12. Explain modifying Accounting Principles.
Or ,
Explain any three modifying accounting principles .
Ans : - In the application of accounting principles and assumptions in certain situations some have been modified for preparation of financial statement . These constraints are referred to as modifying principles some of which are discussed below :
1. Materiality : - The term materiality refers to the relative importance of an item . This modifying principle states that only material information should be incorporated in the financial statement and non - material information should not be stated in those statements. An item of information should be judged as material, if the knowledge of that item has an influence on its users in their decision making process. For example - instead of writing pen, pencils , rubber , register etc. we may write stationery A/c.
2. Consistency : - The principle of consistency implies that a method decided once to treat a given event should be consistently followed from one period to another . It means that the same accounting procedure should be followed for similar items over the periods. For example -- If written down value method of depreciation is followed in a particular year the same method should be followed in subsequent years.
3. Conservation ( prudence ) : - This principle states that all unfavorable events should be recognized at the earliest and favorable events should be recorded only when they actually takes place under this principle expenditure are divided between capital and revenue on the basis of its service potential . If the benefit derived from an expenditure is consumed within an accounting period, it is considered revenue and if the benefit from an expenditure is derived for a longer period, it is treated as capital expenditure.
4. Cost concept : - Financial statements are prepared on historical cost basis . Historical cost implies that transactions should be recorded at cost price and not at any other price . Thus cost concept makes the financial statements objective , reliable and feasible .
5. Dual aspect concept : - It provides the accounting equation E = A. It means that the assets of a firm are equal to the claims of the creditors and owners . It also shows how each nominal account affects the owners equity .
6. Realisation concept : It provides guidelines for determining and measuring incomes and helps in the preparation of profit and loss account in order to ascertain the true profit or loss of a firm .
7. Periodicity concept : - It enables the accountant to prepare the financial statements periodically in order to ascertain the periodical profit or loss and the financial position at the end of a given period .
8. Matching and accrual concepts : - These concepts suggest that the expenses incurred to earn a revenue should be compared with that revenue . Thus, in the preparation of income statement, revenue earned during a given period whether received or not and expenses incurred to earn that revenue within that period whether paid or not are to be considered . Thus a true profit or loss for a period can be determined with the help of these concepts.
13. Explain the role of accounting concepts in the preparation of financial statements.
Or,
Briefly explain the accounting concepts which guide the accountants at the recording stage.
Ans : - Financial statements are required to show a true and fair view of the financial position of a concern on a particular date and a true and fair view of the financial profit or loss . In preparing and presenting these statements, the accounting principle offer guide lines to the accountants.
1. Entity concept: - This concept recognizes that a business unit is separate from its owner and restricts the recording of transactions to business transactions only. Private transactions are excluded from recording in business books. Thus, the financial statement reflects the financial position of the business alone.
2. Money measurement unit: This concept states that only those transactions which can be expressed in terms of money are only recorded. Thus financial statements contain the information in monetary terms and as a result the statement can convey information which is objective and understandable.
3. Going concern concept: - This concept assumes that a business unit will exist for an indefinite period of time . It means that it will not be dissolved immediately. Therefore, this help the accountants to divide the life span of the business, thus , all sources of losses and contingences are to be recognized and provided for immediately , but in case of a gain , it is to be recognized when it actually realizes . Examples of this principle are---
( i ) Valuation of inventory and investment at cost price or market price whichever is lower .
( ii ) Maintaining provision for bad and doubtful debts ,
( iii ) Not taking appreciated value of fixed assets .
4. Timeliness: - The principle of timeliness states that information should be disclosed timely . The companies Act , 1956 requires that the annual reports must be submitted to the register of companies and made available within a specified period of time after the closure of accounting year.
5. Cost benefit; - This modifying principle states that the cost of applying a particular principle should not exceed the benefits derived from it . This does not mean that effort should be taken to save cost by providing lesser information. But it indicates that heavy expenses should not be incurred in supplying information which is not relevant.
6. Periodicity Assumptions: According to this concept accounts should be prepared after every period and not at the end of the life of the entity. Usually, this period is one calendar year. In India we follow from 1st April of a year to 31st March of the immediately following year.
7. Dual Aspect Principle: Each transaction has two aspects. If a business has acquired an asset, it must have resulted in any one of the followings :
a ) Some other assets has been given up or
b ) Obligation to pay for it has arisen , or
c ) There has been a profit , which the business owes to the proprietors or
d ) The proprietor has contributed for the acquisition of the assets.
