Accounting

Conceptual Framework of Financial Reporting DiscussionPurpose: The Conceptual Framework of Financial Reporting Critical Summary and
Takeaways Paper examines the conceptual underlying frameworks for financial reporting.
Since conceptual frameworks are used in many research studies, this assignment allows
conceptual frameworks to be examined practically.
Directions: Review Module 01: Supporting Materials before starting this assignment.
Then create paper.
What is a Conceptual Framework? | AJE
MyEducator – A Conceptual Framework of Accounting
The Conceptual Framework (fasb.org)
FASB HOME
-the last one is added as a pdf
Initial Discussion Directions and Requirements:
As you build your initial discussion, consider the following questions for guidance.
1. What is a Conceptual Framework?
2. Explain the purpose of Conceptual Frameworks of Financial Reporting
documents.
3. Provide a brief description of the contents of a Conceptual Framework. Brief
for this assignment is defined here as a few paragraphs to a page.
4. Why are such Conceptual Frameworks of Financial Reporting important to
organizations?
5. How do such documents contribute to organizational effectiveness?
When the first five questions have been answered, focus on the following prompts:
Prompt 1: Explain how a Conceptual Framework of Financial Reporting can be applied
within an organization you currently work with or have worked with and can lead to
increased organizational effectiveness. (Leadership perspective)
Prompt 2: How can Conceptual Frameworks based on scholarly research be applied to
organizations from a practical perspective? Provide an example.
The suggested page range for the initial discussion post is 2 to 3 pages.
5 additional (can include sources given) Supporting sources should be included to support
any arguments made for this assignment.
Have headings and subheadings
Conceptual Framework
Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting
Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting was issued by the International Accounting
Standards Board in September 2010. It was revised in March 2018.
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Conceptual Framework
CONTENTS
from paragraph
STATUS AND PURPOSE OF THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
SP1.1
CHAPTER 1—THE OBJECTIVE OF GENERAL PURPOSE
FINANCIAL REPORTING
INTRODUCTION
1.1
OBJECTIVE, USEFULNESS AND LIMITATIONS OF GENERAL PURPOSE
FINANCIAL REPORTING
1.2
INFORMATION ABOUT A REPORTING ENTITY’S ECONOMIC RESOURCES,
CLAIMS AGAINST THE ENTITY AND CHANGES IN RESOURCES AND
CLAIMS
1.12
Economic resources and claims
1.13
Changes in economic resources and claims
1.15
Financial performance reflected by accrual accounting
1.17
Financial performance reflected by past cash flows
1.20
Changes in economic resources and claims not resulting from financial
performance
1.21
INFORMATION ABOUT USE OF THE ENTITY’S ECONOMIC RESOURCES
1.22
CHAPTER 2—QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF USEFUL
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
INTRODUCTION
2.1
QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF USEFUL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
2.4
Fundamental qualitative characteristics
2.5
Enhancing qualitative characteristics
2.23
THE COST CONSTRAINT ON USEFUL FINANCIAL REPORTING
2.39
CHAPTER 3—FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE
REPORTING ENTITY
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
3.1
Objective and scope of financial statements
3.2
Reporting period
3.4
Perspective adopted in financial statements
3.8
Going concern assumption
3.9
THE REPORTING ENTITY
3.10
Consolidated and unconsolidated financial statements
3.15
CHAPTER 4—THE ELEMENTS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
4.1
DEFINITION OF AN ASSET
4.3
Right
4.6
Potential to produce economic benefits
4.14
continued…
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…continued
Control
4.19
DEFINITION OF A LIABILITY
4.26
Obligation
4.28
Transfer of an economic resource
4.36
Present obligation as a result of past events
4.42
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
4.48
Unit of account
4.48
Executory contracts
4.56
Substance of contractual rights and contractual obligations
4.59
DEFINITION OF EQUITY
4.63
DEFINITIONS OF INCOME AND EXPENSES
4.68
CHAPTER 5—RECOGNITION AND DERECOGNITION
THE RECOGNITION PROCESS
5.1
RECOGNITION CRITERIA
5.6
Relevance
5.12
Faithful representation
5.18
DERECOGNITION
5.26
CHAPTER 6—MEASUREMENT
INTRODUCTION
6.1
MEASUREMENT BASES
6.4
Historical cost
6.4
Current value
6.10
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY PARTICULAR MEASUREMENT BASES
6.23
Historical cost
6.24
Current value
6.32
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING A MEASUREMENT BASIS
6.43
Relevance
6.49
Faithful representation
6.58
Enhancing qualitative characteristics and the cost constraint
6.63
Factors specific to initial measurement
6.77
More than one measurement basis
6.83
MEASUREMENT OF EQUITY
6.87
CASH-FLOW-BASED MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
6.91
CHAPTER 7—PRESENTATION AND DISCLOSURE
PRESENTATION AND DISCLOSURE AS COMMUNICATION TOOLS
7.1
PRESENTATION AND DISCLOSURE OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES
7.4
CLASSIFICATION
7.7
continued…
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…continued
Classification of assets and liabilities
7.9
Classification of equity
7.12
Classification of income and expenses
7.14
AGGREGATION
7.20
CHAPTER 8—CONCEPTS OF CAPITAL AND CAPITAL
MAINTENANCE
CONCEPTS OF CAPITAL
8.1
CONCEPTS OF CAPITAL MAINTENANCE AND THE DETERMINATION OF
PROFIT
8.3
CAPITAL MAINTENANCE ADJUSTMENTS
8.10
APPENDIX—DEFINED TERMS
APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR
FINANCIAL REPORTING ISSUED IN MARCH 2018
FOR THE BASIS FOR CONCLUSIONS, SEE PART C OF THIS EDITION
BASIS FOR CONCLUSIONS
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Conceptual Framework
STATUS AND PURPOSE OF THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
SP1.1
The Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting (Conceptual Framework) describes
the objective of, and the concepts for, general purpose financial reporting. The
purpose of the Conceptual Framework is to:
(a)
assist the International Accounting Standards Board (Board) to develop
IFRS Standards (Standards) that are based on consistent concepts;
(b)
assist preparers to develop consistent accounting policies when no
Standard applies to a particular transaction or other event, or when a
Standard allows a choice of accounting policy; and
(c)
assist all parties to understand and interpret the Standards.
SP1.2
The Conceptual Framework is not a Standard. Nothing in the Conceptual
Framework overrides any Standard or any requirement in a Standard.
SP1.3
To meet the objective of general purpose financial reporting, the Board may
sometimes specify requirements that depart from aspects of the Conceptual
Framework. If the Board does so, it will explain the departure in the Basis for
Conclusions on that Standard.
SP1.4
The Conceptual Framework may be revised from time to time on the basis of the
Board’s experience of working with it. Revisions of the Conceptual
Framework will not automatically lead to changes to the Standards. Any
decision to amend a Standard would require the Board to go through its due
process for adding a project to its agenda and developing an amendment to
that Standard.
SP1.5
The Conceptual Framework contributes to the stated mission of the IFRS
Foundation and of the Board, which is part of the IFRS Foundation. That
mission is to develop Standards that bring transparency, accountability and
efficiency to financial markets around the world. The Board’s work serves the
public interest by fostering trust, growth and long-term financial stability in
the global economy. The Conceptual Framework provides the foundation for
Standards that:
(a)
contribute to transparency by enhancing the international
comparability and quality of financial information, enabling investors
and other market participants to make informed economic decisions.
(b)
strengthen accountability by reducing the information gap between
the providers of capital and the people to whom they have entrusted
their money. Standards based on the Conceptual Framework provide
information needed to hold management to account. As a source of
globally comparable information, those Standards are also of vital
importance to regulators around the world.
(c)
contribute to economic efficiency by helping investors to identify
opportunities and risks across the world, thus improving capital
allocation. For businesses, the use of a single, trusted accounting
language derived from Standards based on the Conceptual Framework
lowers the cost of capital and reduces international reporting costs.
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CONTENTS
from paragraph
CHAPTER 1—THE OBJECTIVE OF GENERAL PURPOSE
FINANCIAL REPORTING
INTRODUCTION
1.1
OBJECTIVE, USEFULNESS AND LIMITATIONS OF GENERAL PURPOSE
FINANCIAL REPORTING
1.2
INFORMATION ABOUT A REPORTING ENTITY’S ECONOMIC RESOURCES,
CLAIMS AGAINST THE ENTITY AND CHANGES IN RESOURCES AND
CLAIMS
1.12
Economic resources and claims
1.13
Changes in economic resources and claims
1.15
Financial performance reflected by accrual accounting
1.17
Financial performance reflected by past cash flows
1.20
Changes in economic resources and claims not resulting from financial
performance
1.21
INFORMATION ABOUT USE OF THE ENTITY’S ECONOMIC RESOURCES
1.22
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Introduction
1.1
The objective of general purpose financial reporting forms the foundation of
the Conceptual Framework. Other aspects of the Conceptual Framework—the
qualitative characteristics of, and the cost constraint on, useful financial
information, a reporting entity concept, elements of financial statements,
recognition and derecognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure —
flow logically from the objective.
