IAS 10 Events after the Balance Sheet Date

IAS 10 Events after the Balance Sheet Date


This revised Standard supersedes IAS 10 (revised 1999) Events After the Balance Sheet Date and should be applied forannual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. Earlier applicationis encouraged.

Contents


Introduction IN1-IN4
International Accounting Standard 10 Events after theBalance Sheet Date
Objective 1
Scope 2
Definitions 3-7
Recognition and Measurement 8-13
Adjusting Events after the Balance SheetDate 8-9
Non-adjusting Events after the BalanceSheet Date 10-11
Dividends 12-13
Going Concern 14-16
Disclosure 17-22
Date of Authorisation for Issue 17-18
Updating Disclosure about Conditions atthe Balance Sheet Date 19-20
Non-adjusting Events after the BalanceSheet Date 21-22
Effective date 23
Withdrawal of IAS 10 (revised 1999) 24
Appendix: Amendments to Other Pronouncements
Approval of IAS 10 by the Board
Basis for conclusions
Table of Concordance
 

International Accounting Standard 10 Events after the Balance Sheet Date (IAS 10)is set out in paragraphs 1-24 and the Appendix. All the paragraphs have equal authority but retain the IASC format of the Standard when it was adopted by the IASB. IAS 10 should be read in the context of its objective and the Basis for Conclusions, the Preface to International Financial Reporting Standards and the Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements. IAS 8 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors provides a basis for selecting and applying accounting policies in the absence of explicit guidance.
Introduction
IN1. International Accounting Standard 10 Events after the Balance Sheet Date (IAS 10) replaces IAS 10 Events After the Balance Sheet Date (revised in 1999) and should be applied for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. Earlier application is encouraged.
Reasons for Revising IAS 10
IN2. The International Accounting Standards Board developed this revised IAS 10 as part of its project on Improvements to International Accounting Standards. The project was undertaken in the light of queries and criticisms raised in relation to the Standards by securities regulators, professional accountants and other interested parties. The objectives of the project were to reduce or eliminate alternatives, redundancies and conflicts within the Standards, to deal with some convergence issues and to make other improvements.
IN3. For IAS 10 the Board's main objective was a limited clarification of the accounting for dividends declared after the balance sheet date. The Board did not reconsider the fundamental approach to the accounting for events after the balance sheet date contained in IAS 10.

The Main Changes
IN4. The main change from the previous version of IAS 10 was a limited clarification of paragraphs 12 and 13 (paragraphs 11 and 12 of the previous version of IAS 10). As revised, those paragraphs state that if an entity declares dividends after the balance sheet date, the entity shall not recognise those dividends as a liability at the balance sheet date.

Objective
1. The objective of this Standard is to prescribe:
(a) when an entity should adjust its financial statements for events after the balance sheet date; and
(b) the disclosures that an entity should give about the date when the financial statements were authorised for issue and about events after the balance sheet date.
The Standard also requires that an entity should not prepare its financial statements on a going concern basis if events after the balance sheet date indicate that the going concern assumption is not appropriate.
Scope
2. This Standard shall be applied in the accounting for, and disclosure of, events after the balance sheet date.

Definitions
3. The following terms are used in this Standard with the meanings specified:
Events after the balance sheet date are those events, favourable and unfavourable, that occur between the balance sheet date and the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue. Two types of events can be identified:
(a) those that provide evidence of conditions that existed at the balance sheet date (adjusting events after the balance sheet date); and
(b) those that are indicative of conditions that arose after the balance sheet date (non-adjusting events after the balance sheet date).
4. The process involved in authorising the financial statements for issue will vary depending upon the management structure, statutory requirements and procedures followed in preparing and finalising the financial statements.
5. In some cases, an entity is required to submit its financial statements to its shareholders for approval after the financial statements have been issued. In such cases, the financial statements are authorised for issue on the date of issue, not the date when shareholders approve the financial statements.

Example
The management of an entity completes draft financial statements for the year to 31 December 20X1 on 28 February 20X2. On 18 March 20X2, the board of directors reviews the financial statements and authorises them for issue. The entity announces its profit and selected other financial information on 19 March 20X2. The financial statements are made available to shareholders and others on 1 April 20X2. The shareholders approve the financial statements at their annual meeting on 15 May 20X2 and the approved financial statements are then filed with a regulatory body on 17 May 20X2.
The financial statements are authorised for issue on 18 March 20X2 (date of board authorisation for issue).