The reserve is also true. So the equation is
Assets = Liabilities + Capital
8. Accrual Principle: If an event has occurred, its consequences will follow. If a transaction is not settled in cash, nevertheless it is proper to record the event in the books. Thus expected future cash receipts and payments are considered in accounting. As for example unpaid salaries and wages, prepaid rent are taken into account.
9. Materiality Principle: According to this principle, items having an insignificant effect or being irrelevant to the user need not be disclosed . These important items are either left out or merged with other items , otherwise accounting statements will be unnecessary over burdened .
10. Full Disclosure Principle: This principle requires that all significant information relating to the economic affairs of the enterprise should be completely disclosed.
11. Consistency Principle: This convention states that accounting principles and methods should remain consistent from one year to another. This should not be changed from year to year, in order to enable the management to compare the profit and loss A/c and balance sheet of the different periods and draw important conclusions about the working of the enterprise.
12. Conservation Principle: According to this convention all anticipated losses should be recorded in the books of accounts , but all anticipated or unrealized gains should be ignored.
14. Short Notes : 5 Marks each
A. Assumptions: Assumption means taking certain things for granted. In accounting , certain assumptions are fundamental for the preparation and presentation of financial statement . The following five assumptions are considered as basic assumptions of accounting. These are
i. Accounting Entity / Separate Business Entity: In accounting business is treated as a unit separate and distinct from its owners, creditors, managers and others. In other words the owner of a business is always considered as distinct and separate from the business he owns. Business unit should have a completely separate set of books and we have to record business transactions from firms points of view and not from the point of view of the proprietor. The proprietor is treated as a creditor of the business to the extent of capital invested by him in the business. The capital is treated as a liability of the firm. Because it is assumed that the firm has borrowed funds from its own proprietors instead of borrowing it from outside parties. It is for this reason that we also allow interest on capital and treat is as an expenses of the business. Interest on capital reduces the profits of the firm and at the same time increases the capital of the proprietor. Similarly, the amount withdrawn by the proprietor from the business for his personal use is treated as his drawings. Likewise, goods used from the stock of the business for business purposes are treated as the expenditure of the business but similar goods used by the proprietor for his personal use are treated as his drawings.
ii. Accrual : Accrual is the accounting process where the effect of transactions and other events are recognized on mercantile basis . i.e., when they occur ( and not as cash or a cash equivalents is received or paid ) and they are recorded in the accounting records and reported in the financial statements of the periods to which they relate . Financial statements prepared on the accrual basis inform users not only of past events involving the payment and receipts of cash but also of obligations to pay cash in the future and of resources that represent cash to be received in the future.
Accrual means recognition of revenue and costs as they are earned or incurred and not as money is received or paid. The accrual concept relates to measurement of income, identifying assets and liabilities.
Example : Mr. Pankaj buys clothing Rs.20,000 paying cash Rs. 10,000 and sells at Rs.30,000 of which customers paid only Rs. 25,000
His revenue is Rs. 10,000 , not Rs. 25,000 cash received. Expenses is Rs.20,000 not Rs.10,000 cash paid. So the accrual assumption based profit is Rs.10,000 ( Revenue - Expenses)
iii. Going Concern: The financial statements are normally prepared on the assumption that an enterprise is a going concern and will continue in operation for the foreseeable future. Hence, it is assumed that the enterprise has neither the intention nor the need to liquidate or curtail materially the scale of its operations; if such an intention or need exists, the financial statements may have to be prepared on the different basis and, if so, the basis used is disclosed.
The valuation of assets of a business entity is dependent on this assumption. Traditionally, accountants follow historical cost in majority of the cases. For example, if a machinery is purchased which would last, say, for the next 10 years, the cost of this machinery will be spread over the next 10 years for calculating the net profit or loss of each year. Because of the concept of going concern the full cost of the machine would not be treated as expenses in the year of its purchase itself. The marked value of the fixed assets is irrelevant and is not recorded in the balance sheet, as these assets are not going to be sold in the near future.
iv. Money Measurement: Only those transactions and events are recorded in accounting which is capable of being expressed in terms of money. An event, even though it may be very important for the business, will not be recorded in the books of the business. Unless it effect can be measured in terms of money with a fair degree of accuracy. For example, accounting does not record a quarrel between the production manager and sales manager, it does not report that a strike is beginning and it does not reveal that a competitor has placed a product in the market. These facts or happenings cannot be expressed in money term and these are not recorded in the books.
v. Accounting Period: As the business is intended to continue indefinitely for a long period, the true results of the business operations can be ascertained only when the business is completely wounded up. But ascertainment of profit after a very long period will be of little use to the proprietors, managers, investors and other because it will be too late to take corrective steps at that time. The users of the financial statements need to know the results of the business at frequent intervals. Thus, the entire life of the firm is divided into time intervals for the measurement of the profit of the business. Twelve month period is usually adopted for this purpose. According to the amended income tax law, a business has compulsorily to adopt financial year beginning on 1st April and ending on 31st March in the next calendar year, as its accounting period. Apart from this companies whose shares are listed on the stock exchange are required to publish quarterly results to depict the profitability and financial position at the end of the three months period.
