Category: Accounting News

The first thing to define is what a lease itself is. It’s an agreement or contract where one party, the lessor, allows another individual or business, the lessee, to use their asset in return for payments or different assets. The next step is to define the following types of leases. The two types covered in this article are operating and finance (or capital) leases.

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)

IFRS does not differentiate between operating and capital leases. However, depending on if the loan has certain characteristics of transferring generally accepted rewards and risks, it would resemble what’s otherwise considered a finance lease. When it comes to Canadian Accounting Standards for Private Enterprises (ASPE) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), the terms capital lease and finance lease can be used interchangeably.

Operating Leases

Operating leases are used when the client wants to rent and not purchase. During and once the lease is up, the lessor is always in possession.

It can be cheaper to rent – and sometimes renting is the only option for small or medium-sized businesses that are unable to purchase assets. Another advantage for businesses is that they can stay competitive by being able to upgrade their assets since they don’t own it. Along with lessees generally only having to pay for asset maintenance costs, operating expenses for the leased assets are likely tax-deductible because they’re considered business costs. Agreements normally last three-quarters of an asset’s estimated economic life, and the present value of lease payments is usually less than 90 percent of an asset’s fair market value.

Finance (Capital) Leases

Once this agreement’s term is up, the lessee owns the formerly leased asset. Unlike an operating lease, it provides the lessee an opportunity to purchase the asset below fair market value through a bargain purchase option. It also differs in that the contract’s term spans a minimum of three-quarters of the asset’s estimated useful life. If the present value of the lease payments is at least 90 percent of the asset’s original cost, it qualifies as this type of loan.

Determining the Loan Type

Looking through the lens of IFRS, one way to decide what type of a lease to enter is to calculate the present value of the smallest lease financial obligations. Taking the following loan terms, we can determine what percentage of the minimum lease payments are of the asset’s fair value when the lease is signed. Here’s an example.

On the first day of the year, a business signed a lease agreement for five years for equipment that has a fair value of $150,000 and has an interest rate of 8.75 percent. A single installment of $33,750 will be paid at the start of each year. The equipment will be returned to the lessor at the end of the lease. The asset’s useful life is five years, with no residual value. The company chooses the straight-line depreciation method.

Since the equipment will be returned to the lessor, the bargain purchase option doesn’t apply. Also, since the economic life is five years and the lease term are the same length, it’s 100 percent, rendering the asset to have no alternative use once the lease is completed. Therefore, we can determine the present value as follows:

Number of Periods (NPER) = 5 annual payments over the loan’s life

Rate = 8.75 annual interest rate

FV = 0 (future value)

PMT = $33,750 (single payment per 12-month period)

Type 1 = (payment is made at the beginning of the year)

Calculated using Excel, the present value is $143,693. This present value divided by the initial cost means that the asset’s fair value when leased is 95.8% ($143,693/$150,000)

Based on this calculation, with the least lease payments’ net present value well above the 90 percent minimum threshold, it would be considered a finance or capital lease.

The term mark-to-market is an important phrase in corporate finance that has many nuances and industry-specific uses. Mark-to-market is a corporate finance term that provides businesses with a way to evaluate a holding’s fair value for both assets and liabilities. Since values can change over time, this gives a rational assessment of a business’ present fiscal circumstances based on the latest market climate.

When it comes to securities, an investment that is mark-to-market shows its current value. It’s a way to look at how much a business might get if it sells assets under current market conditions. This measurement is opposed to historical cost accounting, which keeps the asset’s value according to the asset’s price when first purchased.  

When a business prepares its balance sheet, some assets will be recorded at their historical cost or original purchase price, while others will need to reflect current market value. One type of asset that needs to be marked down is accounts receivable. If a business permits a 5 percent or 10 percent discount to collect on those to generate cash flow, it needs to reduce that item’s value via an adjustment for doubtful accounts or similar terms.   

One important consideration is how mark-to-market is different from impairment. Since retailers or manufacturers store most of their operation’s values in property, plant, and equipment (PPE), along with accounts receivable, such assets are documented at historical cost. If the assets lose value due to obsolescence, theft, damage in transit, a natural disaster, or uncollected accounts receivables, they would be impaired.

When it comes to derivatives that businesses use, mark-to-market assessment may be needed, according to ASC 815-30 for a cash flow hedge or ASC 815-35 for a net investment hedge of a foreign operation. Specifically, whatever is “excluded from the assessment of effectiveness” is attributed to earnings via a mark-to-market procedure or through amortization.

Dissecting Derivatives

A derivative, according to Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 815-10-15-83, is a contract that derives its value based on the underlying variable. Examples of underlying variables include commodities, indexes, or the occurrence or nonoccurrence of an event (natural disaster). These types of contracts can be used to hedge or preserve the owner’s ability to buy the underlying at the agreed-upon price, especially if it increases in the future. Other uses include speculating on the movement of stock prices or engineering financing arrangements. 

