FASB proposes changes to hedge accounting
Sep 08, 2016
On September 8, 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued a proposed Accounting Standards Update (ASU), "Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities." The proposed ASU would improve "how the economic results of an institution’s risk management activities are portrayed." In addition, the proposal would simplify the application of hedge accounting. Comments on the proposed ASU are due by November 22, 2016.
The proposed ASU and IFRS 9 provide similar methodologies for measuring the hedged item in a partial-term fair value hedge of interest rate risk. The proposed update would allow qualitative assessments of hedge effectiveness if certain conditions are met, while IFRS 9 allows for either quantitative or qualitative assessment of hedge effectiveness.
However, there are some differences between FASB’s proposed ASU and IFRS 9 pertaining to the presentation of changes in the fair value of hedging instruments. FASB’s proposed amendments would eliminate the concept of hedge ineffectiveness, while IFRS 9 retains that concept. FASB’s proposed changes would require an institution to record the entire change in the fair value of the hedging instrument in the same income statement line item as the earnings effect of the hedged item, while IFRS 9 does not provide broad guidance on presentation.
FASB plans to decide on an effective date for the update after redeliberates about all the comments gets during the comment period and from the public roundtable meetings. Early application of the proposed amendments would be allowed at the beginning of any fiscal year before the effective date.