Objective, usefulness and limitations of general purpose financial
reporting
1.2
The objective of general purpose financial reporting1 is to provide financial
information about the reporting entity that is useful to existing and potential
investors, lenders and other creditors in making decisions relating to
providing resources to the entity.2 Those decisions involve decisions about:
(a)
buying, selling or holding equity and debt instruments;
(b)
providing or settling loans and other forms of credit; or
(c)
exercising rights to vote on, or otherwise influence, management’s
actions that affect the use of the entity’s economic resources.
1.3
The decisions described in paragraph 1.2 depend on the returns that existing
and potential investors, lenders and other creditors expect, for example,
dividends, principal and interest payments or market price increases.
Investors’, lenders’ and other creditors’ expectations about returns depend on
their assessment of the amount, timing and uncertainty of (the prospects for)
future net cash inflows to the entity and on their assessment of
management’s stewardship of the entity’s economic resources. Existing and
potential investors, lenders and other creditors need information to help them
make those assessments.
1.4
To make the assessments described in paragraph 1.3, existing and potential
investors, lenders and other creditors need information about:
1
2
3
(a)
the economic resources of the entity, claims against the entity and
changes in those resources and claims (see paragraphs 1.12–1.21); and
(b)
how efficiently and effectively the entity’s management and governing
board3 have discharged their responsibilities to use the entity’s
economic resources (see paragraphs 1.22–1.23).
Throughout the Conceptual Framework, the terms ‘financial reports’ and ‘financial reporting’ refer
to general purpose financial reports and general purpose financial reporting unless specifically
indicated otherwise.
Throughout the Conceptual Framework, the term ‘entity’ refers to the reporting entity unless
specifically indicated otherwise.
Throughout the Conceptual Framework, the term ‘management’ refers to management and the
governing board of an entity unless specifically indicated otherwise.
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1.5
Many existing and potential investors, lenders and other creditors cannot
require reporting entities to provide information directly to them and must
rely on general purpose financial reports for much of the financial
information they need. Consequently, they are the primary users to whom
general purpose financial reports are directed.4
1.6
However, general purpose financial reports do not and cannot provide all of
the information that existing and potential investors, lenders and other
creditors need. Those users need to consider pertinent information from other
sources, for example, general economic conditions and expectations, political
events and political climate, and industry and company outlooks.
1.7
General purpose financial reports are not designed to show the value of a
reporting entity; but they provide information to help existing and potential
investors, lenders and other creditors to estimate the value of the reporting
entity.
1.8
Individual primary users have different, and possibly conflicting, information
needs and desires. The Board, in developing Standards, will seek to provide the
information set that will meet the needs of the maximum number of primary
users. However, focusing on common information needs does not prevent the
reporting entity from including additional information that is most useful to a
particular subset of primary users.
1.9
The management of a reporting entity is also interested in financial
information about the entity. However, management need not rely on general
purpose financial reports because it is able to obtain the financial information
it needs internally.
1.10
Other parties, such as regulators and members of the public other than
investors, lenders and other creditors, may also find general purpose financial
reports useful. However, those reports are not primarily directed to these
other groups.
1.11
To a large extent, financial reports are based on estimates, judgements and
models rather than exact depictions. The Conceptual Framework establishes the
concepts that underlie those estimates, judgements and models. The concepts
are the goal towards which the Board and preparers of financial reports strive.
As with most goals, the Conceptual Framework’s vision of ideal financial
reporting is unlikely to be achieved in full, at least not in the short term,
because it takes time to understand, accept and implement new ways of
analysing transactions and other events. Nevertheless, establishing a goal
towards which to strive is essential if financial reporting is to evolve so as to
improve its usefulness.
4
Throughout the Conceptual Framework, the terms ‘primary users’ and ‘users’ refer to those existing
and potential investors, lenders and other creditors who must rely on general purpose financial
reports for much of the financial information they need.
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Information about a reporting entity’s economic resources, claims
against the entity and changes in resources and claims
1.12
General purpose financial reports provide information about the financial
position of a reporting entity, which is information about the entity’s
economic resources and the claims against the reporting entity. Financial
reports also provide information about the effects of transactions and other
events that change a reporting entity’s economic resources and claims. Both
types of information provide useful input for decisions relating to providing
resources to an entity.
Economic resources and claims
1.13
Information about the nature and amounts of a reporting entity’s economic
resources and claims can help users to identify the reporting entity’s financial
strengths and weaknesses. That information can help users to assess the
reporting entity’s liquidity and solvency, its needs for additional financing and
how successful it is likely to be in obtaining that financing. That information
can also help users to assess management’s stewardship of the entity’s
economic resources. Information about priorities and payment requirements
of existing claims helps users to predict how future cash flows will be
distributed among those with a claim against the reporting entity.
1.14
Different types of economic resources affect a user’s assessment of the
reporting entity’s prospects for future cash flows differently. Some future
cash flows result directly from existing economic resources, such as accounts
receivable. Other cash flows result from using several resources in
combination to produce and market goods or services to customers. Although
those cash flows cannot be identified with individual economic resources (or
claims), users of financial reports need to know the nature and amount of the
resources available for use in a reporting entity’s operations.
Changes in economic resources and claims
1.15
Changes in a reporting entity’s economic resources and claims result from
that entity’s financial performance (see paragraphs 1.17–1.20) and from other
events or transactions such as issuing debt or equity instruments (see
paragraph 1.21). To properly assess both the prospects for future net cash
inflows to the reporting entity and management’s stewardship of the entity’s
economic resources, users need to be able to identify those two types of
changes.
1.16
Information about a reporting entity’s financial performance helps users to
understand the return that the entity has produced on its economic resources.
Information about the return the entity has produced can help users to assess
management’s stewardship of the entity’s economic resources. Information
about the variability and components of that return is also important,
especially in assessing the uncertainty of future cash flows. Information about
a reporting entity’s past financial performance and how its management
discharged its stewardship responsibilities is usually helpful in predicting the
entity’s future returns on its economic resources.
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Financial performance reflected by accrual accounting
1.17
Accrual accounting depicts the effects of transactions and other events and
circumstances on a reporting entity’s economic resources and claims in the
periods in which those effects occur, even if the resulting cash receipts and
payments occur in a different period. This is important because information
about a reporting entity’s economic resources and claims and changes in its
economic resources and claims during a period provides a better basis for
assessing the entity’s past and future performance than information solely
about cash receipts and payments during that period.
1.18
Information about a reporting entity’s financial performance during a period,
reflected by changes in its economic resources and claims other than by
obtaining additional resources directly from investors and creditors (see
paragraph 1.21), is useful in assessing the entity’s past and future ability to
generate net cash inflows. That information indicates the extent to which the
reporting entity has increased its available economic resources, and thus its
capacity for generating net cash inflows through its operations rather than by
obtaining additional resources directly from investors and creditors.
Information about a reporting entity’s financial performance during a period
can also help users to assess management’s stewardship of the entity’s
economic resources.
1.19
Information about a reporting entity’s financial performance during a period
may also indicate the extent to which events such as changes in market prices
or interest rates have increased or decreased the entity’s economic resources
and claims, thereby affecting the entity’s ability to generate net cash inflows.
Financial performance reflected by past cash flows
1.20
Information about a reporting entity’s cash flows during a period also helps
users to assess the entity’s ability to generate future net cash inflows and to
assess management’s stewardship of the entity’s economic resources. That
information indicates how the reporting entity obtains and spends cash,
including information about its borrowing and repayment of debt, cash
dividends or other cash distributions to investors, and other factors that may
affect the entity’s liquidity or solvency. Information about cash flows helps
users understand a reporting entity’s operations, evaluate its financing and
investing activities, assess its liquidity or solvency and interpret other
information about financial performance.
Changes in economic resources and claims not resulting
from financial performance
1.21
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A reporting entity’s economic resources and claims may also change for
reasons other than financial performance, such as issuing debt or equity
instruments. Information about this type of change is necessary to give users a
complete understanding of why the reporting entity’s economic resources and
claims changed and the implications of those changes for its future financial
performance.
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Information about use of the entity’s economic resources
1.22
Information about how efficiently and effectively the reporting entity’s
management has discharged its responsibilities to use the entity’s economic
resources helps users to assess management’s stewardship of those resources.
Such information is also useful for predicting how efficiently and effectively
management will use the entity’s economic resources in future periods.
Hence, it can be useful for assessing the entity’s prospects for future net cash
inflows.
1.23
Examples of management’s responsibilities to use the entity’s economic
resources include protecting those resources from unfavourable effects of
economic factors, such as price and technological changes, and ensuring that
the entity complies with applicable laws, regulations and contractual
provisions.
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CONTENTS
from paragraph
CHAPTER 2—QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF USEFUL
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
INTRODUCTION
2.1
QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF USEFUL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
2.4
Fundamental qualitative characteristics
2.5
Relevance
2.6
Materiality
2.11
Faithful representation
2.12
Applying the fundamental qualitative characteristics
2.20
Enhancing qualitative characteristics
2.23
Comparability
2.24
Verifiability
2.30
Timeliness
2.33
Understandability
2.34
Applying the enhancing qualitative characteristics
2.37
THE COST CONSTRAINT ON USEFUL FINANCIAL REPORTING
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Conceptual Framework
Introduction
2.1
The qualitative characteristics of useful financial information discussed in this
chapter identify the types of information that are likely to be most useful to
the existing and potential investors, lenders and other creditors for making
decisions about the reporting entity on the basis of information in its financial
report (financial information).
