The lack of impact of fair value accounting: a commentary on ‘“fair value” accounting as the normative Fisherian phase of accounting’

Abstract

ABSTRACT This commentary argues that the question of fair value measurement is a non-issue from the standpoint of accounting standards setting, as well as for issuers and users of financial statements. In our view, fair value measurements only apply to a small number of accounts and to a small number of companies. In fact, over the past century we observe little interest on the part of companies, professional accountants and standards setters in applying fair value accounting measurements to general purpose financial statements over the last century. While Cardao-Pito and Ferreira make a good case that similarities exist between the work of Irving Fisher and accounting pronouncements pertaining to fair value, I contend that this is a coincidence.