IPSAS - Presentation, Disclosure and Financial Reports (2 days)

Introduction

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IPSAS aims to improve the quality of general purpose financial reporting by public sector entities, leading to better informed assessments of the resource allocation decisions made by governments, thereby increasing transparency and accountability. The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) issues International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and non-mandatory guidance in the form of Recommended Practice Guidelines (RPGs) relating to the financial reporting needs of national, regional and local governments and agencies. These represent a comprehensive set of authoritative financial reporting standards for governments and other public sector entities.

This two-day course examines the most important presentation and disclosure requirements for preparers of IPSAS accrual basis financial reports. In addition to describing the principal presentation and disclosure requirements of financial statements prepared under IPSAS it also includes a comprehensive review the Recommended Practice Guideline (RPG 2) Financial Statement Discussion and Analysis.

The IPSASB’s goal is to serve the public interest by developing high quality accounting standards and guidance for use by public sector entities around the world in preparing general purpose financial reports. Many IPSASs are based on the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). IPSASB adapts IFRSs to a public sector context, where appropriate. In undertaking that process, the IPSASB attempts, wherever possible, to maintain the accounting treatment and original text of the IFRS unless there is a significant public sector issue which warrants a departure.

The IPSAS accounting and disclosure requirements and guidelines are explained in clear, simple language and illustrated with model financial statements and real-world examples.

Application is illustrated through the use of short case studies.

In addition to a review of current accrual basis IPSAS, our specialist instructors provide guidance on transitioning to the accrual basis. This program answers questions such as:

• What are the differences between mandatory IPSASs and non-mandatory RPGs and which types of entities and financial reports do they apply to?
• What are the IPSAS requirements and best practices relating to presentation and disclosure?
• In which areas are alternative presentations allowed?
• What are the most important issues to consider when preparing disclosures?
• How do the presentation and disclosure choices made affect your stakeholder perceptions?
• Which entities are applying the RPGs?
• Are there any upcoming changes in IPSAS relating to financial reporting, presentation and disclosure?

Learning Objectives

• Apply the IPSAS presentation and disclosure requirements and guidelines to the preparation of fully compliant IPSAS financial statements and reports
• Specify the allowed alternatives in presentation of the key elements and demonstrate sound selection decisions in given scenarios
• Prepare appropriate disclosures, applying the IPSAS requirements
• Identify transitional provisions in IPSAS standards
• Increase planning opportunities through awareness of likely future IPSAS changes
• Learn the sources of IPSAS guidance that are available

Who Should Attend

• Senior finance managers of organisations considering whether to adopt IPSAS
• Project managers responsible for IPSAS transition
• Accountants and finance staff of public sector entities and similar agencies in the process of adopting IPSAS
• Accountants and finance staff moving from private to public sector environments
• Internal auditors of entities that have adopted IPSAS or are in the process of doing so
• Accounting practitioners, consultants and external auditors
• Accounting academics

Topics

• Introduction to IPSASs
  • Brief history
  • Scope of general purpose financial statements and financial reports
• Presentation of Financial Statements
  • IPSAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements
    • Required financial statements
    • Structure and content
  • IPSAS 2 Cash Flow Statements
    • Operating, investing and financing activities
    • Required reconciliation disclosures
• General disclosure requirements
  • IPSAS 3 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates & Errors
  • IPSAS 14 Events after the Reporting Date
• Disclosure notes relating to non-current, non-financial assets
  • Property, plant & equipment (IPSAS 17)
  • Borrowing costs (IPSAS 5)
  • Investment property (IPSAS 16)
  • Intangible assets (IPSAS 31)
  • Impairment (IPSAS 21 & 26)
  • Inventories (IPSAS 12)
• Revenue disclosures
  • Revenue from non-exchange transactions (IPSAS 23)
  • Revenue from exchange transactions (IPSAS 9)
• Liability disclosures
  • Provisions (IPSAS 19)
  • Employee benefits (IPSAS 39)
• Presentation and disclosure of financing and financial instruments
  • Leases (IPSAS 13)
  • Effects of changes in foreign exchange rates (IPSAS 4)
  • Financial instruments presentation (IPSAS 28) and disclosure (IPSAS 30)
• Disclosure of consolidated entities and strategic investments
  • Separate financial statements (IPSAS 34)
  • Disclosures relating to interests in other entities (IPSAS 38)
• • Disclosure of business combinations
  • Amalgamations and acquisitions (IPSAS 40)
• Other presentation and disclosure standards
  • IPSAS 18 Segment Reporting
    • Distinguishable activities
  • IPSAS 20 Related Party Disclosures
    • Identification of related parties
    • Disclosure requirements
  • IPSAS 24 Presentation of Budget Information in Financial Statements
    • Required disclosures
    • Comparison of budget and actual amounts
• RPG 2 Financial Statement Discussion and Analysis
  • Scope and application of the Guideline
  • Content of RPG 2
    • Overview of operations and environment
    • Information about objectives and strategies
    • Analysis of the financial statements
    • Risks and uncertainties
• General purpose financial reports
  • Conceptual differences between financial statement and financial reports
    • RPG 1 Reporting on the Long-Term Sustainability of an Entity’s Finances
    • RPG 3 Reporting Service Performance
• Transitioning financial reports to IPSAS compliance
  • IPSAS 33 First-time Adoption of Accrual Basis IPSASs

Teaching Method

• Group live instruction with interactive participation encouraged
• Review of the rationale, objective and scope of IPSAS
• Description and explanation of IPSAS requirements in clear and simple language
• Use of case studies and disclosure checklists with real-world examples to illustrate practical application of the standards and guidelines
• Interactive participation will be encouraged
• All participants receive a comprehensive binder containing copies of the presentation slides, handouts and other course materials

Instructors

Venue

CPE/CPD Accreditation

IASeminars is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

 

Field of study: Accounting

Prerequisites

Understanding of basic accounting principles based on any national standards in the public sector. No advance preparation is required for this course.