An entity buys equipment for 10,000 and depreciates it on a straight‑line basis over its expected useful life of five years. For tax purposes, the equipment is depreciated at 25% a year on a straight‑line basis. Tax losses may be carried back against taxable profit of the previous five years. In year 0, the entity’s taxable profit was 5,000. The tax rate [Refer:paragraphs 46⁠–⁠52A] is 40%.

The entity will recover the carrying amount of the equipment by using it to manufacture goods for resale. [Refer:paragraph 51] Therefore, the entity’s current tax computation is as follows:

The entity recognises a current tax asset at the end of years 1 to 4 because it recovers the benefit of the tax loss against the taxable profit of year 0.

The temporary differences associated with the equipment and the resulting deferred tax asset and liability and deferred tax expense and income are as follows:

The entity recognises the deferred tax liability in years 1 to 4 because the reversal of the taxable temporary difference will create taxable income in subsequent years. The entity’s statement of comprehensive income includes the following:

The example deals with an entity over the two‑year period, X5 and X6. In X5 the enacted income tax rate was 40% of taxable profit. In X6 the enacted income tax rate was 35% of taxable profit.

Charitable donations are recognised as an expense when they are paid and are not deductible for tax purposes.

In X5, the entity was notified by the relevant authorities that they intend to pursue an action against the entity with respect to sulphur emissions. Although as at December X6 the action had not yet come to court the entity recognised a liability of 700 in X5 being its best estimate of the fine arising from the action. [Refer:IAS 37 paragraphs 14 and 36⁠–⁠40] Fines are not deductible for tax purposes.

In X2, the entity incurred 1,250 of costs in relation to the development of a new product. These costs were deducted for tax purposes in X2. For accounting purposes, the entity capitalised this expenditure and amortised it on the straight‑line basis over five years. [Refer:IAS 38 paragraphs 57⁠–⁠67 and 74] At 31/12/X4, the unamortised balance of these product development costs was 500.

In X5, the entity entered into an agreement with its existing employees to provide healthcare benefits to retirees. The entity recognises as an expense the cost of this plan as employees provide service. [Refer:IAS 19 paragraphs 26⁠–⁠130] No payments to retirees were made for such benefits in X5 or X6. Healthcare costs are deductible for tax purposes when payments are made to retirees. The entity has determined that it is probable [Refer:paragraphs 27⁠–⁠31] that taxable profit will be available against which any resulting deferred tax asset can be utilised.

Buildings are depreciated for accounting purposes at 5% a year on a straight‑line basis and at 10% a year on a straight‑line basis for tax purposes. Motor vehicles are depreciated for accounting purposes at 20% a year on a straight‑line basis and at 25% a year on a straight‑line basis for tax purposes. [Refer:IAS 16 paragraphs 43⁠–⁠62] A full year’s depreciation is charged for accounting purposes in the year that an asset is acquired.

At 1/1/X6, the building was revalued to 65,000 and the entity estimated that the remaining useful life of the building was 20 years from the date of the revaluation. [Refer:IAS 16 paragraph 31] The revaluation did not affect taxable profit in X6 and the taxation authorities did not adjust the tax base of the building to reflect the revaluation. In X6, the entity transferred 1,033 from revaluation surplus to retained earnings. This represents the difference of 1,590 between the actual depreciation on the building (3,250) and equivalent depreciation based on the cost of the building (1,660, which is the book value at 1/1/X6 of 33,200 divided by the remaining useful life of 20 years), less the related deferred tax of 557 (see paragraph 64 of the Standard).

At 31 December 20X1, Entity Z holds a portfolio of three debt instruments:

Entity Z acquired all the debt instruments on issuance for their nominal value. The terms of the debt instruments require the issuer to pay the nominal value of the debt instruments on their maturity on 31 December 20X2.

Interest is paid at the end of each year at the contractually fixed rate, which equalled the market interest rate when the debt instruments were acquired. At the end of 20X1, the market interest rate is 5 per cent, which has caused the fair value of Debt Instruments A and C to fall below their cost and the fair value of Debt Instrument B to rise above its cost. It is probable that Entity Z will receive all the contractual cash flows if it continues to hold the debt instruments.

