9.1 Overview
The primary objective of ASC 830, which provides guidance on foreign
currency matters, is for reporting entities to present their consolidated financial
statements as though they are the financial statements of a single entity. Therefore, if
a reporting entity operates in more than one currency environment, it must translate the
financial results of those operations into a single currency (referred to as the
reporting currency). However, this process should not affect the financial results and
relationships that were created in the economic environment of those operations.
In accordance with the primary objective of ASC 830, a reporting entity must use a
“functional currency approach” in which all transactions are first measured in the
currency of the primary economic environment in which the reporting entity operates
(i.e., the functional currency) and then translated into the reporting currency.
In preparing consolidated financial statements as though they are the financial
statements of a single entity, an entity has essentially three currencies to consider:
- Local currency (abbreviated in examples below as "LC" in references to specific currency amounts) — Generally the currency of the country in which the entity operates, it is also the currency in which the financial statements are maintained for local reporting purposes and is commonly, but not always, the currency in which an entity files its tax returns.
- Functional currency (abbreviated in examples below as "FC" in references to specific currency amounts) — The ASC master glossary states that “[a]n entity’s functional currency is the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates; normally, that is the currency of the environment in which an entity primarily generates and expends cash” from its activities. It is also commonly, but not necessarily, the local currency.
- Reporting currency (abbreviated in examples below as "RC" in references to specific currency amounts) — This is the currency in which the financial statements of the reporting group are prepared for consolidated financial reporting purposes.
Local currency amounts are remeasured into functional currency,
and functional currency amounts are translated into the reporting currency in
accordance with the guidance in ASC 830, as discussed in more detail below.
See Deloitte’s Roadmap Foreign Currency Matters for more information.
ASC 830-740
05-1 Topic
740 addresses the majority of differences between the financial
reporting (or book) basis and tax basis of assets and
liabilities (basis differences).
05-2 This
Subtopic addresses the accounting for specific types of basis
differences for entities operating in foreign countries. The
accounting addressed in this Subtopic is limited to the deferred
tax accounting for changes in tax or financial reporting bases
due to their restatement under the requirements of tax laws or
generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United
States. These changes arise from tax or financial reporting
basis changes caused by any of the following:
- Changes in an entity’s functional currency
- Price-level related changes
- A foreign entity’s functional currency being different from its local currency.
This Subtopic addresses whether these changes, which can affect
the amount of basis differences, result in recognition of
changes to deferred tax assets or liabilities.
Overall Guidance
15-1 This
Subtopic follows the same Scope and Scope Exceptions as outlined
in the Overall Subtopic, see Section 830-10-15, with specific
qualifications noted below.
Entities
15-2 The
guidance in this Subtopic applies to all entities operating in
foreign countries.
Transactions
15-3 The
guidance in this Subtopic applies to certain specified deferred
tax accounting matters, specifically to the income tax
consequences of changes to tax or financial reporting bases from
their restatements caused by:
- Changes in an entity’s functional currency
- Price-level related changes
- A foreign entity’s functional currency being different from its local currency.
Remeasurement Changes Causing Deferred Tax Recognition
25-1 This
Section addresses basis differences that result from
remeasurement of assets and liabilities due to changes in
functional currency and price levels. These remeasurement
changes will often affect the amount of temporary differences
for which deferred taxes are recognized.
Functional Currency Related Changes
25-2 Subtopic 830-10 requires that a
change in functional currency from the reporting currency to the
local currency when an economy ceases to be considered highly
inflationary shall be accounted for by establishing new
functional currency bases for nonmonetary items. Those bases are
computed by translating the historical reporting currency
amounts of nonmonetary items into the local currency at current
exchange rates.
25-3 As a
result of applying those requirements, the functional currency
bases generally will exceed the local currency tax bases of
nonmonetary items. The differences between the new functional
currency bases and the tax bases represent temporary differences
under Subtopic 740-10, for which deferred taxes shall be
recognized. Paragraph 830-740-45-2 addresses the presentation of
the effect of recognizing these deferred taxes.
Price-Level Related Changes
25-4
Entities located in countries with highly inflationary economies
may prepare financial statements restated for general
price-level changes in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States. The tax bases
of assets and liabilities of those entities are often restated
for the effects of inflation.
25-5 When
preparing financial statements restated for general price-level
changes using end-of-current-year purchasing power units,
temporary differences are determined based on the difference
between the indexed tax basis amount of the asset or liability
and the related price-level restated amount reported in the
financial statements. Example 1 (see paragraph 830-740-55-1)
illustrates the application of this guidance.
