.09

Because of developments such as new legislation or the evolution of a new type of business transaction, there sometimes are no established accounting principles for reporting a specific transaction or event. In those instances, it might be possible to report the event or transaction on the basis of its substance by selecting an accounting principle that appears appropriate when applied in a manner similar to the application of an established principle to an analogous transaction or event.

Application to Nongovernmental Entities

.10

For financial statements of entities other than governmental entities— ^fn 3

1. Category (a), officially established accounting principles, consists of Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Statements of Financial Accounting Standards and Interpretations, Accounting Principles Board (APB) Opinions, and AICPA Accounting Research Bulletins.
2. Category (b) consists of FASB Technical Bulletins and, if cleared ^fn 4 by the FASB, AICPA Industry Audit and Accounting Guides and AICPA Statements of Position.
3. Category (c) consists of AICPA Accounting Standards Executive Committee (AcSEC) Practice Bulletins that have been cleared ^fn 4 by the FASB and consensus positions of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force.
4. Category (d) includes AICPA accounting interpretations and implementation guides ("Qs and As") published by the FASB staff, and practices that are widely recognized and prevalent either generally or in the industry.

.11

In the absence of a pronouncement covered by rule 203 [ET section 203.01] or another source of established accounting principles, the auditor of financial statements of entities other than governmental entities may consider other accounting literature, depending on its relevance in the circumstances. Other accounting literature includes, for example, FASB Statements of Financial Accounting Concepts; AICPA Issues Papers; International Accounting Standards of the International Accounting Standards Committee; Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statements, Interpretations, and Technical Bulletins; Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) Statements, Interpretations, and Technical Bulletins; pronouncements of other professional associations or regulatory agencies; Technical Information Service Inquiries and Replies included in AICPA Technical Practice Aids; and accounting textbooks, handbooks, and articles. The appropriateness of other accounting literature depends on its relevance to particular circumstances, the specificity of the guidance, and the general recognition of the issuer or author as an authority. For example, FASB Statements of Financial Accounting Concepts would normally be more influential than other sources in this category. [Revised, June 1993, to reflect conforming changes necessary due to the issuance of Statement of Position 93-3.]

Application to State and Local Governmental Entities

.12

For financial statements of state and local governmental entities— ^fn 5

1. Category (a), officially established accounting principles, consists of GASB Statements and Interpretations, as well as AICPA and FASB pronouncements specifically made applicable to state and local governmental entities by GASB Statements or Interpretations. GASB Statements and Interpretations are periodically incorporated in the Codification of Governmental Accounting and Financial Reporting Standards.
2. Category (b) consists of GASB Technical Bulletins and, if specifically made applicable to state and local governmental entities by the AICPA and cleared ^fn 6 by the GASB, AICPA Industry Audit and Accounting Guides and AICPA Statements of Position.
3. Category (c) consists of AICPA AcSEC Practice Bulletins if specifically made applicable to state and local governmental entities and cleared ^fn 6 by the GASB, as well as consensus positions of a group of accountants organized by the GASB that attempts to reach consensus positions on accounting issues applicable to state and local governmental entities. ^fn 7
4. Category (d) includes implementation guides ("Qs and As") published by the GASB staff, as well as practices that are widely recognized and prevalent in state and local government.

.13    

In the absence of a pronouncement covered by rule 203 [ET section 203.01] or another source of established accounting principles, the auditor of financial statements of state and local governmental entities may consider other accounting literature, depending on its relevance in the circumstances. Other accounting literature includes, for example, GASB Concepts Statements; the pronouncements referred to in categories (a) through (d) of paragraph .10 when not specifically made applicable to state and local governmental entities either by the GASB or by the organization issuing them; FASB Concepts Statements; FASAB Statements, Interpretations, Technical Bulletins, and Concepts Statements; AICPA Issues Papers; International Accounting Standards of the International Accounting Standards Committee; pronouncements of other professional associations or regulatory agencies; Technical Information Service Inquiries and Replies included in AICPA Technical Practice Aids; and accounting textbooks, handbooks, and articles. The appropriateness of other accounting literature depends on its relevance to particular circumstances, the specificity of the guidance, and the general recognition of the issuer or author as an authority. For example, GASB Concepts Statements would normally be more influential than other sources in this category. [Revised, June 1993, to reflect conforming changes necessary due to the issuance of Statement of Position 93-3.]