At the end of 20X1, Entity Z expects that it will recover the carrying amounts of Debt Instruments A and B through use, ie by continuing to hold them and collecting contractual cash flows, and Debt Instrument C by sale at the beginning of 20X2 for its fair value on 31 December 20X1. It is assumed that no other tax planning opportunity is available to Entity Z that would enable it to sell Debt Instrument B to generate a capital gain against which it could offset the capital loss arising from selling Debt Instrument C. [Refer:paragraph 29(b)]

The debt instruments are measured at fair value through other comprehensive income in accordance with IFRS 9 Financial Instruments (or IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement1). [Refer:IFRS 9 paragraph 4.1.2A]

The tax base of the debt instruments is cost, which tax law allows to be offset either on maturity when principal is paid or against the sale proceeds when the debt instruments are sold [Refer:paragraph 7]. Tax law specifies that gains (losses) on the debt instruments are taxable (deductible) only when realised.

Tax law distinguishes ordinary gains and losses from capital gains and losses. Ordinary losses can be offset against both ordinary gains and capital gains. Capital losses can only be offset against capital gains. Capital losses can be carried forward for 5 years and ordinary losses can be carried forward for 20 years.

Ordinary gains are taxed at 30 per cent and capital gains are taxed at 10 per cent.

Tax law classifies interest income from the debt instruments as ‘ordinary’ and gains and losses arising on the sale of the debt instruments as ‘capital’. Losses that arise if the issuer of the debt instrument fails to pay the principal on maturity are classified as ordinary by tax law.

On 31 December 20X1, Entity Z has, from other sources, taxable temporary differences of CU50,000 and deductible temporary differences of CU430,000, which will reverse in ordinary taxable profit (or ordinary tax loss) in 20X2.

At the end of 20X1, it is probable that Entity Z will report to the tax authorities an ordinary tax loss of CU200,000 for the year 20X2. This tax loss includes all taxable economic benefits and tax deductions for which temporary differences exist on 31 December 20X1 and that are classified as ordinary by tax law. These amounts contribute equally to the loss for the period according to tax law.

Entity Z has no capital gains against which it can utilise capital losses arising in the years 20X1⁠–⁠20X2.

Except for the information given in the previous paragraphs, there is no further information that is relevant to Entity Z’s accounting for deferred taxes in the period 20X1⁠–⁠20X2.

At the end of 20X1, Entity Z identifies the following temporary differences:

The difference between the carrying amount of an asset or liability and its tax base gives rise to a deductible (taxable) temporary difference (see paragraphs 20 and 26(d) of the Standard). This is because deductible (taxable) temporary differences are differences between the carrying amount of an asset or liability in the statement of financial position and its tax base, which will result in amounts that are deductible (taxable) in determining taxable profit (tax loss) of future periods when the carrying amount of the asset or liability is recovered or settled (see paragraph 5 of the Standard).

With some exceptions, deferred tax assets arising from deductible temporary differences are recognised to the extent that sufficient future taxable profit will be available against which the deductible temporary differences are utilised (see paragraph 24 of the Standard).

Paragraphs 28⁠–⁠29 of IAS 12 identify the sources of taxable profits against which an entity can utilise deductible temporary differences. They include:

The deductible temporary difference that arises from Debt Instrument C is assessed separately for utilisation. This is because tax law classifies the loss resulting from recovering the carrying amount of Debt Instrument C by sale as capital and allows capital losses to be offset only against capital gains (see paragraph 27A of the Standard).

The separate assessment results in not recognising a deferred tax asset for the deductible temporary difference that arises from Debt Instrument C because Entity Z has no source of taxable profit available that tax law classifies as capital.

In contrast, the deductible temporary difference that arises from Debt Instrument A and other sources are assessed for utilisation in combination with one another. This is because their related tax deductions would be classified as ordinary by tax law.

The tax deductions represented by the deductible temporary differences related to Debt Instrument A are classified as ordinary because the tax law classifies the effect on taxable profit (tax loss) from deducting the tax base on maturity as ordinary.

In assessing the utilisation of deductible temporary differences on 31 December 20X1, the following two steps are performed by Entity Z.

Entity Z presents the following deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities in its financial statements on 31 December 20X1:

The deferred tax assets and the deferred tax liabilities are measured using the tax rate for ordinary gains of 30 per cent, in accordance with the expected manner of recovery (settlement) of the underlying assets (liabilities) (see paragraph 51 of the Standard).

