Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government


Book Description

Policymakers and program managers are continually seeking ways to improve accountability in achieving an entity's mission. A key factor in improving accountability in achieving an entity's mission is to implement an effective internal control system. An effective internal control system helps an entity adapt to shifting environments, evolving demands, changing risks, and new priorities. As programs change and entities strive to improve operational processes and implement new technology, management continually evaluates its internal control system so that it is effective and updated when necessary. Section 3512 (c) and (d) of Title 31 of the United States Code (commonly known as the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA)) requires the Comptroller General to issue standards for internal control in the federal government.




Model Rules of Professional Conduct


Book Description

The Model Rules of Professional Conduct provides an up-to-date resource for information on legal ethics. Federal, state and local courts in all jurisdictions look to the Rules for guidance in solving lawyer malpractice cases, disciplinary actions, disqualification issues, sanctions questions and much more. In this volume, black-letter Rules of Professional Conduct are followed by numbered Comments that explain each Rule's purpose and provide suggestions for its practical application. The Rules will help you identify proper conduct in a variety of given situations, review those instances where discretionary action is possible, and define the nature of the relationship between you and your clients, colleagues and the courts.




ACRN Proceedings in Finance and Risk Series ‘13


Book Description

Proceedings of the 14th FRAP Finance, Risk and Accounting Perspectives conference taking place in Cambridge UK.




Accounting and Debt Markets


Book Description

Accounting and Debt Markets: Four Pieces on the Role of Accounting Information in Debt Markets provides novel and up-to-date evidence on the role of accounting information in debt markets Companies and organisations worldwide rely heavily on debt markets for short, medium and long-term financing, and debt markets and financial intermediaries have significant effects on the real economy. Accounting information has various functions in debt markets, including inter alia, informing pricing decisions and credit ratings, determining the allocation of creditor control rights and establishing bank capital adequacy requirements. The chapters in this book provide illustrative discussion, analysis and evidence on the importance of accounting information in credit markets. The first of the four pieces reflects on how a conservative financial reporting system helps firms obtain debt funds and with better conditions, and why this is the case. The second examines the effects of accounting disclosure on credit ratings of private companies and shows that accounting information is useful for credit rating agencies. The two final pieces reflect on how banks should account for credit losses, and on how regulators are tackling this issue. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Accounting and Business Research.




Financial Instruments


Book Description







A Reader in Insurance and Reinsurance Metrics


Book Description

Die Arbeit erscheint in englischer Sprache. Insurance metrics, in other words the performance measurement of primary insurers and reinsurers, differs strongly from the measurement in industrial companies as well as in the banking sector. This is due to the "inverted" production cycle, where income is generated before expenses appear. The complexity of insurance metrics has increased considerably within the last twenty years following the requests of stakeholders: International accounting (IFRS), regulatory exigencies (solvency II and other) and models from rating agencies. Within the worldwide stock indices the industry does not represent more than 10% to 15% of the market capitalization. Therefore, insurers and reinsurers are under pressure to explain their metrics to gain the interest of the market. This reader includes nine articles revealing these metrics, ranging from a with general comparison to the credit industry to articles dealing with more complex items like the performance measurement in life insurance and disclosure of contracts under IFRS. The reader is a "must" for the industry, analysts as well as investors, students and young actuaries. Edited by Prof. Dr. Dietmar Zietsch (University Ulm, Germany) and Marc von Harpke (SCOR Germany). Versicherungsmetrik beschreibt die Erfolgsmessung von Erst- und Rückversicherern. Sie unterscheidet sich elementar von jenen der Industrieunternehmen und Banken wegen des spezifischen inversen Produktionszyklus, d.h. des Entfalls der Vorfinanzierung durch das Prinzip der Einnahmen vor Ausgaben. Darüber hinaus hat sich die Komplexität der Versicherungsmetrik in den letzten 20 Jahren durch die Anforderungen diverser Stakeholder stark erhöht: Internationale Bilanzierung (IFRS), regulatorische Anforderungen (Solvency II) und Modelle von Ratingagenturen sind hierbei beispielhaft zu nennen. In den Indices der weltweit größten Börsen repräsentieren Versicherer bis zu 15% der jeweiligen Börsenkapitalisierung. Um vom Markt wahrgenommen und auch adäquat beurteilt zu werden, ist die Darstellung und Erläuterung ihrer Erfolgskomponenten von entscheidender Bedeutung. Der Reader versammelt neun Artikel, um diese Metrik offenzulegen - angefangen von generellen Vergleichen mit der Kreditwirtschaft, bis zu komplexeren Themen wie der Erfolgsmessung in der Lebensversicherung und der Einzelvertragsbetrachtung. Ein "Must-have" für die Branche, Analysten und Investoren, Studenten und junge Aktuare. Herausgegeben von Prof. Dr. Dietmar Zietsch (Universität Ulm) und Marc von Harpke (SCOR Deutschland).




