Journal of Business & Financial Affairs

Intangible Assets, Intellectual Property and the Misreporting of Financial Events

Abstract

Jeffrey E Jarrett

Problems associated with financial reporting of intellectual property rights (IPR) and similar intangible assets are not reported in the same manner as those assets are tangible. Although accounting uses the principle of “conservatism” to evaluate the economic value of all assets, the present rules specified by the Financial Accountants Standards Board (FASB) do not follow the development of accounting principles associated with timing of financial events. This study refers to and utilizes the established methodology in financial reporting literature to develop better methods for estimating the monetary value of IPR and other intangible assets. The estimation methodology, also, will not be a detrimental factor in determining the value of these intangible assets during mergers, acquisitions and the development of new IPR and intangibles.