FASB'S FINAL ANSWER ON FAIR VALUE
Norwalk, Conn. - The Financial Accounting Standards Board has published the "final" versions of its three controversial FASB Staff Positions to improve guidance and disclosures on fair value measurements.
FSP FAS 157-4, Determining Fair Value When the Volume and Level of Activity for the Asset or Liability Have Significantly Decreased and Identifying Transactions That Are Not Orderly, provides guidelines for making fair value measurements more consistent with the principles presented in FASB Statement No. 157, Fair Value Measurements.
FSP FAS 107-1 and APB 28-1, Interim Disclosures About Fair Value of Financial Instruments, enhances consistency in financial reporting by increasing the frequency of fair value disclosures. FSP FAS 115-2 and FAS 124-2, Recognition and Presentation of Other-Than-Temporary Impairments, provides additional guidance designed to create greater clarity and consistency in accounting for and presenting impairment losses on securities.
FSP FAS 157-4 relates to determining fair values when there is no active market or where the price inputs being used represent distressed sales. It re-affirms that the objective of fair value measurement is to reflect how much an asset would be sold for in an orderly transaction (as opposed to a distressed or forced transaction) at the date of the statement. Specifically, it re-affirms the need to use judgment to ascertain if a formerly active market has become inactive and in determining fair values when markets have become inactive.
FSP FAS 107-1 and APB 28-1 relate to fair value disclosures for any instruments that are not currently reflected on the balance sheet at fair value. The FSP now requires these disclosures on a quarterly basis, providing qualitative and quantitative information about fair value estimates for all those financial instruments not measured on the balance sheet at fair value.
FSP FAS 115-2 and FAS 124-2 are intended to bring greater consistency to the timing of impairment recognition, and provide greater clarity to investors about the credit and noncredit components of impaired debt securities that are not expected to be sold. The measure of impairment in comprehensive income remains fair value. The FSP also requires increased and more timely disclosures sought by investors regarding expected cash flows, credit losses, and aging of securities with unrealized losses.
The FSPs are effective for interim and annual periods ending after June 15, 2009, but entities may adopt them early for the interim and annual periods ending after March 15, 2009. Beyond these near-term actions, FASB also has a joint project with the International Accounting Standards Board to more broadly revamp and converge their standards on accounting for financial instruments.
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