2.2
Financial reports provide information about the reporting entity’s economic
resources, claims against the reporting entity and the effects of transactions
and other events and conditions that change those resources and claims. (This
information is referred to in the Conceptual Framework as information about the
economic phenomena.) Some financial reports also include explanatory
material about management’s expectations and strategies for the reporting
entity, and other types of forward-looking information.
2.3
The qualitative characteristics of useful financial information5 apply to
financial information provided in financial statements, as well as to financial
information provided in other ways. Cost, which is a pervasive constraint on
the reporting entity’s ability to provide useful financial information, applies
similarly. However, the considerations in applying the qualitative
characteristics and the cost constraint may be different for different types of
information. For example, applying them to forward-looking information may
be different from applying them to information about existing economic
resources and claims and to changes in those resources and claims.
Qualitative characteristics of useful financial information
2.4
If financial information is to be useful, it must be relevant and faithfully
represent what it purports to represent. The usefulness of financial
information is enhanced if it is comparable, verifiable, timely and
understandable.
Fundamental qualitative characteristics
2.5
The fundamental qualitative characteristics are relevance and faithful
representation.
Relevance
2.6
Relevant financial information is capable of making a difference in the
decisions made by users. Information may be capable of making a difference
in a decision even if some users choose not to take advantage of it or are
already aware of it from other sources.
2.7
Financial information is capable of making a difference in decisions if it has
predictive value, confirmatory value or both.
5
Throughout the Conceptual Framework, the terms ‘qualitative characteristics’ and ‘cost constraint’
refer to the qualitative characteristics of, and the cost constraint on, useful financial
information.
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2.8
Financial information has predictive value if it can be used as an input to
processes employed by users to predict future outcomes. Financial
information need not be a prediction or forecast to have predictive value.
Financial information with predictive value is employed by users in making
their own predictions.
2.9
Financial information has confirmatory value if it provides feedback about
(confirms or changes) previous evaluations.
2.10
The predictive value and confirmatory value of financial information are
interrelated. Information that has predictive value often also has confirmatory
value. For example, revenue information for the current year, which can be
used as the basis for predicting revenues in future years, can also be compared
with revenue predictions for the current year that were made in past years.
The results of those comparisons can help a user to correct and improve the
processes that were used to make those previous predictions.
Materiality
2.11
Information is material if omitting, misstating or obscuring it could
reasonably be expected to influence decisions that the primary users of
general purpose financial reports (see paragraph 1.5) make on the basis of
those reports, which provide financial information about a specific reporting
entity. In other words, materiality is an entity-specific aspect of relevance
based on the nature or magnitude, or both, of the items to which the
information relates in the context of an individual entity’s financial report.
Consequently, the Board cannot specify a uniform quantitative threshold for
materiality or predetermine what could be material in a particular situation.
Faithful representation
2.12
Financial reports represent economic phenomena in words and numbers. To
be useful, financial information must not only represent relevant phenomena,
but it must also faithfully represent the substance of the phenomena that it
purports to represent. In many circumstances, the substance of an economic
phenomenon and its legal form are the same. If they are not the same,
providing information only about the legal form would not faithfully
represent the economic phenomenon (see paragraphs 4.59–4.62).
2.13
To be a perfectly faithful representation, a depiction would have three
characteristics. It would be complete, neutral and free from error. Of course,
perfection is seldom, if ever, achievable. The Board’s objective is to maximise
those qualities to the extent possible.
2.14
A complete depiction includes all information necessary for a user to
understand the phenomenon being depicted, including all necessary
descriptions and explanations. For example, a complete depiction of a group of
assets would include, at a minimum, a description of the nature of the assets
in the group, a numerical depiction of all of the assets in the group, and a
description of what the numerical depiction represents (for example,
historical cost or fair value). For some items, a complete depiction may also
entail explanations of significant facts about the quality and nature of the
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items, factors and circumstances that might affect their quality and nature,
and the process used to determine the numerical depiction.
2.15
A neutral depiction is without bias in the selection or presentation of financial
information. A neutral depiction is not slanted, weighted, emphasised,
de-emphasised or otherwise manipulated to increase the probability that
financial information will be received favourably or unfavourably by users.
Neutral information does not mean information with no purpose or no
influence on behaviour. On the contrary, relevant financial information is, by
definition, capable of making a difference in users’ decisions.
2.16
Neutrality is supported by the exercise of prudence. Prudence is the exercise
of caution when making judgements under conditions of uncertainty. The
exercise of prudence means that assets and income are not overstated and
liabilities and expenses are not understated.6 Equally, the exercise of prudence
does not allow for the understatement of assets or income or the
overstatement of liabilities or expenses. Such misstatements can lead to the
overstatement or understatement of income or expenses in future periods.
2.17
The exercise of prudence does not imply a need for asymmetry, for example, a
systematic need for more persuasive evidence to support the recognition of
assets or income than the recognition of liabilities or expenses. Such
asymmetry is not a qualitative characteristic of useful financial information.
Nevertheless, particular Standards may contain asymmetric requirements if
this is a consequence of decisions intended to select the most relevant
information that faithfully represents what it purports to represent.
2.18
Faithful representation does not mean accurate in all respects. Free from error
means there are no errors or omissions in the description of the phenomenon,
and the process used to produce the reported information has been selected
and applied with no errors in the process. In this context, free from error does
not mean perfectly accurate in all respects. For example, an estimate of an
unobservable price or value cannot be determined to be accurate or
inaccurate. However, a representation of that estimate can be faithful if the
amount is described clearly and accurately as being an estimate, the nature
and limitations of the estimating process are explained, and no errors have
been made in selecting and applying an appropriate process for developing the
estimate.
2.19
When monetary amounts in financial reports cannot be observed directly and
must instead be estimated, measurement uncertainty arises. The use of
reasonable estimates is an essential part of the preparation of financial
information and does not undermine the usefulness of the information if the
estimates are clearly and accurately described and explained. Even a high level
of measurement uncertainty does not necessarily prevent such an estimate
from providing useful information (see paragraph 2.22).
6
Assets, liabilities, income and expenses are defined in Table 4.1. They are the elements of
financial statements.
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Applying the fundamental qualitative characteristics
2.20
Information must both be relevant and provide a faithful representation of
what it purports to represent if it is to be useful. Neither a faithful
representation of an irrelevant phenomenon nor an unfaithful representation
of a relevant phenomenon helps users make good decisions.
2.21
The most efficient and effective process for applying the fundamental
qualitative characteristics would usually be as follows (subject to the effects of
enhancing characteristics and the cost constraint, which are not considered in
this example). First, identify an economic phenomenon, information about
which is capable of being useful to users of the reporting entity’s financial
information. Second, identify the type of information about that phenomenon
that would be most relevant. Third, determine whether that information is
available and whether it can provide a faithful representation of the economic
phenomenon. If so, the process of satisfying the fundamental qualitative
characteristics ends at that point. If not, the process is repeated with the next
most relevant type of information.
2.22
In some cases, a trade-off between the fundamental qualitative characteristics
may need to be made in order to meet the objective of financial reporting,
which is to provide useful information about economic phenomena. For
example, the most relevant information about a phenomenon may be a highly
uncertain estimate. In some cases, the level of measurement uncertainty
involved in making that estimate may be so high that it may be questionable
whether the estimate would provide a sufficiently faithful representation of
that phenomenon. In some such cases, the most useful information may be
the highly uncertain estimate, accompanied by a description of the estimate
and an explanation of the uncertainties that affect it. In other such cases, if
that information would not provide a sufficiently faithful representation of
that phenomenon, the most useful information may include an estimate of
another type that is slightly less relevant but is subject to lower measurement
uncertainty. In limited circumstances, there may be no estimate that provides
useful information. In those limited circumstances, it may be necessary to
provide information that does not rely on an estimate.
Enhancing qualitative characteristics
2.23
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Comparability, verifiability, timeliness and understandability are qualitative
characteristics that enhance the usefulness of information that both is
relevant and provides a faithful representation of what it purports to
represent. The enhancing qualitative characteristics may also help determine
which of two ways should be used to depict a phenomenon if both are
considered to provide equally relevant information and an equally faithful
representation of that phenomenon.
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Comparability
2.24
Users’ decisions involve choosing between alternatives, for example, selling or
holding an investment, or investing in one reporting entity or another.
Consequently, information about a reporting entity is more useful if it can be
compared with similar information about other entities and with similar
information about the same entity for another period or another date.
2.25
Comparability is the qualitative characteristic that enables users to identify
and understand similarities in, and differences among, items. Unlike the other
qualitative characteristics, comparability does not relate to a single item. A
comparison requires at least two items.
2.26
Consistency, although related to comparability, is not the same. Consistency
refers to the use of the same methods for the same items, either from period
to period within a reporting entity or in a single period across entities.
Comparability is the goal; consistency helps to achieve that goal.
2.27
Comparability is not uniformity. For information to be comparable, like
things must look alike and different things must look different. Comparability
of financial information is not enhanced by making unlike things look alike
any more than it is enhanced by making like things look different.
2.28
Some degree of comparability is likely to be attained by satisfying the
fundamental qualitative characteristics. A faithful representation of a relevant
economic phenomenon should naturally possess some degree of comparability
with a faithful representation of a similar relevant economic phenomenon by
another reporting entity.
2.29
Although a single economic phenomenon can be faithfully represented in
multiple ways, permitting alternative accounting methods for the same
economic phenomenon diminishes comparability.
