FASB Seeks Input on Proposal to Improve Accounting for Investments in Tax Credit Structures

Norwalk, CT—August 22, 2022—The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) today issued a proposed Accounting Standards Update (ASU) intended to improve the accounting and disclosures for investments in tax credit structures. Stakeholders are encouraged to review and provide comments on the proposed ASU by October 6, 2022. The proposed ASU is a consensus-for-exposure of the FASB’s Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF).

In 2014, the FASB issued a standard that introduced an option allowing reporting entities to elect to apply the proportional amortization method to account for investments made primarily for the purpose of receiving income tax credits and other income tax benefits. The guidance limited the proportional amortization method to investments in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) structures. Under the proportional amortization method, an entity amortizes the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the income tax credits and other income tax benefits received and recognizes the net amortization and income tax credits and other income tax benefits in the income statement as a component of income tax expense (benefit). Investments in other tax credit structures are typically accounted for using the equity or cost method, which results in investment gains and losses and tax credits being presented gross on the income statement in their respective line items.

In recent years, stakeholders have asked the FASB to allow reporting entities to elect to apply the proportional amortization method to tax equity investments that generate tax credits through other programs, such as the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program, the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HTC) program, and Renewable Energy Tax Credit (RETC) programs. These stakeholders noted that the proportional amortization method provides financial statement users with a better understanding of the returns from investments that are made primarily for the purpose of receiving income tax credits and other income tax benefits than the equity or cost methods.

The amendments in this proposed ASU would allow reporting entities to elect to account for their tax equity investments using the proportional amortization method if certain conditions are met, regardless of the program from which the income tax credits are received. The election would be on a program-by-program basis. The proposed amendments would also require disclosures to enable financial statement users to better understand the nature and effects of the entity’s investments that generate income tax credits and other income tax benefits.

The proposed ASU is available at www.fasb.org.