A Proposed Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements
CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction Paragraphs
Purpose and Status1 2
Scope3 7
Needs of Developing Economies8 11
The Definition of Financial Reporting and
Financial Statements12 17
Users and Their Information Needs18 20
The Purpose of Financial Statements21 24
Financial Position, Performance and Changes
in Financial Position25 29
Notes and Supplementary Schedules30
Underlying Assumptions
Accrual Basis31 32
Going Concern33 34
Periodicity35 36
Qualitative Characteristics of Financial Statements37
Understandability38 39
Relevance40 41
Timeliness42
Materiality43 45
Reliability46 48
Verifiability49
Faithful Representation50 51
Substance over Form52
Neutrality53 54
Prudence55
Completeness56
Comparability57 58
Consistency59 63
Constraints on Relevance and Reliable Information
Timelines- 64
Balance between l1enefil and Cost65 68
Industry Practice-69
Balance between Qualitative Characteristics- 70
True and Fair View- 71
The Elements of Financial Statements72 73
Financial Position74 77
Asset 78 84
Liabilities85 89
Equit90 93
Performance94 98
Income99 102
Expenses103 105
Capital Maintenance Adjustments106
Concepts of Capital and Capital Maintenance
Concepts of Capital107 108
Capital Maintenance Approach Versus
Transaction Approach109 110
Concepts of Capital Maintenance and the
Determination of Profit111 117
Recognition of the Elements of Financial Statements118 120
The Probability of Future Economic Benefit121
Reliability of Measurement122 124
Recognition of Assets125 126
Recognition of Liabilities127
Recognition of Income128 129
Recognition of Expenses130 134
Measurement of the Elements of Financial Statements135 138
LEMBAGA PIAWAIAN PERAKAUNAN MALAYSIA
(Malaysian Accounting Standards Board)
A Framework or the Preparation
and Presentation of Financial Statements
Preface
The globalisation of capital markets has resulted in an increased demand for high quality, internationally comparable financial information. The regulation of capital markets internationally through financial reporting is moving towards a regime where full disclosure of information is imperative.
The MASB in pursuing its objective of continually improving the quality of financial reporting in Malaysia recognises that it is not necessary to duplicate the work already in place internationally in this regard. The International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) seeks to harmonise regulations, accounting standards and procedures relating to the preparation and presentation of financial statements by focusing on financial statements that are prepared for the purpose of providing information that is useful in making economic decisions. However, a point to consider is that International Accounting Standards issued by the IASC should not be used as, or as the basis for, national standards for the sake of harmonisation, if it is not in the best interest of the national economy. Issues, may arise which are particularly significant to a rapidly developing economy, such as Malaysia, and may not be addressed by or may not be in the agenda of, the IASC or the resolution of which may bear potentially adverse effects on the national development. The MASB recognises, therefore, that there may be a need to modify existing International Accounting Standards, or prescribe a national accounting standard in case there is no International Accounting Standard to address the particular accounting issue. This Framework attempts to provide a conceptual framework to address the accounting issues prevalent in a rapidly developing economy.
Additionally, several legislative authorities exist in Malaysia, for example the Registrar of Companies, Bank Negara, The Securities Commission, Inland Revenue Board and several others which prescribe rules and guidelines that impact accounting standards. This conceptual framework provides a basis for reconciling any differences, which may arise between the existing rules and guidelines and accounting standards.
The Framework is similar in all material respects to the IASC's Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements issued in 1989.
Introduction
Purpose and Status
1. This framework sets out the concepts that can lead to consistent financial accounting standards that underlie the preparation and presentation of financial statements for external users and, prescribes the nature, function, and limitations of financial statements. The purpose of the framework is to:
a. assist the MASB in the development of future accounting standards and the review for adoption of existing standards. Accounting standards would be more logical and internally consistent if developed from a coherent system of interrelated objectives and fundamentals. that is, an orderly set of concepts
b. provide a basis for selecting between alternative accounting principles when developing new accounting standards and provide a basis for eliminating any alternative accounting treatments when reviewing existing accounting standards for adoption;
c. enable a focus, on the particular needs of the nation as a whole in the context of its specific stage of economic development;
d. provide a basis for reconciling any differences between existing legislation, guidelines issued by regulatory authorities and existing and proposed accounting standards;
e. assist preparers of financial statements in applying MASB approved accounting standards and in dealing with topics that have yet to form the subject of a MASP standard;
f. assist auditors in forming an opinion as to whether financial statements conform to MASB standards;
g. assist users of financial reports in interpreting the information contained in financial statements prepared in conformity with MASB standards;
h. provide transparency in standard setting because the concepts will guide the MASB in their decision making and also the basis for conclusions would be made explicit;
i. facilitate the communication between the MASB and its constituents because the conceptual basis underlying proposed accounting standards would be more apparent when the MASB seeks comments on them;
j. provide those who are interested in the work of MASB with information about its approach to the formulation of MASB accounting standards.
2. This framework is not a MASB Accounting Standard and hence does not define standards for any particular measurement or disclosure issue. Nothing in this framework overrides any specific MASB accounting standard. The framework will be revised from time to time on the basis of the MASB's experience of working with it.
Scope
3. The framework deals with:
a. the definition of financial statements,
b. the purpose of financial statements
c. the qualitative characteristics that financial information should possess if it is to fulfill the purpose of financial statements,
d. the identification, definition, and establishment of criteria for the recognition of the elements (assets, liabilities, equity, revenues and expenses) of financial statements;
e. concepts of capital and capital maintenance; and
f. the basis for the measurement of the elements of financial statements.
4. The framework is concerned with general purpose financial statements (hereafter referred to as "financial statements") including consolidated financial statements. Such financial statements are prepared and presented at least annually and are directed toward the common information needs of a wide range of users. Some of these users may require, and have the power to obtain, information in addition to that contained in the financial statements. Many users, however, have to rely on the financial statements as their major source of financial information and such financial statements should, therefore, be prepared and presented with their needs in view. Special purpose financial reports, for example, prospectuses and computations prepared for taxation purposes, are outside the scope of this framework. Nevertheless, the framework may be applied in the preparation of such special purpose reports where their requirements permit.
5. The framework applies to the financial statements of all commercial, industrial and business enterprises as specified in the Financial Reporting Act, 1997. [Section.7 subsection (3)].
6. Pursuant to the Financial Reporting Act 1997, all financial statements required to be prepared or lodged under any law and registered by the Securities Commission, the Central Bank, or The Registrar of Companies, must be prepared in accordance with approved accounting standards issued or adopted by the MASB. However, certain enterprises may be exempted from the application of certain standards when it is obvious that the benefits of a particular disclosure rule is far outweighed by the costs of that disclosure, or the particular nature of the entity requires a deviation from the prescribed standard.
7. It is common practice in several countries to exempt smaller entities from compliance with certain standards. Where necessary, exemption can be given to smaller entities in the specific standards. The definition of smaller entities and the operationalisation of these exemptions will be the subject of a separate Technical Guideline.
