Conceptual Framework For Financial Accounting

Conceptual framework can be described as a structure. It is an organized routine of connected goals and fundamental concepts. It determines the nature, boundaries and purpose of financial accounting. It also deals with theoretical and conceptual problems, surrounding financial accounting and building sensible and constant base that justifies accounting standard. It explains the reasons for identifying how a transaction should be showed to the intended customers. For example: Asset should be recorded at traditional cost or market value.


The biggest participation and benefit of conceptual framework is that it helps in understanding and decoding the accounting details included in the financial report. Few other essential reasons why it is useful are described below:

It allows the customer of financial details to comprehend the accounting standard and IASB's idea behind its formulation. It provides a route for further development of accounting requirements. It even allows IASB by offering guidelines to reduce different accounting treatment permitted by IFRS in a situation. It substantiates the stability of financial statements, reports and the accounting career.

Conceptual Framework has also resolved several problems which were uncertain by accounting standards for a while. Events and dealings that can't be worked by designed financial accounting standards are also settled by the help of conceptual framework. It has provided guidance with regards to qualitative features of financial details. Companies have also been helped by conceptual framework in selecting the most suitable treatment permitted by financial accounting standard by offering reasons for it. New accounting standards are designed by the national accounting standard establishing system with the help of conceptual framework.

It even allows the auditor to form his opinion about the financial statement, that whether it is made in accordance to IFRS or not. It allows the management to apply IFRS while creating financial statements and deal with situations where there is no relevant standard. It also provides details to customers who are concerned in the perform of the IASB.

IASB and FASB considered that it is essential to create a combined conceptual framework because it is essential to create strong reasons for accounting standards that are principles-based, reliable and internationally recognized. To create financial decision it is essential that the decision is depending on something that is principle-based and not personal concepts of the each panel. The problem with personal conceptual framework of an personal conventional setter may come to a positive summary in short-term, but as these concepts are personal and are thoughts of present associates of standard-setters, it might result in disputes or modification again and again as new associates surpass in the standard-setting system over the timeframe, leading to irregularity of concepts and creating it challenging for the customers to create their choice. This is the reason that both the forums have made the decision to spend their initiatives to create combined conceptual framework.

The IASB and FASB considered that reconsidering all the concepts would not be a practical use of their knowledge and research. Major aspects of the frameworks by both systems look like to an extent and don't require any possible modifications. Therefore both the systems have determined that instead of changing all the factors and framework they would focus on improving present frameworks, showing priority for problems which would eliminate the aim of standard establishing.

IASB and FASB believe that when this would be completed, it will be one document dealing with all the standards and problems. A typical set of standards that will be globally approved is the purpose of IASB and FASB. Since 2002 both forums (IASB and FASB) have been working together to achieve this purpose, by eliminating the variations between IFRSs and generally approved accounting principles (GAAP). Another purpose of the be a part of conceptual framework is keeping the present concepts up to date, as per the market trends, business practice these days. IASB and FASB haven't determined in general about the stability of the combined conceptual framework; but are certain and believe that combined conceptual framework will not have the same position as financial confirming requirements. Joint conceptual framework won't create present requirements worthless, although some of the present requirements may issue with be a part of structure but the panel will have to consider creating these requirements constant with their plans.

There were many breaks in the conceptual framework of personal forums for example both the forums hadn't performed their discussion on idea of reporting entity. It was after the development of combined conceptual framework that these conceptual breaks were mentioned and a globally approved standard was established. Filling the gaps in both the board's framework is also the purpose of be a part of panel.

Revenue is an important aspect for the customer of the financial statements as it explains how the company is performing. Despite being such an important aspect its identification in financial statement can be very complicated because IFRS and GAAP framework have disputes on its identification. Therefore IASB and FASB have made the decision to start a project to explain the concepts about revenue identification and create a consistent standard. If both the forums would not perform to create typical framework, it will become very challenging for the customers of financial statements to understand the concept behind it and hence the financial statements would lose their credibility in long run.