Financial Risk Management and Modeling


Book Description

Risk is the main source of uncertainty for investors, debtholders, corporate managers and other stakeholders. For all these actors, it is vital to focus on identifying and managing risk before making decisions. The success of their businesses depends on the relevance of their decisions and consequently, on their ability to manage and deal with the different types of risk. Accordingly, the main objective of this book is to promote scientific research in the different areas of risk management, aiming at being transversal and dealing with different aspects of risk management related to corporate finance as well as market finance. Thus, this book should provide useful insights for academics as well as professionals to better understand and assess the different types of risk.




Taxation of Derivatives


Book Description

The exploding use of derivatives in the last two decades has created a major challenge for tax authorities, who had to develop appropriate derivatives taxation rules that strike a balance between allowing capital markets to function effectively by removing artificial tax barriers and at the same time protecting their countries' tax base from tax avoidance schemes that utilise these instruments. Derivatives exist in a vast variety and complexity and new forms or combinations of existing forms appear ad hoc as new risk categories emerge and companies seek to invest in or hedge these risks. This very thorough book discusses and analyses taxation issues posed by derivatives used in domestic as well as in cross-border transactions. In great detail the author presents approaches that can be adopted by tax legislators to solve these problems, clarifying her solutions with specific reference to components of the two most important domestic tax systems in relation to derivatives in Europe, those of the United Kingdom and Germany. Examples of derivatives transactions and arbitrage schemes greatly elucidate the nature of derivatives and how they can be effectively taxed. The following aspects of the subject and more are covered: – basic economic concepts in the context of derivatives such as replication, put-call-parity, hedging and leverage; - designing a suitable definition of derivatives in domestic tax law; - achieving coherence in domestic tax rules by applying a 'special regime approach' versus an 'integrative approach' and the distinction of income and capital, equity and debt; - alignment of accounting standards and taxation rules and the application of fair value accounting for tax purposes; - how to tax hedged positions and post-tax hedging schemes; - taxation of structured financial products and hybrid instruments with focus on bifurcation and integration approaches and the recent BEPS discussion drafts on hybrid mismatch arrangements; - refining the 'beneficial ownership' – concept in domestic law and in tax treaties and an analysis of recent case law; - withholding taxes in the context of domestic and cross-border dividend tax arbitrage schemes; and - tackling derivatives tax arbitrage effectively in anti-avoidance legislation. By providing an in-depth analysis of corporate taxation issues that arise in domestic as well as in cross-border derivatives transactions, this book is not only timely but of lasting value in the day-to-day work of tax lawyers and tax professionals in companies, banks and funds, and is sure to be of interest to government officials, academics and researchers involved with financial instruments taxation.




Supervisory Roles in Loan Loss Provisioning in Countries Implementing IFRS


Book Description

Countries implementing International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for loan loss provisioning by banks have been guided by two different approaches: International Accounting Standards (IAS) 39 and Basel standards. This paper discusses the different accounting and regulatory approaches in loan loss provisioning, and the challenges supervisors face when there are different perspectives and lack of guidance from IFRS. It suggests actions that supervisors can take to help banks meet regulatory and capital requirements and, at the same time, comply with accounting principles.