Needs of A Developing Economy
8. It has been argued in the international literature on accounting in developing economies that although accounting issues may be identical irrespective of the level of development of a nation, there is still a case for the selective treatment of developing countries in view of the different regional and country characteristics.
9. Studies have shown that the impact of certain accounting issues on (or the circumstances of) a developing nation are invariably different from those of the developed countries, due to various factors such as the level of development, the openness of the economy, the level of development of its capital market. Therefore, such special circumstances should always be considered when devising the appropriate accounting standards.
10. Further, it is argued that as accounting issues are important in the context of growth, a developing country should consider whether to (a) allow its accounting to evolve in the way those of developed nations have, or (b) allow its environment to guide the development of its accounting especially as those contingencies which have shaped accounting in developed countries are unlikely to recur in identical sequences and form in developing countries.
11. It is accepted here that, in the context of growth, the issue of evolving for Malaysia a carefully designed strategy for the development of accounting standards as an effective tool to serve its multifarious needs is a major concern.
The Definition of Financial Statements
12. In an attempt to establish a foundation upon which financial accounting standards could be based, the term financial reporting need to be clear. Recognising the characteristics of the environment, financial reporting should provide information:
a. that is useful to present and potential investors and creditors and other users in making rational investment, credit and other similar decisions. The information should be comprehensible to those who have a reasonable e understanding of business and economic activities and are willing to study the information with reasonable diligence;
b. to help present and potential investors and creditors and other users in assessing the amounts, timing, and uncertainty of prospective cash receipts from dividends or interest and the proceeds from the sale, redemption, or maturity of debentures or loans. Since investors' and creditors' cash flows are related to enterprise cash flows, financial reporting should provide information to help investors, creditors and others assess the amounts, timing, and uncertainty of prospective net cash inflows to the reporting enterprise.
c. About the economic resources of that enterprise, the claims to those resources (obligations of the enterprise to transfer resources to other entities and owners' equity), and the effects of transactions, events, and circumstances that change its resources and claims to those resources.
13. In summary, the objectives of financial reporting are to provide (1) information that is useful in investment and credit decisions, (2) information that is useful in assessing cash flow prospects, and (3) information about enterprise resources, claims to those resources, and changes in them.
14. Financial statements are the principal means through which financial information is communicated to those outside an enterprise. But some financial information is better provided, or can be provided only, by means of financial reporting other than formal financial statements, either because it is required by authoritative pronouncement, regulatory rule, or custom, Or because management wishes to disclose it voluntarily.
15. Financial statements, therefore, form part of the process of financial reporting. A complete set of financial statements normally includes a balance sheet, an income statement, a statement of cash flows, and those notes and other statements and explanatory material that are an integral part of the financial statements. They may also include supplementary schedules and information based on or derived from, and expected to be read with, such statements. Such schedules and supplementary information may deal, for example, with financial information about industrial and geographical segments and disclosures about the effects of changing prices.
16. Financial reporting other than financial statements (and related notes) may take various forms and relate to various matters. Common examples are contained in corporate financial or annual reports which include such items as reports by directors, statements by the chairman, discussion and analysis by management.
17. This framework, however, deals with the preparation and presentation of financial statements which is only but one aspect of financial reporting. Others issues relating to financial reporting will be dealt with in a separate Statement.
Users and Their Information Needs
18. The users of financial statements include present and potential investors, employees, lenders, suppliers and other trade creditors, customers, governments and their agencies and the public. They use financial statements in order to satisfy some of their different needs for information. These needs include the following:
a. Investors. The providers of risk capital and their advisers are concerned with the risk inherent in, and return provided by, their investments. They need information to help them determine whether they should buy, hold or sell. Shareholders are also interested in information which enables them to assess the ability of the enterprise to pay dividends.
b. Employees. Employees and their respective groups are interested in information about the stability and profitability of their employers. They are also interested in information which enables them to assess the ability of the enterprise to provide remuneration, retirement benefits and employment opportunities.
c. Lenders. Lenders are interested in information that enables them determine whether their loans, and the interest attaching to them, will be paid when due.
d. Suppliers and other trade creditors, Suppliers and other creditors are interested in information that enables them to determine whether amounts owing to them will be paid when due. Trade creditors are likely to be interested in an enterprise over a shorter period than lenders unless they are dependent upon the continuation of the enterprise as a major customer.
e. Customers. Customers have an interest in information about the continuance of an enterprise, especially when they have a long term involvement with, or are dependent on, the enterprise.
f. Government and their agencies. Government and their agencies are interested in the allocation of resources and, therefore, the activities of enterprises. They also require information in order to regulate the activities of enterprises, determine taxation policies and as the basis for national income and similar statistics.
g. Public. Enterprises affect members of the public in a variety of ways. For example, enterprises may make a substantial contribution to the local economy in many ways including the number of people they employ and their patronage of local suppliers. Financial statements may assist the public by providing information about the trends and recent developments in the prosperity of the enterprise and the range of its activities.
19. While all of the information needs of these users cannot be met by financial statements, there are needs which are common to all users. As investors are providers of risk capital to the enterprise, the provision of financial statements that meet their needs will also meet most of the needs of other users that financial statements can satisfy.
20. The management of an enterprise has the primary responsibility for the preparation and presentation of the financial statements of the enterprise. Management is also interested in the information contained in the financial statements even though it has access to additional management and financial information that helps it carry out its planning, decision making and control responsibilities. Management has the ability to determine the form and content of such additional information n order to meet its own needs. The reporting of such information, however, is beyond the scope of this framework. Nevertheless, published financial statements are based on the information used by management about the financial position, performance and changes in financial position of the enterprise.
The Purpose or Financial Statements
21. Financial statement provide information about the financial position, performance and changes in financial position of' an enterprise that is useful to a wide range of users in making economic decisions.
22. Financial statements prepared for this purpose meet the common needs of' most users. However, financial statements do not provide all the information that users may need to make economic decisions since they largely portray the financial effect of past events and do not necessarily provide non-financial information.
23. Financial statements also show the results of the stewardship of management, or the accountability of management for the resources entrusted to it. Those users who wish to assess the stewardship or accountability of management do so in order that they may make economic decisions; these decisions may include, for example, whether to hold or sell their investment in the enterprise or whether to reappoint or replace the management.
24. Increasingly, it is apparent that socio-economic decisions to address the concerns of a developing economy are also made in reliance on financial statements. Where deemed necessary, financial statements may need to provide information to address these particular concerns.
Financial Position, Performance and Changes in Financial Position
25. The economic decisions that are taken by users of financial statements require an evaluation of the ability of an enterprise to generate cash and cash equivalents and of the timing and certainty of their generation. This ability ultimately determines, for example, the capacity of an enterprise to pay its employees and suppliers, meet interest payments, repay loans and make distributions to its owners. Users are better able to evaluate this ability to generate cash and cash equivalents if they are provided with information that focuses on the financial position, performance and changes in financial position of an enterprise.
