What is a conceptual framework? Why is a conceptual framework necessary in financial accounting?

Short Answer

Expert verified

A conceptual framework is a framework consisting of ideas and objectives that result in the creation of a consistent set of rules and standards.

A conceptual framework is essential in accounting because it specifies the nature, function, and limits of financial accounting and financial statements.

Step by step solution

01

Definition of Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework can be defined as an instrument that is used to assemble, examine and translate information in an orderly and logical manner.

Its purpose is to make conceptual distinctions and collect different ideas. Strong conceptual framework results in the actual realization of the planned objective. It assists in knowing the future cash flows. It is also beneficial to those who make decisions related to credit and investment.

02

Necessity of conceptual framework in financial accounting

The importance of a conceptual framework in financial accounting is to check whether the financial statements are free from any bias or not and also assist the users by providing useful information required in their decision making.

It is a framework for establishing accounting standards, a source for resolving accounting disputes if any. The conceptual framework is useful for investors as it provides them with the risk capital, and the advisor is concerned about the risk that is included with their investment.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

(Revenue Recognition Principle) After the presentation of your report on the examination of the financial statements to the board of directors of Piper Publishing Company, one of the new directors expresses surprise that the income statement assumes that an equal proportion of the revenue is recognized with the publication of every issue of the company's magazine. She feels that the “crucial event” in the process of earning revenue in the magazine business is the cash sale of the subscription. She says that she does not understand why most of the revenue cannot be “recognized" in the period of the cash sale. Instructions

Discuss the propriety of timing the recognition of revenue in Piper Publishing Company's accounts with:

(a) The cash sale of the magazine subscription.

(b) The publication of the magazine every month.

(c) Over time, as the magazines are published and delivered to customers.

Wayne Cooper has some questions regarding the theoretical framework in which GAAP is set. He knows that the FASB and other predecessor organizations have attempted to develop a conceptual framework for accounting theory formulation. Yet, Wayne’s supervisors have indicated that these theoretical frameworks have little value in the practical sense (i.e., in the real world). Wayne did notice that accounting rules seem to be established after the fact rather than before. He thought this indicated a lack of theory structure but never really questioned the process at school because he was too busy doing the homework. Wayne feels that some of his anxiety about accounting theory and accounting semantics could be alleviated by identifying the basic concepts and definitions accepted by the profession and considering them in light of his current work. By doing this, he hopes to develop an appropriate connection between theory and practice.Instructions

(a) Help Wayne recognize the purpose of and benefit of a conceptual framework.

(b) Identify any Statements of Financial Accounting Concepts issued by the FASB that may be helpful to Wayne in developing his theoretical background.

(Full Disclosure Principle) Presented below are a number of facts related to Weller, Inc. Assume that no mentionof these facts was made in the financial statements and the related notes.

Instructions

Assume that you are the auditor of Weller, Inc. and that you have been asked to explain the appropriate accounting and related disclosure necessary for each of these items.

(a) The company decided that, for the sake of conciseness, only net income should be reported on the income statement. Details as to revenues, cost of goods sold, and expenses were omitted.

(b) Equipment purchases of \(170,000 were partly financed during the year through the issuance of a \)110,000 notes payable. The company offset the equipment against the notes payable and reported plant assets at \(60,000.

(c) Weller has reported its ending inventory at \)2,100,000 in the financial statements. No other information related to inventories is presented in the financial statements and related notes.

(d) The company changed its method of valuing inventories from weighted-average to FIFO. No mention of this change was made in the financial statements.

Question: Daniel Barenboim sells and erects shell houses, that is, frame structures that are completely finished on the outside but are unfinished on the inside except for flooring, partition studding, and ceiling joists. Shell houses are sold chiefly to customers who are handy with tools and who have time to do the interior wiring, plumbing, wall completion and finishing, and other work necessary to make the shell houses liveable dwellings.Barenboim buys shell houses from a manufacturer in unassembled packages consisting of all lumber, roofing, doors, windows and similar materials necessary to complete a shell house. Upon commencing operations in a new area, Barenboim buys or leases land as a site for its local warehouse, field office, and display houses. Sample display houses are erected at a total cost of \(30,000 to \)40,000 including the cost of the unassembled packages. The chief element of cost of display houses is the unassembled packages, in as much as erection is a short, low-cost operation. Old sample models are torn down or altered into new models every 3 to 7 years. Sample display houses have little salvage value because dismantling and moving costs amount to nearly as much as the cost of an unassembled package.Instructions

  1. A choice must be made between (1) expensing the costs of sample display houses in the periods in which the expenditure is made and (2) spreading the costs over more than one period. Discuss the advantages of each method.
  2. Would it be preferable to amortize the cost of display houses on the basis of (1) the passage of time or (2) the number of shell houses sold? Explain.

BE2-11 (L06) Vande Velde Company made three investments during 2017.

(1) It purchased 1,000 shares of Sastre Company, a start-up company. Vande Velde made the investment based on valuation estimates from an internally developed model.

(2) It purchased 2,000 shares of GE stock, which trades on the NYSE.

(3) It invested $10,000 in local development authority bonds. Although these bonds do not trade on an active market, their value closely tracks movements in U.S. Treasury bonds.

Where will Vande Velde report these investments in the fair value hierarchy?

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