Presentation of Financial Statements— Going Concern ...

1 Presentation of Financial Statements Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40) No. 2014-15 August 2014 Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern An Amendment of the FASB accounting Standards codification The FASB accounting Standards codification is the source of authoritative generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) recognized by the FASB to be applied by nongovernmental entities. An accounting Standards Update is not authoritative; rather, it is a document that communicates how the accounting Standards codification is being amended. It also provides other information to help a user of GAAP understand how and why GAAP is changing and when the changes will be effective.

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4 2014-15 August 2014 Presentation of Financial Statements Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40) Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern accounting Standards UpdateFinancial accounting Standards Board accounting Standards Update 2014-15 Presentation of Financial Statements Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40) Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern August 2014 CONTENTS Page Numbers Summary .. 1 4 Amendments to the FASB accounting Standards codification .. 5 18 Background Information and Basis for Conclusions .. 19 32 Amendments to the XBRL Taxonomy.

5 33 1 Summary Why Is the FASB Issuing This accounting Standards Update (Update)? Under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), continuation of a reporting entity as a Going Concern is presumed as the basis for preparing Financial statements unless and until the entity s liquidation becomes imminent. Preparation of Financial statements under this presumption is commonly referred to as the Going Concern basis of accounting . If and when an entity s liquidation becomes imminent, Financial statements should be prepared under the liquidation basis of accounting in accordance with Subtopic 205-30, Presentation of Financial Statements Liquidation Basis of accounting .

6 Even if an entity s liquidation is not imminent, there may be conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about the entity s ability to continue as a Going Concern . In those situations, Financial statements should continue to be prepared under the Going Concern basis of accounting , but the amendments in this Update should be followed to determine whether to disclose information about the relevant conditions and events. Currently, there is no guidance in GAAP about management s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity s ability to continue as a Going Concern or to provide related footnote disclosures.

7 Auditing standards and federal securities law require that an auditor evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity s ability to continue as a Going Concern for a reasonable period of time not to exceed one year beyond the date of the Financial statements being audited. auditing standards also require an auditor to consider the possible Financial statement effects, including footnote disclosures on uncertainties about an entity s ability to continue as a Going Concern for a reasonable period of time (the American Institute of Certified Public Accountant s codification of Statements on Auditing Standards Section AU-C 570, The Auditor s Consideration of an Entity s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern , or the Public Company accounting Oversight Board s AU Section 341.)

8 The Auditor s Consideration of an Entity s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern ). The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also has guidance on disclosures that it expects from an entity when an auditor s report includes an explanatory paragraph that reflects substantial doubt about an entity s ability to continue as a Going Concern for a reasonable period of time (The codification of Financial Reporting Policies, Section ). The Board received input indicating that because of the lack of guidance in GAAP and the differing views about when there is substantial doubt about an entity s ability to continue as a Going Concern , there is diversity in whether, when, and how an entity discloses the relevant conditions and events in its footnotes.

9 2 The amendments in this Update provide guidance in GAAP about management s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity s ability to continue as a Going Concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. In doing so, the amendments should reduce diversity in the timing and content of footnote disclosures. Who Is Affected by the Amendments in This Update? The amendments in this Update apply to all entities. What Are the Main Provisions? In connection with preparing Financial statements for each annual and interim reporting period, an entity s management should evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the entity s ability to continue as a Going Concern within one year after the date that the Financial statements are issued (or within one year after the date that the Financial statements are available to be issued when applicable).

10 Management s evaluation should be based on relevant conditions and events that are known and reasonably knowable at the date that the Financial statements are issued (or at the date that the Financial statements are available to be issued when applicable). Substantial doubt about an entity s ability to continue as a Going Concern exists when relevant conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, indicate that it is probable that the entity will be unable to meet its obligations as they become due within one year after the date that the Financial statements are issued (or available to be issued).