26. The financial position of an enterprise is affected by the economic resources it controls, its financial structure, its liquidity and solvency, and its capacity to adapt to changes in the environment in which it operates.
27. Information about the economic resources controlled by the enterprise and capacity in the past to modify these resources is useful in predicting the ability of1hc enterprise to generate cash and cash equivalents in the future,
28. Information about financial structure is useful in predicting future borrowing needs and how future profit and cash flows will be distributed among those with an interest in the enterprise; it is also useful in predicting how successful the enterprise is likely to be in raising further finance.
29. Information about liquidity and solvency is useful in predicting the ability of the enterprise to meet its financial commitments as they fall due. Liquidity refers to the availability of cash in the near future alter taking account of financial commitments over this period. Solvency refers to the availability of cash over the longer term to meet financial commitments as they fall due.
Notes and Supplementary Schedules
30. The financial statements also contain notes and supplementary schedules and other information. For example, they may contain additional information that is relevant to the needs of users about the items in t6 balance sheet and income statement. They may include disclosures about the risks and uncertainties affecting the enterprise and any resources and obligations not recognised in the balance sheet (such as mineral reserves). Information about geographical and industry segments and the effect on the enterprise of changing prices may also be provided in the form of supplementary information.
Underlying Assumptions
Accrual Basis
31. In order to fulfill their purpose, financial statements are prepared on the accrual basis of accounting. Under this basis, the effects of transactions and other events are recognised when they occur (and not as cash or its equivalent is received or paid) and they are recorded in the accounting records and reported in the financial statements of the period to which they relate.
32. Financial statements prepared on the accrual basis inform users not only of past transactions involving the payment and receipt of cash but also of obligations to pay cash in the future and of resources that represent cash to be received in the future. Hence, they provide the type of information about past transactions and other events that is most UU11 to users in making economic decisions.
Going Concern
33. The financial statements are normally prepared on the assumption that an enterprise is a going concern and will continue in operation for the foreseeable future. Hence, it is assumed that the enterprise has neither the intention nor the need to liquidate or curtail materially the scale of its operations; if such an intention or need exists, the financial statements may have to be prepared on a different basis and, if so, the basis used is disclosed.
34. The implications of adopting this assumption are critical. Acceptance of this assumption provides credibility to the historical cost principle, which would be of limited usefulness if eventual liquidation were assumed. Only if one assumes some permanence to the enterprise are depreciation and amortisation policies and the application of the historical cost basis in contrast to net realisable values justifiable and appropriate.
Periodicity Assumption
35. The periodicity assumption simply implies that the economic activities of an enterprise can be divided into arbitrary time periods. These time periods vary, but the most common are monthly, quarterly, and yearly. Because of the need to divide continuous operations into arbitrary time periods, it is necessary to determine the relevance of each business transaction or event to one specific accounting period.
36. Because of the problems of allocation, a month's results are usually less reliable than a quarter's results, and a quarter's results are likely to be less reliable than a year's results. Hence, this presents an interesting example of the trade-off between relevance and reliability in preparing financial data. Investors desire and demand that information be quickly processed and disseminated; yet the quicker the information is released, the more subject it is to estimates and time-based allocations.
Qualitative Characteristics of Financial Statements
37. As the purpose of financial statements is to provide information that is useful for making economic decisions, the overriding criterion by which accounting choices can be judged is that of decision usefulness, that is, providing information that is the most useful for decision-making. Four principle qualitative characteristics of accounting information are identified that distinguish better (more useful) information from inferior (less useful) information for decision-making. These are understandability, relevance, reliability and comparability.
Understandability
38. Decision makers vary widely in the types of decisions they make, the methods of decision-making they employ, the information they already possess or can obtain from other sources, and their ability to process the information. As such, for information to be Useful there must be a connection (linkage) between these users and the decisions they make. This linkage is served by the communication of appropriate information in understandable form.
39. This link, understandability, is the quality of information that permits reasonably informed users to perceive its significance. For this purpose, users are assumed to have a reasonable knowledge of business and economic activities and accounting and a willingness to study the information with reasonable diligence. However, information about complex matters that should be included in the financial statements because of its relevance to the economic decision-making needs of users should not be excluded merely on the grounds that it may be too difficult for certain users to understand.
Relevance
40. To be useful, information must be relevant to the decision-making needs of users. To be relevant, accounting information must be capable of making a difference in a decision, by either providing information not provided elsewhere, reinforcing information provided elsewhere, or even correcting such other information contained elsewhere. Information has the quality of relevance when it influences the economic decisions of users by helping them evaluate past, present or future events (predictive value) or confirming, or correcting, their past evaluations (feedback value).
41. Information about financial position and past performance is frequently used as the basis for predicting future financial position and performance and other matters in which users are directly interested such as dividend and wage payments, security price movements and the ability of the enterprise to meet its commitments as they fall due. To have predictive value, information need not be in the form of an explicit forecast.
The ability to make predictions from financial statement is enhanced, however, by the manner in which information on past transactions and events is displayed. For example the predictive value of' the income statement is enhanced if unusual, abnormal and infrequent items of income or expenses are separately disclosed.
Timeliness
42. It follows that for information to be relevant, it must also be available to decision makers before it loses its capacity to influence [heir decisions. Therefore, for information to be relevant, it must be presented on a timely basis.
Materiality
43. An item is material if its inclusion or omission would influence or change the judgment of a reasonable user. It is material and, therefore, relevant if' its inclusion or omission would have an impact on the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the financial statements.
44. The relevance of information is affected by its nature and materiality. In some cases, the nature of- information alone is sufficient to determine its relevance For example, the reporting of a new segment may affect the assessment of the risks and opportunities facing the enterprise irrespective of the materiality of' the results achieved by the new segment in the reporting period. In other cases, both the nature and materiality are important, for example, the amounts of' inventories held in each of the main categories that are appropriate to the business.
45. Materiality depends on the size of the item or error judged in the particular circumstances of its omission or misstatement. Thus, materiality provides a threshold or cut-off point rather than being a primary qualitative characteristic which information must have if it is to be useful.
Reliability
46. Accounting information is reliable to the extent that users can depend on it to represent the economic conditions or events that it purports to represent. Reliability is the quality of information that gives assurance that it is reasonably free of error and bias and can be depended upon by users to represent faithfully that which it either purports to represent or could reasonably be expected to represent.
47. Information may be relevant but so unreliable in nature or representation that its 'recognition may be potentially misleading. For example, if the validity and amount of a claim for damages under a legal action are disputed, it may be inappropriate for the enterprise to recognise the full amount of the claim in the balance sheet, although it may be appropriate to disclose the amount and circumstances of the claim.
48. To be reliable, accounting information must possess six key characteristics: verifiability, faithful representation, substance over form, neutrality, prudence, and completeness.
Verifiability
49. Verifiability is demonstrated when a high degree of' consensus can be secured among independent measures using the same measurement methods.
