SEC Statements and the New Revenue Recognition StandardPosted: December 22, 2014
At the recent AICPA SEC and PCAOB Developments Conference, James Shnurr, SEC Chief Accountant, noted that preparers have lots of questions about accounting for transactions under the new standard and they need answers in order to implement the standard. If those answers require additional rule making this might cause a delay in the effective date of the standard. He also pointed out that comparability was a hallmark of the standard setting process. You can find more on his comments this Journal of Accountancy article.
In addition to the FASB/IASB Transition Resource Group which is looking at 28 issues and counting, the AICPA is trying to aid comparability through 16 industry focused task forces to assist in understanding the standard and provide examples. These task forces have been hard at work, but are just now coming to the point of sending information up to the AICPA Finance Reporting Executive Committee for review with publication of results not expected to happen any time soon. If comparability is a real key, I think it behooves the FASB to consider a delay to allow these groups to positively impact comparability within each industry as a result of their work.
The FASB is in the middle of outreach to understand where preparers are in implementing the standard and the issues they are encountering. They are considering a possible delay in the standard based on what they find during the research. The FASB has been clear that simply not getting around to the work is not a reason for a delay. Instead, they are looking for real substantive issues preparers are having with implementing the standard in time for a retrospective application. Either way, we should hear from the FASB in the first half of 2015 about a potential delay. Interestingly the IASB is saying they are not hearing any requests for a delay in the standard, but this is probably greatly influenced by the fact that under IFRS you only have to provide two years of income statements rather than three as required by the SEC. If US preparers only had to provide restated income statements for 2016 and 2017 and not 2015, I think you would be hearing a lot less about the need for a delay.
There is so much going on with the revenue standard I can’t possibly cover it all here. Bottom line is that the issuance of the final standard wasn’t the end, but really was only the end of the beginning of the process of changing the accounting for what is the most important number in the financial statements.