Application to Federal Governmental Entities

.14    

For financial statements of federal governmental entities— ^fn 8

1. Category (a), officially established accounting principles, consists of Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) Statements and Interpretations, as well as AICPA and FASB pronouncements specifically made applicable to federal governmental entities by FASAB Statements or Interpretations. FASAB Statements and Interpretations will be periodically incorporated in a publication by the FASAB.
2. Category (b) consists of FASAB Technical Bulletins and, if specifically made applicable to federal governmental entities by the AICPA and cleared by the FASAB, AICPA Industry Audit and Accounting Guides and AICPA Statements of Position. ^fn 9
3. Category (c) consists of AICPA AcSEC Practice Bulletins if specifically made applicable to federal governmental entities and cleared by the FASAB, as well as Technical Releases of the Accounting and Auditing Policy Committee of the FASAB.
4. Category (d) includes implementation guides published by the FASAB staff, as well as practices that are widely recognized and prevalent in the federal government.

[Paragraph added, effective April 2000, by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 91.]

.15    

In the absence of a pronouncement covered by rule 203 [ET section 203.01] or another source of established accounting principles, the auditor of financial statements of a federal governmental entity may consider other accounting literature, depending on its relevance in the circumstances. Other accounting literature includes, for example, FASAB Concepts Statements; the pronouncements referred to in categories (a) through (d) of paragraph .10 when not specifically made applicable to federal governmental entities by the FASAB; FASB Concepts Statements; GASB Statements, Interpretations, Technical Bulletins, and Concepts Statements; AICPA Issues Papers; International Accounting Standards of the International Accounting Standards Committee; pronouncements of other professional associations or regulatory agencies; Technical Information Service Inquiries and Replies included in AICPA Technical Practice Aids; and accounting textbooks, handbooks, and articles. The appropriateness of other accounting literature depends on its relevance to particular circumstances, the specificity of the guidance, and the general recognition of the issuer or author as an authority. For example, FASAB Concepts Statements would normally be more influential than other sources in this category. [Paragraph added, effective April 2000, by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 91.]

Effective Date

.16    

This section is effective for audits of financial statements for periods ending after March 15, 1992. [Paragraph renumbered by the issuance of Statements on Auditing Standards No. 91, April 2000.]

Transition

.17    

Most of the pronouncements or practices in categories (b), (c), and (d) of paragraphs .10 and .12 had equal authoritative standing prior to the issuance of this section. An entity following an accounting treatment in category (c) or (d) as of March 15, 1992, need not change to an accounting treatment in a category (b) or category (c) pronouncement whose effective date is before March 15, 1992. For example, a nongovernmental entity that followed a prevalent industry practice (category (d)) as of March 15, 1992, need not change to an accounting treatment included in a pronouncement in category (b) or (c) (for example, an accounting principle in a cleared AICPA statement of Position or AcSEC Practice Bulletin) whose effective date is before March 15, 1992. For pronouncements whose effective date is subsequent to March 15, 1992, and for entities initially applying an accounting principle after March 15, 1992 (except for FASB Emerging Issues Task Force consensus positions issued before March 16, 1992, which become effective in the hierarchy for initial application of an accounting principle after March 15, 1993), the auditor should follow the applicable hierarchy established by paragraphs .10 and .12 in determining whether an entity's financial statements are fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. [Paragraph renumbered by the issuance of Statement on Auditing Standards No. 91, April 2000.]
 

GAAP Hierarchy Summary ^fn †

.18    

[Revised, June 1993, to reflect conforming changes necessary due to the issuance of Statement of Position 93-3. Paragraph renumbered and amended, effective April 2000, by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 91.]