A derivative is defined as a financial instrument or other contract that has all of the following characteristics:

1. The underlying, which is either the price of an individual or the index of a commodity, security, interest rate, exchange rate, etc., is one-half of how a derivative contract is settled.
2. The other half is a contract having either a notional amount (how much money it controls) or a payment provision. Notional amounts are characteristics of calls, futures contracts, and interest rate swap contracts. A payment provision may take the form of a payment being made in the case of a natural disaster breaching a financial damage threshold or if a commodity or interest rate index reaches or breaches a specified threshold.       
3. The next requirement to be considered a derivative is the contract for the underlying has “an initial net investment” of a nominal price compared to a near identical financial product that would obtain the same financial results due to the same market action. 
4. The final attribute necessary for a contract to be considered a derivative is that it’s subject to “net settlement.” This means that when the contract has matured, it’s able to be settled via cash, as opposed to physical delivery of the asset. As long as it can be settled through one of the following methods, it’s considered a derivative: 1. specified in the contract; 2. through a market mechanism; 3. an asset or derivative contract easily able to be transformed to cash.

Conclusion

It’s important to factor in periods of high volatility or when there are illiquid markets or few buyers and sellers of investments; what the market prices applicable to investments doesn’t always give a true reflection of an asset’s price. One recent example was when the market for mortgage-backed securities during the 2008-2009 crisis evaporated, the market gave an inaccurate value of the securities.

Businesses that navigate the intricacies of when and how to use mark-to-market assessments are using an important tool to help keep their books in order.

When it comes to determining if a business is eligible to claim a net operating loss (NOL), it depends on the financial situation. If a business’ taxable income is less than its allowable deductions in a set tax period, usually a year, then the business can utilize the NOL deduction on future tax obligations. Since some businesses’ profits and losses result from uneven cycles, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Code permits businesses to find a balance with their tax obligations.

How a Net Operating Loss Works

Here is an example showing a business’ situation with annual profit/loss summaries:

Year one: High profits and big tax payments due

Year two: Net operating loss incurred

Year three: High profits and big tax payments due

The way a NOL deduction works in the example above is that the losses from year two can be used to offset taxes due in year three.

Net Operating Loss (NOL) = Taxable Income – Allowable Tax Deductions

Referring to the income statement, if the company’s bottom line is a net loss, then the company might be eligible to take advantage of the NOL deduction.

It’s important to keep in mind there have been modifications to what and how businesses may use this. Until recently, the IRS let businesses utilize the carryback method to offset losses to prior years’ tax bills (up to 24 months of tax liabilities), resulting in an immediate refund. However, with the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, NOLs were modified. Effective Jan. 1, 2018, or later, the two-year carryback provision was removed (except for select farming losses), but allowed for an indefinite carryforward period. The TCJA also limits carryforwards to 80 percent of each subsequent year’s net income. Additionally, if a business records a net operating loss in more than one tax year, they must be exhausted in the order that the losses occurred. 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act permitted NOLs occurring in tax years 2018, 2019, and 2020 to be carried back five years and carried forward indefinitely. However, the exemptions have now expired. Losses that occurred in pre-2018 tax years are still subject to former tax rules, with any remaining losses expiring after 20 years. Beginning with the 2021 tax year, when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed in 2017, it permitted carryforwards of NOLS indefinitely. However, only 80 percent of taxable income can be “carried forward” during a single tax period.

2021 and Forward NOL Example

Year one: NOL $10 million

Year two: Taxable income of $3 million

Year three: Taxable income of $5 million

For year two, with the taxable income’s carryover limit (80 percent) of $3 million is $2.4 million. With the carryover limit subtracted ($3 million – $2.4 million = $600,000), the company’s taxable income will be $600,000 for year two. The remaining NOL of $7.6 million will be considered a “deferred tax asset.” Looking at year three, 80 percent of the year’s $5 million in taxable income equals $4,000,000 in a carryover limit. Subtracting $4 million from $5 million in year three’s taxable income, the business will have $1 million in taxable income, and $3.6 million will be the remaining NOL balance at the end of year three. 

With the tax code continuing to evolve, businesses that stay up-to-date with changes in the IRS Code will make the most of their ability to maximize deductions and reduce liabilities.

When it comes to accounting for capital assets, specifically depreciating capital assets, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) provides guidance to state and local governments for accounting processes. The GASB is responsible for the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for the private sector (corporate and business accounting), and it works to promote clear, consistent, transparent, and comparable financial reporting.

One of the three primary GASB pronouncements that impact how these agencies manage their fixed assets includes Statement No. 34, which requires all government entities to use accrual accounting. In addition, such entities must depreciate their capital assets according to its guidelines.

