Accounting Standards Approach: Principles-Based vs Rules-Based

Accounting standards plays a vital role in financial accounting and reporting in order for investors to make good decisions. Rules-based accounting is generally a list of detailed rules that must be followed when preparing financial statements. Principle based standards derive from a conceptual framework that provides for broad ‘principles’ to be adopted within standards and also requires professional and managerial judgment in relevance to particular transactions and events. The difference between rules-based and principles-based standards is not clear and is subject to a variety of interpretations. But there is a generally held outlook that the FASB’s standards are rules-based and the IASB’s standards are principles-based. Principles-Based Accounting Standard Principles-based accounting standards are based on a conceptual framework. Such standards require a clear hierarchy of overarching concepts, principles that reflect the overarching concepts and limited further guidance. The principles-based deliver a comprehensive way in preparing the financial statement yet has the Continue reading