Verifiability
2.30
Verifiability helps assure users that information faithfully represents the
economic phenomena it purports to represent. Verifiability means that
different knowledgeable and independent observers could reach consensus,
although not necessarily complete agreement, that a particular depiction is a
faithful representation. Quantified information need not be a single point
estimate to be verifiable. A range of possible amounts and the related
probabilities can also be verified.
2.31
Verification can be direct or indirect. Direct verification means verifying an
amount or other representation through direct observation, for example, by
counting cash. Indirect verification means checking the inputs to a model,
formula or other technique and recalculating the outputs using the same
methodology. An example is verifying the carrying amount of inventory by
checking the inputs (quantities and costs) and recalculating the ending
inventory using the same cost flow assumption (for example, using the firstin, first-out method).
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2.32
It may not be possible to verify some explanations and forward-looking
financial information until a future period, if at all. To help users decide
whether they want to use that information, it would normally be necessary to
disclose the underlying assumptions, the methods of compiling the
information and other factors and circumstances that support the
information.
Timeliness
2.33
Timeliness means having information available to decision-makers in time to
be capable of influencing their decisions. Generally, the older the information
is the less useful it is. However, some information may continue to be timely
long after the end of a reporting period because, for example, some users may
need to identify and assess trends.
Understandability
2.34
Classifying, characterising and presenting information clearly and concisely
makes it understandable.
2.35
Some phenomena are inherently complex and cannot be made easy to
understand. Excluding information about those phenomena from financial
reports might make the information in those financial reports easier to
understand. However, those reports would be incomplete and therefore
possibly misleading.
2.36
Financial reports are prepared for users who have a reasonable knowledge of
business and economic activities and who review and analyse the information
diligently. At times, even well-informed and diligent users may need to seek
the aid of an adviser to understand information about complex economic
phenomena.
Applying the enhancing qualitative characteristics
2.37
Enhancing qualitative characteristics should be maximised to the extent
possible. However, the enhancing qualitative characteristics, either
individually or as a group, cannot make information useful if that
information is irrelevant or does not provide a faithful representation of what
it purports to represent.
2.38
Applying the enhancing qualitative characteristics is an iterative process that
does not follow a prescribed order. Sometimes, one enhancing qualitative
characteristic may have to be diminished to maximise another qualitative
characteristic. For example, a temporary reduction in comparability as a result
of prospectively applying a new Standard may be worthwhile to improve
relevance or faithful representation in the longer term. Appropriate
disclosures may partially compensate for non-comparability.
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The cost constraint on useful financial reporting
2.39
Cost is a pervasive constraint on the information that can be provided by
financial reporting. Reporting financial information imposes costs, and it is
important that those costs are justified by the benefits of reporting that
information. There are several types of costs and benefits to consider.
2.40
Providers of financial information expend most of the effort involved in
collecting, processing, verifying and disseminating financial information, but
users ultimately bear those costs in the form of reduced returns. Users of
financial information also incur costs of analysing and interpreting the
information provided. If needed information is not provided, users incur
additional costs to obtain that information elsewhere or to estimate it.
2.41
Reporting financial information that is relevant and faithfully represents what
it purports to represent helps users to make decisions with more confidence.
This results in more efficient functioning of capital markets and a lower cost
of capital for the economy as a whole. An individual investor, lender or other
creditor also receives benefits by making more informed decisions. However,
it is not possible for general purpose financial reports to provide all the
information that every user finds relevant.
2.42
In applying the cost constraint, the Board assesses whether the benefits of
reporting particular information are likely to justify the costs incurred to
provide and use that information. When applying the cost constraint in
developing a proposed Standard, the Board seeks information from providers
of financial information, users, auditors, academics and others about the
expected nature and quantity of the benefits and costs of that Standard. In
most situations, assessments are based on a combination of quantitative and
qualitative information.
2.43
Because of the inherent subjectivity, different individuals’ assessments of the
costs and benefits of reporting particular items of financial information will
vary. Therefore, the Board seeks to consider costs and benefits in relation to
financial reporting generally, and not just in relation to individual reporting
entities. That does not mean that assessments of costs and benefits always
justify the same reporting requirements for all entities. Differences may be
appropriate because of different sizes of entities, different ways of raising
capital (publicly or privately), different users’ needs or other factors.
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CONTENTS
from paragraph
CHAPTER 3—FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE
REPORTING ENTITY
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
3.1
Objective and scope of financial statements
3.2
Reporting period
3.4
Perspective adopted in financial statements
3.8
Going concern assumption
3.9
THE REPORTING ENTITY
3.10
Consolidated and unconsolidated financial statements
3.15
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Financial statements
3.1
Chapters 1 and 2 discuss information provided in general purpose financial
reports and Chapters 3–8 discuss information provided in general purpose
financial statements, which are a particular form of general purpose financial
reports. Financial statements7 provide information about economic resources
of the reporting entity, claims against the entity, and changes in those
resources and claims, that meet the definitions of the elements of financial
statements (see Table 4.1).
Objective and scope of financial statements
3.2
The objective of financial statements is to provide financial information about
the reporting entity’s assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses8 that is
useful to users of financial statements in assessing the prospects for future net
cash inflows to the reporting entity and in assessing management’s
stewardship of the entity’s economic resources (see paragraph 1.3).
3.3
That information is provided:
7
8
9
(a)
in the statement of financial position, by recognising assets, liabilities
and equity;
(b)
in the statement(s) of financial performance,9 by recognising income
and expenses; and
(c)
in other statements and notes, by presenting and disclosing
information about:
(i)
recognised assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses (see
paragraph 5.1), including information about their nature and
about the risks arising from those recognised assets and
liabilities;
(ii)
assets and liabilities that have not been recognised (see
paragraph 5.6), including information about their nature and
about the risks arising from them;
(iii)
cash flows;
(iv)
contributions from holders of equity claims and distributions
to them; and
(v)
the methods, assumptions and judgements used in estimating
the amounts presented or disclosed, and changes in those
methods, assumptions and judgements.
Throughout the Conceptual Framework, the term ‘financial statements’ refers to general purpose
financial statements.
Assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses are defined in Table 4.1. They are the elements of
financial statements.
The Conceptual Framework does not specify whether the statement(s) of financial performance
comprise(s) a single statement or two statements.
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Reporting period
3.4
Financial statements are prepared for a specified period of time (reporting
period) and provide information about:
(a)
assets and liabilities—including unrecognised assets and liabilities—
and equity that existed at the end of the reporting period, or during
the reporting period; and
(b)
income and expenses for the reporting period.
3.5
To help users of financial statements to identify and assess changes and
trends, financial statements also provide comparative information for at least
one preceding reporting period.
3.6
Information about possible future transactions and other possible future
events (forward-looking information) is included in financial statements if it:
(a)
relates to the entity’s assets or liabilities—including unrecognised
assets or liabilities—or equity that existed at the end of the reporting
period, or during the reporting period, or to income or expenses for
the reporting period; and
(b)
is useful to users of financial statements.
For example, if an asset or liability is measured by estimating future cash
flows, information about those estimated future cash flows may help users of
financial statements to understand the reported measures. Financial
statements do not typically provide other types of forward-looking
information, for example, explanatory material about management’s
expectations and strategies for the reporting entity.
3.7
Financial statements include information about transactions and other events
that have occurred after the end of the reporting period if providing that
information is necessary to meet the objective of financial statements (see
paragraph 3.2).
Perspective adopted in financial statements
3.8
Financial statements provide information about transactions and other events
viewed from the perspective of the reporting entity as a whole, not from the
perspective of any particular group of the entity’s existing or potential
investors, lenders or other creditors.
Going concern assumption
3.9
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Financial statements are normally prepared on the assumption that the
reporting entity is a going concern and will continue in operation for the
foreseeable future. Hence, it is assumed that the entity has neither the
intention nor the need to enter liquidation or to cease trading. If such an
intention or need exists, the financial statements may have to be prepared on
a different basis. If so, the financial statements describe the basis used.
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The reporting entity
3.10
A reporting entity is an entity that is required, or chooses, to prepare financial
statements. A reporting entity can be a single entity or a portion of an entity
or can comprise more than one entity. A reporting entity is not necessarily a
legal entity.
3.11
Sometimes one entity (parent) has control over another entity (subsidiary). If a
reporting entity comprises both the parent and its subsidiaries, the reporting
entity’s financial statements are referred to as ‘consolidated financial
statements’ (see paragraphs 3.15–3.16). If a reporting entity is the parent
alone, the reporting entity’s financial statements are referred to as
‘unconsolidated financial statements’ (see paragraphs 3.17–3.18).
3.12
If a reporting entity comprises two or more entities that are not all linked by a
parent-subsidiary relationship, the reporting entity’s financial statements are
referred to as ‘combined financial statements’.
3.13
Determining the appropriate boundary of a reporting entity can be difficult if
the reporting entity:
3.14
(a)
is not a legal entity; and
(b)
does not comprise only legal entities linked by a parent-subsidiary
relationship.
In such cases, determining the boundary of the reporting entity is driven by
the information needs of the primary users of the reporting entity’s financial
statements. Those users need relevant information that faithfully represents
what it purports to represent. Faithful representation requires that:
(a)
the boundary of the reporting entity does not contain an arbitrary or
incomplete set of economic activities;
(b)
including that set of economic activities within the boundary of the
reporting entity results in neutral information; and
(c)
a description is provided of how the boundary of the reporting entity
was determined and of what constitutes the reporting entity.