Under the section titled “Basic Financial Statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis for State and Local Governments,” Statement No. 34 mandates when entities must comply depending on the entity’s annual revenues. Entities with $100 million plus must comply beginning with their first fiscal year after June 15, 2001. Entities with annual revenues of between $10 million and $100 million must comply starting with their first fiscal year post-June 15, 2002. Entities with annual revenues of up to $10 million must comply by their first fiscal year after June 15, 2003.  

Capital Assets Overview

The first step in determining a capital asset is to ensure it has a useful life greater than a single reporting period. Examples of capital assets include vehicles, easements, buildings, land and land improvements, and infrastructure (tunnels, bridges, roads, lighting systems, etc.). When defining infrastructure, it must be something that can be used for the long term; generally is stationary, and when a building is looked at, it’s included only if the building is integral to a network of infrastructure assets.

When it comes to reporting capital assets, they should be reported at their historical costs (inclusive of installation and freight charges). For donated assets, they should be recorded at their fair market value at time received.

Depreciation Expense Reporting Considerations

When an asset is identified with a specific function, it’s recommended to be a direct expense. This includes appropriate assets that are attributable to a unique department or role. If the asset is used by many different departments and there are depreciation expenses, they should be proportionate to how each department uses the respective assets. Additionally, if an asset function across multiple departments or across citywide functions, its depreciation expense is not categorized as a direct expense but rather as a separate line in the Statement of Activities.

Whether it’s straight or declining balance methods (such as double declining balance and 150 percent declining balance), it is done over the asset’s useful life. When it comes to determining an asset’s useful life, government entities can base their calculations on their own past internal experience for similar needs, how other government entities treated similar asset classifications that are publicly available, or industry or professional organization’s published guidelines. Condition and the expected service life are two important factors to be considered.

Another important factor in how depreciation is calculated depends on how assets themselves are classified. For example, it can be done through the following lenses:

• Individual assets
• Classes of assets
• Networks of assets
• Subsystems of a network of assets

Looking at the last two ways to analyze these assets for depreciation, rural roads, state highways, and Interstate highways can be broken down into three discrete systems, also referred to as a subsystem of the network. However, if all three different transportation systems are grouped together, the bigger system would be a network of infrastructure assets or a network of assets.

With capital assets expected to be a part of governments’ budgets, understanding the intricacies is essential to ensure standards are met.

Purchase acquisition accounting is the commonly accepted method to document the acquisition of another business on the balance sheet of the acquiring company. The business’ assets that are being acquired are documented on the acquiring firm’s books at fair market value. The fair market value – defined as what assets would go for on the open market between a buyer and seller on the acquisition date – would increase the overall value of the acquiring company.  

The purchase accounting adjustment re-assesses the acquired business’ liabilities and assets to fair value. Required under GAAP and IFRS, re-assessed items include intangibles, inventories, and fixed assets. Adding intangible assets, like non-compete agreements or customer rosters, to the acquiring company’s books will impact how assets and liabilities are valued because these items were not originally accounted for by the acquired company.

Potential accounting outcomes from an acquisition include depreciation and inventory considerations. Depreciation strategies, such as going beyond straight-line depreciation, will need to be examined and strategically implemented because fixed assets with higher valuations will have accounting implications. For inventory that is re-assessed with higher valuations, the cost of goods sold will increase upon sales for the acquiring company.

Looking forward, the purchase accounting adjustments often affect the business taking ownership of recognizable non-cash expenses. The company buying the other company out can see major losses from these recognizable non-cash expenses prior to the business completing the amortization of the underlying intangible assets. Companies, chiefly publicly traded ones, are encouraged to discuss the losses in financial documents to illustrate their impact on forward guidance.

According to ASC 805 and GAAP, in order to be considered a business combination, certain criteria must be met. According to the CPA Journal, businesses must evaluate if the transaction in question meets the distinctions between acquiring another business versus acquiring assets only. It’s important to distinguish between the two because if an asset acquisition occurs, the transaction is processed via a cost accumulation standard. However, if the transaction in question qualifies as a business acquisition, meeting ASC 805 criteria, it uses a fair value standard.

The primary way to determine in which category a transaction may be classified is to see if it fits the business definition. Based upon FASB’s January 217 Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-01, Clarifying the Definition of a Business, the following explanation is provided.

According to FASB, to be considered a business for this business acquisition accounting purpose, a company is defined as a group or collection of tasks that encompass “an input and a substantive process.” Though it’s important to note that the fair value of the collection is not centralized in one or multiple assets. The inputs and processes generally result in services and/or goods to buyers and repayment to stakeholders. It also may apply to companies that don’t presently produce outputs.

When it comes to a business acquisition, having accountants that understand the intricacies of navigating the process is essential for a business to emerge more streamlined after integrating assets.