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Aditi
Aditi
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  2. Mehak

    To understand the difference in Revenue recognition under IFRS and GAAP , it is important to understand what are IFRS and GAAP. Both of these are accounting standards accepted globally.  These are discussed below: What is IFRS? IFRS is a set of accounting standards developed by the International AccRead more

    To understand the difference in Revenue recognition under IFRS and GAAP , it is important to understand what are IFRS and GAAP. Both of these are accounting standards accepted globally.  These are discussed below:

    What is IFRS?

    IFRS is a set of accounting standards developed by the International Accounting Standards Board. These standards are globally accepted accounting standards.

    They were developed and implemented with the objective of providing a consistent, transparent and reliable framework for the presentation and reporting of financial statements.

    IFRS ensure uniformity and this helps in comparability of financial statements across the companies of different countries.

    Some examples of IFRS Standards are : IFRS 2 – Share based payments, IFRS 9 – Financial Instruments, IFRS 16 – Leases, etc.

    What is GAAP?

    GAAP stands for Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. GAAP is primarily used in the USA. These are a set of accounting principles, rules and procedures which are crucial for providing consistency and transparency in the presentation and reporting of financial statements.

    Some examples of GAAP Standards are: ASC 606: Revenue Recognition, ASC 842: Leases, ASC 740: Income Taxes, etc.

    Difference in Revenue Recognition under IFRS and GAAP

    Though both of these standards have the main goal of promoting consistency and uniformity, there are certain differences in the Revenue Recognition under IFRS and GAAP.

    This is because of the fact that the nature of IFRS and GAAP is different as IFRS is more principle- based and GAAP is rule based.

     

     

     

     

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Aditi
Aditi
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  2. Mehak

    The terms outstanding expenses and accrued expenses are two accounting terms which are often used interchangeably. However, these two terms are not the same and have different meanings. The difference between these two terms is given below: What are Outstanding expenses? As the name suggests, outstaRead more

    The terms outstanding expenses and accrued expenses are two accounting terms which are often used interchangeably. However, these two terms are not the same and have different meanings. The difference between these two terms is given below:

    What are Outstanding expenses?

    As the name suggests, outstanding expenses are the expenses that are due but have not been paid yet. It means that the business is supposed to pay the amount due but it has not paid the same at the end of the accounting period.

    Outstanding expenses are recognized as a current liability because the business is liable to pay such expenses. These expenses are recorded in the books of accounts but the payment is still pending.

    Some examples of outstanding expenses are:

    1. The electricity bill is due for the month of January but has not yet been paid on 31st January.
    2. Salaries of employees of 50,000 is due for the month of March but have not been paid yet by the business.

    What are Accrued expenses? 

    Accrued expenses are the expenses that a business has incurred during the accounting period but they have not yet been recorded in the books of accounts because the bill has not yet been received or the payment is not due yet.

    The concept of Accrued expenses helps in complying with the accrual basis of accounting which says that the expense shall be recognised at the time it occurs regardless of the fact that payment is received or not.

    Examples of accrued expenses are:

    1. The electricity bill for December is received in the month of January. However, it shall be recognised as an expense in the month of December.
    2. The salaries of the employees for the month of April are paid in May. However, this expense shall be recognized in April.

     

    Key differences between outstanding expenses and accrued expenses

    To summarise the above discussion, the key differences between outstanding expenses and accrued expenses are given in the table below:

     

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Aditi
Aditi
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  2. Mehak
    This answer was edited.

    Assets can be classified as Financial or Non-financial assets. One might wonder why this is necessary.  Let us dive into this concept, beginning with understanding what financial and non-financial assets are and why they are classified as such. What are Assets? Assets are things that have a monetaryRead more

    Assets can be classified as Financial or Non-financial assets. One might wonder why this is necessary.  Let us dive into this concept, beginning with understanding what financial and non-financial assets are and why they are classified as such.

    What are Assets?

    Assets are things that have a monetary value and are beneficial for a business. Assets are commonly classified as tangible, intangible, current, fixed, financial, non-financial, etc.

    Plant and machinery, land, buildings, cash, bank balance, patents, etc are some of the examples of assets that a business has.

    What are Financial Assets?

    Financial assets are the things of value that are held by a person for their underlying value. They are intangible and do not have a physical form. For example – Stocks, bonds, debentures, options, futures, etc.

    The value of these assets may change over time depending upon the market conditions, changes in government policies, fluctuations in interest rates, etc.

    In comparison to non-financial or physical assets, financial assets are more liquid as they can be traded and can be converted into cash.

    What are Non-financial assets?