Consolidated and unconsolidated financial statements
3.15
Consolidated financial statements provide information about the assets,
liabilities, equity, income and expenses of both the parent and its subsidiaries
as a single reporting entity. That information is useful for existing and
potential investors, lenders and other creditors of the parent in their
assessment of the prospects for future net cash inflows to the parent. This is
because net cash inflows to the parent include distributions to the parent
from its subsidiaries, and those distributions depend on net cash inflows to
the subsidiaries.
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3.16
Consolidated financial statements are not designed to provide separate
information about the assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses of any
particular subsidiary. A subsidiary’s own financial statements are designed to
provide that information.
3.17
Unconsolidated financial statements are designed to provide information
about the parent’s assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses, and not
about those of its subsidiaries. That information can be useful to existing and
potential investors, lenders and other creditors of the parent because:
(a)
a claim against the parent typically does not give the holder of that
claim a claim against subsidiaries; and
(b)
in some jurisdictions, the amounts that can be legally distributed to
holders of equity claims against the parent depend on the distributable
reserves of the parent.
Another way to provide information about some or all assets, liabilities,
equity, income and expenses of the parent alone is in consolidated financial
statements, in the notes.
3.18
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Information provided in unconsolidated financial statements is typically not
sufficient to meet the information needs of existing and potential investors,
lenders and other creditors of the parent. Accordingly, when consolidated
financial statements are required, unconsolidated financial statements cannot
serve as a substitute for consolidated financial statements. Nevertheless, a
parent may be required, or choose, to prepare unconsolidated financial
statements in addition to consolidated financial statements.
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CONTENTS
from paragraph
CHAPTER 4—THE ELEMENTS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
4.1
DEFINITION OF AN ASSET
4.3
Right
4.6
Potential to produce economic benefits
4.14
Control
4.19
DEFINITION OF A LIABILITY
4.26
Obligation
4.28
Transfer of an economic resource
4.36
Present obligation as a result of past events
4.42
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
4.48
Unit of account
4.48
Executory contracts
4.56
Substance of contractual rights and contractual obligations
4.59
DEFINITION OF EQUITY
4.63
DEFINITIONS OF INCOME AND EXPENSES
4.68
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Introduction
4.1
4.2
The elements of financial statements defined in the Conceptual Framework are:
(a)
assets, liabilities and equity, which relate to a reporting entity’s
financial position; and
(b)
income and expenses, which relate to a reporting entity’s financial
performance.
Those elements are linked to the economic resources, claims and changes in
economic resources and claims discussed in Chapter 1, and are defined in
Table 4.1.
Table 4.1—The elements of financial statements
Item discussed in
Chapter 1
Element
Definition or description
Economic resource
Asset
A present economic resource controlled by the
entity as a result of past events.
An economic resource is a right that has the
potential to produce economic benefits.
Claim
Changes in economic
resources and claims,
reflecting financial
performance
Other changes in
economic resources and
claims
Liability
A present obligation of the entity to transfer an
economic resource as a result of past events.
Equity
The residual interest in the assets of the entity
after deducting all its liabilities.
Income
Increases in assets, or decreases in liabilities,
that result in increases in equity, other than
those relating to contributions from holders of
equity claims.
Expenses
Decreases in assets, or increases in liabilities,
that result in decreases in equity, other than
those relating to distributions to holders of
equity claims.
–
Contributions from holders of equity claims,
and distributions to them.
–
Exchanges of assets or liabilities that do not
result in increases or decreases in equity.
Definition of an asset
4.3
An asset is a present economic resource controlled by the entity as a result of
past events.
4.4
An economic resource is a right that has the potential to produce economic
benefits.
4.5
This section discusses three aspects of those definitions:
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(a)
right (see paragraphs 4.6–4.13);
(b)
potential to produce economic benefits (see paragraphs 4.14–4.18); and
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(c)
control (see paragraphs 4.19–4.25).
Right
4.6
Rights that have the potential to produce economic benefits take many forms,
including:
(a)
(b)
4.7
rights that correspond to an obligation of another party (see
paragraph 4.39), for example:
(i)
rights to receive cash.
(ii)
rights to receive goods or services.
(iii)
rights to exchange economic resources with another party on
favourable terms. Such rights include, for example, a forward
contract to buy an economic resource on terms that are
currently favourable or an option to buy an economic resource.
(iv)
rights to benefit from an obligation of another party to transfer
an economic resource if a specified uncertain future event
occurs (see paragraph 4.37).
rights that do not correspond to an obligation of another party, for
example:
(i)
rights over physical objects, such as property, plant and
equipment or inventories. Examples of such rights are a right
to use a physical object or a right to benefit from the residual
value of a leased object.
(ii)
rights to use intellectual property.
Many rights are established by contract, legislation or similar means. For
example, an entity might obtain rights from owning or leasing a physical
object, from owning a debt instrument or an equity instrument, or from
owning a registered patent. However, an entity might also obtain rights in
other ways, for example:
(a)
by acquiring or creating know-how that is not in the public domain
(see paragraph 4.22); or
(b)
through an obligation of another party that arises because that other
party has no practical ability to act in a manner inconsistent with its
customary practices, published policies or specific statements (see
paragraph 4.31).
4.8
Some goods or services—for example, employee services—are received and
immediately consumed. An entity’s right to obtain the economic benefits
produced by such goods or services exists momentarily until the entity
consumes the goods or services.
4.9
Not all of an entity’s rights are assets of that entity—to be assets of the entity,
the rights must both have the potential to produce for the entity economic
benefits beyond the economic benefits available to all other parties (see
paragraphs 4.14–4.18) and be controlled by the entity (see paragraphs
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4.19–4.25). For example, rights available to all parties without significant cost
—for instance, rights of access to public goods, such as public rights of way
over land, or know-how that is in the public domain—are typically not assets
for the entities that hold them.
4.10
4.11
An entity cannot have a right to obtain economic benefits from itself. Hence:
(a)
debt instruments or equity instruments issued by the entity and
repurchased and held by it—for example, treasury shares—are not
economic resources of that entity; and
(b)
if a reporting entity comprises more than one legal entity, debt
instruments or equity instruments issued by one of those legal entities
and held by another of those legal entities are not economic resources
of the reporting entity.
In principle, each of an entity’s rights is a separate asset. However, for
accounting purposes, related rights are often treated as a single unit of
account that is a single asset (see paragraphs 4.48–4.55). For example, legal
ownership of a physical object may give rise to several rights, including:
(a)
the right to use the object;
(b)
the right to sell rights over the object;
(c)
the right to pledge rights over the object; and
(d)
other rights not listed in (a)–(c).
4.12
In many cases, the set of rights arising from legal ownership of a physical
object is accounted for as a single asset. Conceptually, the economic resource
is the set of rights, not the physical object. Nevertheless, describing the set of
rights as the physical object will often provide a faithful representation of
those rights in the most concise and understandable way.
4.13
In some cases, it is uncertain whether a right exists. For example, an entity
and another party might dispute whether the entity has a right to receive an
economic resource from that other party. Until that existence uncertainty is
resolved—for example, by a court ruling—it is uncertain whether the entity
has a right and, consequently, whether an asset exists. (Paragraph 5.14
discusses recognition of assets whose existence is uncertain.)
Potential to produce economic benefits
4.14
An economic resource is a right that has the potential to produce economic
benefits. For that potential to exist, it does not need to be certain, or even
likely, that the right will produce economic benefits. It is only necessary that
the right already exists and that, in at least one circumstance, it would
produce for the entity economic benefits beyond those available to all other
parties.
4.15
A right can meet the definition of an economic resource, and hence can be an
asset, even if the probability that it will produce economic benefits is low.
Nevertheless, that low probability might affect decisions about what
information to provide about the asset and how to provide that information,
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including decisions about whether the
paragraphs 5.15–5.17) and how it is measured.
4.16
asset
is
recognised
(see
An economic resource could produce economic benefits for an entity by
entitling or enabling it to do, for example, one or more of the following:
(a)
receive contractual cash flows or another economic resource;
(b)
exchange economic resources with another party on favourable terms;
(c)
produce cash inflows or avoid cash outflows by, for example:
(i)
using the economic resource either individually or in
combination with other economic resources to produce goods
or provide services;
(ii)
using the economic resource to enhance the value of other
economic resources; or
(iii)
leasing the economic resource to another party;
(d)
receive cash or other economic resources by selling the economic
resource; or
(e)
extinguish liabilities by transferring the economic resource.
4.17
Although an economic resource derives its value from its present potential to
produce future economic benefits, the economic resource is the present right
that contains that potential, not the future economic benefits that the right
may produce. For example, a purchased option derives its value from its
potential to produce economic benefits through exercise of the option at a
future date. However, the economic resource is the present right—the right to
exercise the option at a future date. The economic resource is not the future
economic benefits that the holder will receive if the option is exercised.
4.18
There is a close association between incurring expenditure and acquiring
assets, but the two do not necessarily coincide. Hence, when an entity incurs
expenditure, this may provide evidence that the entity has sought future
economic benefits, but does not provide conclusive proof that the entity has
obtained an asset. Similarly, the absence of related expenditure does not
preclude an item from meeting the definition of an asset. Assets can include,
for example, rights that a government has granted to the entity free of charge
or that another party has donated to the entity.
