Under IAS 12 Income Taxes, a deferred tax asset is recognised for deductible temporary differences and unused tax losses (tax credits) carried forward, to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available. [IAS 12.24, 34]

The amount of future taxable profits to be used when assessing the recoverability of a deferred tax asset is not the bottom line of a company’s tax return. To determine whether future taxable profits will be available, a company first considers the availability of qualifying taxable temporary differences, and then the probability of other future taxable profits and tax planning opportunities. In other words, if a company is loss-making, it can still recognise a deferred tax asset if it has sufficient qualifying taxable temporary differences to meet the recognition test. [IAS 12.28–29, IU 05-14]

If external events trigger economic uncertainty, then a company’s projections of future taxable profits may be affected by:

Some of these changes may reduce future taxable profits, while others may potentially increase them. In addition, some of the changes – e.g. government’s measures in response to a pandemic – may impact the timing of the reversal of temporary differences.

When preparing projections of future taxable profits for the purposes of the deferred tax asset recognition test, a company needs to reflect expectations at the reporting date and use assumptions that are consistent with those used for other recoverability assessments – e.g. impairment of non-financial assets.

If the recognition threshold is met, then the company recognises a deferred tax asset and measures it using the tax rate expected to apply when the underlying asset is recovered based on rates that are enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date (similar to deferred tax liabilities and current tax). [IAS 12.47, 51]