Explaining Basic Accounting Concepts and Business

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Explaining Basic Accounting Concepts and Business Structure Identify and describe the sources of generally accepted accounting principles. Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) are a set of principles, procedures, and authoritative standards set by policy boards and simply the commonly accepted way of recording and reporting financial information The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has been the designated organization in the private sector for establishing standards and interpretations of financial accounting and reporting. The APB main purpose in the GAAP process were to “advance the written expression of accounting principle, determine appropriate practices, and narrow the areas of difference and inconsistency in practice” (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso 2007, p.8). The APB objective is to develop a conceptual framework that would help in the resolution of problems as they became evident and research the issues before the AICPA issued pronouncement. AICPA helps with regulating the accounting profession and enforce account principles. The GAAP hierarchy includes four categories A to D, each of which established a different level of authority. The first category consists of the following established accounting principles: FASB Statements of Financial Accounting Standards, FASB Interpretations, APB Opinions, and AICPA Accounting Research Bulletins. These accounting principles in this category are referred to as Rule 203 pronouncements. The second category consist of FASB Technical Bulletins and, if cleared by the FASB, AICPA Statements of Position, and, AICPA Industry Audit and Accounting Guides. The third category consist of: AcSEC Practice Bulletins that have been cleared by the FASB, and, consensus positions of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) and the final category consist of: AICPA Accounting Interpretations, FASB staff

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