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Will there be one set of accounting standards in use throughout the world in the next five years?

As American companies continue to expand their businesses abroad, the need for a single set of accounting standards is growing. Currently there are about 12,000 companies that are operating in more than 100 countries, each of which requires their financial statements to be reported under the same guidelines and standards. All of these countries abide by the International Financial Reporting Standards, making it easier for companies abroad to have financial cohesion. Unfortunately the United States has yet to adjust their financial standards, but many feel this necessary change is coming.

Signs of a possible change arose when the SEC approved the use of International Financial Reporting Standards by non-U.S. registrants as long as they included reconciliation between the IFRS and the U.S. GAAP standards. Further signs of change arose when the SEC dropped this reconciliation requirement only a year after enacting it. As the SEC is noticing, the need for a uniform financial standard is not only growing but it is a necessary change as there is many advantages to having one set of accounting standards. One of these advantages is that having one global set of accounting standards will eliminate the costs of preparing multiple financial statements under various standards. Another advantage is that this will also reduce the need for multiple audit opinions that multinational firms currently deal with. Having one set of accounting standards will also allow for more efficient and centralized accounting functions that will reduce costs along with confusion. Lastly these financial statements can be produced centrally and distributed globally, leading to the upmost efficiency in financial reporting. Since the IFRS is based on principles rather than rules, it is easier to

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