Faithful Representation
50. To be reliable, information must represent faithfully the transactions and other events it either purports to represent or could reasonably be expected to represent. Representational faithfulness means correspondence or agreement between the accounting numbers and descriptions and the resources or events that these numbers and descriptions purport to represent. Thus, for example, a balance sheet should represent faithfully the transactions and other events that result in assets, liabilities and equity of the enterprise at the reporting date which meet the recognition criteria.
51. Most financial information is subject to some risk of being less than a faithful representation of that which it purports to portray. This is not due to bias, but rather to inherent difficulties either in identifying the transactions and other events to be measured or in devising and applying measurement and presentation techniques that can convey messages that correspond with those transactions and events. In certain cases, the measurement of the financial effects of items could be so uncertain that enterprises generally would not recognise them in the financial statements, for example, although most enterprises generate goodwill internally over time, it is usually difficult to identify or measure that goodwill reliably. In other cases, however, it may be relevant to recognise items and disclose the risk of error surrounding their recognition and measurement.
Substance over Form
52. If information is to represent faithfully the transactions awl other events that it purports to represent, it is necessary that they are accounted for and presented in accordance with their substance and economic reality and not merely their legal form. The substance of' transactions or other events is not always consistent with that which is apparent from their legal or contrived form. For example, an enterprise may dispose of' an asset to another party in such a way that the documentation purports to Pass legal ownership to that party; nevertheless, agreements may exist that ensure that the enterprise continues to enjoy the future economic benefits embodied in the asset. In such circumstances, the reporting of a sale would not represent faithfully the transaction entered into (if indeed there was a transaction).
Neutrality
53. To be reliable, the information contained in financial statements must be neutral, that is, free from bias. Financial statements are not neutral it', by the selection or presentation of information, they influence the making of a decision or judgment in order to achieve a predetermined result or outcome. The Purist version of neutrality means that in formulating or in implementing accounting standards, the primary concern should be the relevance and reliability of the information results, not the economic consequences of the standard or rule, i.e. if information is reliable, it must be neutral, that is, it cannot be selected to favour one set of interested parties over another. However, it is argued by some quarters that this purist definition of neutrality is sometimes harmful if applied to certain circumstances within less developed or less mature economies. These arguments suggest that the broader socio-economic situation can be adversely affected by run-away contagion or "pygmallion" effects of accounting information that is purported to be neutral in the purist sense and that therefore, such effects themselves render such information not neutral.
54. Therefore, in view of the particular concern with addressing the needs of a developing economy, it is inevitable that due consideration be given to economic consequences of the standard and its implications for the national interest. However, it is accepted here that the provision of information in the financial statements should be governed by its relevance and reliability and not its economic consequence for the entity.
Prudent
55. The preparers of financial statements do, however, have to contend with the uncertainties that inevitably surround many events and circumstances, such as the collectability of doubtful receivables, the probable useful life of plant and equipment and the number of 'warranty claims that may occur. Such uncertainties are recognised by the disclosure of their nature and extent and by the exercise of prudence in the preparation of the financial statements. Prudence is the inclusion of a degree of caution in the exercise of the judgments needed in making the estimates required under conditions of uncertainty, such that assets or income are not overstated and liabilities or expenses are not understated. However, the exercise of prudence does not allow, for example, the creation of hidden reserves or excessive provisions, the deliberate overstatement of liabilities or expenses, because the financial statements would not be neutral and, therefore, not have the quality of reliability.
Completeness
56. To be reliable, the information in financial statements must be complete within the bounds of materiality and cost. An omission can cause information to be false or misleading and thus unreliable and deficient in terms of its relevance.
Comparability
57. Information that has been measured and reported in a similar manner for different enterprises is considered comparable. Comparability enables users to identify the real similarities and differences in economic phenomena because these differences and similarities have not been obscured by the use of noncom parable methods of accounting. Resource allocation decisions involve evaluation of alternatives, and a valid evaluation can be made only if comparable information is available.
58. Additionally, users must be able to compare the financial statements of an enterprise through time in order to identify trends in its financial position and performance. Hence, the measurement and display of the financial effect of like transactions and other events must be carried out in a consistent way throughout an enterprise and over time for that enterprise and in a consistent way for different enterprises.
Consistency
59. When an enterprise applies the same accounting treatment front period to period to similar accountable events, the enterprise is said to be consistent in its use of accounting standards. Consistency, therefore, means 1hat a company applies the same methods to similar accountable events front period to period; it does not mean that enterprises cannot change from one method of accounting to another. However, if such a change is adopted, the effects should be applied retrospectively to past information in order to render it consistent when compared against.
60. An important implication of the qualitative characteristic of comparability is that users be informed of' the accounting policies employed in the preparation of the financial statements, any changes in those policies and the effects of such changes. Users need to be able to identify differences between the accounting policies for like transactions and other events used by the enterprise from period to period and by different enterprises. Compliance with International Accounting Standards, including the disclosure of the accounting policies used by the enterprise helps achieve comparability.
61. The need for comparability should not be confused with mere uniformity and should not be allowed to become an impediment to the introduction of improved accounting standards. It is not appropriate for an enterprise to continue accounting in the same manner for a transaction or other event if the policy adopted is not in keeping with the qualitative characteristics of relevance and reliability. It is also inappropriate for an enterprise to leave its accounting policies unchanged when more relevant and reliable alternatives exist.
62. Users wish to compare the financial position, performance and changes in financial position of an enterprise over time, it is important That the financial statements show corresponding information for the preceding periods.
63. In summary, accounting information for any given period is useful in itself, but it is more useful if it can be co pared with information from other enterprises and with similar information of the same enterprise for the preceding periods.
Constraints on Relevant and Reliable Information
Timeliness
64. If there is undue delay in the reporting of information it may lose its relevance. Management may need to balance the relative merits of timely reporting and the provision of reliable information. To provide information on a timely basis if may often be necessary to report before all aspects of a transaction or events are known, thus impairing reliability. Conversely, if reporting is delayed until all aspects are known, the information may be highly reliable but of little use to users who have had to make decisions in the interim. In achieving a balance between relevance and reliability, the overriding consideration is how best to satisfy the economic decision-making needs of users.
Balance between Benefit and Cost
65. Too often, users assume that information is a cost free commodity. But preparers and providers of accounting information know that it is not. The costs of providing the information must be weighed against the benefits that can be derived from using the information. The balance between benefit and cost is a pervasive constraint rather than a qualitative characteristic. The benefits derived from information should exceed the cost of providing it.
66. Only recently have standard setting bodies resorted to cost-benefit analysis before making their informational requirements final. In order to justify requiring a particular measurement or disclosure, the benefits perceived to be derived from it must exceed the costs perceived to be associated with it.
67. The evaluation of benefits and costs is, however, substantially a judgmental process. The difficulty in cost-benefit analysis is that the costs and especially the benefits are not always evident or measurable. The costs are of several kinds, including costs of collecting and processing, costs of disseminating, costs of auditing, costs of potential litigation, costs of disclosure to competitors, and costs of analysis and interpretation. Furthermore, the costs do not necessarily fall on those users who enjoy the benefits.
