FASB ISSUES STANDARD TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL REPORTING FOR DEVELOPMENT STAGE ENTITIES
Update Eliminates Inception-to-Date Information, Difference In Consolidation Guidance
Norwalk, CT, June 10, 2014—The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) today issued guidance intended to reduce the overall cost and complexity associated with financial reporting for development stage entities, without reducing the availability of relevant information.
Current Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) require a development stage entity to present the same basic financial statements and apply the same recognition and measurement rules as established companies. In addition, GAAP requires a development stage entity to present inception-to-date information about income statement line items, cash flows, and equity transactions.
Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-10, Development Stage Entities (Topic 915): Elimination of Certain Financial Reporting Requirements, Including an Amendment to Variable Interest Entities Guidance in Topic 810, Consolidation removes all incremental financial reporting requirements from GAAP for development stage entities, including the removal of Topic 915 from the FASB Accounting Standards Codification®. In addition, the Update:
- Adds an example disclosure in Risks and Uncertainties (Topic 275) to illustrate one way that an entity that has not begun planned principal operations could provide information about the risks and uncertainties related to the company’s current activities.
- Removes an exception provided to development stage entities in Consolidations (Topic 810) for determining whether an entity is a variable interest entity—which may change the consolidation analysis, consolidation decision, and disclosure requirements for a company that has an interest in a company in the development stage.
For organizations defined as public business entities, for the first annual period beginning after December 15, 2014, the presentation and disclosure requirements in Topic 915 will no longer be required. The revised consolidation standards are effective one year later, in annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted.
For other organizations, for the first annual period beginning after December 15, 2014, the presentation and disclosure requirements in Topic 915 will no longer be required. The revised consolidation standards are effective two years later, in annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is permitted.
The update and a FASB in Focus document are available at www.fasb.org.
About the Financial Accounting Standards Board
Since 1973, the Financial Accounting Standards Board has been the designated organization in the private sector for establishing standards of financial accounting and reporting. Those standards govern the preparation of financial reports and are officially recognized as authoritative by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Such standards are essential to the efficient functioning of the economy because investors, creditors, auditors, and others rely on credible, transparent, and comparable financial information. For more information about the FASB, visit our website at www.fasb.org.