Buying a Business Is Easy. Accounting for It Is Not. IFRS for SMEs Section 19

Business combinations create long-term reporting problems when goodwill is misunderstood. This session explains how acquisitions should be accounted for and why errors last for years.

2 CPD units July 14, 2026 1 presenter

What will set you apart

By completing this course you will gain the following competencies

What actually counts as a business combination
How purchase consideration is measured
How goodwill is calculated properly
Why goodwill creates ongoing risk
How impairment affects profit
Where acquisitions are commonly misstated

Event breakdown

Identifying a business combination
Determining the acquirer
Measuring consideration
Recognising assets and liabilities
Calculating goodwill
Subsequent treatment of goodwill
Impairment considerations
Disclosure requirements

Category: AccountingType: CPD CourseCPD category: Accounting

Description

Business combinations often look straightforward at the transaction date, but accounting mistakes follow for years. Goodwill is overstated. Impairment is ignored. Disclosures are weak. This session focuses on how Section 19 of IFRS for SMEs applies when businesses are acquired or merged. Attention is given to identifying the transaction correctly, measuring consideration, and calculating goodwill accurately. Understanding how goodwill behaves after the acquisition date is critical to avoiding overstated assets and future surprises. This session strengthens confidence in dealing with acquisitions and ensures that business combinations are reflected clearly, consistently, and defensibly.

Presenters

Prof. Jacobus (Cobus) Rossouw CA(SA) — Prof Jacobus Rossouw CA(SA) (Cobus) was born in Bloemfontein and still has his roots planted in the beautiful Free State. He became a Chartered Accountant (SA) in 1999. In 2000, he joined the University of the Free State as a senior lecturer. He was promoted to associate professor in 2006 after obtaining his Master's degree in Financial Accounting (cum laude). Cobus specialises in the IFRS Accounting Standards (IFRSs) and the IFRS for SMEs. He is currently (since 2004) lecturing Advanced Financial Accounting to post-graduate chartered accountancy students (PGCA). Cobus's passion is lecturing in Financial Accounting and preparing his students for the world of work. He regularly acts as an external moderator for chartered accountancy programmes at the post-graduate level of other universities. In the last three years, as part of the PGCA lecturing team, he received four Learning and Teaching Awards for innovative practices. From 2005 to 2017, he was the Subject Head for Financial Accounting. Since 2016, Cobus has been the PGCA Academic Coordinator for the post-graduate year group and is responsible for the coordination of the PGCA programmes. Cobus also serves as a member of the Management Committee of the School of Accountancy of the University of the Free State. Cobus also served on numerous committees of the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences. He is the author or co-author of thirteen accredited research articles and various non-accredited articles in academic and accounting literature. He has presented (as author/co-author) more than twenty research papers at international, national and university conferences on aspects of Financial Accounting and Learning and Teaching. Furthermore, he is the author of numerous chapters in various leading financial accounting textbooks focusing on IFRSs. He has also presented more than a hundred professional update courses/seminars/webinars to practising accountants on behalf of various professional bodies.

You will earn a certificate

On successful completion you will receive a certificate for 2 CPD units in Accounting.

Requirements

Laptop, desktop, or mobile device with internet access
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