Three expense recognition methods (associating cause and effect, systematic and rational allocation, and immediate recognition) were discussed in the text under the expense recognition principle. Indicate the basic nature of each of these expense recognition methods and give two examples of each.

Short Answer

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Associating cause and effect: These costs are associated with the revenue they assist in generating and listing in concurrent accounting periods. For instance, commission expenses and long-term construction contracts.

Systematic and rational allocation: These costs aid many sessions and are scattered among periods. For instance, truck depreciation and plant and equipment depreciation.

Immediate recognition: These costs have no association with the revenue, do not aid future periods and are listed when they occurred. For instance, advertising expenses and research expenditures.

Step by step solution

01

Meaning of Expense Recognition Principle

The expense recognition principle is a basic accounting principle that states that the firm's expenses should be identified in the period when the revenues linked to those expenses get recognized.

02

Associating cause and effect

Some costs are identified as expenses dependent on the assumed direct relation with particular revenue. For instance, a sales commission that an employee owes is dependent on the sale amount. Thus, it should list the commission expense in a similar accounting period as the sale. Similarly, the inventory cost provided to a customer should be considered an expense when the sale is identified. Associating cause and effect is also known as the matching principle.

03

Systematic and rational allocation

Other expense recognition plans are to be implemented without a definite association with cost and revenue items. Some costs may aid many years as these costs cease over time. For instance, a truck may last many years; ascertaining how the cost is determinable in a specific year is difficult. In such circumstances, accountants may use a systematic and rational plan to scatter a part of the overall cost to each period of use. Without the presence of a definite association with cost and revenue item, other

04

Immediate recognition

These costs cannot be associated with revenue production and do not aid later periods either. These costs are realized as soon as possible. Some costs are linked to the existing accounting periods as expenses as costs undertaken during the period supply no discernible future aids, and costs listed as assets in previous periods no longer supplied discernible aids.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has developed a conceptual framework for financial accounting and reporting. The FASB has issued eight Statements of Financial Accounting Concepts. These statements are intended to set forth the objective and fundamentals that will be the basis for developing financial accounting and reporting standards. The objective identifies the goals and purposes of financial reporting. The fundamentals are the underlying concepts of financial accounting that guide the selection of transactions, events, and circumstances to be accounted for; their recognition and measurement; and the means of summarizing and communicating them to interested parties.

The purpose of the statement on qualitative characteristics is to examine the characteristics that make accounting information useful. These characteristics or qualities of information are the ingredients that make information useful and the qualities to be sought when accounting choices are made.

Instructions

(a) Identify and discuss the benefits that can be expected to be derived from the FASB’s conceptual framework.

(b) What is the most important quality for accounting information as identified in the conceptual framework? Explain why it is the most important.

(c) Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No.8 describes a number of key characteristics or qualities for accounting information. Briefly discuss the importance of any three of these qualities for financial reporting purposes.

Question: What are some of the costs of providing accounting information? What are some of the benefits of accounting information? Describe the cost-benefit factors that should be considered when new accounting standards are being proposed.

The life of a business is divided into specific time periods, usually, a year, to measure results of operations for each such time period and to portray financial conditions at the end of each period.

  1. This practice is based on the accounting assumption that the life of the business consists of a series of time periods and that it is possible to measure accurately the results of operations for each period. Comment on the validity and necessity of this assumption.
  2. What has been the effect of the practice on accounting? What is its relation to the accrual system? What influence has it had on accounting entries and methodology?

Question: The AICPA Special Committee on Financial Reporting proposed the following constraints related to financial reporting.

  1. Business reporting should exclude information outside of management’s expertise or for which management is not the best source, such as information about competitors.
  2. Management should not be required to report information that would significantly harm the company’s competitive position.

  3. Management should not be required to provide forecasted financial statements. Rather, management should provide information that helps users forecast themselves the company’s financial future.

  4. Other than for financial statements, management need report only the information it knows. That is, management should be under no obligation to gather information it does not have, or does not need, to manage the business.

  5. Companies should present certain elements of business reporting only if users and management agree they should be reported- a concept of flexible reporting.

  6. Companies should not have to report forward-looking information unless there are effective deterrents to unwarranted litigation that discourages companies from doing so.

Instructions

For each item, briefly discuss how the proposed constraint addresses concerns about the costs and benefits of financial reporting.

What are some of the challenges to the IASB in developing a conceptual framework?

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