FASB ASC § 740 simplification of income taxes: An evaluation of the effects on U.S. corporate financial statements from 2015‐present

Abstract

The FASB Codification is a key document in financial accounting as it serves the role of authoritative guidance for a majority of the field. The main problem associated with the Codification comes from its unwieldly complexity, which can give rise to corruption in financial reporting, compliance issues, and general difficulty in application. To combat such issues, FASB has undertaken several projects, referred to as the simplification initiative, to reduce complexity in order to provide better cost-benefit usage of the guidance. Simplification of the Codification also provides several supplemental benefits, such as closer guidance to IFRS standards and reduced corruption activities. An examination of the impacts of the simplification initiative on corporate financial accounting relating to accounting standards update (ASC) § 740, accounting for income taxes demonstrates the benefits of simplification, as well as any detriments that may exist. By looking at the history of simplification and taxes, certain estimations of the effects of future changes may be determined.