--- title: Close-Up on Pushdown Accounting for M&As description: Machen McChesney provides business owners with updated financial reporting guidance for M&A transactions, providing greater flexibility to post-M&A accounting. image: https://info.machen.cpa/hubfs/Blocks%20M%26A%20-%20468654143-1.png --- [Family of Services](http://machenmcchesney.com/about-us/family-of-companies/)  |  [CPA & Business Advisory](http://machenmcchesney.com)  |  [Payroll, HR & Benefits](http://focuspaysolutions.com/)  |  [Wealth Management](http://machenmcchesney.com/services/financial-planning-and-wealth-mangement-services/) Auburn-Opelika (334) 887-7022 | Montgomery (334) 244-8900 [![mm-re-cobrand-fd-blues](https://info.machen.cpa/hs-fs/hubfs/mm-re-cobrand-fd-blues.png?width=279&height=100&name=mm-re-cobrand-fd-blues.png)](http://machenmcchesney.com) Search this site on Google Search Google Search this site on Google Search Google - [Client Portal](https://machenmcchesney.sharefile.com/Authentication/Login) - 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Machen, CPA, CVA](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/author/michael-d-machen-cpa-cva) on Nov 19, 2019, 9:08:08 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![Blocks M&A - 468654143-1](https://info.machen.cpa/hs-fs/hubfs/Blocks%20M%26A%20-%20468654143-1.png?width=1024&name=Blocks%20M%26A%20-%20468654143-1.png)](https://info.machenmcchesney.com/blog/close-up-on-pushdown-accounting-for-mas)Change-in-control events — like merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions — don’t happen every day. If you’re currently in the market to merge with or buy a business, you might not be aware of updated financial reporting guidance that took effect in November 2014. The changes provide greater flexibility to post-M&A accounting. **Pushdown accounting is optional**  Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-17, *Business Combinations (Topic 805): Pushdown Accounting (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)*, made pushdown accounting optional when there’s a change-in-control event. The update applies to all companies, both public and private. Pushdown accounting refers to the practice of adjusting an acquired company’s standalone financial statements to reflect the *acquirer’s* accounting basis rather than the target’s historical costs. Typically, this means stepping up the target’s net assets to fair value and, to the extent the purchase price exceeds fair value, recognizing the excess as goodwill. Previously, U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) provided little guidance on when pushdown accounting might be appropriate. For public companies, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidance generally *prohibited* pushdown accounting unless the acquirer obtained at least an 80% interest in the target and *required* it when the acquirer’s interest reached 95%. The SEC has rescinded portions of its pushdown accounting guidance, bringing it in line with the FASB’s updated standard. **To push down or not?** Under the updated guidance, all acquired companies may decide if they should apply pushdown accounting. Whether it’s appropriate depends on a company’s circumstances. For some companies, there may be advantages to reporting assets and liabilities at fair value and adopting consistent accounting policies for both parent and subsidiary. Other companies may prefer *not* to apply pushdown accounting to avoid the negative impact on earnings, often associated with a step-up to fair value. After pushdown accounting is applied to a change-in-control event, the election is irrevocable. Acquired companies that apply pushdown accounting in their standalone financial statements should include disclosures in the current reporting period to help users evaluate its effects. **We can help** If you’re contemplating an M&A deal, we can help you decide whether pushdown accounting is a smart choice for reporting your transaction. Whichever option you choose, our accounting pros also can help you comply with financial reporting requirements under GAAP. **For more information on the above article or any [business advisory services](http://machenmcchesney.com/services/business-advisory/), contact Michael D. Machen, CPA, CVA at (334) 887-7022 or by leaving us a message below.** Topics: [Business Advisory](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/business-advisory) Search this site on Google Search Google ### Recent Posts ### Subscribe to Blog ### Posts by Category - [Business Tax (356)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/business-tax) - [Business Advisory (239)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/business-advisory) - [Payroll, HR & Benefits (124)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/payroll-hr-benefits) - [Audit & Assurance (113)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/audit-assurance) - [Accounting & Outsourcing (81)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/accounting-outsourcing) - [Individual Tax (75)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/individual-tax) - [Tax Planning (33)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/tax-planning) - [Tax Updates (25)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/tax-updates) - [Retirement & Wealth Management Planning (18)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/retirement-wealth-management-planning) - [Taxation (15)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/taxation) - [Alerts (13)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/alerts) - [Business Valuation (11)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/business-valuation) - [News & Events (11)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/news-events) - [Tax News (11)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/tax-news) - [Individual Tax Planning (10)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/individual-tax-planning) - [Not For Profit (10)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/not-for-profit) - [Retirement Planning (9)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/retirement-planning) - [Estate Planning (8)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/estate-planning) - [Manufacturing Industry Insights (7)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/manufacturing-industry-insights) - [Individuals (1)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/individuals) - [Insider (1)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/insider) - [Professional Standard News (1)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/professional-standard-news) see all [![Returning\_Value](https://info.machen.cpa/hs-fs/file-2504250850-jpg/Machen-Blog-Image/Returning_Value.jpg)](http://machenmcchesney.com/about-us/mission-and-values/) - [![AICPA](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/logos/aicpa.jpg)](https://www.aicpa-cima.com/) - [![NACVA](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/logos/nacva.jpg)](http://www.nacva.com/) - ![2026 INSIDE Public Accounting Top 400](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2026-ipa-top-400.jpg) - ![2026 Best of Auburn-Opelika](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2026-best-of-auburn-opelika.jpg) - [![2025 Best of OA](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2025-best-of-oa.jpg)](https://oanow.com/exclusive/readerschoice/ballot-2025/) - ![2026 Best of OA Winner](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2026-best-of-oa-winner.jpg) - [![2025 Accounting Today Regional Leaders](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2025-accounting-today-regional-leaders.jpg)](https://www.accountingtoday.com/) - [![ClearlyRated Best of Accounting](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2024-best-of-accounting.jpg)](https://www.clearlyrated.com/accounting) - [![ClearlyRated Best of Accounting Employee](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2024-best-of-accounting-employee.jpg)](https://www.clearlyrated.com/accounting) 1820 East University Drive, Auburn, AL 36830 | Tel: (334) 887-7022 | Fax: (334) 887-7221 1761 Taliaferro Trail, Montgomery, AL 36117 | Tel: (334) 244-8900 | Fax: (334) 364-0927 † This is not a CPA firm. \* Assurance, attest, and audit services provided by Frazier & Deeter, LLC. “Frazier & Deeter” is the brand name under which Frazier & Deeter, LLC\* and Frazier & Deeter Advisory, LLC† and its subsidiary entities provide professional services. 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