Teknik Financial Shenanigans

Menurut penelitian Center for Finacial research &Analysis (CFRA) yang ada di US, terdapat 30 teknik earnings management (shenanigans) yang biasanya dilakukan oleh perusahaan untuk mengelabuhi investor atau stokeholders (Howart Schilit,2002). Dari 30 teknik tersebut, kemudian dibagi menjadi tujuh katagori, yaitu:
Shenanigans No.1:
Recording revenue too Soon or of Questionable Quality
a. Recording revenue when future services remain to be provided
b. Recording revenue before shipment or before the customers unconditional acceptance
c. Recording revenue even though the customer is not obligated to pay
d. Selling to an affiliated party
e. Giving the customer something of value as aquid pro quo Grossing up revenue
Shenanigan No.2:
Recording bogus Revenue
a. Recording sales that lack economic substance
b. Recording cash received in leading transactions as revenue
c. Recording investment income as revenue
d. Recording as revenue supplier rebates tied to future re-quired purchases
e. Releasing revenue that was improperly held back before a merger

Shenanigan No.3:
Boosting income with One-Time Gains
a. Boosting profits by selling undervalued assets
b. Including investment income or gains as part of revenue
c. Reporting investment income or gains as a reduction in operating expenses
d. Creating income by reclassification of balance sheet account
Shenanigan No.4:
Shifting Current Expenses to a Later or Earlier Period
a. Boosting profit by selling undervalued assets
b. Capitalizing normal operating costs, particularly if recently changed from expensing
c. Changing accounting policies and shifting current expenses to an earlier period
d. Amortizing cost too slowly
e. Failing to write down or write off impaired assets
f. Reducing asset reserves
Shenanigan No.5:
Failing to record or improperly reducing Liabilities
a. Failing to record expenses and related liabilities when future obligation remain
b. Reducing liabilities by changing accounting assumptions
c. Releasing questionable reserves into income
d. Creating sham rebates
e. Recording revenue when cash is received, even though futher obligation remain
Shenanigan No.6:
Shifting Current Revenue to a Later Period
a. Creating reserves and releasing them into income in a later period
b. Improperly holding back revenue just for an acquisition closes
Shenanigan No.7:
Shifting Future Expenses to the Current Period as a Special Charge
a. Improperly inflating amount included in a special charge
b. Improperly writing off in-process R & D costs from an acquisition

Dari 30 teknik earnings management (shenanigans) tersebut diatas pada dasarnya dapat juga dikategorikan menjadi lima fenomena dasar (C Mulford and E Commiskey, 2003), yaitu:
1. Recognizing Premature or Fictitious Revenue
2. Aggressive Capitalization and Expended Amortization Policies
3. Misreported Assets and Liabilities
4. Getting Creative with the income Statement: Classification and Disclosure
5. Problem with Cash flow Reporting