ACCAF4法律的三种分类五种特征!

发布时间:2019-07-20


ACCA作为财会界的黄金证书,一直是很多小伙伴向往的考取的证书,但是因为其考试科目多,考试难度大的问题难倒了很多小伙伴,为此小编特地整理了关于ACCAF4的考试备考内容,具体内容如下。

一、三种分类方式

判例法(case law)指可作为先例据以决案的法院判决,是法官造法,也就是我们说的司法者造法,这点通常与成文法 (statute law) 相对,成文法是由议会制定法律。判例法和成文法都是英国法系法律的两个重要渊源 (source of law) ,也是重要的法律类型之一(types of law)。此时这种分类是按照法律制定的主体来区分的。

根据判例法制度,某一判决中的法律规则不仅适用于该案,而且往往作为一种先例(precedent)而适用于以后该法院或下级法院所管辖的案件。只要案件的基本事实相同或相似,就必须以判例所定规则处理。这就是所谓“遵循先例” (stare decisis) 原则。

此外,我们又可以通过法律规范的主体是否平等,将法律分为私法 (private law) 和公法(public law)

私法 (private law) 主要是指调整普通公民,组织之间关系的法律,在社会层面上双方当事人的法律地位平等,私法关键在于调整公民个人的权利义务关系(right and obligation)

公法(public law)主要是指调整国家与普通公民、组织之间关系的法律,从定义中可以看出双方当事人中必须至少有一方是公权力机关。在我们生活中的tax lawconstituition law都是属于公法范畴的。

最后我们还可以依据法律规范的内容不同,将法律分为刑法(criminal law)和民法 (civil law)。民法属于私法的范畴,重点在于双方当事人之间权利与义务的分配,刑法属于公法的范畴,重点在于确定什么样的行为是犯罪行为,和对于犯罪行为给与怎么样的处罚(punishment),所以可以归纳为三个字罪与罚。考试中时常会考到两者的区别,需要同学们对该块内容加以重视。

二、五大必会特征

1. Burden of proof 举证责任

举证责任的一般原则是谁主张,这举证。在民事案件中由我们的原告(claimant)进行举证,在刑事案件中由国家提起公诉,这里的检察官(prosecution)就是代表国家。

2. Standard of proof 举证的标准

在民法中,举证的标准是看原告和被告谁的证据更占优势,即谁的证词可能性越高(balance of probabilities),谁胜诉的概率就越高。

在刑事案件中,举证的标准会明显提高,需要排除一切合理的怀疑(beyond reasonable doubt)。这是由于刑事案件的两方在法律地位上是不平等的,且刑事案件的判决结果对于被告人更为严重,所以公诉人想要胜诉,必须承担更高的举证标准,来证明被告有罪。

3. Decision 判决结果

在民事案件中,判决结果是被告是否有责任(liable / not liable),而在刑事案件中,判决结果往往是被告人是否有罪(guilty / not guilty)

4. Aim 法律目的

民法的目的是provide compensatory remedies,具有补偿性质,而并非惩罚。但在刑事案件中,法院对国家不允许或者不赞成的行为,给与惩罚(punishment)

5. Remedies 救济方式

在民事案件中,被告如果有责任,一般给到原告赔偿金(damages)作为救济方式,但是在刑事案件中,被告人如果有罪,就会受到收监关押(prinson)和罚金(fines)的惩罚。

综合以上就是关于ACCAF4的备考内容,希望对各位小伙伴有用,小编将持续更新相关内容。


下面小编为大家准备了 ACCA考试 的相关考题,供大家学习参考。

(e) Briefly provide five reasons to the management of Bailey’s why financial rewards could be considered to improve motivation. (5 marks)

正确答案:
(e) There are issues at Bailey’s as a consequence of poor pay. Although non-financial motivation has an important role to play in encouraging commitment, the fact remains that financial rewards act as a strong motivating factor, especially in what has been a low pay business. Financial rewards are all encompassing and apply to all employees at all levels, are universally applicable, able to satisfy all types of need and simple to apply and understand. At Bailey’s, financial rewards have a greater effect because they can provide recognition and prestige if pay is improved, are seen as the most important hygiene factor(especially in a business with a history of low pay and low morale) and are a measure of achievement against goals, especially if some form. of bonus or performance related pay is introduced by the new management at Bailey’s. In addition, financial rewards are a basis for satisfaction and are often used as a form. of professional or social comparison outside the organisation.

