In explaining Statement No. 141, Business Combinations (SFAS No. 141, FASB 2001b) and Statement No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (SFAS No. 142, FASB 2001c), accounting textbooks do not adequately describe the theoretical choices the FASB considered or the economic and political context in which the FASB developed these statements.
This instructional resource fills that gap. It compares purchase, pooling of interests (hereafter, pooling), and fresh start accounting, as well as various methods of accounting for goodwill under purchase and fresh start accounting; it also discusses the economic and political context in which the FASB deliberated. A simple example (and a separate more complicated homework problem) compares the effects of these methods on post‐combination financial statements. The Teaching Notes discuss how to use this instructional resource to introduce these subjects and integrate them with other subjects covered in advanced financial accounting and merger and acquisition courses.
