FASB, AICPA issue proposal to improve financial reporting for private companies.

• Position: News update

The Financial Accounting Standards Board and the AICPA last month issued a joint proposal intended to improve the financial reporting process for private company constituents. Specifically, the joint initiative seeks constituent feedback on proposed enhancements to the FASB's standard-setting procedures that would determine whether the board should consider differences in accounting standards for private companies within generally accepted accounting principles.

Under the proposal, the FASB would implement certain improvements to enhance the transparency of its standard-setting process for private companies and consider input from private company constituents. To that end, the FASB and the AICPA would also sponsor and fund a joint committee to serve as an additional resource to the FASB to further ensure that the views of private company constituents are incorporated into the standard-setting process.

The proposal may be found at www.pcfr.org. Comments are due Aug. 15. Both organizations encourage everyone who plays a role in private company financial reporting--bank lenders...