The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has announced plans to issue final FASB Staff Position (FSP) FAS 140-4 and FIN 46(R)-8, Disclosures about Transfers of Financial Assets and Interests in Variable Interest Entities, by December 15, 2008. The document will increase disclosure requirements for public companies for reporting periods that end after December 15, 2008.

The purpose of this FSP is to promptly improve disclosures by public entities and enterprises until the pending amendments to FASB Statement No. 140, Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of Liabilities, and FASB Interpretation No. 46 (revised December 2003), Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, are finalized and approved by the Board.

Effective at the end of the first reporting period (interim and annual) after issuance of the FSP for public entities, the FSP amends Statement 140 to require public entities to provide additional disclosures about transfers of financial assets and variable interests in qualifying special-purpose entities. It also amends Interpretation 46(R) to require public enterprises to provide additional disclosures about their involvement with variable interest entities.

A summary of the Board’s decisions related to this FSP can be accessed at the FASB Web site.