The document discusses key concepts in financial accounting and accounting standards including: 1) It identifies the major financial statements and other means used for financial reporting such as notes, letters, and reports. 2) It explains how accounting assists in efficient allocation of resources by providing useful information to investors and creditors for decision making. 3) It describes some challenges facing accounting such as measuring non-financial items and providing timely information. 4) It outlines the objectives of financial reporting and need for accounting standards to provide useful information to various users. 5) It identifies the major bodies that set accounting standards including FASB, SEC, AICPA, and GASB and their roles in the standard setting process.

1. Financial Accounting and Accounting Standards Chapter 1 Intermediate Accounting, 12th Edition Kieso, Weygandt, and Warfield Prepared by Coby Harmon, University of California, Santa Barbara

5. Characteristics of Accounting Financial Information Accounting? Identifies and Measures and Communicates Balance Sheet Income Statement Statement of Cash Flows Statement of Owners’ or Stockholders’ Equity Note Disclosures President’s letter Prospectuses, SEC Reporting News releases Forecasts Environmental Reports Etc. GAAP Not GAAP Financial Statements Additional Information Economic Entity LO 1 Identify the major financial statements and other means of financial reporting . .

7. Accounting and Capital Allocation Resources are limited . Efficient use of resources often determines whether a business thrives. Financial Reporting Information to help users with capital allocation decisions. Users Investors, creditors, and other users Capital Allocation The process of determining how and at what cost money is allocated among competing interests. LO 2 Explain how accounting assists in the efficient use of scare resources. Illustration 1-1 Capital Allocation Process

21. Governmental Accounting Standards Board Created in 1984 to address state and local governmental reporting issues. LO 6 Financial Accounting Foundation Financial Accounting Standards Board Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council Governmental Accounting Standards Board Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council http://www.gasb.org/

23. FASB Statements, Interpretations, and Staff Positions APB Opinions CAP Accounting Research Bulletins Category A (Most Authoritative) FASB Technical Bulletins AICPA Industry Audit and Accounting Guides AICPA Statements of Position Category B FASB Emerging Issues Task Force AICPA AcSEC Practice Bulletins Category C AICPA Accounting Interpretations Category D (Least Authoritative) FASB Implementation Guides Recognized Industry Practices House of GAAP LO 7

25. Issues in Financial Reporting Standard Setting in a Political Environment Accounting standards are as much a product of political action as they are of careful logic or empirical findings. LO 8 Describe the impact of user groups on the standard-setting process.

26. FASB Preparers (e.g., FEI) Financial Community Government (SEC, IRS, other agencies) Industry Associations Business Entities CPAs and Accounting Firms AICPA (AcSEC) Academicians Investing Public Accounting standards, interpretations, and bulletins Standard Setting LO 8 Describe the impact of user groups on the standard-setting process. Illustration 1-5 User Groups that Influence Accounting Standards

31. Copyright Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted in Section 117 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without the express written permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Request for further information should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The purchaser may make back-up copies for his/her own use only and not for distribution or resale. The Publisher assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, or damages, caused by the use of these programs or from the use of the information contained herein.