The Interpretations Committee noted that one of the main issues in the IASB’s project on emission trading schemes was whether the accounting for the liabilities arising from emission trading schemes should be considered separately from the accounting for the assets. Consequently, the Interpretations Committee noted that to provide an interpretation of IFRS on the measurement of a liability arising from the obligation to deliver allowances related to an emission trading scheme would be too broad an issue for it to deal with. When it comes to the contingent assets definition, students can refer to the notes. With our notes, students can have all the details that they want to have in the first place. With help of our notes, students can know the meaning of contingent assets in the best way.
For example, when environmental damage is caused there may be no obligation to remedy the consequences. However, the causing of the damage will become an obligating event when a new law requires the existing damage to be rectified or when the entity publicly accepts responsibility for rectification in a way that creates a constructive obligation. In these cases, a past event is deemed to give rise to a present obligation if, taking account of all available evidence, it is more likely than not that a present obligation exists at the end of the reporting period. An obligating event is an event that creates a legal or constructive obligation that results in an entity having no realistic alternative to settling that obligation. Revenue from contracts with customers (see IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers). However, as IFRS 15 contains no specific requirements to address contracts with customers that are, or have become, onerous, this Standard applies to such cases.
The Committee concluded that this deposit constitutes an asset, and the entity isn’t required to be virtually certain of a favourable outcome to recognise it (as opposed to expensing this amount). The deposit ensures future economic benefits, either through a cash refund or settling the liability. Nonetheless, this agenda decision shouldn’t be generalised to regular legal proceedings where, facing an adverse verdict, an entity doesn’t retain any assets. In such instances, the ‘virtually https://www.quick-bookkeeping.net/how-to-calculate-contribution-per-unit/ certain’ threshold is applicable before a disputed asset can be recognised. Where it is more likely that no present obligation exists at the end of the reporting period, the entity discloses a contingent liability, unless the possibility of an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits is remote (see paragraph 86). Similarly, the evaluation of contingent assets is a continuous process, ensuring that any developments are accurately represented in the financial statements.
Until there is a binding sale agreement, the entity will be able to change its mind and indeed will have to take another course of action if a purchaser cannot be found on acceptable terms. When the sale of an operation is envisaged as part of a restructuring, the assets of the operation are reviewed for impairment, under IAS 36. When a sale is only part of a restructuring, a constructive obligation can arise for the other parts of the restructuring before a binding sale agreement exists. In most cases the entity will remain liable for the whole of the amount in question so that the entity would have to settle the full amount if the third party failed to pay for any reason. In this situation, a provision is recognised for the full amount of the liability, and a separate asset for the expected reimbursement is recognised when it is virtually certain that reimbursement will be received if the entity settles the liability. It is not necessary, however, to know the identity of the party to whom the obligation is owed—indeed the obligation may be to the public at large.
Approval by the Board of Onerous Contracts—Cost of Fulfilling a Contract issued in May 2020
Sometimes, an entity is able to look to another party to pay part or all of the expenditure required to settle a provision (for example, through insurance contracts, indemnity clauses or suppliers’ warranties). The other party may either reimburse amounts paid by the entity or pay the amounts directly. Contingent assets are not recognised in financial statements since this may result in the recognition of income that may never be realised. However, when the realisation of income is virtually certain, then the related asset is not a contingent asset and its recognition is appropriate.
Additionally, see the forum’s discussion regarding a scenario where a once-recognised contingent asset’s likelihood of resource inflow is no longer virtually certain. This amended IAS 37 to clarify that for the purpose of assessing whether a contract is onerous, the cost of fulfilling the contract includes both the incremental costs of fulfilling that contract and an allocation of other costs that relate directly to fulfilling contracts. IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers, issued in May 2014, amended paragraph 5 and deleted paragraph 6. This Standard becomes operative for annual financial statements covering periods beginning on or after 1 July 1999. If an entity applies this Standard for periods beginning before 1 July 1999, it shall disclose that fact. Identifiable future operating losses up to the date of a restructuring are not included in a provision, unless they relate to an onerous contract as defined in paragraph 10.
