English: Not-for-profit organisations, and thus the congregations and welfare organisations of the Dutch Reformed Church in the Free State, exhibit certain unique characteristics, different from businesses. In essence, the primary objective of not-for-profit organisations is not to realise a profit to be distributed to equity participants (e.g. shareholders), but to meet certain religious, cultural, social and other non-commercial needs of the community. Not-for-profit organisations’ need for relevant accounting standards in fact emanates from their unique characteristics. Owing to the nature of not-for-profit organisations, the users of their financial statements require information (financial and non-financial) which is different from the information required by users of financial statements of businesses. Financial reporting which makes it possible for the users of financial statements of not-for-profit organisations to assess the stewardship of the organisation’s management, is the central focus because management are accountable to the members of the organisation, and also especially to donors. Standards of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP) are drawn up primarily for businesses, and specifically to enable users of financial statements of companies in the international capital markets, to make economic decisions. Given this fact, and the unique nature and characteristics of not-for-profit organisations, it follows that Standards of GAAP are neither relevant nor appropriate in the case of not-for-profit organisations. Standards of GAAP therefore cannot be applied indiscriminately to not-for-profit organisations, albeit that appropriate South African legislation (Nonprofit Organisations Act) probably requires compliance with Standards of GAAP. In the international accounting environment, attempts have been made to develop unique accounting standards for small- and medium-sized entities, while unique accounting standards have also been drawn up for government institutions on the basis of their unique accounting needs. The same approach should also be followed for not-for-profit organisations since their unique nature and characteristics also necessitate typical accounting standards. Where not-for-profit organisations do indeed attempt to apply Standards of GAAP, they nonetheless experience problems in this regard. Some of these problems derive from the theoretical irrelevance of Standards of GAAP, while other problems are of a more practical nature. The fundamental problem derives from the question whether the cash or the accrual basis is the most appropriate in the case of not-for-profit organisations. Moreover, “fund accounting” is typical of not-for-profit organisations; however, an accounting standard for treatment of “funds” does not exist. In addition, various problems are also experienced with the recognition of assets, impairments and depreciation of assets, because the definition of “assets” and the recognition criteria do not consider the unique nature of not-for-profit organisations. Various questions exist with respect to the recognitio n of receipts as income. The question in particular is whether donations received for a specific purpose, donations which may only be utilised in future periods, as well as capital donations, should be recorded as income, liabilities or directly as funds. Not-for-profit organisations also experience problems with the recognition of so-called “in natura” receipts, and other forms of income. Given the nature and characteristics of not-for-profit organisations, performance reporting is also problematic because the “profit figure” and other reported financial information often do not capture the real “performance” (i.e. the achievement of objectives) of not-for-profit organisations. Furthermore, certain terminologies in GAAP are also not applicable to not-for-profit organisations. In some countries, accounting standards have been developed and issued specifically for not-for-profit organisations. The standards issued by the United States of America , the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have been analyse d and compared to establish appropriate accounting principles for not-for-profit organisations. Accounting practice, applied in the above-mentioned countries, was reviewed by means of empirical tests among congregations and welfare organisations of the Dutch Reformed Church in the Free State. Specific aspects that were addressed and which have led to proposals for typical standards of generally accepted accounting practice for not-for-profit organisations are the following: · Presentation of financial statements; · Reporting on the restrictions imposed by donors on the utilisation of funds; · Accounting in terms of a cash basis versus the accrual basis ; · Recognition and measurement of fixed assets and accompanying expenses, such as depreciation and impairments, as well as the recognition and measurement of inventory; · Recognition and measurement of income in general, and in particular, recognition of donations and contributions, “restricted donations received”, and donations “in natura”; · Performance reporting by not-for-profit organisations; and · Aspects related to fund accounting. The core recommendations derive from the position that existing and formal Standards of GAAP should be used as a basis, and these standards should be modified to deal with the typical accounting concerns that pertain to not-for-profit organisations. The accounting profession, not-for-profit organisations, and other stakeholders must take note of the irrelevance of GAAP for not-for-profit organisations, the accounting problems experienced in the context, as well as the need for, and the recommendations made with respect to typical accounting standards for not-for-profit organisations. Like some other countries, South Africa should also play an active role in developing accounting standards which are applicable and relevant to not-for-profit organisations.