(b) Explain the need for a first time group auditor to analyse the group structure. (5 marks)

正确答案:
(b) Need to analyse the group structure
A certain amount of analysis of the group structure will be undertaken before an auditor accepts the role of group auditor,
particularly if the auditor is not directly responsible for the whole group.
An analysis of the group structure is necessary to:
■ ensure that particular attention is given to the more unusual aspects of corporate structures (e.g. partnership
arrangements that may be a joint venture, components in tax havens, shell companies and horizontal groups);
■ arrange access to information relating to all ‘significant’ components (i.e. those representing 20% or more of group
assets, liabilities, cash flows, profit or revenue), on a timely basis;
■ identify the applicable financial reporting framework for each component and any local statutory reporting requirements;
■ plan work to deal with different accounting frameworks/policies applied throughout the group and differences between
International Auditing Standards (ISAs) and national standards;
■ integrate the group audit process effectively with local statutory audit requirements;
■ identify related parties and effectively audit the completeness of disclosures in the group accounts in accordance with
IAS 24 Related Party Disclosures.
Any doubts about the group structure will need to be clarified against publicly available information as soon as possible to
ensure an effective audit of the relevant components (i.e. subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures). The auditor can then
plan the level of assurance required on each component well in advance of the year end.
Having established thoroughly the group structure from the outset the auditor will then need only to update the structure for
changes year-on-year.

(b) Analyse how effective project management could have further improved both the process and the outcomes

of the website re-design project. (10 marks)

正确答案:

(b) Effective project management could have improved the conduct of the website re-design project in the following ways:
Detailed planning
During the delivery of the project the lack of a formal detailed plan means that there is no baseline for review and control.
The absence of monitoring progress against that plan is also very evident. The meetings are events where, although progress
appears to have been made, it is unclear how much progress has been made towards the delivery of the final re-designed
website. Effective project management would have mandated the production of a detailed plan. There is no mention of a
project plan, a critical path analysis, a Gantt chart or supporting project management software.
Effective monitoring and control
The board were not kept up to date about progress and were only alerted to potential issue when the finance director became
concerned about spiralling costs. This is a failure of monitoring and control, aggravated by the fact that there is no project
plan to monitor against. Effective project management would have required formal progress to the sponsor (in this case the
board). Such monitoring should lead to project control, where suggested actions are considered and implemented to deal with
project slippage. The planning, monitoring and controlling aspects of project management are completely absent from the
scenario and so none of the usual project management monitoring and reporting structures were in place to alert the board.
Mandating of substitutes
Initial progress is hampered by the absence of key personnel at meetings 3 and 4 and the inappropriate sign-off by the RP
(already discussed above) of the technical design. The requirement for the TD to produce a technical report also slows
progress. These problems could have been addressed by ensuring that substitutes were available for these meetings who
understood their role and the scope of their authority. Effective project management would have ensured that progress would
not have been delayed by the absence of key personnel from the progress meetings.
Standards for cost-benefit analysis
The cost-benefit analysis provided by the MM is flawed in two ways. Firstly, the assumptions underpinning the benefits are
not explained. There is no supporting documentation and it appears, at face value, that year four and five benefits have been
greatly inflated to justify the project. Secondly, it would be usual to discount future costs and benefits using an agreed discount
rate. This has not been done, so the time value of money has not been taken into account. Effective project management
would have defined standards for the cost-benefit analysis based on accepted practice.
Estimating, risks and quality
The reaction of the board to the cost-benefit analysis also appears unrealistic. They appear to have suggested a budget and
a timescale which does not take into account the complexity of the remaining work or the resources available to undertake
it. The estimating part of the project management framework appears to be lacking. It is clear at the final meeting that the
website will not be ready for launch. However, the MM decides to take the risk and achieve the imposed deadline and take
a chance on the quality of the software. This decision is made against the advice of his TD and without any information about
the quality of the software. Effective project management would have mandated a framework for considering the balance
between risk and quality.

The MM does not inform. the board of the TD’s advice. The MM, like many project managers (because the MM now appears
to have adopted this role) finds it politically more acceptable to deliver a poor quality product on time than a better quality
product late. Unfortunately the product quality is so poor that the decision proves to be the wrong one and the removal of the
software (and the resignation of the MM) ends the project scenario.


