ACCA考试F7知识点辅导I.TheaccountingproblemBeforeIAS37provisionswererecognizedonthebasisofprudence,littleguidancewasgivenonwhenaprovisionshouldberecognizedandhowitshouldbemeasured.Thisgaverisetoinconsistencies,andalsoallowedprofitstobemanipulated.Someproblemsarenotedbelow:(a)Provisionscouldberecognizedonthebasisofmanagementintentions,ratherthanonanyobligationtobeentity;(b)Severalitemscouldbecombinedintoonelargeprovision.Therewereknownas‘bigbath’provisions;(c)Aprovisioncouldbecreatedforonepurposeandthenusedforanother;(d)Poordisclosuremadeitdifficulttoassesstheeffectofprovisionsonreportedprofits.Inparticular,provisionscouldbecreatedwhenprofitswerehighandreleasedwhenprofitswerelowinordertosmoothprofits.(1)DefinitionsIAS37viewsaprovisionasaliability.Aprovisionisaliabilityofuncertaintytimingoramount;Aliabilityisanobligationofanenterprisetotransfereconomicbenefitsasaresultofpasttransactionsorevents.Provisionmustbebasedonobligations,notmanagementintentions.(2)UnderIAS37,aprovisionshouldberecognized:a.Whenanenterprisehasapresentobligation;b.Itisprobablethatatransferofeconomicbenefitswillberequiredtosettleit;c.Areliableestimatecanbemadeofitsamount;ifareasonableestimatecannotbemade,thenthenatureoftheprovisionandtheuncertaintiesrelatingtotheamountandtimingofthecashflowsshouldbedisclosed.Aprovisionismadeforsomethingwhichwillprobablyhappen.Itshouldberecognizedwhenitisprobablethatatransferofeconomiceventswilltakeplaceandwhenitsamountcanbeestimatedreliably.(3)ContingentliabilitiesDefinitionTheStandarddefinesacontingentliabilityas:(a)Apossibleobligationthatarisesfrompasteventsandwhoseexistencewillbeconfirmedonlybytheoccurrenceornon-occurrenceofoneormoreuncertainfutureeventsnotwhollywithinthecontroloftheenterprise;or(b)Apresentobligationthatarisesfrompasteventsbutisnotrecognizedbecause:(i)Itisnotprobablethatanoutflowofresourcesembodyingeconomicbenefitswillberequiredtosettletheobligation;or(ii)Theamountoftheobligationcannotbemeasuredwithsufficientreliability.Asaruleofthumb,probablemeansmorethan50%likely.Ifanobligationisprobable,itisnotacontingentliability–instead,aprovisionisneeded.TreatmentofcontingentliabilitiesContingentliabilitiesshouldnotberecognizedinfinancialstatementsbuttheyshouldbedisclosed.Therequireddisclosuresare:(a)Abriefdescriptionofthenatureofthecontingentliability;(b)Anestimateofitsfinancialeffect;(c)Anindicationoftheuncertaintiesthatexist;(d)Thepossibilityofanyreimbursement;(4)ContingentassetsDefinitionApossibleassetthatarisesfromthepasteventswhoseexistencewillbeconfirmedbytheoccurrenceofoneormoreuncertainfutureeventsnotwhollywithintheenterprise’scontrol.Acontingentassetmustnotberecognized.Onlywhentherealizationoftherelatedeconomicbenefitsisvirtuallycertainshouldrecognitiontakeplace.Atthatpoint,theassetisnolongeracontingentasset.Disclosure:contingentassetsContingentassetsmustonlybedisclosedinthenotesiftheyareprobable.Inthatcaseabriefdescriptionofthecontingentassetshouldbeprovidedalongwithanestimateofitslikelyfinancialeffect.II.Specificapplication1.FutureoperatinglossesInthepast,provisionswererecognizedforfutureoperatinglossesonthegroundsofprudence.Howevertheseshouldnotbeprovidedforthefollowingreasons.①Theyrelatetofutureevents;②Thereisnoobligationtoathirdparty.Theloss-makingbusinesscouldbeclosedandthelossesavoided.2.OnerouscontractsAnonerouscontractisacontractinwhichtheunavoidablecostsofmeetingthecontractexceedtheeconomicbenefitsexpectedtobereceivedunderit.Acommonexampleofanonerouscontractisaleaseonasurplusfactory.Theleaseholderislegallyobligedtocarryonpayingtherentonthefactory,buttheywillnotgetanybenefitfromusingthefactory.Theleastnetcostofanonerouscontractshouldberecognizedasaprovision.Theleastnetcostisthelowerofthecostoffulfillingthecontractorofterminatingitandsufferinganypenaltypayments.Someassetsmayhavebeenboughtspecificallyfortheonerouscontract.Theseshouldbereviewedforimpairmentbeforeanyseparateprovisionismadeforthecontractitself.1DemoDroopershasrecentlyboughtallofthetrade,assetsandliabilitiesofDolittle,anunincorporatdbusiness.Aspartofthetake-overallofthecombinedbusiness’sactivitieshavebeenrelocatedatDroopersmainsite.AsaresultDolittle’spremisesarenowemptyandsurplustorequirements.However,justbeforetheacquisitionDolittlehadsignedathreeyearleasefortheirpremisesat$6000percalendarmonth.At31December2003thisleasead32monthslefttorunandthelandlordhadrefusedtoterminatethelease.Asub-tenanthadtakenoverpartofthepremisesfortherestoftheleaseatarentof$2500percalendarmonth.Required(a)ShouldDroopersrecognizedaprovisionforanonerouscontractinrespectofthislease?(b)Showhowthisinformationwillbepresentedinthefinancialstatementsfor2003and2004.Ignorethetimevalueofmoney.Solution:Droopershasalegalobligationtopayafurther$192000tothelandlord,asaresultofaleasesignedbeforetheyearend.Thereforeanonerouscontractexistsandmustbeprovidedfor.Thereisalsoanamountrecoverableformthesub-tenantof$80000(32×2500).Thiswillbeshownseparatelyinthebalancesheetasanasset.The$192000payableandthe$80000recoverablecanbenettedoffintheincomestatement.incomestatements200