements will enable individuals to gain employment.(d) Individuals cannot necessarily rely on auditors and management of firms to offer honest information about the financial well-being of firms.

Consider the dilemma you might someday face if you are the chief financial officer of a company that is struggling to maintain a positive cash flow, despite the fact that the company is reporting a substantial positive net income. Maybe the problem is so severe that there is often insufficient cash to pay ordinary business expenses, like utilities, salaries, and payments to suppliers. Assume that you have been asked to communicate to your board of directors about your companys year, in retrospect, as well as your vision for the companys future. Write a memo that expresses your insights about past experience and present prospects for the company. Note that the challenge of the assignment is to keep your integrity intact, while putting a positive spin on the situation, as much as is reasonably possible. How can you envision the situation turning into a success story?

Assume that you are the controller of a business that provides legal services to clients. Suppose that the company has had a tough year, so the revenues have been lagging behind, based on previous years standards. What would you do if your boss (the chief executive officer [CEO] of the company) asked to reclassify a transaction to report loan proceeds of $150,000 as if the cash came from service fee revenue from clients instead. Would following the CEOs advice impact the companys accounting equation? How would reclassifying this one transaction change the outcome of the balance sheet, the income statement, and the statement of retained earnings? Would making this reclassification change the perception that users of the financial statements would have of the companys current year success and future year potential? Write a memo, detailing your willingness (or not) to embrace this suggestion, giving reasons behind your decision. Remember to exercise diplomacy, even if you must dissent from the opinion of a supervisor. Note that the challenge of the assignment is to keep your integrity intact, while also keeping your job, if possible.

A friend asks you about whether GAAP requires companies to disclose forecasts of financial variables to external users. She thinks that information could be very useful to investors.Required:1. What are the two primary qualitative characteristics of accounting information?2. Does GAAP routinely require companies to disclose forecasts of financial variables to external users? Indicate yes or no and explain how your answer relates to the qualitative characteristics of accounting information.