Inside Basis Differences
Within Foreign Subsidiaries That Meet the Indefinite
Reversal Criterion
25-6
Temporary differences within an entity’s foreign subsidiaries
are referred to as inside basis differences. Differences between
the tax basis and the financial reporting basis of an investment
in a foreign subsidiary are referred to as outside basis
differences.
25-7
Inside basis differences of a foreign subsidiary of a U.S.
parent where the local currency is the functional currency may
result from foreign laws that provide for the occasional
restatement of fixed assets for tax purposes to compensate for
the effects of inflation. The amount that offsets the increase
in the tax basis of fixed assets is sometimes described as a
credit to revaluation surplus, which some view as a component of
equity for tax purposes. That amount becomes taxable in certain
situations, such as in the event of a liquidation of the foreign
subsidiary or if the earnings associated with the revaluation
surplus are distributed. In this situation, it is assumed that
no mechanisms are available under the tax law to avoid eventual
treatment of the revaluation surplus as taxable income. The
indefinite reversal criteria of Subtopic 740-30 shall not be
applied to inside basis differences of a foreign subsidiary, as
indicated in paragraph 740-30-25-17, and a deferred tax
liability shall be provided on the amount of the revaluation
surplus.
25-8
Paragraph 740-10-25-24 indicates that some temporary differences
are deferred taxable income and have balances only on the income
tax balance sheet. Therefore, these differences cannot be
identified with a particular asset or liability for financial
reporting purposes. Because the inside basis difference related
to the revaluation surplus results in taxable amounts in future
years based on the provisions of the foreign tax law, it
qualifies as a temporary difference even though it may be
characterized as a component of equity for tax purposes.
Subtopic 740-30 clearly limits the indefinite reversal criterion
to the temporary differences described in paragraph
740-10-25-3(a) and shall not be applied to analogous types of
temporary differences.
Remeasurement Changes Not Resulting in Deferred Tax
Recognition
25-9 Some
remeasurement-caused changes in basis differences do not result
in recognition of deferred taxes.
25-10 As
indicated in paragraph 740-10-25-3(f), recognition is prohibited
for a deferred tax liability or asset for differences related to
assets and liabilities that, under the requirements of Subtopic
830-10, are remeasured from the local currency into the
functional currency using historical exchange rates and that
result from changes in exchange rates or indexing for tax
purposes.
25-11
Paragraph 830-10-45-16 provides additional guidance on
accounting for the eventual recognition of indexing related
deferred tax benefits after an entity’s functional currency
changes from the foreign currency to the reporting currency
because the foreign economy becomes highly inflationary.
Foreign Financial Statements Restated for General Price Level
Changes
30-1 In
foreign financial statements that are restated for general
price-level changes, the deferred tax expense or benefit shall
be calculated as the difference between the following two
measures:
- Deferred tax assets and liabilities reported at the end of the current year, determined in accordance with paragraph 830-740-25-5
- Deferred tax assets and liabilities reported at the end of the prior year, remeasured to units of current general purchasing power at the end of the current year.
30-2 The
remeasurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities at the end
of the prior year is reported together with the remeasurement of
all other assets and liabilities as a restatement of beginning
equity.
30-3
Example 1 (see paragraph 830-740-55-1) illustrates the
application of this guidance.
45-1 As
indicated in paragraph 830-20-45-3, when the reporting currency
(not the foreign currency) is the functional currency,
remeasurement of an entity’s deferred foreign tax liability or
asset after a change in the exchange rate will result in a
transaction gain or loss that is recognized currently in
determining net income. Paragraph 830-20-45-1 requires
disclosure of the aggregate transaction gain or loss included in
determining net income but does not specify how to display that
transaction gain or loss or its components for financial
reporting. Accordingly, a transaction gain or loss that results
from remeasuring a deferred foreign tax liability or asset may
be included in the reported amount of deferred tax benefit or
expense if that presentation is considered to be more useful. If
reported in that manner, that transaction gain or loss is still
included in the aggregate transaction gain or loss for the
period to be disclosed as required by that paragraph.
45-2 The
deferred taxes associated with the temporary differences that
arise from a change in functional currency discussed in
paragraph 830-740-25-3 when an economy ceases to be considered
highly inflationary shall be presented as an adjustment to the
cumulative translation adjustments component of shareholders’
equity and therefore shall be recognized in other comprehensive
income.
Related Implementation Guidance and Illustrations