    Non-financial assets are tangible or intangible assets that have a value but cannot be easily converted into cash. They are not as liquid and generally not traded.

    Examples of such assets are buildings, plant and machinery, patents, trademarks, etc.

    Difference between Financial and Non – Financial Asset

    From the above discussion, it is clear that financial and non-financial assets are very different. The following are several important reasons why it is important to segregate the same:

    1. It helps in the proper classification of assets on the Financial Statements.
    2. It helps in liquidity management.
    3. It helps in Risk assessment.
    4. Tax management can be done accurately.

     

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Aditi
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  2. Mehak
    This answer was edited.

    Every business requires research and development to create innovative products for consumers. More innovative and creative products and services are more popular among customers, leading to increased revenue and profits for the business. Creating new products or designing changes and testing existinRead more

    Every business requires research and development to create innovative products for consumers. More innovative and creative products and services are more popular among customers, leading to increased revenue and profits for the business.

    Creating new products or designing changes and testing existing products also forms a part of research and development.

    Examples of Research and Development costs are –

    1. Salaries of employees
    2. Cost of making prototypes
    3. Cost of raw material
    4. Overhead expenses

    Let us now understand how research and development costs are treated in Financial Statements.

    Research and Development Costs are generally shown as an expense in the Income Statement.

    IAS-38

    IAS-38 majorly governs the accounting of research and development costs. There are two phases in R&D:

    • Research: During this phase, costs are incurred for understanding or designing the product. These costs are expensed as incurred costs as there is an uncertainty of a future benefit.
    •  Development: Economic value can be ascertained during this phase and hence, the costs incurred can be capitalized as Intangible assets. To be recognised as intangible assets, the following conditions shall be satisfied:

    1. it is developed with the intention of putting it to use in the future

    2.  the asset shall hold an economic value

    3. the costs can be measured reliably

    Treatment of R&D costs in the Financial statements:

      1. Income statement: Research costs are shown as expenses in the income statement. However, development costs if capitalized as intangible assets can be amortised over time.
      2. Balance Sheet: Capitalised development costs are shown as intangible assets under the Assets head of the Balance Sheet.

    Conclusion

    The above discussion can be summarised as follows:

    1. Research and development is essential for creating innovative and creative products and services.
    2. Accounting standard IAS-38 governs the accounting for Research and Development.
    3. Research costs are usually shown as an expense in the Income statement of the business.
    4.  Development costs when capitalised can be shown as Intangible assets in the Balance Sheet.
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Aditi
Aditi
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  2. Mehak
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    To understand the accounting treatment of fixed assets under IFRS let us first understand what fixed assets are. What are Fixed Assets? Fixed assets are the assets that are purchased for long-term use by a business and not for resale. Some examples of fixed assets are land, buildings, machinery, furRead more

    To understand the accounting treatment of fixed assets under IFRS let us first understand what fixed assets are.

    What are Fixed Assets?

    Fixed assets are the assets that are purchased for long-term use by a business and not for resale. Some examples of fixed assets are land, buildings, machinery, furniture and fixtures, etc.

    Fixed assets are essential for the smooth operations of the business. It often shows the value of the business. The value of fixed assets usually decreases with time, obsolescence, damage, etc.

    As per IAS-16 Property, Plant and Equipment, an asset is identified as a fixed asset if it satisfies the following conditions:

    • the future economic benefits associated with the asset will probably flow to the entity, and
    • the cost of the asset can be measured reliably.

    What is IFRS?

    IFRS stands for International Financial Reporting Standards. It provides a set of standards to be followed globally by all companies to ensure transparency, comparability, and consistency.

    What is the accounting treatment of fixed assets under IFRS?

    Under IFRS, the first step is to measure the value of the fixed assets on cost. The cost of the fixed assets includes the following:

    1. purchase price
    2. any direct cost related to the asset (such as transportation, installation, etc.)
    3. duties/taxes

    After this step, the entity may choose any one of the following two primary methods:

    1. Cost Model: According to this model the value is first recognized on a cost basis. This includes the purchase price and direct costs attributable to the asset. Subsequently, depreciation is calculated on the cost of the asset. Depreciation spreads the cost of an asset over its useful life. Impairment checks are conducted to ensure the asset’s value on the books doesn’t exceed what it’s worth.

    For example, a company bought a piece of machinery for 60,000. 5,000 were spent on its installation. It has a useful life of 10 years. The machinery would be depreciated over its useful life of 10 years based on its cost which is 65,000.

    2. Revaluation model: As per this model, the fixed assets are valued on their fair value, as on the revaluation date. The amount of depreciation and impairment losses is subtracted from the fair value.

