Why attend CFRI?

• Author: Hollein, Marie N.
• Position: FROM THE PRESIDENT - Current Financial Reporting Issues - Conference notes

This year marks FEI's 31st annual Current Financial Reporting Issues Conference. Scheduled for Nov. 12-13, 2012 at the New York Marriott Marquis Times Square, CFRI is the kind of conference that makes you want to return each year to keep abreast of the latest developments on the financial reporting scene. Importantly, you hear about the developments directly from the standard setters and regulators who establish the rules.

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Among the highlights of this year's program are updates by the Financial Accounting Standards Board Chairman Leslie Seidman, International Accounting Standards Board Chairman Hans Hoogervorst, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Acting Chief Accountant Paul Beswick, Acting Chief Accountant of the SEC's Division of Corporation Finance, Craig Olinger and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Member Jay Hanson.

In addition, keynote speakers David Levy and Michael Woodford provide an economic forecast for 2013 and perspectives on corporate governance, respectively.

Reporting Activity Post-Election Those who think that regulatory and accounting changes will slow clue to the election might think again. By the time CFRI takes place in mid-November, we expect FASB, as well as IASB, the SEC and PCAOB to be moving ahead on several projects.

Not sure where IFRS is headed in the U.S.? Hear what Beswick, Hoogervorst and Seidman have to report. Despite the lack of formal action by the SEC relating to the use of IFRS in the U.S., FASB and IASB are proceeding to work on the major convergence projects (leasing, financial instruments and revenue recognition), all areas that likely impact FEI members.

The SEC continues to have a great deal on its plate as a result of completion of rule-making following the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Jumpstart our Business Startups Act (JOBS). What issues related to these laws --and others--do you need to know?

As to what the PCAOB is currently considering, you should know some of the most significant changes to the way audits are conducted and reported...