INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS FOR FRA STUDENTS

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) set common rules so that financial statements can be consistent, transparent and comparable around the world. 
IFRS are issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). They specify how companies must maintain and report their accounts, defining types of transactions and other events with financial impact. IFRS were established to create a common accounting language, so that businesses and their financial statements can be consistent and reliable from company to company and country to country.
IFRS are designed to bring consistency to accounting language, practices and statements, and to help businesses and investors make educated financial analyses and decisions. The IFRS Foundation sets the standards to “bring transparency, accountability and efficiency to financial markets around the world… fostering trust, growth and long-term financial stability in the global economy.” Companies benefit from the IFRS because investors are more likely to put money into a company if the company's business practices are transparent.
IFRS are used in at least 120 countries, as of March 2018, including those in the European Union (EU) and many in Asia and South America, but the U.S. uses Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

GAAP has been called "the gold standard" of accounting. However, some argue that global adoption of IFRS would save money on duplicative accounting work, and the costs of analyzing and comparing companies internationally.

IFRS are sometimes confused with International Accounting Standards (IAS), which are the older standards that IFRS replaced. IAS was issued from 1973 to 2000, and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) replaced the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) in 2001.

FRS covers a wide range of accounting activities. There are certain aspects of business practice for which IFRS set mandatory rules.

• Statement of Financial Position: This is also known as a balance sheet. IFRS influences the ways in which the components of a balance sheet are reported.
• Statement of Comprehensive Income: This can take the form of one statement, or it can be separated into a profit and loss statement and a statement of other income, including property and equipment.
• Statement of Changes in Equity: Also known as a statement of retained earnings, this documents the company's change in earnings or profit for the given financial period.
• Statement of Cash Flow: This report summarizes the company's financial transactions in the given period, separating cash flow into Operations, Investing, and Financing.

In addition to these basic reports, a company must also give a summary of its accounting policies. The full report is often seen side by side with the previous report, to show the changes in profit and loss. A parent company must create separate account reports for each of its subsidiary companies.

IFRS vs. American Standards

Differences exist between IFRS and other countries' Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) that affect the way a financial ratio is calculated. For example, IFRS is not as strict on defining revenue and allow companies to report revenue sooner, so consequently, a balance sheet under this system might show a higher stream of revenue than GAAP's. IFRS also has different requirements for expenses; for example, if a company is spending money on development or an investment for the future, it doesn't necessarily have to be reported as an expense (it can be capitalized).

Another difference between IFRS and GAAP is the specification of the way inventory is accounted for. There are two ways to keep track of this, first in first out (FIFO) and last in first out (LIFO). FIFO means that the most recent inventory is left unsold until older inventory is sold; LIFO means that the most recent inventory is the first to be sold. IFRS prohibits LIFO, while American standards and others allow participants to freely use either.

International Accounting Standards (IASs) were issued by the antecedent International Accounting Standards Council (IASC), and endorsed and amended by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). The IASB will also reissue standards in this series where it considers it appropriate.

# Name Issued

IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements 2007*

IAS 2 Inventories 2005*

IAS 3 Consolidated Financial Statements

Superseded in 1989 by IAS 27 and IAS 28 1976

IAS 4 Depreciation Accounting

Withdrawn in 1999

IAS 5 Information to Be Disclosed in Financial Statements

Superseded by IAS 1 effective 1 July 1998 1976

IAS 6 Accounting Responses to Changing Prices

Superseded by IAS 15, which was withdrawn December 2003

IAS 7 Statement of Cash Flows 1992

IAS 8 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors 2003

IAS 9 Accounting for Research and Development Activities

Superseded by IAS 38 effective 1 July 1999

IAS 10 Events After the Reporting Period 2003

IAS 11 Construction Contracts

Will be superseded by IFRS 15 as of 1 January 2017 1993

IAS 12 Income Taxes 1996*

IAS 13 Presentation of Current Assets and Current Liabilities

Superseded by IAS 1 effective 1 July 1998

IAS 14 Segment Reporting

Superseded by IFRS 8 effective 1 January 2009 1997

IAS 15 Information Reflecting the Effects of Changing Prices

Withdrawn December 2003 2003

IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment 2003*

IAS 17 Leases 2003*

IAS 18 Revenue

Will be superseded by IFRS 15 as of 1 January 2017 1993*

IAS 19 Employee Benefits (1998)

Superseded by IAS 19 (2011) effective 1 January 2013 1998

IAS 19 Employee Benefits (2011) 2011*

IAS 20 Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance 1983

IAS 21 The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates 2003*

IAS 22 Business Combinations

Superseded by IFRS 3 effective 31 March 2004 1998*

IAS 23 Borrowing Costs 2007*

IAS 24 Related Party Disclosures 2009*

IAS 25 Accounting for Investments

Superseded by IAS 39 and IAS 40 effective 2001

IAS 26 Accounting and Reporting by Retirement Benefit Plans 1987

IAS 27 Separate Financial Statements (2011) 2011

IAS 27 Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements

Superseded by IFRS 10, IFRS 12 and IAS 27 (2011) effective 1 January 2013 2003

IAS 28 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures (2011) 2011

IAS 28 Investments in Associates

Superseded by IAS 28 (2011) and IFRS 12 effective 1 January 2013 2003

IAS 29 Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies 1989

IAS 30 Disclosures in the Financial Statements of Banks and Similar Financial Institutions

Superseded by IFRS 7 effective 1 January 2007 1990

IAS 31 Interests In Joint Ventures

Superseded by IFRS 11 and IFRS 12 effective 1 January 2013 2003*

IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Presentation 2003*

IAS 33 Earnings Per Share 2003*

IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting 1998

IAS 35 Discontinuing Operations

Superseded by IFRS 5 effective 1 January 2005 1998

IAS 36 Impairment of Assets 2004*

IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets 1998

IAS 38 Intangible Assets 2004*

IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement

Superseded by IFRS 9 where IFRS 9 is applied 2003*

IAS 40 Investment Property 2003*

IAS 41 Agriculture 2001

International Financial Reporting Standards IFRSs
IFRS 1	First Time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards
IFRS 2	Share based Payment
IFRS 3	Business Combinations
IFRS 4	Insurance Contracts
IFRS 5	Non Current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations
IFRS 6	Exploration for and Evaluation of Mineral Resources
IFRS 7	Financial Instruments: Disclosure
IFRS 8	Operating Segments
IFRS 9	Financial Instruments