Classification of Deferred Tax Assets and Deferred Tax Liabilities: An Evaluation of FASB’s Attempt at Standards Simplification

Abstract

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-17 with the goal of simplifying accounting for income taxes. The new rule eliminates the requirement to classify deferred tax assets and liabilities as current and noncurrent in a classified balance sheet and now requires all deferred tax items to be classified as noncurrent. The purpose of this investigation is to review the historical background of the shifting deferred tax classification issue, analyze the exposure draft comment letters, and evaluate the new standard with respect to the FASB’s Conceptual Framework, the accounting for similar items, and the FASB Simplification Initiative.