B. Principles: Basic accounting principles are the general decision rules which govern the development of accounting techniques. These principles do not violate or conflict with the basic accounting assumptions. They work as a complementary to basic assumptions. Following are the basic accounting principles.
i. Dual Aspect Principle: Here, in this principle of ' Dual Aspect ' every business transaction is recorded as having a dual aspect. In other words, every transaction affects at least two accounts. If one account is debited, any other account must be credited. The system of recording transaction based on this principle is called 'Double Entry System'. It is because of this principle that the two sides of the Balance Sheet are always equal and the following accounting equations will always hold good at any point of time.
Assets = Liabilities + Capital Or Capital= Assets - Liabilities
Whenever a transaction is to be recorded, it has to be recorded in two or more accounts to balance the equation. If a transaction affects (increases or decreases) the one side of the equation , it will also affect (increase or decrease) the other side of the equation or increase one account and decrease another account on the same side of equation. Equation remains balanced whenever a transaction take place. For example , X commences business with Rs.5 lakhs in cash and takes a loan of Rs. 1 lakh from the bank and these 6 lakhs are used in buying some assets , say plant and machinery .
The equation will be as follows -
Assets = Liabilities + Capital
Rs.20 lakhs = Rs.5 lakhs + Rs.15 lakhs
ii. Revenue Recognition Principle: Revenue means the amount which is added to the capital as a result of business operations. Revenue is earned by sale of goods or by providing a service. Concept of revenue recognition determines the time or the particular period in which the revenue is realised. Revenue is deemed to realised when the title or the ownership of the goods has been transferred to the purchaser and when he has legally become liable to pay the amount. It should be remembered that revenue recognition is not related with the receipt of cash. For example, if a firm gets an order of goods on 1st January , supplies the goods on 20th January and receives the cash on 1st April , the revenue will be deemed to have been earned on 20th January , as the ownership of goods was transferred on that day.
Revenue in case of incomes such as rent , interest commission etc. is recognised on a time basis . For example , rent for the month of March 2006 , even if received in April 2006 will be treated as revenue of the financial year ending March 31 , 2006. Similarly if commission for April 2006 is received in Advance in March 2006 , it will be treated as a revenue of the financial year commencing April 2006 .
iii. Cost Principle: Cost means monetary price paid or to be paid for the acquisition of an asset or a service. Thus, historical cost principle implies that an asset is ordinarily recorded in accounting records at a price which is paid or to be paid to acquire it. As it refers to the past so it is also called historical cost. It is the basis for the valuation of an asset in the financial statement. Fair value is considered for the purpose of recording the value of an asset. For example, if a business entity purchases a building for Rs. 5,00,000 , it would be recorded in the books at this figure . Subsequent increase or decrease in the market value of the building would not be recorded in the books of accounts . If two years later the market value of the building shoots up to Rs. 10,00,000 , the increased value will not be ordinarily recorded in books of accounts.
iv. Matching Principle: Though the business is a continuous affair, its continuity is artificially split into several accounting years for determining the periodical results. Thus expenses of a particular period are compared with the revenues of that period to determine the net operational results of that accounting period. As for example; rent for twelve months whether paid or not is matched against the revenues earning during these twelve months.
In addition to these, legal position of transactions should be considered while recording such transactions e.g. Hire Purchase transactions.
v. Full Disclosure Principle: This principle requires that all significant information relating to the economic affairs of the enterprise should be completely disclosed. In other words, there should be a sufficient disclosure of information which is of material interest to the users of the financial statements such as proprietors, present and potential creditors, investors and others. The principles are so important that the Companies Act makes ample provisions for the disclosure of essential information in the financial statements of a company. The format and contents of a Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Account are prescribed by Companies Act. Various items or facts which do not find place in accounting statements are shown in the Balance sheet by way of foot notes.