Changes in deferred tax that arise from items that are recognised in profit or loss are recognised in profit or loss (see paragraph 58 of the Standard). Changes in deferred tax that arise from items that are recognised in other comprehensive income are recognised in other comprehensive income (see paragraph 61A of the Standard).

Entity Z did not recognise deferred tax assets for all of its deductible temporary differences at 31 December 20X1, and according to tax law all the tax deductions represented by the deductible temporary differences contribute equally to the tax loss for the period. Consequently, the assessment of the utilisation of deductible temporary differences does not specify whether the taxable profits are utilised for deferred tax items that are recognised in profit or loss (ie the deductible temporary differences from other sources) or whether instead the taxable profits are utilised for deferred tax items that are recognised in other comprehensive income (ie the deductible temporary differences related to debt instruments classified as fair value through other comprehensive income).

For such situations, paragraph 63 of the Standard requires the changes in deferred taxes to be allocated to profit or loss and other comprehensive income on a reasonable pro rata basis or by another method that achieves a more appropriate allocation in the circumstances.

An entity (Lessee) enters into a five-year lease of a building. The annual lease payments are CU100 payable at the end of each year. Before the commencement date of the lease, Lessee makes a lease payment of CU15 (advance lease payment) and pays initial direct costs of CU5. The interest rate implicit in the lease cannot be readily determined. Lessee’s incremental borrowing rate is 5% per year.

At the commencement date, applying IFRS 16 Leases, Lessee recognises a lease liability of CU435 (measured at the present value of the five lease payments of CU100, discounted at the interest rate of 5% per year). Lessee measures the right-of-use asset (lease asset) at CU455, comprising the initial measurement of the lease liability (CU435), the advance lease payment (CU15) and the initial direct costs (CU5).

The tax law allows tax deductions for lease payments (including those made before the commencement date) and initial direct costs when an entity makes those payments. Economic benefits that will flow to Lessee when it recovers the carrying amount of the lease asset will be taxable.

A tax rate of 20% is expected to apply to the period(s) when Lessee will recover the carrying amount of the lease asset and will settle the lease liability.

After considering the applicable tax law, Lessee concludes that the tax deductions it will receive for lease payments relate to the repayment of the lease liability.2

Lessee recognises the advance lease payment (CU15) and initial direct costs (CU5) as components of the lease asset’s cost. The tax base of these components is nil because Lessee already received tax deductions for the advance lease payment and initial direct costs when it made those payments. The difference between the tax base (nil) and the carrying amount of each component results in taxable temporary differences of CU15 (related to the advance lease payment) and CU5 (related to the initial direct costs).

The exemption from recognising a deferred tax liability in paragraph 15 does not apply because the temporary differences arise from transactions that, at the time of the transactions, affect Lessee’s taxable profit (that is, the tax deductions Lessee received when it made the advance lease payment and paid initial direct costs reduced its taxable profit). Accordingly, Lessee recognises a deferred tax liability of CU3 (CU15 × 20%) and CU1 (CU5 × 20%) for the taxable temporary differences related to the advance lease payment and initial direct costs, respectively.

At the commencement date, the tax base of the lease liability is nil because Lessee will receive tax deductions equal to the carrying amount of the lease liability (CU435). The tax base of the related component of the lease asset’s cost is also nil because Lessee will receive no tax deductions from recovering the carrying amount of that component of the lease asset’s cost (CU435).

The differences between the carrying amounts of the lease liability and the related component of the lease asset’s cost (CU435) and their tax bases of nil result in the following temporary differences at the commencement date:

The exemption from recognising a deferred tax asset and liability in paragraphs 15 and 24 does not apply because the transaction gives rise to equal taxable and deductible temporary differences. Lessee concludes that it is probable that taxable profit will be available against which the deductible temporary difference can be utilised. Accordingly, Lessee recognises a deferred tax asset and a deferred tax liability, each of CU87 (CU435 × 20%), for the deductible and taxable temporary differences.

The table below summarises the deferred tax that Lessee recognises on initial recognition of the lease (including the advance lease payment and initial direct costs):

Applying paragraph 22(b) of IAS 12, Lessee recognises deferred tax assets and liabilities as illustrated in this example and recognises the resulting deferred tax income or expense in profit or loss.