    If the value of an asset increases, the gain goes to equity (revaluation surplus) unless it can be set off with a past loss recorded in profit or loss.
    On the other hand, if the value decreases, the loss goes to profit or loss unless it offsets a past surplus in equity.

    For example, a building was purchased for 100,000. On the revaluation date, the fair value of this building was 150,000. Hence, there is a revaluation surplus of 50,000 which shall be credited to the revaluation surplus account.

    Impact on Financial Statements

    Fixed assets are shown on the Assets side of the Balance Sheet.

    Conclusion

    From the above discussion, it may be concluded that:

    • Fixed assets are the assets that are purchased for long-term use by a business and not for resale.
    • Some examples of fixed assets are land, buildings, machinery, furniture and fixtures, etc.
    • IFRS provides a set of standards to be followed globally by all companies to ensure transparency, comparability, and consistency.
    • Under IFRS, the first step is to measure the value of the fixed assets on cost.
    • After this step, the entity may choose any one of the two primary methods which are cost model and the revaluation model.
    • Fixed assets are shown on the Assets side of the Balance Sheet.

     

     

     

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Mehak
Mehak
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  2. Aditi

    Biological Assets comes under International Accounting Standard IAS 41 Agriculture. IAS 41 Agriculture is the first standard that specifically covers the primary sector. The scope of IAS 41 is accounting for agricultural activity. Agricultural Activity- It is the management of biological transformatRead more

    Biological Assets comes under International Accounting Standard IAS 41 Agriculture.

    IAS 41 Agriculture is the first standard that specifically covers the primary sector. The scope of IAS 41 is accounting for agricultural activity.

    • Agricultural Activity- It is the management of biological transformation by an entity and measuring the change in the quality and quantity of biological assets.
    • Biological Transformation- It comprises the process of growth, degeneration, production and procreation that cause qualitative or quantitative changes in a biological asset
    • Biological Asset – They are living plants or animals owned by an entity
    • Agricultural Produce- It is the harvested / detached product of the entity’s biological asset.

    IAS 41 does not apply to

    • Agricultural land
    • Intangible assets related to agricultural activity
    • Products that are the result of processing after the point of harvest, for example, yarn, carpet, rubber, wine, etc
    • The land on which the biological assets grow, regenerate, degenerate.

     

     

    Biological Assets

    Definition

    Biological assets are living plants or animals that go through biological transformation, owned by an entity to prepare agricultural produce for the purpose of agricultural activities only.

    Living plants include plants that are consumable within 1 year and are harvested. It also includes plants that are used for lumbering and wood-cutting activities.

    Examples

    Examples of biological assets are:

    Sheep, pigs, poultry, beef cattle, fish, dairy cows, plants for harvest etc

    Importance

    • Farming: They are key to agriculture and food production.
    • Income: They generate substantial income for businesses in industries such as vineyards, livestock, silviculture, etc.
    • Sustainability: Properly managing them helps the environment.

     

    Accounting & Presentation

    Recognition

    Under IAS 41 biological assets are recognised when

    • The business must have ownership over them from a past event.
    • The future economic benefits are expected to flow to the business from their ownership.
    • The cost or fair value of the asset can be measured reliably.

    Agricultural produce is recognised

    • It is recognised at the point of harvest or detachment.

    Agricultural produce is derecognised when

    • They enter the trading.
    • Enters the production process.

    Measurement

    • Biological assets are measured on initial recognition and at each balance sheet date at their fair value less costs to sell.
    • Costs to sell are incremental costs incurred in selling the asset.
    • Agricultural produce is measured at the point of harvest, at fair value less costs to sell at the point of harvest.
    • Agricultural produce after the point of harvest/ detachment is transferred and treated under the IAS 2 Inventory

    Gains & Losses

    • Gains and losses arising from the initial recognition of biological assets are reported in the statement of profit and loss.
    • The change in fair value less costs to sell of a biological asset between balance sheet dates is reported as gain or loss in the statement of profit and loss.
    • A gain or loss arising on initial recognition of agricultural produce at fair value less selling costs is included in profit or loss for the period in which it arises.

    Treatment

    • The sale of agricultural produce is treated as revenue in the statement of profit and loss.
    • Agricultural produce to be harvested for more than 12 months, livestock to be held for more than 12 months and trees cultivated for lumber are recorded as Biological assets under the Non-current assets head in the balance sheet.
    • Agricultural produce to be harvested within 12 months, livestock to be slaughtered within 12 months and annual crops like wheat, and maize are recorded as Biological assets under the head Current assets in the balance sheet.
    • Inventories produced from agricultural produce are presented as Inventory under the head Current assets in the balance sheet.

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