Summaries / Status

Summary of Statement No. 56
Codification of Accounting and Financial Reporting Guidance Contained in the AICPA Statements on Auditing Standards
(Issued 03/09)

The objective of this Statement is to incorporate into the Governmental Accounting Standards Board’s (GASB) authoritative literature certain accounting and financial reporting guidance presented in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Statements on Auditing Standards. This Statement addresses three issues not included in the authoritative literature that establishes accounting principles—related party transactions, going concern considerations, and subsequent events. The presentation of principles used in the preparation of financial statements is more appropriately included in accounting and financial reporting standards rather than in the auditing literature.

This Statement does not establish new accounting standards but rather incorporates the existing guidance (to the extent appropriate in a governmental environment) into the GASB standards.

How the Changes in This Statement Will Improve Financial Reporting

The requirements in this Statement will improve financial reporting by contributing to the GASB’s efforts to codify all sources of generally accepted accounting principles for state and local governments so that they derive from a single source. This effort is important from the perspective of bringing the authoritative accounting and financial reporting literature together in one place, with that guidance modified as necessary to appropriately recognize the governmental environment and the needs of governmental financial statement users.
 

Unless otherwise specified, pronouncements of the GASB apply to financial reports of all state and local governmental entities, including general purpose governments; public benefit corporations and authorities; public employee retirement systems; and public utilities, hospitals and other healthcare providers, and colleges and universities. Paragraph 2 discusses the applicability of this Statement.