On the Radar
Goodwill and Intangible
Assets
Subsequent Accounting for Goodwill
ASC 350-20 addresses the accounting for goodwill after its
initial recognition. While entities have been required to test goodwill for
impairment for many years, the current goodwill accounting model has evolved
significantly from the model that the FASB originally introduced in 2001. The
FASB has issued numerous Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs) on this topic,
which were generally intended to simplify or reduce the cost and complexity of
performing goodwill impairment testing. As a result of those updates, ASC 350-20
now provides two accounting models used in the subsequent accounting for
goodwill; the “general goodwill” model and the “goodwill accounting
alternatives.” The table below outlines the significant differences between the
two accounting models.
Accounting for Goodwill Under ASC
350-20
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Significant Differences
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General Goodwill Model
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Goodwill Accounting Alternatives
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Scope
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Required for public business entities
(PBEs) and may be applied by private companies and
not-for-profit entities (NFPs)
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Accounting policy elections available to
private companies and NFPs
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Amortization
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Goodwill is not amortized
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Goodwill is amortized over a useful life
of 10 years or less
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Impairment testing
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Goodwill is tested for impairment
annually, or between annual tests if an impairment
indicator exists (i.e., a triggering event)
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Goodwill is tested for impairment only
when an impairment indicator exists
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Unit of account
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Goodwill is tested for impairment at the
reporting unit level
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An entity elects to test goodwill at
either the entity level or the reporting unit level
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Monitoring for triggering events
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An entity must monitor for goodwill
triggering events throughout the reporting period
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An entity may elect to only assess
goodwill for triggering events at the end of each
interim or annual reporting period
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The subsequent accounting for goodwill continues to be a topic of interest.
Despite removing a project on the topic from its technical agenda in 2022, in
its January 2025 invitation to comment on its agenda consultation, the FASB
yet again asked for stakeholders’ input on potential improvements to the current
model. While it remains to be seen whether stakeholders will want additional
changes, the topic is not likely to disappear from the Board’s radar
completely.
Considerations Before Adoption of the Goodwill Accounting Alternatives
While the FASB provided private companies and NFPs with the
option of adopting a simplified goodwill accounting model, before electing any
of the accounting alternatives, a private entity should consider whether it
might become a PBE in the future (e.g., whether the entity may undertake an IPO
or may be required to have its financial statements included in a registrant’s
filing under SEC Regulation S-X, Rule 3-05). Neither the FASB nor the SEC has
provided relief or transition guidance for private companies that have elected
the private-company accounting alternatives and later become PBEs; thus, private
companies that might become PBEs should be cautious about electing them. Private
companies that do apply the accounting alternatives and later become PBEs would
need to retrospectively remove the effects of the accounting alternatives in any
financial statements filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The removal of such
effects could become increasingly complex as more time passes.
Therefore, private companies that may later become PBEs should
consider the potential future costs before electing any private-company
alternatives. Specifically, paragraph BC32 of ASU 2021-03 notes:
The Board acknowledges that reversing the accounting
alternative would pose a challenge if a private company adopting the
alternative wished to become a public business entity. To reverse the
effects, an entity would need to go back to the date of adoption of the
accounting alternative and evaluate (without hindsight) whether there
were triggering events during the reporting period, including interim
reporting periods, that would have resulted in a goodwill impairment
and, if so, measure that impairment. However, those burdens are likely
no more significant than would be the case for a private company that
elected the alternative to amortize goodwill that subsequently elected
to go public. The Board cautions entities that may eventually become
public business entities to consider the potential future costs before
electing this or any other alternative.
Subsequent Accounting for Intangible Assets
Once an intangible asset is recognized, an entity must determine
the asset’s estimated useful life. An intangible asset is either
indefinite-lived or finite-lived on the basis of the intangible asset’s expected
useful life to the entity. The useful life of an intangible asset is considered
indefinite if it is not limited by any legal, regulatory, contractual,
competitive, economic, or other factors. The term “indefinite” does not mean
infinite or indeterminate; it only means that the asset’s life extends beyond
the foreseeable horizon.
