Why is a conceptual framework is needed?
to:
1. Create standards based on established concepts
The objective of financial reporting is to communicate information that is:
Decision usefulness
Determining the amount and types of information to present requires choosing alternatives that provide the most useful information
Fundamental qualities that make accounting information useful for decision-making
relevance and representational faithfulness
What is relevance?
To be relevant, information must be capable of making a difference in a decision
What is representational Faithfulness?
3 steps to ensure information has relevance and representational faithfulness
Enhancing qualitative characteristics
Comparability (def)
information is measured and reported in a similar way - company to company and year over year
Verifiability (def)
knowledgeable, independent users achieve similar results
Timeliness (def)
information is available in sufficient time to influence decisions
Understandability (def)
information must be of sufficient quality and clarity so reasonably informed users can see its significance
Cost-Benefit relationship
cost of providing information is weighed against the benefits of providing it
Elements of FS
Assets
Liabilities
Equity
Revenues/Income
Expenses
Gains/Losses
Assets: 3 essential characteristics
Liabilities: 3 essential characteristics
Types of liability obligations
Equity
A residual interest in an entity that remains after deducting liabilities form assets
How is revenue/income defined in ASPE compared to IFRS
ASPE: revenue is defined as increases in economic resources, which result form ordinary operations
IFRS: Income is defined as increases in assets or decreases in liabilities, that result in increases to equity, other than those relating to contributions from shareholders
How are expenses defined in ASPE compared to IFRS
ASPE: decreases in economic resources that result from ordinary revenue-generating activities
IFRS: No distinction between ordinary revenue-generating activities and losses. Focuses on decreases in assets or increases in liabilities, that result in decreases in equity.
How are gains/losses defined in ASPE compared to IFRS
ASPE: increases/decreases in equity from an entity’s peripheral or incidental transactions except revenues/expenses and owner’s activity.
IFRS: revenues and gains are grouped together under income (they are not separately defined), and expenses and losses are grouped together under expenses.
Items included in FS (IFRS vs ASPE)
IFRS
1. statement of financial performance
OR
Statement of profit and loss and statement of other comprehensive income (OCI)
2. Statement of financial position
3. Statement of changes in shareholders’ equity
4. statement of cash flows
ASPE:
1. Income statement (OCI does not exist)
2. Balance sheet
3. Statement of retained earnings
4. Cash flow statement
What is other comprehensive income (OCI)
includes all changes in equity except for net income and owner’s investments and distribution
10 Foundational Principles
Recognition/Derecognition
1. Economic entity assumption
2. control
3. revenue recognition and realization principles
4. matching principle
Measurement
5. periodicity assumption
6. monetary unit assumption
7. going concern assumption
8. historical cost principle
9. Fair value principle and value in use
Presentation/Disclosure
10. Full disclosure principle