Afrikaans: Niewinsgewende organisasies, en gevolglik ook die gemeentes en welsynsorganisasies van die NG Kerk in die Vrystaat, het sekere unieke kenmerke wat dit onderskei van besighede. Die kern hiervan is dat niewinsgewende organisasies nie primêr daarna streef om winste te genereer wat aan ekwiteitsdeelnemers (soos aandeelhouers) verdeel word nie, maar eerder om sekere godsdienstige, kulturele, sosiale en ander niekommersiële behoeftes van die gemeenskap aan te spreek. Die behoefte van niewinsgewende organisasies na toepaslike rekeningkundige standaarde ontstaan juis vanuit hul unieke kenmerke. Vanweë die aard van niewinsgewende organisasies, benodig die gebruikers van die finansiële state van hierdie organisasies ander inligting (finansieel en niefinansieel) as die gebruikers van besighede se finansiële state. Finansiële verslagdoening wat dit vir die gebruikers van die finansiële state van niewinsgewende organisasies moontlik maak om die rentmeesterskap van die organisasie se bestuur te beoordeel, staan sentraal, aangesien bestuur rekenpligtig (“accountable”) is teenoor die lede van die organisasie en veral ook teenoor donateurs. Standaarde oor Algemeen Aanvaarde Rekeningkundige Praktyk (AARP) is primêr vir besighede opgestel, en spesifiek ten einde gebruikers van finansiële state van maatskappye in die internasionale kapitaalmarke in staat te stel om ekonomiese besluite te neem. Gegewe hierdie feit en die unieke aard en kenmerke van niewinsgewende organisasies, volg dit dat Standaarde oor AARP nie toepaslik vir niewinsgewende organisasies is nie. Standaarde oor AARP kan dus nie sondermeer net so op niewinsgewende organisasies toegepas word nie, alhoewel toepaslike Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing (Wet op Organisasies sonder Winsoogmerk) waarskynlik die toepassing van Standaarde oor AARP vereis. In die internasionale rekeningkundige omgewing is daar pogings om unieke rekeningkundige standaarde vir klein en mediumgrootte entiteite te ontwikkel, en unieke rekeningkundige standaarde is ook reeds vir regeringsinstellings opgestel, op grond van hul eiesoortige rekeningkundige behoeftes. Dieselfde benadering behoort ook vir niewinsgewende organisasies gevolg te word, aangesien hul unieke aard en kenmerke ook eiesoortige rekeningkundige standaarde noodsaak. Waar niewinsgewende organisasies wel poog om Standaarde oor AARP toe te pas, ondervind hulle sekere probleme daarmee. Sommige probleme spruit voort uit die teoretiese ontoepaslikheid van Standaarde oor AARP, terwyl ander probleme meer prakties van aard is. Die kernprobleem wat ondervind word, setel in die vraagstuk of die kontantbasis of die toevallingsgrondslag die geskikste vir niewinsgewende organisasies is. “Fondsrekeningkunde” is verder kenmerkend aan niewinsgewende organisasies, maar daar bestaan geen rekeningkundige standaard vir die verantwoording van “fondse” nie. Verskeie probleme word verder ook met die erkenning van bates, waardedaling en waardevermindering op bates ondervind, as gevolg van die feit dat die definisie van “bates” en die maatstawwe vir die erkenning van bogenoemde, nie die unieke aard van niewinsgewende organisasies in ag neem nie. Verskeie vraagstukke bestaan oor die erkenning van ontvangstes as inkomste. Die kernvraag is veral of donasies wat vir ‘n spesifieke doel ontvang is, donasies wat eers in ‘n volgende jaar aangewend mag word, asook kapitale skenkings, as inkomste, laste of direk in fondse verantwoord moet word. Niewinsgewende organisasies ondervind ook probleme met die erkenning van sogenaamde “in natura” ontvangste, asook probleme met die erkenning en aanbieding van ander vorme van inkomstes. Gegewe die aard en kenmerke van niewinsgewende organisasies is prestasieverslagdoening ook problematies, aangesien die “winssyfer” en ander gerapporteerde finansiële inligting dikwels nie die werklike “prestasie” (bereiking van doelwitte) van niewinsgewende organisasies weerspieël nie. Verder is sekere terminologieë van AARP ook nie toepaslik vir niewinsgewende organisasies nie. In sommige lande is daar reeds eiesoortige rekeningkundige standaarde spesifiek vir niewinsgewende organisasies ontwikkel en uitgereik. Die standaarde van Amerika, die Verenigde Koninkryk, Kanada en Australië is ontleed en vergelyk om toepaslike rekeningkundige beginsels vir niewinsgewende organisasies te bepaal. Die rekeningkundige praktyk wat in bogenoemde lande toegepas word, is deur middel van empiriese toetse onder gemeentes en welsynsorganisasies van die NG Kerk in die Vrystaat nagevors. Aspekte wat in besonder aangespreek is en waarvoor voorstelle tot eiesoortige standaarde oor algemeen aanvaarde rekeningkundige praktyk vir niewinsgewende organisasies gemaak is, is die volgende: •Aanbieding in die finansiële state;•Aanbieding van beperkings wat donateurs op die aanwending van fondse plaas;•Verantwoording volgens die kontantbasis teenoor die toevallingsgrondslag;•Erkenning en meting van vaste bates en gepaardgaande uitgawes, soos waardevermindering en waardedalingsverliese, asook die erkenning en meting van voorraad;•Erkenning en meting van inkomstes in die algemeen, en in besonder die erkenning van donasies en bydraes, “beperkte skenkings ontvang”, en skenkings “in natura”;•Prestasieverslagdoening deur niewinsgewende organisasies; en •Aspekte rakende fondsrekeningkunde. Die kern van die aanbevelings is om die bestaande en formele Standaarde oor AARP as basis te gebruik en om dit te wysig vir die eiesoortige aangeleenthede van niewinsgewende organisasies. Die rekenmeestersprofessie, niewinsgewende organisasies, en ander rolspelers sal moet kennis neem van die ontoepaslikheid van AARP vir niewinsgewende organisasies, die rekeningkundige probleme wat ervaar word, en van die behoefte aan, en aanbevelings vir eiesoortige rekeningkundige standaarde vir niewinsgewende organisasies. Suid-Afrika behoort ook, soos sekere ander lande, ‘n aktiewe rol te speel in die ontwikkeling van rekeningkundige standaarde wat geskik, toepaslik en relevant vir niewinsgewende organisasies is.
Die effek van die rekeningkundige hantering van klandisiewaarde op maatskappy-resultate ﻿
Oosthuizen, Jacobus Hendrikus (University of the Free State, 2000-05)
English: The main purpose of the study was to quantify the expected effect of the new accounting statement, AC 131, on company results. AC 131 came into effect on 1 January 2000. It requires that goodwill should be recognized ...