The subsequent accounting for an intangible asset varies
considerably on the basis of whether the useful life of the asset to the entity
is considered indefinite or finite. The table below highlights some key
differences between finite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets.
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets
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Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets
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Characteristics
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Expected useful life to the entity is limited.
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No legal, regulatory, contractual, competitive, economic,
or other factors limit the useful life to the
entity.
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Amortization period
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Over the expected useful life to the entity.
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Not applicable.
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Amortization method
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On the basis of the pattern in which the economic
benefits are consumed or otherwise used up. If that
pattern cannot be reliably determined, a straight-line
amortization method should be used.
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Not applicable.
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Impairment testing
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Tested for impairment in accordance with ASC 360 whenever
events or circumstances indicate that the carrying
amount of the asset (or asset group) may not be
recoverable. An impairment loss is recognized if the
carrying amount of the asset or asset group tested is
not recoverable and its carrying amount exceeds its fair
value (two-step test).
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Tested for impairment in accordance with ASC 350 at least
annually and more frequently if events or changes in
circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired.
An entity may first perform the optional qualitative
impairment assessment to determine whether it is more
likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible
asset is impaired. If it is more likely than not that
the asset is impaired, the entity would be required to
perform a quantitative test by comparing the fair value
of the asset with its carrying amount and recognizing an
impairment loss for any excess. ASC 350-30-35-21 through
35-28 provide guidance on the unit of account to
apply.
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In December 2024, the FASB issued an invitation to comment to seek stakeholder feedback on ways
to improve the accounting and reporting associated with recognition of
intangible assets, including the accounting for acquired and internally
developed intangibles. However, there is no word yet on the results of the
outreach, the impact it may have on the FASB’s future agenda, or whether the
subsequent accounting for intangibles might also be affected.
Selection of an Annual Testing Date for Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets
The goodwill in each reporting unit, as well as each
indefinite-lived intangible asset, must be tested for impairment at least
annually. An entity may select any date throughout the year on which to perform
its annual impairment test as long as this selection is applied consistently
each year. An entity can elect different annual testing dates for different
reporting units and different indefinite-lived intangible assets. However, we
observe that entities often select the same date for all of their reporting
units and indefinite-lived intangible assets.
When selecting an annual assessment date, entities should be
mindful of quarterly reporting requirements and filing deadlines to ensure that
they have enough time to complete the testing before the financial statements
are issued. For this reason, entities often avoid choosing the end of an annual
or quarterly reporting period. Public companies often select the first day of
their fourth quarter as their annual testing date since (1) they will have the
carrying amounts from the last day of the prior quarter available, (2) they have
the entire quarter to perform the necessary valuation work, and (3) this timing
is often aligned with the timing of the preparation of their budgets and
forecasts for the next year. Another common date is the first day of the second
month of the fourth quarter (i.e., November 1 for calendar-year-end companies)
since that date may be even better aligned with preparation of budgets and
forecasts and yet still give the entity enough time to complete testing before
the financial statements are issued.
Changing the Date of the Annual Impairment Test
An entity is permitted to change its annual impairment testing
date. An entity that wants to change its goodwill impairment testing date must
evaluate the change as a change in accounting principle under ASC 250.
Accordingly, the entity must (1) determine that the change is preferable, (2)
ensure that no more than 12 months elapse between the tests, and (3) ensure that
the change is not made with the intent of delaying or accelerating a goodwill
impairment charge. By contrast, an entity’s testing date for its
indefinite-lived intangible assets is not an accounting policy election. An
entity that changes its annual impairment testing date for indefinite-lived
intangible assets does not have to evaluate the change as a change in accounting
principle under ASC 250. However, the entity should ensure that no more than one
year elapses between tests.