(a) Kayte operates in the shipping industry and owns vessels for transportation. In June 2014, Kayte acquired Ceemone whose assets were entirely investments in small companies. The small companies each owned and operated one or two shipping vessels. There were no employees in Ceemone or the small companies. At the acquisition date, there were only limited activities related to managing the small companies as most activities were outsourced. All the personnel in Ceemone were employed by a separate management company. The companies owning the vessels had an agreement with the management company concerning assistance with chartering, purchase and sale of vessels and any technical management. The management company used a shipbroker to assist with some of these tasks.

Kayte accounted for the investment in Ceemone as an asset acquisition. The consideration paid and related transaction costs were recognised as the acquisition price of the vessels. Kayte argued that the vessels were only passive investments and that Ceemone did not own a business consisting of processes, since all activities regarding commercial and technical management were outsourced to the management company. As a result, the acquisition was accounted for as if the vessels were acquired on a stand-alone basis.

Additionally, Kayte had borrowed heavily to purchase some vessels and was struggling to meet its debt obligations. Kayte had sold some of these vessels but in some cases, the bank did not wish Kayte to sell the vessel. In these cases, the vessel was transferred to a new entity, in which the bank retained a variable interest based upon the level of the indebtedness. Kayte’s directors felt that the entity was a subsidiary of the bank and are uncertain as to whether they have complied with the requirements of IFRS 3 Business Combinations and IFRS 10 Consolidated Financial Statements as regards the above transactions. (12 marks)

(b) Kayte’s vessels constitute a material part of its total assets. The economic life of the vessels is estimated to be 30 years, but the useful life of some of the vessels is only 10 years because Kayte’s policy is to sell these vessels when they are 10 years old. Kayte estimated the residual value of these vessels at sale to be half of acquisition cost and this value was assumed to be constant during their useful life. Kayte argued that the estimates of residual value used were conservative in view of an immature market with a high degree of uncertainty and presented documentation which indicated some vessels were being sold for a price considerably above carrying value. Broker valuations of the residual value were considerably higher than those used by Kayte. Kayte argued against broker valuations on the grounds that it would result in greater volatility in reporting.

Kayte keeps some of the vessels for the whole 30 years and these vessels are required to undergo an engine overhaul in dry dock every 10 years to restore their service potential, hence the reason why some of the vessels are sold. The residual value of the vessels kept for 30 years is based upon the steel value of the vessel at the end of its economic life. At the time of purchase, the service potential which will be required to be restored by the engine overhaul is measured based on the cost as if it had been performed at the time of the purchase of the vessel. In the current period, one of the vessels had to have its engine totally replaced after only eight years. Normally, engines last for the 30-year economic life if overhauled every 10 years. Additionally, one type of vessel was having its funnels replaced after 15 years but the funnels had not been depreciated separately. (11 marks)

Required:

Discuss the accounting treatment of the above transactions in the financial statements of Kayte.

Note: The mark allocation is shown against each of the elements above.

Professional marks will be awarded in question 3 for clarity and quality of presentation. (2 marks)

正确答案:

(a) The accounting for the transaction as an asset acquisition does not comply with the requirements of IFRS 3 Business Combinations and should have been accounted as a business combination. This would mean that transaction costs would be expensed, the vessels recognised at fair value, any deferred tax recognised at nominal value and the difference between these amounts and the consideration paid to be recognised as goodwill.

In accordance with IFRS 3, an entity should determine whether a transaction is a business combination by applying the definition of a business in IFRS 3. A business is an integrated set of activities and assets which is capable of being conducted and managed for the purpose of providing a return in the form. of dividends, lower costs or other economic benefits directly to investors or other owners, members or participants. A business consists of inputs and processes applied to those inputs which have the ability to create outputs. Although businesses usually have outputs, outputs are not required to qualify as a business.

When analysing the transaction, the following elements are relevant:

(i) Inputs: Shares in vessel owning companies, charter arrangements, outsourcing arrangements with a management company, and relationships with a shipping broker.

(ii) Processes: Activities regarding chartering and operating the vessels, financing the business, purchase and sales of vessels.

(iii) Outputs: Ceemone would generate revenue from charter agreements and has the ability to gain economic benefit from the vessels.

