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IAS 20 is an International Accounting Standard issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) that prescribes the accounting for, and disclosure of, government grants and other forms of government assistance. [1] The standard is based on the principle that government grants should not be recognized until there is reasonable assurance that the entity will comply with the conditions attaching to them and that the grants will be received. [2]
IAS 20 prohibits the "capital approach"—where grants are credited directly to shareholders' interests. Instead, it requires the "income approach," under which grants are recognized in profit or loss on a systematic basis over the periods in which the entity recognizes as expenses the related costs that the grants are intended to compensate. [3]
The standard distinguishes between two main types of grants, each with specific accounting treatments: [4]
These are government grants whose primary condition is that an entity qualifying for them should purchase, construct, or otherwise acquire long-term assets. [5] There are two acceptable methods for presenting these in the balance sheet: [6]
These are grants other than those related to assets. They are presented as part of profit or loss, either separately or under a general heading such as "Other income"; alternatively, they are deducted in reporting the related expense. [7]
| Type of Grant | Presentation Option A | Presentation Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Asset Grant | Deferred Income (Liability) | Deduction from Asset Carrying Value |
| Income Grant | Gross Credit (Other Income) | Net Credit (Deducted from Expense) |
A government grant may take the form of a transfer of a non-monetary asset, such as land or other resources, for the use of the entity. In these circumstances, it is usual to assess the fair value of the non-monetary asset and to account for both the grant and the asset at that fair value. [8] An alternative course that is sometimes followed is to record both asset and grant at a nominal amount. [9]
A government grant that becomes repayable is accounted for as a change in accounting estimate (see IAS 8). [10]
Excluded from the definition of government grants are certain forms of government assistance which cannot reasonably have a value placed upon them, such as free technical or marketing advice and the provision of guarantees. [12]