vi. Objectivity Principle: This principle requires that accounting transaction should be recorded in an objective manner, free from the personal bias of either management or the accountant who prepares the accounts It is possible only when each transaction is supported by verifiable documents and vouchers such as cash memos, invoices, sales bill, pay in slip, correspondence, agreement etc. For example, when the goods are purchased for cash, the transaction must be supported by cash receipt for money paid and if the goods are purchased on credit , e you the transaction must be supported by a copy of invoice or delivery challan . The cash receipt or invoice become the documentary evidence of the transaction and provide an objective basis for verifying the transaction. Objectivity is one of the reasons for adopting the ' Historical Cost ' as the basis of recording accounting transaction because cost actually paid for an asset ( i.e. , historical cost ) can be verified from the documents . On the contrary, if assets are recorded on their market value , the objectivity cannot be adhered to because the market value may differ from person to person and from place to place .
C. Modifying Principle: Generally, the financial statements are prepared keeping in view the basic principles and assumptions of accounting. However difficulties are faced in the application of accounting principles in certain situations which call for the modified application of the principles and assumptions of accounting. These constraints are referred to as Modifying Principles. These Modifying Principles are :
i. Materiality : According to this principle , items having an insignificant effect or being irrelevant to the user need not be disclosed . These unimportant items are either left out or merged with other items , otherwise accounting statements will be unnecessary overburdened . American Accounting Association ( AAA ) defines the term materiality as under " An item should be regarded as material if there is reason to believe that knowledge of it would influence decision of informed investor."
According to Kohler " Materiality is the characteristics attaching to a statement , fact , or item whereby its disclosure or the method of giving its expression would be likely to influence the judgment of a reasonable person."
It should be noted that what is material for one concern may be immaterial for another. For instance, the cost of small tools may be material for a small repair workshop, but the same figure may be immaterial for Tata Limited. Similarly, the nature of the transaction should also be taken into consideration. A difference of Rs. 500 in the valuation of stock may b y be regarded as immaterial but the difference of Rs.500 in cash could be termed material . Thus , the accountant shout judge the importance of each transaction to determine its materiality .
ii. Conservation: According to this principle, all anticipated losses should be recorded in the books of accounts, but all anticipated or unrealized gain should be ignored. In other words, conservatism is the policy of playing safe. Provisions is made for all known liabilities and losses even though the amount cannot be determined with certainty Likewise , when there are different alternatives for recording a transactions The one h one having least favourable immediate effect on profits or capital should be adopted . For example closing stock is valued at cost price or market price whichever is lesser.
iii. Cost Benefit: Cost Benefit principle implies that the cost of applying the principle should not exceed the benefit derived from the application of the principle. This does not mean that effort should be taken to save cost by providing lesser information. It stresses that undue heavy expenses must not be incurred in supplying information which are not relevant.
iv. Consistency: The principle of consistency requires that the accounting policies , which are followed from period to period should not be changed . These should not be changed from year to year , in order to enable the management to compare the profit & Loss Account and balance sheet of the different periods and draw important conclusions about the working of the enterprise . If a firm adopts different accounting principles in two accounting periods , the profits of current period will not be comparable with the profits of the preceding period . For example , a firm can choose any one of the methods of depreciation, from Straight line method , written down value method , Annuity Method etc. But it is expected that the method once chosen will be followed consistently year after year.
But the principle of consistency should not be taken to mean that it does not allow a firm to change the accounting methods according to the changed circumstances of the business.
v. Timeliness: Under this principle, accounting information should be furnished to different users in a timely manner. If information is not provided timely, it loses its ability to influence decisions and becomes irrelevant. It means that financial statements must be prepared periodically without waiting for the final dissolution of the firm. Such statement requires some estimates in certain situations and a rational approach should be adopted for making these estimates in order to arrive at fair income and position statement.
vi. Substance over legal form: According to this modifying principle, the transactions and events recorded in the books of accounts and prescribed in the financial statement, should be governed by the ' substance of such transactions, and not by the legality of such transactions . In certain cases, the transaction recorded may not represent the true legal position. Therefore, under ' substance over legal form ' principle , substance of the transactions gets preference over legal position . For example , under hire purchase system , the legal ownership of an assets lie with the hire vendor until the last installment is paid but the assets is recorded and shown in the Balance Sheet at . cost less depreciation as its own assets . Here the substance of the transaction prevails over its legal position.
vii. Industry Practice : Industry practice varies from Industry to Industry . For example , under Banking Companies Act , the reporting format of the Banks is quite different from other companies governed by the Companies Act 1956. Valuation of stock of gold is valued at market price and not at cost price .