68. Benefits accrue both to preparers that is, in terms of greater efficiency, control and financing) and to users (in terms of allocation of resources, tax assessment, and rate regulation) but they are generally more difficult to quantity than are costs. Benefits may also be enjoyed by users other than those for whom the information is prepared; for example, the provision of further information to lenders may reduce the borrowing costs of an enterprise. Because costs are immediately measurable but the benefits are not as readily apparent, it is difficult to apply a cost-benefit test in any particular case. Among both the providers and the users of accounting information there are those who believe that the cost associated with implementing certain standards is too high when compared with the benefits received. Despite, increasing demand for cost-benefit analysis as part of the accounting standards development process, standard setters in particular, as well as the preparers and users of financial statements should be aware of this constraint.
Industry Practice
69. Another practical consideration, which sometimes requires departure from basic theory, is the peculiar nature of some industries and business concerns. For example, banks often report certain investment securities at market value because these securities are traded frequently, and many believe a cash equivalent price provides a more useful information. Such variations from basic theory are not many; yet they do exist, and so, whenever something appears to be a violation of basic accounting theory, it is appropriate to determine whether it is explained by some peculiar feature of the type of business involved before being too critical of the procedures followed.
Balance Between Qualitative Characteristics
70. In practice a balancing, or trade-off, between qualitative characteristics is often necessary. Generally the aim is to achieve an appropriate balance among characteristics in order to fulfill the purpose of financial statements. The relative importance of the characteristics in different cases is a matter of professional judgment.
True and Fair View
71. Financial statements are required to show a true and fair view of, the financial position, performance and changes in financial position of an enterprise. Although this framework does not deal directly with this concept, the application of the principal qualitative characteristics and of appropriate accounting standards normally results in financial statements that convey what is generally understood as a true and fair view of such information.
The elements of Financial Statements
72. Financial statements portray the financial effects of transactions and other events by grouping them into broad classes according to their economic characteristics. These broad classes are termed the elements of financial statements. The elements directly related to the measurement of financial position in the balance sheet are assets, liabilities and equity. The elements directly related to the measurement of performance in the income statement are income and expenses. The statement of changes in financial position usually reflects income statement elements and changes in balance sheet elements; accordingly the framework identifies no elements that are unique to this statement.
73. The presentation of these elements in the balance sheet and the income statement involves a process of sub-classification. For example, assets and liabilities may be classified by their nature or function in the business of the enterprise in order to display information in the manner most useful to users for purposes of making economic decisions.
Financial Position
74. The elements directly related to the measurement of financial position are assets, liabilities and equity. These are defined as follows:
a. An asset is a resource controlled by the enterprise as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the enterprise.
b. A liability is a present obligation of the enterprise arising from past events, the settlement of which is expected to result in an outflow from the enterprise of resources embodying economic benefits.
c. Equity is the residual interest in the assets of the enterprise after deducting all its liabilities.
75. The definitions of an asset and a liability identify their essential features but do not attempt to specify the criteria that need to be met before they are recognised in the balance sheet. Thus, the definitions embrace items that are not recognised as assets or liabilities in the balance sheet because they do not satisfy the criteria for recognition discussed in paragraphs 119 to 135. In particular, the expectation that future economic benefits will flow to or from an enterprise must be sufficiently certain to meet the probability criterion in paragraph 120 before an asset or liability is recognised.
76. In assessing whether an item meets the definition of an asset, liability or equity, attention needs to be given to its underlying substance and economic reality and not merely its legal form. Thus, for example, in the case of finance leases, the substance and economic reality are that the lessee acquires the economic benefits of the use of the leased asset for the major part of its useful life in return for entering into an obligation to pay for that right an amount approximating to the fair value of the asset and the related finance charge. Hence, the finance lease gives rise to items that satisfy the definition of an asset and a liability and are recognised as such in the lessee's balance sheet.
77. Balance sheets drawn up in accordance with current International Accounting Standards and Malaysian Accounting Standards may include items that do not satisfy the definitions of an asset or liability and are not shown as part of equity. The definitions set out in paragraph 75 will, however, underlie future reviews of extant International Accounting Standards and Malaysian Accounting Standards and the formulation of' further MASB Standards.
Assets
78. The future economic benefit embodied in an asset is the potential to contribute, directly or indirectly, to the flow of cash and cash equivalents to the enterprise. The potential may be a productive one that is part of the operating activities of the enterprise. It may also take the form of' convertibility into cash or cash equivalents or a capacity to reduce cash outflows, such as when an alternative manufacturing process lowers tile costs of production.
79. An enterprise usually employs its assets to produce goods or services capable of satisfying the wants or needs of customers; because these goods or services can satisfy these wants or needs, customers are prepared to pay for them and hence contribute to the cash flow of the enterprise. Cash itself renders a service to the enterprise because of its command over other resources.
80. The future benefits embodied in an asset may flow to the enterprise in a number of ways. For example, an asset may be: used singly or in combination with other assets in the production
a. of goods or services to be sold by the enterprise;
b. exchanged for other assets;
c. used to settle a liability; or
d. distributed to the owners of the enterprise.
81. Many assets, for example, property, plant and equipment, have a physical form. However, physical form is not essential to the existence of an asset; hence patents and copyrights, for example, are assets if future economic benefits are expected to flow from them to the enterprise and if they are controlled by the enterprise.
82. Many assets, for example, receivables and property, arc associated with legal rights, including the right of ownership. In determining the existence of' an asset, the right of ownership is not essential; thus, for example, property held on a lease is an asset if the enterprise controls the benefits which are expected to now from the property. Although the capacity of an enterprise to control benefits is usually the result of legal rights, an item may nonetheless satisfy the definition of an asset even when there is no legal control. For example, know-how obtained from a development activity may meet the definition of an asset when, by keeping that know-how secret, an enterprise controls the benefits that are expected to flow from it.
83. The assets of an enterprise result from past transactions or other past events. Enterprises normally obtain assets by purchasing or producing them, but other transactions or events may generate assets; examples include property received by an enterprise from government as part of a programme to encourage economic growth in an area and the discovery of mineral deposits. Transactions or events expected to occur in the future do not in themselves give rise to assets; hence, for example, an intention to purchase inventory does not, of itself, meet the definition of an asset.
84. There is a close association between incurring expenditure and generating assets but the two do not necessarily coincide. Hence, when an enterprise incurs expenditure, this may provide evidence that future economic benefits were sought but is not conclusive proof that an item satisfying the definition of an asset has been obtained. Similarly, the absence of a related expenditure does not preclude an item from satisfying the definition of an asset and thus becoming a candidate for recognition in the balance sheet; for example, items that have been donated to the enterprise may satisfy the definition of an asset.
