Accounting standards

Jefferson Wells has introduced an online IFRS Readiness Calculator to help companies assess their preparedness for the transition to International Financial Reporting Standards.

Forty percent of CEOs surveyed by Grant Thornton agree with the Securities and Exchange Commission's decision to allow foreign firms listed on U.S. exchanges to file financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, without reconciling them to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

The New York State Society of CPAs plans to hold a conference next month on international accounting standards.

Testifying before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs about the financial industry bailout package, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke defended fair value accounting, but recommended that banks should be able to sell their assets at the "hold-to-maturity" value to the federal government.

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The Treasury Department has expanded its financial bailout program to $700 billion in an effort to relieve banks and other financial institutions of their troubled mortgage assets.

The American Bar Association is urging the Financial Accounting Standards Board to delay implementing a proposed standard for loss contingencies arising from business combinations, warning of harmful, unintended consequences.

The Private Company Financial Reporting Committee held a meeting to discuss whether International Financial Reporting Standards should apply to private companies in the U.S., along with other matters.

Before the SEC published its roadmap for the switch to International Financial Reporting Standards, we asked a large group of industry leaders if they thought the accounting profession was ready for the shift - and if not, what it needs to do to get ready.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed setting a roadmap for transitioning from U.S. GAAP to International Financial Reporting Standards by 2014.The SEC plans to issue a concept release setting several milestones for the transition, with the option for some large companies to make the transition earlier if they are leaders in their industries.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board once again finds itself on the horns of a dilemma.At issue are proposed amendments to Financial Accounting Standard 5, on disclosure of loss contingencies. If adopted as presented in an exposure draft issued earlier this year, the amended standard would require companies to disclose the extent of their exposure to loss in lawsuits and environmental matters, including not only the amount of litigation claims, but also of predicted court costs and possible punitive damages.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued an addendum to an earlier letter it has sent to the CFOs of some public companies asking them to provide additional information about their fair value measurements, including credit risks and broker quotes.

The Securities and Exchange Commission issued a statement clarifying the accounting treatment for money market mutual funds amid the growing turmoil in the financial markets.

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged American Italian Pasta Co. and its former senior executives with participating in a fraudulent accounting scheme to artificially increase the company's stock price, and the company agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle the charges.

Tax preparers in Oregon may set a standard for future regulation of tax preparers nationwide, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued three exposure drafts of proposed financial standards and amendments relating to accounting for transfers of financial assets.

As one investment bank after another falls prey to the expanding crisis in the credit and mortgage markets, accounting regulators are trying to get a handle on the mess.

The American Institute of CPAs has issued a proposed update to its audit guide for the gambling industry that takes into account some recent issues faced by casinos.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued a staff position aimed at improving disclosures about credit derivatives.

The International Accounting Standards Board and the Financial Accounting Standards Board have updated their 2006 memorandum of understanding and set a goal of completing their major joint projects on convergence of International Financial Reporting Standards with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles by 2011.