listed below are several statements that relate to financial accounting and reporting. identify the accounting concept that applies to each statement.
Listed below are several statements that relate to financial accounting and reporting. Identify the accounting concept that applies to each statement.
Answer:
Below are common statements related to financial accounting and the accounting concepts applicable to each. Understanding these concepts is crucial for the preparation and interpretation of financial statements.
Statements and Corresponding Accounting Concepts
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A company reports its inventory at the lower cost or market value.
- Concept: Conservatism
- This concept dictates that potential losses should be recognized as soon as evidence suggests a loss might occur, whereas potential gains are only recognized when they’re realized. Reporting inventory at lower cost or market value prevents overstatement of assets.
- Concept: Conservatism
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A business includes all necessary information in its financial statements to ensure its comprehensive understanding by users.
- Concept: Full Disclosure
- The full disclosure principle dictates that all information that impacts users’ understanding of financial statements should be included in the financial report, either on the face of the financial statements or in the notes.
- Concept: Full Disclosure
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A company continues its operations indefinitely and does not expect any need to liquidate its assets.
- Concept: Going Concern
- This concept assumes that a business will continue to operate for the foreseeable future. This affects valuations and allocations on the financial statements.
- Concept: Going Concern
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Expenses are recognized in the period in which they are incurred, regardless of when the related cash flows occur.
- Concept: Accrual Accounting
- In contrast to cash accounting, accrual accounting recognizes revenue and expenses in the periods in which they occur, not necessarily when cash is exchanged.
- Concept: Accrual Accounting
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The personal transactions of the owners are kept separate from the business’s financial records.
- Concept: Economic Entity
- This principle dictates that personal and business transactions should be accounted for separately to avoid mixing all financial matters together.
- Concept: Economic Entity
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Income is considered to be earned when a product is delivered or a service is performed, regardless of when payment is received.
- Concept: Revenue Recognition Principle
- Revenue should be recognized in the accounting period in which it is earned, which means when the service is performed or the goods are delivered.
- Concept: Revenue Recognition Principle
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A company uses the same accounting method each period to ensure comparability of financial data against prior periods.
- Concept: Consistency
- This ensures that the financial performance of different periods is comparable, enabling stakeholders to make better decisions based on the trends.
- Concept: Consistency
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Small office supplies are recorded as expenses when purchased rather than being depreciated over their useful life.
- Concept: Materiality
- This permits departure from other accounting principles if the item is immaterial and doesn’t affect the validity of financial reports.
- Concept: Materiality
By applying these concepts, businesses can ensure that their financial reports provide a true and fair view of their financial position and performance, supporting informed decision-making by users of these statements.