Taxation in Company Accounts Chapter 16 Taxation in Company Accounts

Objectives By the end of the chapter, you should be able to: discuss the theoretical background to corporation tax systems; critically discuss tax avoidance and tax evasion; prepare deferred tax calculations; critically discuss deferred tax provisions.

Corporation tax systems Classical system: Shareholders taxed twice – once on company’s taxable profit, and again on dividends received Imputation system: Shareholders only taxed on dividend income. Tax paid by coy is credited to the shareholder Partial imputation system: Only part of company tax paid is treated as a tax credit

Classical system Profits taxed Dividends paid from tax paid profits, and are taxed again in hands of shareholders. Therefore, dividends are taxed twice. Discourages distribution of dividends?

Imputation system After tax profits earned by company can be: or Retained or Distributed Tax paid by company treated as payment of tax on dividend received. Therefore dividends are only taxed once

IAS 12 income taxes: major components disclosure Current tax expense for period Under/over provisions Previously unrecognised tax losses Temporary difference of prior period Tax expense relating to changes in accounting policy.

Fundamentals The Tax Act (law relating to tax) which governs the accounting for tax liability is not the same as GAAP which governs financial reporting. As a result, taxable income reported to the Tax Department (using cash basis accounting) may not be the same as pre-tax profit that is reported to shareholders (using accrual accounting). The amount of tax liability due to the Tax Department may not be the same as income tax expense that is reported on the income statement.

Fundamentals Accounting income (per GAAP) ≠ Taxable income (per Income Tax Act) Accounting income → Income tax expense (current and future) Taxable income → Income tax payable and current income tax expense Income tax expense ≠ Income tax payable

Current tax expense illustration As the illustration shows, accounting profits and taxable profits differ because of different treatments of items under accounting standards and tax law.

IAS 12 income taxes – deferred taxation Permanent differences: Arise because the transaction is recognised as either accounting profit or as taxable profit, but not as both. Timing (temporary) differences: Arise when revenues, or expenses, are recognised for accounting purposes in a different time period to when they are recognised for tax purposes Accrual basis vs cash basis Capital allowances Capital investment incentive effect Deferred tax provisions.

Permanent Differences

Deferred tax – alternative methods Deferral method Tax effect debited/credited to income statement Effect of changing tax rates ignored Total provision has differences calculated at different tax rates.

Deferred tax – alternative methods Liability method Total amount of potential liability recalculated each time the tax rate changes Keep record of the entries made to the provision Apply current rates of tax Adjust the provision.

Deferral method illustrated Figure 16.1 Deferred tax provision using deferral method Note: The 1999 & 2000 tax allowances (depreciation) are calculated at 25%

Summary of deferred tax provision using deferral method Figure 16.2 Summary of deferred tax provision using the deferral method Note: The 1999 & 2000 deferred tax provisions are calculated at the new tax rate of 24%

Deferred tax provision using liability method Figure 16.3 Deferral tax provision using the liability method Note: Because the tax rate has fallen to 24%, the liability for tax has changed, so under this approach, the deferred tax provision for each year is recalculated at the new tax rate, i.e. the 24% rate is used for all years to calculate the deferred tax.

Accounting treatment over life of an asset Assume Equipment costs 10,000 Straight-line depreciation over 5 years Tax capital allowance (depreciation rate) is 25% per annum straight-line Taxable rate 40%.

Accounting treatment current tax expense See Example p.420 Year 1 2 3 4 5 Dep’n for Accounting 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 Dep’n for tax purposes 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 0 Tax profit (loss) (500) (500) (500) (500) 2,000 Current tax exp/(inc) at 40%* (200) (200) (200) (200) 800 In years 1-4, tax payable is 200 less than the accounting tax expense (total 800 over 4 years). In year 5, there is no tax depreciation allowance, so tax payable is 800 more than accounting tax expense – which counters the underpayment in years 1-4

Accounting treatment temporary timing differences

Accounting treatment income statement entries

Critique – do not provide deferred taxation Not a legal liability until it accrues Tax expense should be equal to amount based on income tax return for year Accrue as a payable any unpaid tax Disclose in a note differences between income tax bases and amounts in the accounts Confuses investors.

Critique – provide deferred taxation Investors used to uncertainty of future cash flows Tax attaches to taxable income not accounting income Deferred tax achieves income smoothing IASB Framework sees deferral as applying accrual concept IASB Framework states ‘accounts inform of obligations to pay cash in the future’.

Discussion What are the arguments for not providing for deferred tax? What are the advantages to an investor of providing for deferred tax? What are the implications for the statement of financial position if a company has a consistent annual capital investment programme?

Review questions 1. Why does the charge to taxation in a company’s accounts not equal the profit multiplied by the current rate of corporation tax? 4. Deferred tax accounting may be seen as an income-smoothing device which distorts the true and fair view. Explain the impact of deferred tax on reported income and justify its continued use. 5. Discuss the problems in distinguishing tax evasion from tax avoidance. 6. Distinguish between (a) the deferral and (b) the liability methods of company deferred tax.