Liabilities
85. An essential characteristic of a liability is that the enterprise has a present obligation. An obligation is a duty or responsibility to act or perform in a certain way. An obligation may be legally enforceable as a consequence of a binding contract or statutory requirement. This is normally the case, for example, with amounts payable for goods and services received. Obligations also arise, however, from normal business practice, custom and a desire to maintain good business relations or act in an equitable manner. If, for example, an enterprise decides as a matter of policy to rectify faults in its products even when these become apparent after the warranty period has expired, the amounts that are expected to be expended in respect of goods already sold are liabilities.
86. A distinction needs to be drawn between a present obligation and a future commitment. A decision by the management of an enterprise to acquire assets in the future does not, of itself, give rise to a present obligation. An obligation normally arises only when the asset is delivered or the enterprise enters into an irrevocable agreement to acquire the asset. In the faller case, the irrevocable nature of the agreement means that the economic consequences of failing to honour the obligation, for example, because of the existence of a substantial penalty, leave the enterprise with little, if any, discretion to avoid die outflow of resources to another party.
87. The settlement of a present obligation usually involves the enterprise giving up resources embodying economic benefits in order to satisfy the claim of the other party. Settlement of a present obligation may occur in a number of ways, for example, by:
a. payment of cash;
b. transfer of other assets;
c. provision of services;
d. replacement of that obligation with another obligation; or
e. conversion of the obligation to equity
An obligation may also be extinguished by other means, such as a creditor waiving or forfeiting its rights.
88. Liabilities result from past transactions or other past events. Thus, for example, the acquisition of goods and the use of services give rise to trade payables (unless paid for in advance or on delivery) and the receipt of a bank loan results in an obligation to repay the loan. An enterprise may also recognise future rebates based on annual purchases by customers as liabilities; in this case, the sale of goods in the past is the transaction that gives rise to the liability.
89. Some liabilities can be measured only by using a substantial degree of estimation. Some enterprises describe these liabilities as provisions. In some countries, such provisions are not regarded as liabilities because the condition of a liability is defined narrowly so as to include only amounts that can be established without the need to make estimates. The definition of a liability on paragraph 75 follows a broader approach. Thus when a provision involves a present obligation and satisfies the rest of' the definition, it is a liability even if the amount has to be estimated. Examples include provisions for payments to be made under existing warranties and provisions to cover pension obligations.
Equity
90. Although equity is defined in paragraph 75 as a residual, it may be sub-classified in the balance sheet. For example, in a corporate enterprise, funds contributed by shareholders, retained profits, reserves representing appropriations of retained profits and reserves capital maintenance adjustments may be shown separately. Such classifications can be relevant to the decision-making needs of the users of financial statements when they indicate legal or other restrictions on the ability of the enterprise to distribute or otherwise apply its equity. They may also reflect the fact that parties with ownership interests in an enterprise have differing rights in relation to the receipt of dividends or the repayment of capital.
91. The creation of reserves is sometimes required by statute or other law in order to give the enterprise and its creditors an added measure of protection from the effects of losses. Other reserves may be established if tax laws grants exemptions from, or reductions in, taxation liabilities when transfers to such reserves are made. The existence and size of these legal, statutory and tax reserves is information that can be relevant to the decision-making needs of users. Transfers to such reserves are appropriations of retained profits rather than expenses.
92. The amount at which equity is shown in the balance sheet is dependent on the measurement of assets and liabilities. Normally, the aggregate amount of equity only by coincidence corresponds with the aggregate market value of the shares of the enterprise or the sum that could be raised by disposing of either the net assets on a piecemeal basis or the enterprise as a whole on a going concern basis.
93. Commercial, industrial and business activities are often undertaken by means of enterprises such as sole proprietorships, partnerships and trusts and various types of government business undertakings. The legal and regulatory framework of such enterprises is often different from that applying to corporate enterprises. For example, they may be few, if any, restrictions on the distribution to owners or other beneficiaries of amounts included in equity. Nevertheless, the definition of equity and the other aspects of this framework that deal with equity are appropriate for such
Performance
94. Profit is frequently used as a measure of performance or as the basis for other measures, such as return on investment or earnings per share. The elements directly related to the measurement of profit are income and expenses. The recognition and measurement of income and expenses, and hence profit, depends in part on the concepts of capital and capital maintenance used by the enterprise in preparing its financial statements. These concepts are discussed in paragraphs 108 to 118.
95. The elements of income and expenses are defined as follows:
a. Income is increases in economic benefits during the accounting period in the form of inflows or enhancements of assets or decreases of liabilities that result in increases in equity, other than those relating to contributions from equity participants.
b. Expenses are decreases in economic benefits during the accounting period in the form of outflows or depletions of assets or incurrences of liabilities that result in decreases in equity, other than those relating to distributions to equity participants.
96. The definitions of income and expenses identify their essential features but do not attempt to specify the criteria that would need to be met before they are recognised in the income statement. Criteria for the recognition of income and expenses are discussed in paragraphs 129 to 135.
97. Income and expenses may be presented in the income statement in different ways so as to provide information that is relevant for economic decision-making. For example, it is common practice to distinguish between those items of income and expenses that arise in the course of the ordinary activities of the enterprise and those that do not. This distinction is made on the basis that the source of an item is relevant in evaluating the ability of the enterprise to generate cash and cash equivalents in the future; for example, incidental activities such as the disposal of a long-term investment are unlikely to recur on a regular basis. When distinguishing between items in this way consideration needs to be given to the nature of the enterprise and its operations. Items that arise from the ordinary activities of one enterprise may be unusual in respect of another.
98. Distinguishing between items of income and expense and combining them in different ways also permits several measures of enterprise performance to be displayed. These have differing degrees of inclusiveness. For example, income statement could display gross margin, profit from ordinary activities before taxation, profit from ordinary activities after taxation, and net profit.
Income
99. The definition of income encompasses both revenue and gains. Revenue arises in the course of the ordinary activities of an enterprise and is referred to by a variety of different names including sales, fees, interest, dividends, royalties and rent.
100. Gains represent other items that meet the definition of income and may, or may not, arise in the course of the ordinary activities of an enterprise. However, this framework considers certain gains separately within the ambit of Capital Maintenance Adjustments.
101. Gains include, for example, those arising on the disposal of non-current assets. The definition of income also includes unrealised gains; for example, those arising on the revaluation of marketable securities and those resulting from increases in the carrying amount of long term assets. When gains are recognised in the income statements, they are usually displayed separately because knowledge of them is useful for the purpose of making economic decisions. Gains are often reported net of related expenses.
102. Various kinds of assets may be received or enhanced by income; examples include cash, receivables and goods and services received in exchange for goods and services supplied. Income may also result from the settlement of liabilities. For example, an enterprise may provide goods and services to a lender in settlement of an obligation to repay an outstanding loan.
Expenses
103. The definition of expenses encompasses losses as well as those expenses that arise in the course of the ordinary activities of the enterprise. Expenses that arise in the course of the ordinary activities of the enterprise include, for example, cost of sales, wages and depreciation. They usually take the form of an outflow or depletion of assets such as cash and cash equivalents, inventory, property, plant and equipment.