Control
4.19
Control links an economic resource to an entity. Assessing whether control
exists helps to identify the economic resource for which the entity accounts.
For example, an entity may control a proportionate share in a property
without controlling the rights arising from ownership of the entire property.
In such cases, the entity’s asset is the share in the property, which it controls,
not the rights arising from ownership of the entire property, which it does not
control.
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4.20
An entity controls an economic resource if it has the present ability to direct
the use of the economic resource and obtain the economic benefits that may
flow from it. Control includes the present ability to prevent other parties from
directing the use of the economic resource and from obtaining the economic
benefits that may flow from it. It follows that, if one party controls an
economic resource, no other party controls that resource.
4.21
An entity has the present ability to direct the use of an economic resource if it
has the right to deploy that economic resource in its activities, or to allow
another party to deploy the economic resource in that other party’s activities.
4.22
Control of an economic resource usually arises from an ability to enforce legal
rights. However, control can also arise if an entity has other means of
ensuring that it, and no other party, has the present ability to direct the use of
the economic resource and obtain the benefits that may flow from it. For
example, an entity could control a right to use know-how that is not in the
public domain if the entity has access to the know-how and the present ability
to keep the know-how secret, even if that know-how is not protected by a
registered patent.
4.23
For an entity to control an economic resource, the future economic benefits
from that resource must flow to the entity either directly or indirectly rather
than to another party. This aspect of control does not imply that the entity
can ensure that the resource will produce economic benefits in all
circumstances. Instead, it means that if the resource produces economic
benefits, the entity is the party that will obtain them either directly or
indirectly.
4.24
Having exposure to significant variations in the amount of the economic
benefits produced by an economic resource may indicate that the entity
controls the resource. However, it is only one factor to consider in the overall
assessment of whether control exists.
4.25
Sometimes one party (a principal) engages another party (an agent) to act on
behalf of, and for the benefit of, the principal. For example, a principal may
engage an agent to arrange sales of goods controlled by the principal. If an
agent has custody of an economic resource controlled by the principal, that
economic resource is not an asset of the agent. Furthermore, if the agent has
an obligation to transfer to a third party an economic resource controlled by
the principal, that obligation is not a liability of the agent, because the
economic resource that would be transferred is the principal’s economic
resource, not the agent’s.
Definition of a liability
4.26
A liability is a present obligation of the entity to transfer an economic
resource as a result of past events.
4.27
For a liability to exist, three criteria must all be satisfied:
(a)
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the entity has an obligation (see paragraphs 4.28–4.35);
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(b)
the obligation is to transfer
paragraphs 4.36–4.41); and
an
economic
resource
(see
(c)
the obligation is a present obligation that exists as a result of past
events (see paragraphs 4.42–4.47).
Obligation
4.28
The first criterion for a liability is that the entity has an obligation.
4.29
An obligation is a duty or responsibility that an entity has no practical ability
to avoid. An obligation is always owed to another party (or parties). The other
party (or parties) could be a person or another entity, a group of people or
other entities, or society at large. It is not necessary to know the identity of
the party (or parties) to whom the obligation is owed.
4.30
If one party has an obligation to transfer an economic resource, it follows that
another party (or parties) has a right to receive that economic resource.
However, a requirement for one party to recognise a liability and measure it at
a specified amount does not imply that the other party (or parties) must
recognise an asset or measure it at the same amount. For example, particular
Standards may contain different recognition criteria or measurement
requirements for the liability of one party and the corresponding asset of the
other party (or parties) if those different criteria or requirements are a
consequence of decisions intended to select the most relevant information
that faithfully represents what it purports to represent.
4.31
Many obligations are established by contract, legislation or similar means and
are legally enforceable by the party (or parties) to whom they are owed.
Obligations can also arise, however, from an entity’s customary practices,
published policies or specific statements if the entity has no practical ability to
act in a manner inconsistent with those practices, policies or statements. The
obligation that arises in such situations is sometimes referred to as a
‘constructive obligation’.
4.32
In some situations, an entity’s duty or responsibility to transfer an economic
resource is conditional on a particular future action that the entity itself may
take. Such actions could include operating a particular business or operating
in a particular market on a specified future date, or exercising particular
options within a contract. In such situations, the entity has an obligation if it
has no practical ability to avoid taking that action.
4.33
A conclusion that it is appropriate to prepare an entity’s financial statements
on a going concern basis also implies a conclusion that the entity has no
practical ability to avoid a transfer that could be avoided only by liquidating
the entity or by ceasing to trade.
4.34
The factors used to assess whether an entity has the practical ability to avoid
transferring an economic resource may depend on the nature of the entity’s
duty or responsibility. For example, in some cases, an entity may have no
practical ability to avoid a transfer if any action that it could take to avoid the
transfer would have economic consequences significantly more adverse than
the transfer itself. However, neither an intention to make a transfer, nor a
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high likelihood of a transfer, is sufficient reason for concluding that the entity
has no practical ability to avoid a transfer.
4.35
In some cases, it is uncertain whether an obligation exists. For example, if
another party is seeking compensation for an entity’s alleged act of
wrongdoing, it might be uncertain whether the act occurred, whether the
entity committed it or how the law applies. Until that existence uncertainty is
resolved—for example, by a court ruling—it is uncertain whether the entity
has an obligation to the party seeking compensation and, consequently,
whether a liability exists. (Paragraph 5.14 discusses recognition of liabilities
whose existence is uncertain.)
Transfer of an economic resource
4.36
The second criterion for a liability is that the obligation is to transfer an
economic resource.
4.37
To satisfy this criterion, the obligation must have the potential to require the
entity to transfer an economic resource to another party (or parties). For that
potential to exist, it does not need to be certain, or even likely, that the entity
will be required to transfer an economic resource—the transfer may, for
example, be required only if a specified uncertain future event occurs. It is
only necessary that the obligation already exists and that, in at least one
circumstance, it would require the entity to transfer an economic resource.
4.38
An obligation can meet the definition of a liability even if the probability of a
transfer of an economic resource is low. Nevertheless, that low probability
might affect decisions about what information to provide about the liability
and how to provide that information, including decisions about whether the
liability is recognised (see paragraphs 5.15–5.17) and how it is measured.
4.39
Obligations to transfer an economic resource include, for example:
4.40
(a)
obligations to pay cash.
(b)
obligations to deliver goods or provide services.
(c)
obligations to exchange economic resources with another party on
unfavourable terms. Such obligations include, for example, a forward
contract to sell an economic resource on terms that are currently
unfavourable or an option that entitles another party to buy an
economic resource from the entity.
(d)
obligations to transfer an economic resource if a specified uncertain
future event occurs.
(e)
obligations to issue a financial instrument if that financial instrument
will oblige the entity to transfer an economic resource.
Instead of fulfilling an obligation to transfer an economic resource to the
party that has a right to receive that resource, entities sometimes decide to,
for example:
(a)
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settle the obligation by negotiating a release from the obligation;
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4.41
(b)
transfer the obligation to a third party; or
(c)
replace that obligation to transfer an economic resource with another
obligation by entering into a new transaction.
In the situations described in paragraph 4.40, an entity has the obligation to
transfer an economic resource until it has settled, transferred or replaced that
obligation.
Present obligation as a result of past events
4.42
The third criterion for a liability is that the obligation is a present obligation
that exists as a result of past events.
4.43
A present obligation exists as a result of past events only if:
(a)
the entity has already obtained economic benefits or taken an action;
and
(b)
as a consequence, the entity will or may have to transfer an economic
resource that it would not otherwise have had to transfer.
4.44
The economic benefits obtained could include, for example, goods or services.
The action taken could include, for example, operating a particular business
or operating in a particular market. If economic benefits are obtained, or an
action is taken, over time, the resulting present obligation may accumulate
over that time.
4.45
If new legislation is enacted, a present obligation arises only when, as a
consequence of obtaining economic benefits or taking an action to which that
legislation applies, an entity will or may have to transfer an economic
resource that it would not otherwise have had to transfer. The enactment of
legislation is not in itself sufficient to give an entity a present obligation.
Similarly, an entity’s customary practice, published policy or specific
statement of the type mentioned in paragraph 4.31 gives rise to a present
obligation only when, as a consequence of obtaining economic benefits, or
taking an action, to which that practice, policy or statement applies, the entity
will or may have to transfer an economic resource that it would not otherwise
have had to transfer.
4.46
A present obligation can exist even if a transfer of economic resources cannot
be enforced until some point in the future. For example, a contractual liability
to pay cash may exist now even if the contract does not require a payment
until a future date. Similarly, a contractual obligation for an entity to perform
work at a future date may exist now even if the counterparty cannot require
the entity to perform the work until that future date.
4.47
An entity does not yet have a present obligation to transfer an economic
resource if it has not yet satisfied the criteria in paragraph 4.43, that is, if it
has not yet obtained economic benefits, or taken an action, that would or
could require the entity to transfer an economic resource that it would not
otherwise have had to transfer. For example, if an entity has entered into a
contract to pay an employee a salary in exchange for receiving the employee’s
services, the entity does not have a present obligation to pay the salary until it
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has received the employee’s services. Before then the contract is executory—
the entity has a combined right and obligation to exchange future salary for
future employee services (see paragraphs 4.56–4.58).
