Which of the following statements is least likely to be correct concerning intangible assets?
2022 Curriculum CFA Program Level I Financial Reporting and Analysis Show IntroductionLong-lived assets, also referred to as non-current assets or long-term assets, are assets that are expected to provide economic benefits over a future period of time, typically greater than one year. Long-lived assets may be tangible, intangible, or financial assets. Examples of long-lived tangible assets, typically referred to as and sometimes as fixed assets, include land, buildings, furniture and fixtures, machinery and equipment, and vehicles; examples of long-lived (assets lacking physical substance) include patents and trademarks; and examples of long-lived financial assets include investments in equity or debt securities issued by other entities. The scope of this reading is limited to long-lived tangible and intangible assets (hereafter, referred to for simplicity as long-lived assets). The first issue in accounting for a long-lived asset is determining its cost at acquisition. The second issue is how to allocate the cost to expense over time. The costs of most long-lived assets are capitalised and then allocated as expenses in the profit or loss (income) statement over the period of time during which they are expected to provide economic benefits. The two main types of long-lived assets with costs that are typically not allocated over time are land, which is not depreciated, and those intangible assets with indefinite useful lives. Additional issues that arise are the treatment of subsequent costs incurred related to the asset, the use of the cost model versus the revaluation model, unexpected declines in the value of the asset, classification of the asset with respect to intent (for example, held for use or held for sale), and the derecognition of the asset. This reading is organised as follows. Section 2 describes and illustrates accounting for the acquisition of long-lived assets, with particular attention to the impact of capitalizing versus expensing expenditures. Section 3 describes the allocation of the costs of long-lived assets over their useful lives. Section 4 discusses the revaluation model that is based on changes in the fair value of an asset. Section 5 covers the concepts of impairment (unexpected decline in the value of an asset). Section 6 describes accounting for the derecognition of long-lived assets. Section 7 describes financial statement presentation, disclosures, and analysis of long-lived assets. Section 8 discusses differences in financial reporting of investment property compared with property, plant, and equipment. A summary is followed by practice problems. Learning OutcomesThe member should be able to:
SummaryUnderstanding the reporting of long-lived assets at inception requires distinguishing between expenditures that are capitalised (i.e., reported as long-lived assets) and those that are expensed. Once a long-lived asset is recognised, it is reported under the cost model at its historical cost less accumulated depreciation (amortisation) and less any impairment or under the revaluation model at its fair value. IFRS permit the use of either the cost model or the revaluation model, whereas US GAAP require the use of the cost model. Most companies reporting under IFRS use the cost model. The choice of different methods to depreciate (amortise) long-lived assets can create challenges for analysts comparing companies. Key points include the following:
Which of the following is not an intangible asset?The correct answer is b) Research and development costs.
Which of the following is a characteristic of intangible assets?The two main characteristics of an intangible asset are that it is not physical, meaning it exists as a legal power, and that it is identifiably separate from other assets.
What are the examples of intangible assets?Examples of intangible assets include computer software, licences, trademarks, patents, films, copyrights and import quotas.
How can you identify an intangible asset?An intangible asset can only be recognised if it is probable that the expected future economic benefits (eg revenue from the sale of products or services) that are attributable to the asset will flow to the entity and the cost of the asset can be measured reliably.
|