Introduction

The adoption of new accounting standards commonly results in transitional tax adjustments for corporation tax purposes. This happens because the cumulative amount of income or expense recognised on the new basis as at the start of the year of adoption usually differs from the old basis.

In addition, there are usually deferred tax implications at the point of transition as a consequence of ‘catch-up’ adjustments taken to reserves on adoption of the new standard. Where the income of the comparative period is altered then a deferred tax adjustment to that period is usually required, although corporation tax for that year will remain undisturbed assuming the financial statements were prepared in accordance with the valid generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) of that previous period. If the tax rules going forward mirror the accounting entries, there will be no deferred tax balances at the end of the year of adoption of the new standard.

This guidance note explores these issues in the context of IFRS 15.

The introduction