While a voluntary change in accounting principle should be
applied retrospectively, we have observed that entities typically apply a change
in goodwill testing date prospectively rather than retrospectively because
either (1) they determine that retrospective application would be impracticable
on the basis of the guidance in ASC 250-10 or (2) the change does not have a
material effect on the financial statements given the existing requirements in
ASC 350-20 to assess goodwill for impairment between annual tests upon the
occurrence of a triggering event.
An SEC registrant that voluntarily changes an accounting
principle is generally required to include a preferability letter issued by its
independent registered public accounting firm as Exhibit 18 to its first
periodic report filed after the accounting change. However, in the case of a
change in the goodwill assessment date, an SEC registrant is only required to
obtain and file a preferability letter with the Commission when the registrant
determines that a reported change in the date of the annual impairment test is
material. However, even if a registrant determines that it is unnecessary to
obtain and file a preferability letter related to a change in the annual
impairment testing date because the change is immaterial, the staff would still
expect the registrant to prominently disclose the change within the applicable
filing (e.g., Form 10-K, Form 10-Q).
Market Capitalization Reconciliation
While not required to do so by ASC 350-20, a publicly traded
entity often compares its market capitalization with the aggregate of the fair
values of all of its reporting units when testing goodwill for impairment,
because such a comparison can yield useful information about the reasonableness
of the fair value measurements. Entities must use judgment when reviewing the
comparison for factors that may indicate appropriate differences between the
market capitalization and the aggregate sum of the fair value of the reporting
units.
The SEC staff frequently refers to an entity’s market
capitalization when commenting on the entity’s testing of goodwill for
impairment. When an entity’s book value is greater than its market
capitalization, questions may be raised about whether goodwill should be tested
for impairment or, if goodwill was tested, whether goodwill at one or more
reporting units is impaired. Entities should be able to explain how having a
greater book value than market capitalization affected their judgments regarding
the testing of goodwill for impairment.
Early-Warning Disclosures
In addition to the requirements in ASC 275-10-50 to disclose
certain risks in the financial statements, SEC Regulation S-K, Item 303(b)(2),
requires registrants to discuss in MD&A a known uncertainty — specifically,
to disclose the potential for a material impairment charge — in light of
potential impairment triggers (i.e., whether the registrant should have provided
early-warning disclosures about the possibility of an impairment charge in
future periods to help financial statement users understand these risks and how
they could potentially affect the financial statements). The SEC staff expects a
registrant that has recorded, or is at risk for recording, an impairment charge
to disclose the following:
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The adequacy and frequency of the registrant’s impairment tests, including the date of its most recent test.
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The factors or indicators (or both) used by management to evaluate whether the carrying value of other long-lived assets may not be recoverable.
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The methods and assumptions used in the impairment tests, including how assumptions compare with recent operating performance, the amount of uncertainty associated with the assumptions, and the sensitivity of the estimate of the fair value of the assets to changes in the assumptions.
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The timing of the impairment, especially if events that could result in an impairment had occurred in periods before the registrant recorded the impairment.
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The types of events that could result in impairments.
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In the critical accounting estimates section of MD&A, the registrant’s process for assessing impairments.
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The facts and circumstances that led to the impairments. A registrant should also consider disclosing in MD&A risks and uncertainties associated with the recoverability of assets in the periods before an impairment charge is recorded. For example, even if an impairment charge is not required, a reassessment of the useful life over which depreciation or amortization is being recognized may be appropriate.
In addition, the SEC staff may use hindsight, after an
impairment or charge is reported (e.g., a material impairment charge), to
inquire why the registrant did not include any early-warning disclosures in
prior periods leading up to the reporting of such impairment. Such disclosures
alert investors to the underlying conditions and risks that the company faces
before a material charge or decline in performance is reported.
