Acceptable Depreciation Methods under IFRS
Depreciation expense is an accounting term that refers to the allocation of the cost of a long-term asset over its useful life. depreciation expense is used to record the wear and tear, or obsolescence, of a long-term asset. For example, if a company buys a new factory for $1 million, it would spread the cost of the factory over its useful life of 10 years, and record $100,000 in depreciation expense every year for 10 years.
In order to calculate depreciation expense, accountants use one of several methods, including the straight-line method, the declining balance method, and the units-of-production method. The straight-line method spreads the cost evenly over the asset’s useful life, regardless of how much the asset is actually used during that time. The declining balance method accelerates the rate of depreciation in the early years of an asset’s life when it is typically used more heavily. The units-of-production method ties the amount of depreciation expense to the actual amount of production or usage during the year.
Depreciation expense is reported on a company’s income statement as a non-operating expense. This is important because it allows investors to see how much a company is spending on its long-term assets, and how much those assets are costing them each year. Depreciation expense can also be used as a tax deduction, which can lower a company’s tax bill.
Accounting for Depreciation
IAS 16 is the accounting standard for property, plant, and equipment. It applies to the recognition, measurement, and disclosure of items of property, plant, and equipment. This standard applies to both tangible and intangible assets. The standard does not apply to leasehold improvements or mineral rights and reserves.
IAS 16 was issued by the International Accounting Standards Board in December 2003 and is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. The main objective of this standard is to prescribe the accounting treatment for property, plant, and equipment so that users of the financial statements can discern information about an entity’s investments in property, plant, and equipment and the changes in such investments.
This information is useful in providing feedback about an entity’s investment policies and the efficiency with which its property, plant, and equipment are being utilised. In addition, this standard establishes principles for recognising items of property, plant, and equipment as assets, for determining their carrying amounts, and for derecognising them from an entity’s balance sheet when they are disposed of.
The main provisions of IAS 16 are as follows:
– Recognition: An item of property, plant, and equipment shall be recognised as an asset if it is probable that future economic benefits associated with the item will flow to the entity and the cost of the item can be measured reliably.
– Derecognition: An item of property, plant, and equipment shall be derecognised when it is disposed of or when it ceases to be used by the entity.
– Measurement: After recognition at its cost or revalued amount (as appropriate), an item of property, plant…
Fixed assets are typically long-term investments that an entity makes to help it generate revenue. These assets are often costly, which is why it’s important for an entity to depreciate them over time. This way, the cost of the asset is gradually expensed and not all at once. Charging depreciation expenses to the income statement allows an entity to track the expense associated with its fixed assets.
This expense is typically a non-cash expense that provides a reasonable estimate of the wear and tear on the asset.
The depreciation expense charged to the income statement represents the amount by which the cost of an asset has been allocated over its estimated useful life. The estimated useful life is the number of years that an entity expects to use an asset prior to disposal.
There are many depreciation methods that allow entities to select based on the nature of assets and how the assets contribute to the entity’s future economic benefit. This allows entities to tailor depreciation methods to their specific needs, which can result in more accurate financial statements.
Three Main Depreciation Methods:
Straight-Line
The straight-line depreciation method is one of the most commonly used methods for depreciation. This method charges an equal amount of depreciation from period to period over the assets’ useful life. This value is changed only if the useful life or residual value of the asset changes.
There are several advantages to using the straight-line depreciation method. First, it is easy to calculate and second, it is easy to understand. However, there are also some disadvantages to using this method. One disadvantage is that it does not take into account the time value of money. This means that the depreciation expense in the early years of
Diminishing Balance
The Diminishing Balance Method is a popular depreciation method used by businesses to account for the gradual wear and tear of assets over time. Under this method, the depreciation expense is charged heavily at the beginning of the asset’s useful life and then gradually decreases over time.
This is because the calculation is based on the carrying value (net book value) of assets from the previous period, rather than the original value of the asset. While this method can provide a more accurate representation of how an asset loses value over time, it also requires more frequent updates and can be more difficult to calculate. As a result, businesses should carefully consider whether the Diminishing Balance Method is right for them before adopting this accounting practice.
Unit of Production
The units of production method is a depreciation technique that charges expenses based on the output of an asset. This method is applicable for assets like machinery whose usage can be quantified in terms of hours or units of production. The main advantage of this method is that it more accurately reflects the wear and tear of an asset over its lifetime.
This is especially important for users of financial statements, who need to know the true economic value of an asset. The downside of this method is that it can be difficult to estimate the expected lifespan of an asset, which can make depreciation calculations less precise. Overall, the units of production method is a useful tool for entities to use when depreciating their assets.