6. In some cases, the management of an entity is required to issue its financial statements to a supervisory board (made up solely of non-executives) for approval. In such cases, the financial statements are authorised for issue when the management authorises them for issue to the supervisory board.
Example
On 18 March 20X2, the management of an entity authorises financial statements for issue to its supervisory board. The supervisory board is made up solely of non-executives and may include representatives of employees and other outside interests. The supervisory board approves the financial statements on 26 March 20X2. The financial statements are made available to shareholders and others on 1 April 20X2. The shareholders approve the financial statements at their annual meeting on 15 May 20X2 and the financial statements are then filed with a regulatory body on 17 May 20X2.
The financial statements are authorised for issue on 18 March 20X2 (date of management authorisation for issue to the supervisory board).

7. Events after the balance sheet date include all events up to the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue, even if those events occur after the public announcement of profit or of other selected financial information.
Recognition and Measurement
Adjusting Events after the Balance Sheet Date
8. An entity shall adjust the amounts recognised in its financial statements to reflect adjusting events after the balance sheet date.
9. The following are examples of adjusting events after the balance sheet date that require an entity to adjust the amounts recognised in its financial statements, or to recognise items that were not previously recognised:
(a) the settlement after the balance sheet date of a court case that confirms that the entity had a present obligation at the balance sheet date. The entity adjusts any previously recognised provision related to this court case in accordance with IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets or recognises a new provision. The entity does not merely disclose a contingent liability because the settlement provides additional evidence that would be considered in accordance with paragraph 16 of IAS 37.
(b) the receipt of information after the balance sheet date indicating that an asset was impaired at the balance sheet date, or that the amount of a previously recognised impairment loss for that asset needs to be adjusted. For example:
(i) the bankruptcy of a customer that occurs after the balance sheet date usually confirms that a loss existed at the balance sheet date on a trade receivable and that the entity needs to adjust the carrying amount of the trade receivable; and
(ii) the sale of inventories after the balance sheet date may give evidence about their net realisable value at the balance sheet date.
(c) the determination after the balance sheet date of the cost of assets purchased, or the proceeds from assets sold, before the balance sheet date.
(d) the determination after the balance sheet date of the amount of profit-sharing or bonus payments, if the entity had a present legal or constructive obligation at the balance sheet date to make such payments as a result of events before that date (see IAS 19 Employee Benefits).
(e) the discovery of fraud or errors that show that the financial statements are incorrect.

Non-adjusting Events after the Balance Sheet Date
10. An entity shall not adjust the amounts recognised in its financial statements to reflect non-adjusting events after the balance sheet date.
11. An example of a non-adjusting event after the balance sheet date is a decline in market value of investments between the balance sheet date and the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue. The decline in market value does not normally relate to the condition of the investments at the balance sheet date, but reflects circumstances that have arisen subsequently. Therefore, an entity does not adjust the amounts recognised in its financial statements for the investments. Similarly, the entity does not update the amounts disclosed for the investments as at the balance sheet date, although it may need to give additional disclosure under paragraph 21.

Dividends
12. If an entity declares dividends to holders of equity instruments (as defined in IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Disclosure and Presentation) after the balance sheet date, the entity shall not recognise those dividends as a liability at the balance sheet date.
13. If dividends are declared (ie the dividends are appropriately authorised and no longer at the discretion of the entity) after the balance sheet date but before the financial statements are authorised for issue, the dividends are not recognised as a liability at the balance sheet date because they do not meet the criteria of a present obligation in IAS 37. Such dividends are disclosed in the notes to the financial statements in accordance with IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements.
Going Concern
14. An entity shall not prepare its financial statements on a going concern basis if management determines after the balance sheet date either that it intends to liquidate the entity or to cease trading, or that it has no realistic alternative but to do so.

15. Deterioration in operating results and financial position after the balance sheet date may indicate a need to consider whether the going concern assumption is still appropriate. If the going concern assumption is no longer appropriate, the effect is so pervasive that this Standard requires a fundamental change in the basis of accounting, rather than an adjustment to the amounts recognised within the original basis of accounting.
16. IAS 1 specifies required disclosures if:
(a) the financial statements are not prepared on a going concern basis; or
(b) management is aware of material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt upon the entity's ability to continue as a going concern. The events or conditions requiring disclosure may arise after the balance sheet date.