Accounting Methods & Standards & Bonus Depreciation: Selected Analyses

This book reviews selected analyses of accounting methods and standard and bonus depreciation. Chapter One of this book briefly explains the different accounting standards and U.S. capital markets. It examines several IFRS policy options Congress might consider and the benefits and challenges of each of those options. Chapter Two introduces the difference between cash and accrual methods by providing an overview of concepts and theories that underlie these accounting methods. It then explores these concepts through the business cycle of a fictitious small business and how the basis of accounting would affect the financial condition of the business. Chapter Three provides a brief explanation of cash and accrual accounting. It then examines the legislative history surrounding the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which set most of the current policies related to cash accounting for tax purposes. Chapter Four discusses bonus depreciation as either a temporary stimulus provision or a permanent part of the tax code. Chapter Five examines the current status, legislative history, and main economic effects (including their efficacy as an economic stimulus tool) of the Section 179 and bonus depreciation allowances.