The FASB Accounting Standards CodificationTM and the Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles—a replacement of FASB Statement No. 162
Summary
Why Is the FASB Issuing This Statement and When Is It Effective?
The FASB Accounting Standards CodificationTM (Codification) will become the source of authoritative U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) recognized by the FASB to be applied by nongovernmental entities. Rules and interpretive releases of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under authority of federal securities laws are also sources of authoritative GAAP for SEC registrants. On the effective date of this Statement, the Codification will supersede all then-existing non-SEC accounting and reporting standards. All other nongrandfathered non-SEC accounting literature not included in the Codification will become nonauthoritative. This Statement is effective for financial statements issued for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.
Following this Statement, the Board will not issue new standards in the form of Statements, FASB Staff Positions, or Emerging Issues Task Force Abstracts. Instead, it will issue Accounting Standards Updates. The Board will not consider Accounting Standards Updates as authoritative in their own right. Accounting Standards Updates will serve only to update the Codification, provide background information about the guidance, and provide the bases for conclusions on the change(s) in the Codification.
FASB Statement No. 162, The Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, which became effective on November 13, 2008, identified the sources of accounting principles and the framework for selecting the principles used in preparing the financial statements of nongovernmental entities that are presented in conformity with GAAP. Statement 162 arranged these sources of GAAP in a hierarchy for users to apply accordingly. Once the Codification is in effect, all of its content will carry the same level of authority, effectively superseding Statement 162. In other words, the GAAP hierarchy will be modified to include only two levels of GAAP: authoritative and nonauthoritative. As a result, this Statement replaces Statement 162 to indicate this change to the GAAP hierarchy.
What Is the Scope of This Statement?
This Statement applies to financial statements of nongovernmental entities that are presented in conformity with GAAP.
How Will This Statement Change Current Practice?
In the Board’s view, the issuance of this Statement and the Codification will not change GAAP, except for those nonpublic nongovernmental entities that must now apply the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Technical Inquiry Service Section 5100, “Revenue Recognition,” paragraphs 38–76.