Ifrs and Gaap Convergence

Over a decade ago, it was believed that the whole world would likely adopt the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). At the point in time, the International Financial reporting Standards (IFRS) was only about ten years old. In the last decade, the IFRS has been adopted in many growing countries. Currently, it is anticipated that the U.S. will converge its GAAP with the international IFRS, leaving behind only a modified IFRS. This may occur as early as 2014.

The five research articles I have chosen to further my research on the convergence between U.S. GAAP and IFRS are The Implication of US GAAP and IFRS Convergence on American Business by Austin Willmore (2015), IFRS adoption by country by PWC (2015), International Financial Reporting Standards and American Generally Accepted Accounting Principles: the Convergence Lessons by Kuzina (2015), The economic impact of IFRS - a financial analysis perspective by Seay (2014), and Accounting for Leases The New Standard by CPA Journal (2016). These articles are related to my topic, where these researchers researched and analyzed the financial statement reporting on convergence of the U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and certain accounts when adopting IFRS present a different result in the financial reporting for U.S. reporting companies when U.S. GAAP standards combined with IFRS. Also, these research articles discuss the existence of two systems of standards, U.S. GAAP and IFRS; and the issue and difficulty of the process to fully converge.

As of today, there are still many differences between U.S. GAAP and IFRS, but this term paper is to research on some accounts that impacted or will impact the financial statement reporting when U.S. GAAP converged with IFRS, focusing on these accounts: extraordinary items, warranty expense accruals, acquisition costs, capitalized leases, inventory, and ing contingency.

As the responsibilities of the global harmonization of accounting standards IFRS and GAAP transfer to IASB, FASB’s influence is waning. Advantages of the convergence include high quality financial reporting, which lowers cost of capital for investors and the cost of borrowing for companies. However, there are disadvantages to be noted, such as the costs of introducing IFRS to current and potential accountants and the risk of reducing the uniformity of financial reports due to the lax rulings of IFRS, which promotes earnings management amongst companies. Although arguments regarding the convergence remain prevalent, the completion of IFRS and GAAP is inevitable. Come year 2015, accountants, investors, and companies alike will discover whether or not the pros outweighed the cons; or vice versa.

There are several differences between the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The IFRS is considered more of a "principles based" accounting standard in contrast to U.S. GAAP which is considered more "rules based." By being more "principles based", IFRS, arguably, represents and captures the economics of a transaction better than U.S. GAAP. As a team me collaborated to answer the following seven questions.

A congruent between International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is that both specification tend to use a statement of cash flows, income statement and a balance sheet (Nadel, 2010). When confronting cash equivalents and cash, both approaches are essentially similar in characteristic. Furthermore, the leading reciprocal is that both IFRS and GAAP assist in producing financial statements on an accrued basis; generally meaning that revenue is often recognized once it is realized (Nadel, 2010). In the course of time this will assist in a complete merger of both accounting principles in the near future; eventually a merger will assist with the differences associated with both IFRS and GAAP allowing for certain principles to be removed or restructured.

This research project will inform the reader of the difference between the United States accounting standards and International accounting standards. The United States uses the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) to issue financial reporting procedures. The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). There are proposals for the United States to adopt the International standards. Financial reporting procedures are debated about the United States using the Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures (GAAP) or following the global procedures. This

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

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

Differences Between GAAP and IFRS and Implications of Potential Convergence - Boundless Open Textbook. (n.d.). Retrieved February 5, 2015, from https://www.boundless.com/accounting/textbooks/boundless-accounting-textbook/introduction-to-accounting-1/conventions-and-standards-21/differences-between-gaap-and-ifrs-and-implications-of-potential-convergence-131-7049/

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

This paper seeks to analyze the GAAP and the IFRS, their mandate and functions. Further, it shall compare the differences and similarities of the two standards which have such great implications to the functions of accountants, attorneys, corporate directors and

There are vast and numerous differences between US GAAP and IFRS. The biggest conceptual difference between US GAAP and IFRS is that US GAAP is rule based while IFRS is principle based. Because of this, there are numerous accounting topics that are handled differently between US GAAP and IFRS. It is argued that IFRS fits the actual economics of business transactions more than US GAAP, as IFRS looks more at the substance of transactions. US GAAP, on the other hand, is more concerned with having exact rules to deal with accounting situations. Both the United States and the over 110 countries that use IFRS are working towards a global accounting standard; however, due to the cost and complexity of this process, convergence of US GAAP and IFRS may take years or even decades longer than expected, if indeed they are ever fully converged. Some key areas in which the two systems differ are inventory valuation, classification of leases, revenue recognition including the construction industry, the handling of intangibles including research and development, depreciation methods, and business combinations. While there are many other differences in US GAAP and IFRS, this paper is limited in scope to those listed above.

The United States is coarsely going through a big dilemma. It is deciding whether to adopt International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), or to stay with the current U.S Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Since this is such a serious decision, now would be an opportune time to take a look at what the advantages and disadvantages would be of switching to the new way of financial reporting, and doing so, shows the beliefs of the costs being too high to adopt a new set of reporting standards. People who support

The US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is a set of international accounting rules which originated from the United States. US GAAP can be defined as a set of accounting principles, standards and procedures that companies use to compile their financial statements (Elliott & Elliott, 2008). The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on the other hand are accounting rules originating from the United Kingdom. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are a set of accounting rules designed with a common global language for business affairs so that financial accounts of companies are understandable and comparable across international boundaries (Devinney, Pedersen & Tihanyi, 2010).