Pass the AGA Government Financial Manager GAFRB Questions and answers with ValidTests

Comprehensive Detailed Explanation:

In governmental funds (using the modified accrual basis), expenditures are recorded when financial resources are used — typically when cash is disbursed. However, in government-wide statements (accrual basis), only the portion of the asset’s cost consumed in the period is recorded as an expense (i.e., depreciation).

Paying for capital assets such as vehicles is an expenditure in the governmental funds, but not an expense in the accrual-based government-wide financials. Instead, the cost is capitalized and depreciated over time.

Relevant References:

GASB Statement No. 34 – Government-wide vs. Fund Financial Reporting

GASB Codification Section 1300 – Modified Accrual Accounting

GFOA Best Practices – Capital Asset Reporting

Answer: C. At the end of the fiscal year, the government pays for ten vehicles which will be depreciated over five years.

Comprehensive Detailed Explanation:

The Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) is a consolidated report that federal agencies are required to submit. It typically includes:

Agency Head’s Message

Performance Section (performance goals/results)

Financial Section (financial statements, audit report, notes)

Other Accompanying Information (e.g., improper payments, internal control reports)

There is no “demographic section” required or defined in the structure of a PAR.

Relevant References:

OMB Circular A-136 – Financial Reporting Requirements

GPRA Modernization Act of 2010

CFO Act of 1990

Answer: D. demographic section

The Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) establishes Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for federal government entities. FASAB is recognized by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) as the authoritative source of GAAP for federal agencies.

Other agencies:

OMB: Issues financial reporting guidance and formats (e.g., A-136), but does not set GAAP.

GAO: Audits financial statements and issues internal control guidance.

FASB: Sets GAAP for private sector and some not-for-profit organizations—not federal.

Relevant References:

FASAB Memorandum of Understanding (GAO, Treasury, OMB)

AICPA Rule 203 Designation of FASAB as the GAAP Authority

SFFAS No. 34 – The Hierarchy of GAAP

Answer: A. FASAB

A permanent fund is a governmental fund used to report resources that are legally restricted so that only earnings (not principal) may be used to support government programs. These are typically endowments where the corpus is preserved in perpetuity.

According to GASB Statement No. 34, permanent funds are classified under governmental funds and must be used to benefit the government or its citizenry.

Relevant Standards and References:

GASB Statement No. 34, Basic Financial Statements—and Management’s Discussion and Analysis—for State and Local Governments

GASB Codification Section 1300, Fund Types

GFOA Budgeting & Fund Balance Guidance

Therefore, Option B is correct.

The agency uses accrual accounting, meaning bad debt expense should be recognized based on the revenue earned, not the cash collected. The historical bad debt rate is 5%.

Fee revenue recorded = $1.1 million

Bad debt expense = 5% × $1,100,000 = $55,000

This matches the standard accounting treatment under FASAB SFFAS No. 1, where the expense is estimated and recognized in the same period as the related revenue.

Relevant References:

FASAB SFFAS No. 1 – Accounting for Selected Assets and Liabilities

GAAP treatment for allowance for doubtful accounts

Treasury Financial Manual – Accounts Receivable Accounting

Answer: C. $55,000

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) are both responsible for promulgating (i.e., formally establishing and issuing) accounting standards:

GASB: for state and local governments

FASAB: for federal entities

They do not establish auditing standards (that is the role of GAO and AICPA), nor do they issue joint standards or follow FASB unless no applicable guidance exists.

Relevant References:

GASB Statement No. 1 – Authoritative Status of GASB Pronouncements

FASAB Mission and Responsibilities

GAO Yellow Book (Government Auditing Standards)

Answer: C. promulgate accounting standards

FASAB SFFAS No. 10 (Accounting for Internal Use Software) provides guidance for capitalizing software development costs. The following costs are capitalized:

Software configuration and development: $750,000

Testing for functionality (ready for use): $225,000

These fall within the "software development stage."

The following are not capitalized:

Research costs (e.g., feasibility studies): $100,000 → Expense

Data conversion costs: $500,000 → Expense (unless part of application development, which it’s not here)

Capitalized total = $750,000 + $225,000 = $975,000

Relevant References:

FASAB SFFAS No. 10 – Accounting for Internal Use Software

OMB Circular A-136 – Capitalization Guidance

Treasury Financial Manual (TFM) – Capital Assets

Answer: B. $975,000

First, we calculate total eligible project costs:

Eligible categories (architectural, construction, project management):

Architectural (actual): $90,000

Construction (actual): $10,000,000

Project management (city employee at 50% time for 6 months):

 $10,000/month × 6 months × 50% = $30,000

Total eligible cost = $90,000 + $10,000,000 + $30,000 = $10,120,000

State reimburses 40% of eligible cost:

0.40 × $10,120,000 = $4,048,000

Relevant References:

OMB Uniform Guidance (2 CFR § 200) – Cost Principles

GFOA Best Practices – Grant Compliance

State grant agreements outlining cost-sharing requirements

Answer: A. $4,048,000

Deposit funds are a type of fiduciary fund used by federal agencies to account for monies held temporarily for others and where the government does not have ownership. These funds are not available for general government use and are excluded from budgetary resources.

Examples include:

Unidentified remittances

Bid deposits or earnest money

Collections awaiting resolution of ownership

These do not represent revenue to the federal government and are instead liabilities until disbursed.

Relevant References:

Treasury Financial Manual (TFM), Volume I, Part 2, Chapter 1500 – Deposit Fund Accounts

GAO Red Book – Federal Appropriations Law

FASAB SFFAS No. 1 – Accounting for Selected Assets and Liabilities

Answer: C. funds held temporarily until ownership is determined

The Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (SSAP), included in the notes to the financial statements, typically includes:

Description of the reporting entity

Basis of presentation and accounting principles

Methods used to apply those principles

Policy changes from prior years

However, disclosures regarding receipt or use of budget authority are not included in the SSAP. Budget authority and execution are typically addressed in the Required Supplementary Information (RSI) or other budgetary sections of federal financial reports.

Relevant References:

FASAB SFFAS No. 34 – Notes to the Financial Statements

OMB Circular A-136 – Section II.4.4: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

GAO Federal Accounting Handbook

Answer: C. disclosure of receipt of budget authority from the entity