Revenue Recognition Essay

887 Words2 Pages

FASB Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts (CON) 5, Recognition and Measurement in Financial Statements of Business Enterprises, set forth the historic guiding principle to revenue recognition. Pursuant to paragraph 83, for revenue to be recognized it must be (a) realized or realizable and (b) earned. Revenues are “realized” when products, goods, services, or other assets are exchanged for cash or claims to cash. They are “realizable” when related assets received or held are readily convertible to known amounts of cash or claims of cash. Revenue is “earned” when an entity has “substantially accomplished what it must do to be entitled to the benefits represented by the revenues.” SEC Staff Accounting Bulleting (SAB) 104, Revenue Recognition issued in December 2003 provided additional guidance to when revenue is realized or realizable and earned setting forth four basic criteria: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (2) delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, (3) the seller’s price to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and (4) collectibility is reasonable assured.

New Revenue Recognition Standard

In a significant step towards convergence, the FASB and IASB (“the Boards”) issued the Exposure Draft, Revenue from Contracts with Customers in 2010. The goal was to create a single joint revenue recognition standard that companies could apply consistently across industries and capital markets thereby improve financial reporting. The Boards highlighted a number of improvements in the proposed standard - removing inconsistencies, improving comparability, requiring enhanced disclosures and clarifying the accounting for contract costs. Instead of focusing on “realized/realizable” and “earned” the Exposure D...

... middle of paper ...

...nd simply wait until revenue is collected. Revenue recognition has been uncoupled from the matching principle. *Conclusions – i.e. could become very judgemental, company confusion, check PwC and other info for concerns).

This new standard represents a signification milestone in the convergence process and how revenue is not recognized. Instead of trying to match costs and revenues or determine when revenue is “earned” the new standards focus on performance and control. (use PwC info)

*Notes – input more info on comments at first and second draft. Add in more detailed info about each step. Commentors conclusions (per conference and any online but note still early) and personal comments.

IASB/FASB Proposal
History – first ED, second, ED, final, comments – either at end of each section or summarize at end, see both IFRS and FASB
Current thoughts – us, auditors, etc

Open Document