The Committee received a request about how to account for deposits relating to taxes that are outside the scope of IAS 12 Income Taxes (ie deposits relating to taxes other than income tax). This Standard applies to provisions for restructurings (including discontinued operations). When a restructuring meets the definition of a discontinued operation, additional disclosures may be required by IFRS 5 Non‑current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations. The ‘not-to-prejudice‘ exemption in IAS 37.92 is also applicable to contingent liabilities. The IFRS Foundation is a not-for-profit, public interest organisation established to develop high-quality, understandable, enforceable and globally accepted accounting and sustainability disclosure standards. Has raised a valid expectation in those affected that it will carry out the restructuring by starting to implement that plan or announcing its main features to those affected by it.
- An obligating event is an event that creates a legal or constructive obligation that results in an entity having no realistic alternative to settling that obligation.
- However, the contingent asset disclosure can be made in the reports in the cases mentioned below.
- There are certain cases where the occurrence of some particular events or the non-occurrence of such events led to the formation of a contingent asset.
- However, unless the possibility of an outflow of economic resources is remote, a contingent liability is disclosed in the notes.
- Even when an entity has taken a decision to sell an operation and announced that decision publicly, it cannot be committed to the sale until a purchaser has been identified and there is a binding sale agreement.
The Committee understood that the predominant practice today is to exclude own credit risk, which is generally viewed in practice as a risk of the entity rather than a risk specific to the liability. The request assumed that future cash flow estimates have not been adjusted for the entity’s own credit risk. The risks and uncertainties that inevitably surround many events and circumstances shall be taken into account in reaching the best estimate of a provision.
Reporting Requirements
An entity discloses its judgement in this respect applying paragraph 122 of IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements if it is part of the entity’s judgements that had the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements. After learning the contingent assets meaning, it is now important for the students to know when the contingent asset is not recognized as an asset. Well, there might be certain conditions in accounting concepts that might lead to the absence of the contingent assets in the balance sheet. In case of uncertain events where the company is not in control of the events, there might be times when some of the contingent assets are not included.
In circumstances in which the containers are derecognised as part of the sale transaction, the obligation is an exchange of cash (the deposit) for the containers (non‑financial assets). Because the transaction involves the exchange of a non‑financial item, it does not meet the definition of a financial instrument in accordance with IAS 32. There are certain cases or transactions when the final outcomes will not be known at that exact same time. Some examples of the incidents would include insurance claims, litigations, and pending disputes. So, the liabilities rising during those situations will be known as contingent liabilities. A company involved in a lawsuit that expects to receive compensation has a contingent asset because the outcome of the case is not yet known and the dollar amount is yet to be determined.
An example is litigation against the entity when it is uncertain whether the entity has committed an act of wrongdoing and when it is not probable that settlement will be needed. Onerous Contracts—Cost of Fulfilling a Contract, issued in May 2020, added paragraphs 68A and 94A and amended paragraph 69. An entity shall apply those amendments for annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2022. If an entity applies those amendments for an earlier period, it shall disclose that fact. This Standard defines an onerous contract as a contract in which the unavoidable costs of meeting the obligations under the contract exceed the economic benefits expected to be received under it. The unavoidable costs under a contract reflect the least net cost of exiting from the contract, which is the lower of the cost of fulfilling it and any compensation or penalties arising from failure to fulfil it.
FAQs on Contingent Assets
Future operating losses do not meet the definition of a liability in paragraph 10 and the general recognition criteria set out for provisions in paragraph 14. Gains from the expected disposal of assets shall not be taken into account in measuring a provision. The effect of possible new legislation is taken into consideration in measuring an existing obligation when sufficient objective evidence exists that the legislation is virtually certain to be enacted. The variety of circumstances that arise in practice makes it impossible to specify a single event that will provide sufficient, objective evidence in every case. Evidence is required both of what legislation will demand and of whether it is virtually certain to be enacted and implemented in due course.
The request asked whether the measurement of the liability for the obligation to deliver allowances should reflect current values of allowances at the end of each reporting period if IAS 37 was applied to the liability. The request noted that this was the basis required by IFRIC 3 Emission Rights, which was withdrawn in June 2005. In the case of a constructive obligation, where the event (which may be an action of the entity) creates valid expectations in other parties that the entity will discharge the obligation.
However, any future incomes which are uncertain cannot be recognized in the present. This is what students get to know from the notes of provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent assets. A contingent asset is a possible asset that may arise because of a gain that is contingent on future accounting software events that are not under an entity’s control. Auditors are particularly watchful for contingent assets that have been recorded in a company’s accounting records, and will insist that they be eliminated from the records before issuing an auditor’s opinion on its financial statements.