Fair Value Accounting: A Historical Review Of The Most Controversial Accounting Issue In Decades

Abstract

Historically, there have been many disputes in the area of corporate financial reporting.  However, one of the primary issues of disagreement between practitioners, regulators, and theoreticians is that of valuation of financial statement components.  The latest twist in the evolution of valuation is the push for (and against) the use of a fair value approach.  The purpose of this paper is to examine the history and evolution of how the most critical elements of an entity’s financial statements are valued.  We provide a history of valuation of financial statement components, and identify the issues involved.  Further, we examine the criticisms of actions taken by the regulatory bodies in their efforts to standardize and advance accounting practices.  Particularly, we focus on the evolution of fair value measurements.  Arguments both for and against the implementation of fair value accounting are provided.