The Formulation of Financial Statements: A Proposal for Change

SYNOPSIS This paper proposes a new framework for financial statement presentation that provides users with a more detailed understanding of the relationship between cash and accrual information and earning power. To accomplish these objectives, we provide new classifications for assets, liabilities, equity, statement of income, and statement of cash flow. Assets are classified as either operating or nonoperating, economic or financial, monetary or nonmonetary. Liabilities and equity are initially classified under the title “means of financing assets.” Next, they are either classified as monetary or nonmonetary and further classified as either: (1) expected cash requirements during next reporting period, (2) expected cash requirements in future periods, or (3) no expected cash requirements. The statement of income utilizes current period, prior period, and future period for cash flow categories. The statement of cash flows is developed along the lines of primary economic operations and nonoperating economic/financial activities.