Assets and liabilities
Unit of account
4.48
The unit of account is the right or the group of rights, the obligation or the
group of obligations, or the group of rights and obligations, to which
recognition criteria and measurement concepts are applied.
4.49
A unit of account is selected for an asset or liability when considering how
recognition criteria and measurement concepts will apply to that asset or
liability and to the related income and expenses. In some circumstances, it
may be appropriate to select one unit of account for recognition and a
different unit of account for measurement. For example, contracts may
sometimes be recognised individually but measured as part of a portfolio of
contracts. For presentation and disclosure, assets, liabilities, income and
expenses may need to be aggregated or separated into components.
4.50
If an entity transfers part of an asset or part of a liability, the unit of account
may change at that time, so that the transferred component and the retained
component become separate units of account (see paragraphs 5.26–5.33).
4.51
A unit of account is selected to provide useful information, which implies
that:
(a)
(b)
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the information provided about the asset or liability and about any
related income and expenses must be relevant. Treating a group of
rights and obligations as a single unit of account may provide more
relevant information than treating each right or obligation as a
separate unit of account if, for example, those rights and obligations:
(i)
cannot be or are unlikely to be the subject of separate
transactions;
(ii)
cannot or are unlikely to expire in different patterns;
(iii)
have similar economic characteristics and risks and hence are
likely to have similar implications for the prospects for future
net cash inflows to the entity or net cash outflows from the
entity; or
(iv)
are used together in the business activities conducted by an
entity to produce cash flows and are measured by reference to
estimates of their interdependent future cash flows.
the information provided about the asset or liability and about any
related income and expenses must faithfully represent the substance
of the transaction or other event from which they have arisen.
Therefore, it may be necessary to treat rights or obligations arising
from different sources as a single unit of account, or to separate the
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rights or obligations arising from a single source (see paragraph 4.62).
Equally, to provide a faithful representation of unrelated rights and
obligations, it may be necessary to recognise and measure them
separately.
4.52
Just as cost constrains other financial reporting decisions, it also constrains
the selection of a unit of account. Hence, in selecting a unit of account, it is
important to consider whether the benefits of the information provided to
users of financial statements by selecting that unit of account are likely to
justify the costs of providing and using that information. In general, the costs
associated with recognising and measuring assets, liabilities, income and
expenses increase as the size of the unit of account decreases. Hence, in
general, rights or obligations arising from the same source are separated only
if the resulting information is more useful and the benefits outweigh the
costs.
4.53
Sometimes, both rights and obligations arise from the same source. For
example, some contracts establish both rights and obligations for each of the
parties. If those rights and obligations are interdependent and cannot be
separated, they constitute a single inseparable asset or liability and hence
form a single unit of account. For example, this is the case with executory
contracts (see paragraph 4.57). Conversely, if rights are separable from
obligations, it may sometimes be appropriate to group the rights separately
from the obligations, resulting in the identification of one or more separate
assets and liabilities. In other cases, it may be more appropriate to group
separable rights and obligations in a single unit of account treating them as a
single asset or a single liability.
4.54
Treating a set of rights and obligations as a single unit of account differs from
offsetting assets and liabilities (see paragraph 7.10).
4.55
Possible units of account include:
(a)
an individual right or individual obligation;
(b)
all rights, all obligations, or all rights and all obligations, arising from
a single source, for example, a contract;
(c)
a subgroup of those rights and/or obligations—for example, a subgroup
of rights over an item of property, plant and equipment for which the
useful life and pattern of consumption differ from those of the other
rights over that item;
(d)
a group of rights and/or obligations arising from a portfolio of similar
items;
(e)
a group of rights and/or obligations arising from a portfolio of
dissimilar items—for example, a portfolio of assets and liabilities to be
disposed of in a single transaction; and
(f)
a risk exposure within a portfolio of items—if a portfolio of items is
subject to a common risk, some aspects of the accounting for that
portfolio could focus on the aggregate exposure to that risk within the
portfolio.
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Conceptual Framework
Executory contracts
4.56
An executory contract is a contract, or a portion of a contract, that is equally
unperformed—neither party has fulfilled any of its obligations, or both parties
have partially fulfilled their obligations to an equal extent.
4.57
An executory contract establishes a combined right and obligation to
exchange economic resources. The right and obligation are interdependent
and cannot be separated. Hence, the combined right and obligation constitute
a single asset or liability. The entity has an asset if the terms of the exchange
are currently favourable; it has a liability if the terms of the exchange are
currently unfavourable. Whether such an asset or liability is included in the
financial statements depends on both the recognition criteria (see Chapter 5)
and the measurement basis (see Chapter 6) selected for the asset or liability,
including, if applicable, any test for whether the contract is onerous.
4.58
To the extent that either party fulfils its obligations under the contract, the
contract is no longer executory. If the reporting entity performs first under
the contract, that performance is the event that changes the reporting entity’s
right and obligation to exchange economic resources into a right to receive an
economic resource. That right is an asset. If the other party performs first,
that performance is the event that changes the reporting entity’s right and
obligation to exchange economic resources into an obligation to transfer an
economic resource. That obligation is a liability.
Substance of contractual rights and contractual
obligations
4.59
The terms of a contract create rights and obligations for an entity that is a
party to that contract. To represent those rights and obligations faithfully,
financial statements report their substance (see paragraph 2.12). In some
cases, the substance of the rights and obligations is clear from the legal form
of the contract. In other cases, the terms of the contract or a group or series of
contracts require analysis to identify the substance of the rights and
obligations.
4.60
All terms in a contract—whether explicit or implicit—are considered unless
they have no substance. Implicit terms could include, for example, obligations
imposed by statute, such as statutory warranty obligations imposed on entities
that enter into contracts to sell goods to customers.
4.61
Terms that have no substance are disregarded. A term has no substance if it
has no discernible effect on the economics of the contract. Terms that have no
substance could include, for example:
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(a)
terms that bind neither party; or
(b)
rights, including options, that the holder will not have the practical
ability to exercise in any circumstances.
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4.62
A group or series of contracts may achieve or be designed to achieve an overall
commercial effect. To report the substance of such contracts, it may be
necessary to treat rights and obligations arising from that group or series of
contracts as a single unit of account. For example, if the rights or obligations
in one contract merely nullify all the rights or obligations in another contract
entered into at the same time with the same counterparty, the combined
effect is that the two contracts create no rights or obligations. Conversely, if a
single contract creates two or more sets of rights or obligations that could
have been created through two or more separate contracts, an entity may
need to account for each set as if it arose from separate contracts in order to
faithfully represent the rights and obligations (see paragraphs 4.48–4.55).
Definition of equity
4.63
Equity is the residual interest in the assets of the entity after deducting all its
liabilities.
4.64
Equity claims are claims on the residual interest in the assets of the entity
after deducting all its liabilities. In other words, they are claims against the
entity that do not meet the definition of a liability. Such claims may be
established by contract, legislation or similar means, and include, to the
extent that they do not meet the definition of a liability:
4.65
(a)
shares of various types, issued by the entity; and
(b)
some obligations of the entity to issue another equity claim.
Different classes of equity claims, such as ordinary shares and preference
shares, may confer on their holders different rights, for example, rights to
receive some or all of the following from the entity:
(a)
dividends, if the entity decides to pay dividends to eligible holders;
(b)
the proceeds from satisfying the equity claims, either in full on
liquidation, or in part at other times; or
(c)
other equity claims.
4.66
Sometimes, legal, regulatory or other requirements affect particular
components of equity, such as share capital or retained earnings. For example,
some such requirements permit an entity to make distributions to holders of
equity claims only if the entity has sufficient reserves that those requirements
specify as being distributable.
4.67
Business activities are often undertaken by entities such as sole
proprietorships, partnerships, trusts or various types of government business
undertakings. The legal and regulatory frameworks for such entities are often
different from frameworks that apply to corporate entities. For example, there
may be few, if any, restrictions on the distribution to holders of equity claims
against such entities. Nevertheless, the definition of equity in paragraph 4.63
of the Conceptual Framework applies to all reporting entities.
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Conceptual Framework
Definitions of income and expenses
4.68
Income is increases in assets, or decreases in liabilities, that result in increases
in equity, other than those relating to contributions from holders of equity
claims.
4.69
Expenses are decreases in assets, or increases in liabilities, that result in
decreases in equity, other than those relating to distributions to holders of
equity claims.
4.70
It follows from these definitions of income and expenses that contributions
from holders of equity claims are not income, and distributions to holders of
equity claims are not expenses.
4.71
Income and expenses are the elements of financial statements that relate to
an entity’s financial performance. Users of financial statements need
information about both an entity’s financial position and its financial
performance. Hence, although income and expenses are defined in terms of
changes in assets and liabilities, information about income and expenses is
just as important as information about assets and liabilities.
4.72
Different transactions and other events generate income and expenses with
different characteristics. Providing information separately about income and
expenses with different characteristics can help users of financial statements
to understand the entity’s financial performance (see paragraphs 7.14–7.19).
