Accounting Convention

Filed Under » ,
Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Accounting Convention'

Guidelines that arise from the practical application of accounting principles. An accounting convention is not a legally-binding practice; rather, it is a generally-accepted convention based on customs, and is designed to help accountants overcome practical problems that arise out of the preparation of financial statements. As customs change, so to will accounting conventions.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Accounting Convention'

If an oversight organization, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) set forth a guideline that addresses the same topic as the accounting convention, the accounting convention will no longer be applicable. Basically, conventions fill in the gaps between guidelines and practical usage.

Articles Of Interest

  1.

    The Flow Of Company Information

    Learn how to gather all the pieces before you start to put together your puzzle.

  2. A Look At Accounting Careers

    More than just crunching numbers, this career blends detective work with trouble shooting.

  3. Core Earnings Strip Away "Creative" Accounting

    This metric is an attempt to counteract creative accounting, but it poses its own set of challenges.

  4. Financial Statement Manipulation An Ever-Present Problem For Investors

    The SEC has taken steps to eliminate this type of corporate fraud, but it remains a real risk for investors.

  5. Ancient Accounting Systems

    Learn how accounting evolved to keep records of increasingly complex transactions and civilizations.

  6. Accounting Rules Could Roil The Markets

    FAS 142 is an accounting rule that changes the way companies treat goodwill. Be aware of the impact it has on reported earnings to avoid making bad investment decisions.

  7. Footnotes: Early Warning Signs For Investors

    These documents hold very important information, but reading them takes skill.

  8. A Day In The Life Of A Public Accountant

    Here's an inside look at the workdays of two experienced CPAs, to give you an idea of what it might be like to pursue a career as a public accountant.

  9. Depreciation: Straight-Line Vs. Double-Declining Methods

    Appreciate the different methods used to describe how book value is "used up".

  10. Financial Statement: Extraordinary Vs. Nonrecurring Items

    When it comes to analyzing a company, successful analysts spend considerable time differentiating between accounting items that are likely to recur going forward from those that most likely will ...
comments powered by Disqus
Marketplace
Hot Definitions

  1. Yield Elbow

    The point on the yield curve indicating the year in which the economy's highest interest rates occur. The yield elbow is the peak of the yield curve, signifying where the highest interest rates occurred.

  2. Xenocurrency

    A currency that trades in markets outside of its domestic borders.

  3. Wanton Disregard

    A standard of severe negligence. Wanton disregard is a very serious accusation that indicates that a person behaved extremely recklessly.

  4. Ultra ETF

    A class of exchange-traded funds (ETF) that employs leverage in an effort to achieve double the return of a set benchmark.

  5. Toehold Purchase

    A purchase of less than 5% of a target company's outstanding stockmade by an acquiring company. A toehold purchase of just under 5%, while not a significant stake in a firm, allows the shareholders a "toe-holds" grip on the company and its decision making.

  6. Samurai Bond

    A yen-denominated bond issued in Tokyo by a non-Japanese company and subject to Japanese regulations.
Trading Center
http://sp.fastclick.net/ad/tr/10858-64082-15546-0?mpt=5a57928b69f80cb6f7902c0e2fafe29f