104. Losses represent other items that meet the definition of expenses and may, or may not, arise in the course of the ordinary activities of the enterprise. Losses represent decreases in economic benefits and as such they are no different in nature from other expenses. Hence, they are not regarded as a separate element in this framework.
105. Losses include, for example, those resulting from disasters such as fire and flood, as well as those arising on the disposal of non-current assets. The definition of expenses also includes unrealistic losses, for example, those arising from the effects of increases in the rate of exchange for a foreign currency in respect of the borrowings of an enterprise in that currency. When losses are recognised in the income statement, they are usually displayed separately because knowledge of them is useful for the purpose of making economic decisions. Losses are often reported net of related income.
Capital Maintenance Adjustments
106. The revaluation or restatement of assets and liabilities gives rise to increases or decreases in equity. While these increases or decreases meet the definition of income and expenses, they are not included in the income statement under certain concepts of capital maintenance. Instead these items are included in equity as capital maintenance adjustments or revaluation reserves.
Concepts of Capital and Capital Maintenance
Concepts of Capital
107. A financial concept of capital is adopted by most enterprises in preparing their financial statements. Under a financial concept of capital, such as invested money or invested purchasing power, capital is synonymous with the net assets or equity of the enterprise. Under a physical concept of capital, such as operating capability, capital is regarded as the productive capacity of the enterprise based on, for example, units of output per day.
108. The selection of the appropriate concept of capital by an enterprise should be based on the needs of the users of its financial statements. Thus financial concept of capital should be adopted if the users of financial statements are primarily concerned with the maintenance of nominal invested capital or the purchasing power of invested capital. If, however, the main concern of' users is with the operating capability of the enterprise, a physical concept of capital should be used. The concept chosen indicates the goal to be attained in determining profit, even though they may be some measurement difficulties in making the concept operational.
Capital Maintenance Approach versus Transaction Approach
109. The capital maintenance approach (also referred to as the change in equity approach) measures income by taking the difference between the net assets or capital values between two points of time. An alternative procedure measures basic income related transactions that occur during a period and summarises them in an income statement. This is the traditional approach called the transaction approach.
110. Following from the capital maintenance approach, a fairly recent concept that has been discussed is that of comprehensive income which is defined as the increase in the amount of net assets resulting from transactions and other events and circumstances occurring during a period of time (excluding the effects of investments and distributions to owners). The comprehensive income approach is an "all inclusive" concept of income, under which all changes in net assets (except certain transactions with owners) are reported as part of income.
Concepts of Capital Maintenance and the Determination of Profit
111. The concepts on capital and capital maintenance are currently being discussed in the international arena. It is necessary at this stage to acknowledge various thoughts being presented in particularly addressing the issue of financial performance reporting.
112. The concepts of capital in paragraph 101 give rise to the following concepts of capital maintenance:
a. Financial capital maintenance. Under this concept a profit is earned only if the financial (or money) amount of the net assets at the end of the period exceeds the financial (or money) amount of net assets at the beginning of the period, after excluding any distributions to, and contributions from, owners during the period. Financial capital maintenance can be measured in either nominal monetary units or units of constant purchasing power.
b. Physical capital maintenance. Under this concept a profit is earned only if the physical productive capacity (or operating capability) of the enterprise (or the resources or funds needed to achieve that capacity) at the end of the period exceeds the physical productive capacity at the beginning of the period, after excluding any distributions to, and contributions from, owners during the period.
113. The concept of capital maintenance is concerned with how in enterprise defines the capital that it seeks to maintain. It provides the breakage between tile concepts of capital and the concepts of profit because it provides the point of reference by which profit is measured; it is a prerequisite for distinguishing between an enterprise's return on capital and its return of capital; only inflows of assets in excess of amounts needed to maintain capital may be regarded as profit and therefore as a return on capital, Hence, profits the residual amount that remains after expenses (including capital maintenance adjustments, where appropriate) have been deducted from income. If expenses exceed income the residual amount is a net loss.
114. The physical capital maintenance concept requires the adoption of the current cost basis of measurement. The financial capital maintenance concept, however, does not require the use of a particular basis of measurement. Selection of the basis under this concept is dependent on the type of financial capital that the enterprise is seeking to maintain.
115. The principal difference between the two concepts of capital maintenance is the treatment of the effects of changes in the prices of assets and liabilities of the enterprise. In general terms, an enterprise has maintained its capital if it has as much capital at the end of the period as it had at the beginning of the period. Any amount over and above that required to maintain the capital at the beginning of the period is profit.
116. Under the concept of financial capital maintenance where capital is defined in terms of nominal monetary units, profit represents the increase in nominal money capital over the period, conventionally referred to as holding gains, are conceptually, profits. They may not be recognised as such, until the assets are disposed of in an exchange transaction. When the concept of financial capital maintenance is defined in terms of constant purchasing power units, profits represents the increase in invested purchasing power over the period. Thus, only that part of the increase in the prices of assets that exceeds the increase in the general level of prices is regarded as profit. The rest of the increase is treated as a capital maintenance adjustment and, hence, as part of equity.
117. Under the concept of physical capital maintenance when capital is defined in terms of the physical productive capacity, profit represents the increase in that capital over the period. All price changes affecting the assets and liabilities of the enterprise are viewed as changes in the measurement of the physical productive capacity of the enterprise; hence, they are treated as capital maintenance adjustments that are part of equity and not as profit.
Recognition of the Elements of Financial Statements
118. Recognition is the process of incorporating in the balance sheet or income statement an item that meets the definition of an element and satisfies the criteria for recognition set out in paragraph 113. It involves the depiction of the item in words and by a monetary amount and the inclusion of that amount in the balance sheet or income statement totals. Items that satisfy the recognition criteria should be recognised in the balance sheet or income statement. The failure to recognise such items is not rectified by disclosure of the accounting policies used nor by notes or explanatory material.
119. An item that meets the definition of an element should be recognised if:
a. it is probable that any future economic benefit associated with the item will flow to or from the enterprise; and
b. the item has a cost or value that can be measured with reliability.
120. In assessing whether an item meets these criteria and therefore qualifies for recognition in the financial statements, regard needs to be given to the materiality considerations discussed in paragraphs 38 to 40. The interrelationship between the elements means that an item that meets the definition and recognition criteria for a particular element, for example, an asset, automatically requires the recognition of another element, for example, income or a liability.
The Probability of Future Economic Benefit
121. The concept of probability is used in the recognition criteria to refer to the degree of uncertainty that the future economic benefits associated with the item will flow to or from the enterprise. The concept is in keeping with the uncertainty that characterises the environment in which an enterprise operates. Assessments of the degree of uncertainty attaching to the flow of future economic benefits are made on the basis of the evidence available when the financial statements are prepared. For example, when it is probable that a receivable owed by an enterprise will be paid, it is then justifiable, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, to recognise the receivable as an asset. For a large population of receivables, however, some degree of non-payment is normally considered probable; hence an expense representing the expected reduction in economic benefits is recognised.
