Question Tag: Tax Offsetting

Muzana Limited owns tractors used for farming purposes and sometimes enters into lease arrangements with other agricultural companies. A particular tractor when leased out by Muzana is for 8 years. The useful economic life of each tractor is estimated at 10 years while the fair value of each tractor is estimated at N26 million. The present value of minimum lease payments in the lease arrangement is N28 million. Lease payments are made to Muzana by the lessee on a monthly basis and has a purchase option at the end of the lease term to acquire the machine for N2.2 million. A similar fairly used machine in the market will cost the buyer N2.5 million. Following the transition to IFRS 16, the management of Muzana have classified this lease as an operating lease in its year-end financial statements.

In order to expand its operations, Muzana accessed the Agricultural Loan Credit Programme set up by the government of Nigeria. In the year 2016, Muzana was granted a 5-year interest free loan of N100 million. At year end September 30, 2019, Muzana had been able to set aside N100 million in a special trust to be used for no other purpose than to pay off the loan in full on its due date in 2020. The management of Muzana are currently preparing their year-end 2019 financial statements and have derecognised the loan liability due to the fact that funds have been set aside in full to satisfy the loan payment in 2020.

Muzana Limited have just concluded a meeting with its tax consultant. The amounts due to the state tax authorities in the current year is N2.3 million. Muzana also has a tax credit of N1.8 million due from the Federal government in the current year. The tax consultant has advised Muzana that these amounts can be offset in their year-end financial statements to show only a tax liability of N500,000.

Required: a. Explain how the lease arrangement should be classified in Muzana‘s 2018 year-end financial statements? (7 Marks) b. Advise the management of Muzana, based on IFRS 9 derecognition rules, if the loan liability can be recognised in their year-end September 30, 2019 financial statements. (7 Marks) c. Explain if the advise provided by the tax consultant is consistent with the offsetting rules under IAS 12 Income Taxes? (6 Marks)