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CONTENTS
from paragraph
CHAPTER 5—RECOGNITION AND DERECOGNITION
THE RECOGNITION PROCESS
5.1
RECOGNITION CRITERIA
5.6
Relevance
5.12
Existence uncertainty
5.14
Low probability of an inflow or outflow of economic benefits
5.15
Faithful representation
5.18
Measurement uncertainty
5.19
Other factors
5.24
DERECOGNITION
5.26
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Conceptual Framework
The recognition process
5.1
Recognition is the process of capturing for inclusion in the statement of
financial position or the statement(s) of financial performance an item that
meets the definition of one of the elements of financial statements—an asset,
a liability, equity, income or expenses. Recognition involves depicting the item
in one of those statements—either alone or in aggregation with other items—
in words and by a monetary amount, and including that amount in one or
more totals in that statement. The amount at which an asset, a liability or
equity is recognised in the statement of financial position is referred to as its
‘carrying amount’.
5.2
The statement of financial position and statement(s) of financial performance
depict an entity’s recognised assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses in
structured summaries that are designed to make financial information
comparable and understandable. An important feature of the structures of
those summaries is that the amounts recognised in a statement are included
in the totals and, if applicable, subtotals that link the items recognised in the
statement.
5.3
Recognition links the elements, the statement of financial position and the
statement(s) of financial performance as follows (see Diagram 5.1):
5.4
(a)
in the statement of financial position at the beginning and end of the
reporting period, total assets minus total liabilities equal total equity;
and
(b)
recognised changes in equity during the reporting period comprise:
income minus expenses recognised in the statement(s) of
financial performance; plus
(ii)
contributions from holders of equity
distributions to holders of equity claims.
claims,
minus
The statements are linked because the recognition of one item (or a change in
its carrying amount) requires the recognition or derecognition of one or more
other items (or changes in the carrying amount of one or more other items).
For example:
(a)
(b)
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(i)
the recognition of income occurs at the same time as:
(i)
the initial recognition of an asset, or an increase in the carrying
amount of an asset; or
(ii)
the derecognition of a liability, or a decrease in the carrying
amount of a liability.
the recognition of expenses occurs at the same time as:
(i)
the initial recognition of a liability, or an increase in the
carrying amount of a liability; or
(ii)
the derecognition of an asset, or a decrease in the carrying
amount of an asset.
© IFRS Foundation
Conceptual Framework
Diagram 5.1: How recognition links the elements of financial statements
Statement of financial position at beginning of reporting period
Assets minus liabilities equal equity
Statement(s) of financial performance
Income minus expenses
Changes
in equity
Contributions from holders of equity claims minus
distributions to holders of equity claims
Statement of financial position at end of reporting period
Assets minus liabilities equal equity
5.5
The initial recognition of assets or liabilities arising from transactions or other
events may result in the simultaneous recognition of both income and related
expenses. For example, the sale of goods for cash results in the recognition of
both income (from the recognition of one asset—the cash) and an expense
(from the derecognition of another asset—the goods sold). The simultaneous
recognition of income and related expenses is sometimes referred to as the
matching of costs with income. Application of the concepts in the Conceptual
Framework leads to such matching when it arises from the recognition of
changes in assets and liabilities. However, matching of costs with income is
not an objective of the Conceptual Framework. The Conceptual Framework does not
allow the recognition in the statement of financial position of items that do
not meet the definition of an asset, a liability or equity.
Recognition criteria
5.6
Only items that meet the definition of an asset, a liability or equity are
recognised in the statement of financial position. Similarly, only items that
meet the definition of income or expenses are recognised in the statement(s)
of financial performance. However, not all items that meet the definition of
one of those elements are recognised.
5.7
Not recognising an item that meets the definition of one of the elements
makes the statement of financial position and the statement(s) of financial
performance less complete and can exclude useful information from financial
statements. On the other hand, in some circumstances, recognising some
items that meet the definition of one of the elements would not provide
useful information. An asset or liability is recognised only if recognition of
that asset or liability and of any resulting income, expenses or changes in
equity provides users of financial statements with information that is useful,
ie with:
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Conceptual Framework
(a)
relevant information about the asset or liability and about any
resulting income, expenses or changes in equity (see paragraphs
5.12–5.17); and
(b)
a faithful representation of the asset or liability and of any resulting
income, expenses or changes in equity (see paragraphs 5.18–5.25).
5.8
Just as cost constrains other financial reporting decisions, it also constrains
recognition decisions. There is a cost to recognising an asset or liability.
Preparers of financial statements incur costs in obtaining a relevant measure
of an asset or liability. Users of financial statements also incur costs in
analysing and interpreting the information provided. An asset or liability is
recognised if the benefits of the information provided to users of financial
statements by recognition are likely to justify the costs of providing and using
that information. In some cases, the costs of recognition may outweigh its
benefits.
5.9
It is not possible to define precisely when recognition of an asset or liability
will provide useful information to users of financial statements, at a cost that
does not outweigh its benefits. What is useful to users depends on the item
and the facts and circumstances. Consequently, judgement is required when
deciding whether to recognise an item, and thus recognition requirements
may need to vary between and within Standards.
5.10
It is important when making decisions about recognition to consider the
information that would be given if an asset or liability were not recognised.
For example, if no asset is recognised when expenditure is incurred, an
expense is recognised. Over time, recognising the expense may, in some cases,
provide useful information, for example, information that enables users of
financial statements to identify trends.
5.11
Even if an item meeting the definition of an asset or liability is not recognised,
an entity may need to provide information about that item in the notes. It is
important to consider how to make such information sufficiently visible to
compensate for the item’s absence from the structured summary provided by
the statement of financial position and, if applicable, the statement(s) of
financial performance.
Relevance
5.12
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Information about assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses is relevant
to users of financial statements. However, recognition of a particular asset or
liability and any resulting income, expenses or changes in equity may not
always provide relevant information. That may be the case if, for example:
(a)
it is uncertain whether an asset or liability exists (see paragraph 5.14);
or
(b)
an asset or liability exists, but the probability of an inflow or outflow
of economic benefits is low (see paragraphs 5.15–5.17).
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5.13
The presence of one or both of the factors described in paragraph 5.12 does
not lead automatically to a conclusion that the information provided by
recognition lacks relevance. Moreover, factors other than those described in
paragraph 5.12 may also affect the conclusion. It may be a combination of
factors and not any single factor that determines whether recognition
provides relevant information.
Existence uncertainty
5.14
Paragraphs 4.13 and 4.35 discuss cases in which it is uncertain whether an
asset or liability exists. In some cases, that uncertainty, possibly combined
with a low probability of inflows or outflows of economic benefits and an
exceptionally wide range of possible outcomes, may mean that the recognition
of an asset or liability, necessarily measured at a single amount, would not
provide relevant information. Whether or not the asset or liability is
recognised, explanatory information about the uncertainties associated with it
may need to be provided in the financial statements.
Low probability of an inflow or outflow of economic benefits
5.15
An asset or liability can exist even if the probability of an inflow or outflow of
economic benefits is low (see paragraphs 4.15 and 4.38).
5.16
If the probability of an inflow or outflow of economic benefits is low, the most
relevant information about the asset or liability may be information about the
magnitude of the possible inflows or outflows, their possible timing and the
factors affecting the probability of their occurrence. The typical location for
such information is in the notes.
5.17
Even if the probability of an inflow or outflow of economic benefits is low,
recognition of the asset or liability may provide relevant information beyond
the information described in paragraph 5.16. Whether that is the case may
depend on a variety of factors. For example:
(a)
if an asset is acquired or a liability is incurred in an exchange
transaction on market terms, its cost generally reflects the probability
of an inflow or outflow of economic benefits. Thus, that cost may be
relevant information, and is generally readily available. Furthermore,
not recognising the asset or liability would result in the recognition of
expenses or income at the time of the exchange, which might not be a
faithful representation of the transaction (see paragraph 5.25(a)).
(b)
if an asset or liability arises from an event that is not an exchange
transaction, recognition of the asset or liability typically results in
recognition of income or expenses. If there is only a low probability
that the asset or liability will result in an inflow or outflow of
economic benefits, users of financial statements might not regard the
recognition of the asset and income, or the liability and expenses, as
providing relevant information.
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Faithful representation
5.18
Recognition of a particular asset or liability is appropriate if it provides not
only relevant information, but also a faithful representation of that asset or
liability and of any resulting income, expenses or changes in equity. Whether
a faithful representation can be provided may be affected by the level of
measurement uncertainty associated with the asset or liability or by other
factors.
Measurement uncertainty
5.19
For an asset or liability to be recognised, it must be measured. In many cases,
such measures must be estimated and are therefore subject to measurement
uncertainty. As noted in paragraph 2.19, the use of reasonable estimates is an
essential part of the preparation of financial information and does not
undermine the usefulness of the information if the estimates are clearly and
accurately described and explained. Even a high level of measurement
uncertainty does not necessarily prevent such an estimate from providing
useful information.
5.20
In some cases, the level of uncertainty involved in estimating a measure of an
asset or liability may be so high that it may be questionable whether the
estimate would provide a sufficiently faithful representation of that asset or
liability and of any resulting income, expenses or changes in equity. The level
of measurement uncertainty may be so high if, for example, the only way of
estimating that measure of the asset or liability is by using cash-flow-based
measurement techniques and, in addition, one or more of the following
circumstances exists:
5.21
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(a)
the range of possible outcomes is exceptionally wide and the
probability of each outcome is exceptionally difficult to estimate.
(b)
the measure is exceptionally sensitive to small changes in estimates of
the probability of different outcomes—for example, if the probability
of future cash inflows or outflows occurring is exceptionally low, but
the magnit…