Reliability of Measurement
122. The second criterion for the recognition of an item is that it possesses a cost or value that can be measured with reliability as discussed in paragraphs - to - of this framework. In many cases, cost or value must be estimated; the use of reasonable estimates is an essential part of the preparation of financial statements and dose not undermine their reliability. When, however, a reasonable estimate cannot be made the item is not recognised in the balance sheet or income statement. For example, the expected proceeds from a lawsuit may meet the definitions of both an asset and income as well as the probability criterion for recognition; however, if it is not possible for the claim to be measured reliably, it should not be recognised as an asset or as income; the existence of the claim, however, would be disclosed in the notes, explanatory material or supplementary schedules.
123. An item that, at a particular point of time, fails to meet the recognition criteria in paragraph 113 may qualify for recognition at a later date as a result of subsequent circumstances or events.
124. An item that possesses the essential characteristics of an element but fails to meet the criteria for recognition may nonetheless warrant disclosure in the notes, explanatory material or in supplementary schedules. This is appropriate when knowledge of the item is considered to be relevant to the evaluation of the financial position, performance and changes in financial position of an enterprise by the users of financial statements.
Recognition of Assets
125. An asset is recognised in the balance sheet when it is probable that the future economic benefits will flow to the enterprise and the asset has a cost or value that can be measured reliably.
126. An asset is not recognised in the balance sheet when expenditure has been incurred for which it is considered improbable that economic benefits will flow to the enterprise beyond the current accounting period. Instead such a transaction results in the recognition of an expense in the income statement. This treatment does not imply either that the intention of management in incurring expenditure was other than to generate future economic benefits for the enterprise or that management was misguided. The only implication is that the degree of certainty that economic benefits will flow to the enterprise beyond the current accounting period is insufficient to warrant the recognition of an asset.
Recognition of Liabilities
127. A liability is recognised in the balance sheet when it is probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will result from the settlement of a present obligation and the amount at which the settlement will take place can be measured reliably. In practice, obligations under contracts that are equally proportionately unperformed (for example, liabilities for inventory ordered -but not yet received) are generally not recognised as liabilities in the financial statements. However, such obligations may meet the definition of liabilities and, provided the recognition criteria are met in the particular circumstances, may qualify for recognition. In such circumstances, recognition of liabilities entails recognition of related assets or expenses.
Recognition of Income
128. Income is recognised in the income statement when an increase in future economic benefits related to an increase in an asset or a decrease of a liability has arisen that can be measured reliably. This means, in effect, that recognition of income occurs simultaneously with the recognition of increases in assets or decreases in liabilities (for example, the net increase in assets arising on a sale of goods or services or the decrease in liabilities arising from the waiver of a debt payable)
129. The procedures normally adopted in practice for recognising income, for example, the requirement that revenue should be earned, are applications of the recognition criteria in this framework. Such procedures are generally directed at restricting the recognition as income to those items that can be measured reliably and have a sufficient degree of certainty.
Recognition of Expenses
130. Expenses are recognised in the income statement when a decrease in future economic benefits related to a decrease in an asset or an increase of a liability has arisen that can be measured reliably. This means, in effect, that recognition of expenses occurs simultaneously with the recognition of an increase in liabilities or a decrease in assets (for example, the accrual of employee entitlements or the depreciation of equipment).
131. Expenses are recognised in the income statement on the basis of a direct association between the costs incurred and the earning of specific items of income. This process, commonly referred to as the matching of costs with revenues, involves the simultaneous or combined recognition of revenues and expenses that result directly and jointly from the same transactions or other events; for example, the various components of' expense making up the cost of goods sold arc recognised at the same time as the income derived from the sale of goods. However, the application of the matching concept under this framework does not allow the recognition of items in the balance sheet which do not meet the definition of assets or liabilities.
132. When economic benefits are expected to arise over several accounting periods and the association with income can only be broadly or indirectly determined, expenses are recognised in the income statement on the basis of systematic and rational allocation procedures. This is often necessary in recognising the expenses associated with the using up of assets, such as properly, plant, equipment, goodwill, patents and trademarks; in such cases the expense is referred to as depreciation or amortisation. These allocation procedures are intended to recognise expenses in the accounting periods in which the economic benefits associated with these items are consumed or expire.
133. An expense is recognised immediately in the income statement when an expenditure produces no future economic benefits or when, and to the extent that, future economic benefits do not qualify, or cease to qualify, for recognition in the balance sheet as an asset.
134. An expense is also recognised in the income statement in those cases when a liability is incurred without the recognition of an asset, as when a liability under a product warranty arises.
Measurement of the Elements of Financial Statements
135. Measurement is the process of determining the monetary amounts at which the elements of the financial statements are to be recognised and carried in the balance sheet and income statement. This involves the selection of the particular basis of measurement.
136. A number of different measurement bases are employed to different degrees and in varying combinations in financial statements. They include the following:
a. Historical Cost. Assets are recorded at the amount of cash or cash equivalents paid or the fair value of the consideration given to acquire them at the time of their acquisition. Liabilities are recorded at the amount of proceeds received in exchange for the obligation, or in some circumstances for example, income taxes), at the amounts of cash or cash equivalents expected to be paid to satisfy the liability in the normal course of business.
b. Current Cost. Assets are carried at the amount of cash or cash equivalents that would have to be paid if the same or an equivalent asset was acquired currently. Liabilities are carried at the undiscounted amounts of cash or cash equivalents [hat would be required to settle the obligation currently.
c. Realisable (settlement) value. Assets are carried at the amount of cash or cash equivalents that could currently be obtained by selling the asset in an orderly disposal. Liabilities are carries at their settlement values; that is, the undiscounted amounts of cash or cash equivalents expected to be paid to satisfy the liabilities in the normal course of business.
d. Present Value. Assets are carried at the present discounted value of the future net cash inflows that the item is expected to generate in the normal course of business. Liabilities are carried at the present discounted value of the future net cash outflows that are expected to be required to settle the liabilities in the normal course of business.
137. The measurement basis most commonly adopted by enterprises in preparing their financial statements is historical cost. This is usually combined with other measurement bases. For example, inventories are usually carried at the lower of cost and net realisable value, marketable securities may be carried at market value and pension liabilities are carried at their present value. Furthermore, some enterprises use the current cost basis as a response to the inability of the historical cost accounting model to deal with the effects of changing prices of non-monetary assets.
138. The selection of the measurement bases and concept of capital maintenance will determine the accounting model used in the preparation of the financial statements. Different accounting models exhibit different degrees of relevance and reliability and, as in other areas, management must seek a balance between relevance and reliability. This framework is applicable to a range of accounting models and provides guidance on preparing and presenting the financial statements constructed under the chosen model.
(FINAL)13/08002
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