ABA Media Contact: Meghan French
(202) 663-5468
E-mail: mfrench@aba.com
Last update: Jan. 8, 2013
ABA represents the banking industry on policy issues related to accounting and auditing. By meeting regularly with regulators and accounting standard setters both domestically and internationally on new developments, ABA works to achieve accuracy and improvement in financial reporting standards.
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) have issued exposure drafts regarding the accounting for financial instruments. While dubbed "financial instruments" projects, these projects are really about bank accounting and represent the biggest overhaul of accounting principles ever.
In summary, there are three main issues:
- Classification and measurement: What assets and liabilities should be measured at amortized cost (with an allowance for losses) and what should be measured at fair value?
- Impairment: For those assets measured at amortized cost, how should the allowance for losses be measured?
- Hedge accounting: For derivatives that are used in hedges, what requirements and accounting entries should there be?
- FASB Impairment Exposure Draft: Frequently Asked Questions (as of 1/4/2013)
- Accounting Resources Information about FASB and IASB Proposals and ABA's Position
- Summary of the ABA Comment Letters on the FASB Proposal
Accounting Standard Setters
Accounting rules can be developed by a number of governing agencies. Accounting rules that U.S. banks must currently follow are issued by the Financial Accounting Standard Board (GAAP - Generally Accepted Accounting Principles), the Executive Committee of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the regulators (the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Currency Comptroller, and the Office of Thrift Supervision.)
If a bank is a securities registrant, it must also follow the accounting rules issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission and certain rules issued by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
International standards, followed by European countries and Australia are set by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).
Press Releases
ABA Correspondence and Testimony
2012
2011
- ABA Comment Letter on the Concept Release on Auditor Independence and Audit Firm Rotation (December 9, 2011)
- ABA Comment Letter to FASB and IASB on 3 Bucket Impairment Model (November 23, 2011)
- ABA Comment Letter to PCAOB Concept Release on Auditor Reports (September 30, 2011)
- ABA Comment Letter to SEC on Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (August 1, 2011) See SEC Staff Paper
- ABA Comment Letter on the IASB Exposure Draft: Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities/FASB Exposure Draft: Offsetting (April 28, 2011)
- ABA Comment Letter to FASB on Selected Issues about Hedge Accounting (April 26, 2010)
- ABA Comment Letter to IASB and FASB on Impairment (April 1, 2011)
- ABA Comment to IASB on Exposure Draft: Hedge Accounting (March 9, 2011)
- ABA Comment Letter to FASB - Effective Dates and Transition Methods (January 28, 2011)
- ABA Comment Letter to SEC Proposal on SOX Study per DFA (January 19, 2011)
2010
- ABA Comment Letter on FASB Exposure Draft on Leases (December 14, 2010)
- ABA Comment Letter on Deferral of the Effective Date of Disclosures about Troubled Debt Restructurings in Update No. 2010-20 (December 14, 2010)
- ABA Comment Letter on FASB TDR Proposal (December 8, 2010)
- ABA Comment Letter on IRS Draft Form W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (December 3, 2010)
- ABA's Response to SEC Proposal on Short Term Borrowing (November 29, 2010)
- Letter to FASB on Classification and Measurement of Financial Assets and Liabilities (Aug. 31, 2010)
- IRS Notice 2010-51: Information Reporting Under the Amendments to Setion 6041 for Payments to Corporations and Payments of Gross Proceeds and With Respect to Property (September 29, 2010)
- ABA's Response to SEC Proposal on Short Term Borrowing (November 29, 2010)
- ABA's Response to IRS Request for Comments on the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (November 12, 2010)
- Letter to FASB on Credit Impairment of Financial Assets (Aug. 31, 2010)
- Letter to FASB on Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (Aug. 31, 2010)
- ABA Comment Letter to FASB on Selected Issues about Hedge Accounting (April 26, 2010)
- ABA Requests SOX Section 404(b) Exemption in Reg Reform Bill (April 22, 2010)
- Regulatory Requirements for Loan Participations Affected by FASB Statement No. 166 (March 3, 2010)
2009
2008
- Letter to FASB on OTTI (Dec. 28, 2008)
- Letter to Treasury Secretary Paulson (Nov. 25, 2008)
- Letter FASB Chairman Herz (Nov. 12, 2008)
- Letter to SEC Deputy Chief Account Kroker (Nov. 13, 2008)
- Letter to SEC (Oct. 13, 2008)
- Letter to FASB (Oct. 9, 2008)
- Letter to the SEC Hewitt and Kroker (Sept. 11, 2008)
- Letter to the SEC Chief Account Hewitt (Aug. 12, 2008)
- Letter to FASB Chairman Herz (Aug. 7, 2008)
- Letter to FASB Chairman Herz (July 29, 2008)
- Letter from Regulators (July 3, 2008)
- Letter to Fed Governor Kroszner (May 12, 2008)
More Resources