IFRS 3 states that whether a seller operated a set of assets and activities as a business or intends to operate it as a business is not relevant in evaluating whether it is a business. It is not relevant therefore that some activities were outsourced as Ceemone could chose to conduct and manage the integrated set of assets and activities as a business. As a result, the acquisition included all the elements which constitute a business, in accordance with IFRS 3.

IFRS 10 Consolidated Financial Statements sets out the situation where an investor controls an investee. This is the case, if and only if, the investor has all of the following elements:

(i) power over the investee, that is, the investor has existing rights which give it the ability to direct the relevant activities (the activities which significantly affect the investee’s returns);

(ii) exposure, or rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the investee;

(iii) the ability to use its power over the investee to affect the amount of the investor’s returns.

Where a party has all three elements, then it is a parent; where at least one element is missing, then it is not. In every case, IFRS 10 looks to the substance of the arrangement and not just to its legal form. Each situation needs to be assessed individually. The question arises in this case as to whether the entities created are subsidiaries of the bank. The bank is likely to have power over the investee, may be exposed to variable returns and certainly may have the power to affect the amount of the returns. Thus the bank is likely to have a measure of control but the extent will depend on the constitution of the entity.

(b) Kayte’s calculation of the residual value of the vessels with a 10-year useful life is unacceptable under IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment because estimating residual value based on acquisition cost does not comply with the requirements of IAS 16. Kayte should prepare a new model to determine residual value which would take account of broker valuations at the end of each reporting period and which would produce zero depreciation charge when estimated residual value was higher than the carrying amount.

IAS 16 paragraph 6 defines residual value as the estimated amount which an entity would currently obtain from disposal of the asset, after deducting the estimated costs of disposal, if the asset were already at the age and in the condition expected at the end of its useful life.

IAS 16 requires the residual value to be reviewed at least at the end of each financial year end with the depreciable amount of an asset allocated on a systematic basis over its useful life. IAS 16 specifies that the depreciable amount of an asset is determined after deducting its residual value.

Kayte’s original model implied that the residual value was constant for the vessel’s entire useful life. The residual value has to be adjusted especially when an expected sale approaches, and the residual value has to come closer to disposal proceeds minus disposal costs at the end of the useful life. IAS 16 says that in cases when the residual value is greater than the asset’s carrying amount, the depreciation charge is zero unless and until its residual value subsequently decreases to an amount below the asset’s carrying amount. The residual value should be the value at the reporting date as if the vessel were already of the age and in the condition expected at the end of its useful life. An increase in the expected residual value of an asset because of past events will affect the depreciable amount, while expectation of future changes in residual value other than the effects of expected wear and tear will not. There is no guidance in IAS 16 on how to estimate residual value when the useful life is considered to be shorter than the economic life. Undesirable volatility is not a convincing argument to support the accounting treatment, and broker valuations could be a useful starting point to estimate residual value.

As regards the vessels which are kept for the whole of their economic life, a residual value based upon the scrap value of steel is acceptable. Therefore the vessels should be depreciated based upon the cost less the scrap value of steel over the 30-year period. The engine need not be componentised as it will have the same 30-year life if maintained every 10 years. It is likely that the cost of major planned maintenance will increase over the life of a vessel due to inflation and the age of the vessel. This additional cost will be capitalised when incurred and therefore the depreciation charge on these components may be greater in the later stages of a vessel’s life.

When major planned maintenance work is to be undertaken, the cost should be capitalised. The engine overhaul will be capitalised as a new asset which will then be depreciated over the 10-year period to the next overhaul. The depreciation of the original capitalised amount will typically be calculated such that it had a net book value of nil when the overhaul is undertaken.

This is not the case with one vessel, because work was required earlier than expected. In this case, any remaining net book value of the old engine and overhaul cost should be expensed immediately.

The initial carve out of components should include all major maintenance events which are likely to occur over the economic life of the vessel. Sometimes, it may subsequently be found that the initial allocation was insufficiently detailed, in that not all components were identified. This is the case with the funnels. In this situation it is necessary to determine what the net book value of the component would currently be had it been initially identified. This will sometimes require the initial cost to be determined by reference to the replacement cost and the associated accumulated depreciation charge determined using the rate used for the vessel. This is likely to leave a significant net book value in the component being replaced, which will need to be written off at the time the replacement is capitalised.


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