Recent Related Accounting Standards
The following recently issued ASUs and proposed ASUs may affect the accounting,
presentation, and disclosure requirements related to goodwill and intangible assets:
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ASU 2023-08 (released in December 2023), which addresses the accounting and disclosure requirements for certain crypto assets. Before the ASU’s issuance, an entity accounted for certain digital assets as indefinite-lived intangible assets in accordance with ASC 350 (i.e., the assets were measured at historical cost less impairment). Stakeholders had raised concerns that, among other factors, this intangible asset model (1) did not faithfully represent the economics of crypto assets and (2) made the recognition of impairments needlessly complex by requiring entities to use a crypto asset’s lowest observable fair value within a reporting period. Accordingly, ASU 2023-08 requires entities to subsequently measure certain crypto assets at fair value, with changes in fair value recorded in net income in each reporting period. In addition, entities are required to provide additional disclosures about certain crypto asset holdings. For more information about the requirements of ASU 2023-08, see Deloitte’s December 15, 2023, Heads Up and Roadmap Digital Assets.
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ASU 2024-03 (released in November 2024), which requires the disaggregation of income statement expenses for PBEs. The ASU does not change the expense captions an entity presents on the face of the income statement; rather, it requires disaggregation of certain expense captions into specified categories in disclosures within the footnotes to the financial statements. The specific natural expense categories required to be disclosed include the following, as applicable: (1) purchases of inventory; (2) employee compensation; (3) depreciation; (4) intangible asset amortization; and (5) depreciation, depletion, and amortization recognized as part of oil- and gas-producing activities or other depletion expenses. A relevant expense caption may include an expense caption that is presented as a natural expense classification on the face of the income statement (e.g., depreciation and amortization). If that expense caption includes more than one of the required natural expense categories, further disaggregation in the disclosure is required. In addition, if, for example, an expense caption includes intangible asset amortization and other types of expenses, that expense caption would need to be further disaggregated so that the intangible asset amortization is separately disclosed in the footnotes.Further, in January 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-01, which amends ASU 2024-03’s effective date “to clarify that all public business entities are required to adopt the guidance in annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim periods within annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027.”For more information about ASU 2024-03, see Deloitte’s November 8, 2024 (updated January 21, 2025), Heads Up.
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A proposed ASU (released in October 2024) that would amend certain aspects of the accounting for and disclosure of software costs under ASC 350-40. Rather than revising the guidance on this topic in its entirety, the Board is proposing targeted improvements to address specific issues raised by stakeholders. For more information about this proposed ASU, see Deloitte’s November 5, 2024, Heads Up.
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A proposed ASU (released in December 2024) as part of the FASB’s project (added to its technical agenda in May 2022) on the accounting for environmental credit programs. Comments on the proposal were due by April 15, 2025.The objective of the FASB’s project on environmental credit programs is to improve the recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure requirements related to (1) environmental credits and, when applicable, (2) compliance obligations that may be settled with environmental credits. Currently, the treatment of such credits and liabilities is not explicitly addressed in U.S. GAAP. An entity’s accounting under the proposed standard is based on its determinations of the expected use of the credits. If the standard is issued as proposed, entities will want to have strong processes and controls related to establishing intent, given the risk that subsequent changes in intent affect subsequent measurement. For more information about the proposed ASU, see Deloitte’s December 20, 2024, Heads Up.Pending the finalization of the proposed ASU on the accounting for environmental credit programs, various approaches are currently being used in practice to account for and report environmental credits. For a discussion of those approaches and other considerations related to environmental credits, see Deloitte’s November 16, 2022, Financial Reporting Alert.
Deloitte’s Roadmap Goodwill
and Intangible Assets provides
Deloitte’s insights into and interpretations of the
guidance in ASC 350-20.
Contacts
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Matt Himmelman
Audit & Assurance
Partner
Deloitte & Touche LLP
+1 714 436 7277
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Mark Strassler
Audit &
Assurance
Managing
Director
Deloitte &
Touche LLP
+1 415 783
6120
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If you are interested in
Deloitte’s accounting service offerings related to goodwill and intangible
assets, please contact:
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Will Braeutigam
Audit & Assurance
Partner
Deloitte & Touche LLP
+1 713 982
3436
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