Goodwill Tax Relief Case Study (2024)

Since the 2015 Summer Budget, there has been no corporation tax relief available on the amortisation of goodwill acquired by a company, irrespective of whether that goodwill was acquired from a related or third party.

However, in a bid to make the UK more competitive in the tax treatment of acquired intangible assets, the government announced a new targeted relief for goodwill in the 2018 Autumn Budget.

From 1 April 2019, where goodwill has been acquired from a third party as part of a business purchase in which qualifying intellectual property is also purchased, corporation tax relief will be available at a fixed rate of 6.5% per annum on the value of the goodwill acquired, subject to a cap of 6 times the value of the qualifying intellectual property purchased.

The relief is not available for internally generated goodwill acquired in related party incorporation, and acquisitions prior to 1 April 2019 will continue to be subject to the tax treatment prevailing at the time it was acquired.

DEFINITION OF QUALIFYING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Qualifying intellectual property includes the following:

• Patents

• Registered designs

• Copyright or design rights

• Plant breeders’ rights

• Right under Section 7 of the Plant Varieties Act 1997

CALCULATION OF RELIEF - EXAMPLE

Company A acquires Company B, with goodwill valued at £450,000, and patents held valued at £50,000.

The amount of tax relief Company A will be able to claim on the amortisation of the goodwill purchased is capped at 6 times the value of the qualifying intellectual property, which in this case would be £300,000.

Therefore the annual allowable amortisation will be £300,000 x 6.5% = £19,500, with the relief being available for a total of just over 15 years.

CONCLUSION

Whilst the new 6.5% amortisation relief is a welcome development for corporate taxpayers, it excludes a large number of acquisitions which do not include qualifying intellectual property, and does not restore the level of tax relief which was available pre 8 July 2015.

If you would like any further information on this subject, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Goodwill Tax Relief Case Study (2024)

FAQs

What is the goodwill accounting controversy? ›

Under the exit value approach, goodwill has no "severability" or value separate from the firm so it should not be shown on the balance sheet. Other advocates argue that goodwill is not measurable and has no true future value. Thus, it should be written off against stockholders' equity.

What is step 0 goodwill impairment? ›

In general, the Step 0 Test allows an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether there is more than a 50% likelihood that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value.

Can I claim tax relief on purchased goodwill? ›

You can now get relief on purchases made on or after 1 April 2019 if the: goodwill and relevant assets are purchased when you buy a business with qualifying intellectual property ( IP ) business is liable to Corporation Tax.

What is the formula for calculating goodwill? ›

Value of Goodwill = Standard Capital - Capital Used. Profits on average multiplied by 100 divided by the standard rate of return yields average capital. Number of Capital Investments = Total Assets - Noncurrent Liabilities (excluding goodwill)

What is an example of a goodwill impairment loss? ›

Example of a Goodwill Impairment

After a year, company BB tests its assets for impairment and finds out that company CC's revenue has been declining significantly. As a result, the current value of company CC's assets has decreased from $10M to $7M, having an impairment to the assets of $3M.

Why is it difficult to calculate goodwill? ›

There are competing approaches among accountants to calculating goodwill. One reason for this is that goodwill involves factoring in estimates of future cash flows and other considerations that are not known at the time of the acquisition.

What are the limitations of goodwill in accounting? ›

Limitations of goodwill in accounting
  • Risk of impairment: Goodwill depends on factors like economic and market conditions. If those change in the future, you can lose some of the value. ...
  • Only used for acquisitions: Goodwill can only be used if a company is bought at a higher price than its fair market value.
Aug 5, 2023

Why is goodwill never amortized? ›

Amortization refers to an accounting technique that is intended to lower the value of a loan or intangible asset over a set period of time. In 2001, a legal decision prohibited the amortization of goodwill as an intangible asset.

What are the triggers of goodwill impairment? ›

3 Events that may trigger goodwill impairment include deterioration in economic conditions, increased competition, loss of key personnel, and regulatory action.

What is the recoverable amount of goodwill impairment? ›

Basic principles of impairment

An asset is impaired when its carrying amount exceeds the recoverable amount. The recoverable amount is, in turn, defined as the higher of the fair value less cost to sell and the value in use; where the value in use is the present value of the future cash flows.

Is goodwill impairment reversible? ›

An impairment loss for goodwill is never reversed. For other assets, when the circ*mstances that caused the impairment loss are favourably resolved, the impairment loss is reversed immediately in profit or loss (or in comprehensive income if the asset is revalued under IAS 16 or IAS 38).

How much goodwill can I deduct on taxes? ›

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a taxpayer can deduct the fair market value of clothing, household goods, used furniture, shoes, books and so forth. Fair market value is the price a willing buyer would pay for them. Value usually depends on the condition of the item.

What is the relief for goodwill? ›

The goodwill relief restriction contained in section 816A CTA 2009 will be lifted. Companies that acquire goodwill on or after 1 April 2019 will receive relief for goodwill up to 6 times the value of any qualifying intellectual property (“IP”) assets in the business being acquired.

What is negative goodwill? ›

Negative goodwill (NGW) refers to a bargain purchase amount of money paid when a company acquires another company or its assets. Negative goodwill indicates that the selling party is in a distressed state and must unload its assets for a fraction of their worth. Negative goodwill nearly always favors the buyer.

How goodwill is calculated with example? ›

Goodwill Example

To put it in a simple term, a Company named ABC's assets minus liabilities is ₹10 crores, and another company purchases the company ABC for ₹15 crores, the premium value following the acquisition is ₹5 crores. This ₹5 crores will be included on the acquirer's balance sheet as goodwill.

What is the formula for impairment? ›

To calculate the impairment of an asset, take the carrying value of the asset (its historical cost minus accumulated depreciation) and subtract its fair market value. If its fair market value is less than the carrying value, you will need to record an impairment loss for the difference.

What is the goodwill impairment amount? ›

Goodwill impairment is calculated as the difference between the fair value and carrying value of the goodwill, however, it is important to note that the impairment cannot exceed the carrying value.

What is an example of an impairment charge? ›

Some examples include: Damaging assets physically or through non-use. Presenting no benefits for merging the organization with another company. Holding assets for disposal or restructuring.

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