FASB Issues Proposal on Fair Value Measurements

In response to requests from constituents to improve the current guidance for measuring fair value, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has published an Exposure Draft, Fair Value Measurements. The Exposure Draft seeks to establish a framework for measuring fair value that would apply broadly to financial and nonfinancial assets and liabilities, improving the consistency, comparability, and reliability of the measurements. The fair value framework would clarify the fair value measurement objective and its application under other authoritative pronouncements that require fair value measurements. Thus, the Exposure Draft would replace any current guidance for measuring fair value in those pronouncements.The comment period for the Exposure Draft ends September 7, 2004.