The difference in the amount of tax reported and paid is caused by differences in the calculation of taxes in the local tax regulations and in the accounting framework that a company uses. Examples of major accounting frameworks are Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and International Financial Reporting Standards.
How is tax payable calculated?
Payable. “Income tax expense” is what you’ve calculated that our company owes in taxes based on standard business accounting rules. You report this expense on the income statement. “Income tax payable” is the actual amount that your company owes in taxes, based on the rules of the tax code.
This means that the deferred income taxes line item generally does not impact short-term liquidity ratios. Based on the above calculations, the Lowell Merchandising Corporation would report income taxes expense of $1,400,000 on its income statement. The company would report an income taxes payable current liability of $1,225,000 and a deferred income taxes payable long-term liability of $175,000 ($1,400,000 – $1,225,000). Remember, both the straight-line and accelerated depreciation methods result in the same total amounts of depreciation expense over an asset’s life. It is only the amounts of depreciation expense reported in each specific year that may differ.
The effective tax rate is the actual amount of federal income taxes paid on an individual’s taxable income. It refers only to federal income taxes, and so excludes payments such as FICA taxes, the self-employment tax, state taxes and local taxes. The alternative to the effective tax rate is measuring an individual’s marginal tax rate, which is the highest bracket at which their income is taxed.
Is tax payable an expense?
Taxes payable are the amount of money a company owes in federal, provincial and municipal taxes. Harmonized sales tax (HST), income taxes and property taxes all contribute to taxes payable and appear under liabilities on the balance sheet. Paying taxes on time is critical.
ACCOUNTING
If the amount of income taxes does not have to be paid within 12 months, it is classified as a long-term liability called deferred income taxes payable. The company’s resources (assets) increased because the company received $1,050 of promises (accounts receivable) from customers.
The company’s liabilities increased because $50 of the accounts receivable do not belong to the company, but are owed to the state government. The company’s stockholders’ equity increased by the $1,000 generated by management (sales).
Stockholders’ equity in not affected by the sales taxes payment because the resources were not used up by management, but were, in effect, paid to a creditor. The tax liability is frequently recorded as a long-term liability in the balance sheet, since there is usually no expectation of paying it within the next 12 months.
The Difference Between Income Tax Expense & Income Tax Payable
It is important to note that while the company’s resources increased by $1,050, only $1,000 belongs to the company. The other $50 is owed to the state and, thus, appears as the current liability, sales taxes payable. This $50 is a result of the company acting as a revenue collection agency for the government. The company’s resources do not change because the taxes will be paid according to government tax payment schedules.
Income taxes payable are liabilities resulting from companies having more revenues than expenses. In other words, as the name implies, income taxes are based on income. In addition to federal income taxes, many states also levy income taxes, although the rates vary from state to state. The actual income tax rates, both federal and state, are determined by tax authorities and are provided to companies for their use.
- Income taxes payable are liabilities resulting from companies having more revenues than expenses.
- In other words, as the name implies, income taxes are based on income.
Do You Record Income Tax Expenses in Journal Entries?
Deferred taxes payable arise when a company’s income taxes expense reported on its income statement differs from the amount of income taxes reported on its tax return. Such differences arise when a company uses methods in its accounting system that differ from those methods used in its taxes calculations. For example, as discussed in Chapter 9, a company might use straight-line depreciation in its accounting system and accelerated depreciation for tax purposes. The payment of sales taxes reduced the company’s resources (assets) and sources of resources (liabilities). As a result of paying the state, the company has $16,000 less cash but also owes the state $16,000 less.
Its liabilities increase because the company owes the government $1,400,000. $1,225,000 is a current liability, income taxes payable, because it will have to be paid within the next 12 months.
The company’s stockholders’ equity decreased by the full $21,000, the company’s cost of governmental service used up by management in November. For example, a company may use straight-line depreciation to record the depreciation on its fixed assets, but is allowed by tax regulations to use an accelerated depreciation method in its tax return. The result is less taxable income reported on the corporate tax return, which is caused by the increased amount of depreciation expense in the current period.
As a result, since the total depreciation expenses are the same over the asset’s life, the total income taxes expense will be the same. The payment of income taxes reduced the company’s resources (assets) and sources of resources (liabilities). As a result of paying income taxes, the company has $20,000 less cash but also owes the government $20,000 less.
Thus, the company pays fewer income taxes in the current period, even though a higher income tax is indicated in its normal income statement. “Income tax expense” is what you’ve calculated that our company owes in taxes based on standard business accounting rules. “Income tax payable” is the actual amount that your company owes in taxes, based on the rules of the tax code.
Because the rates may change and their application can be quite complicated, companies use tax experts to calculate the amount of the taxes. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the accounting methods used for tax purposes may differ from the methods used in the preparation of financial statements. Remember FIFO and LIFO inventory methods from Chapter 8 and straight-line and accelerated depreciation from Chapter 9? In general, for tax purposes, income taxes to governments are determined according to governmental tax rules, while for financial statement purposes, income taxes are based on taxable income.
SALARY/PAYROLL
Stockholders’ equity was not affected by the income taxes payment because additional resources were not used up by management, but were, in effect, paid to a creditor. The company’s resources (assets) do not change in November because the company does not pay the taxes until the date specified by the government. The company’s liabilities increase because $21,000 is owed to the government. The $20,000 due to be paid within the next 12 months is a current liability while the $1,000 long-term liability is for payment due after 12 months.
As a result, it is very common that the amount of income taxes payable to governments in the near future differs from the income taxes expense reported on a company’s income statement. Once again, remember how income tax payments could be postponed by using accelerated depreciation for tax purposes? If the amount of income taxes payable must be paid within 12 months, it is classified as a current liability called income taxes payable.
$175,000 is a long-term liability, deferred income taxes payable, because it will not have to be paid within the next 12 months. Stockholders’ equity decreases by the full $1,400,000 of government services used up by management. Deferred taxes payable are dollar amounts owed to governments for income taxes to be paid in the future.
Income tax payable appears on the balance sheet as a liability until your company pays the tax bill. Income tax payable is a type of account in the current liabilities section of a company’s balance sheet. It is compiled of taxes due to the government within one year. The calculation of income tax payable is according to the prevailing tax law in the company’s home country. Deferred income taxes are taxes that a company will eventually pay on its taxable income, but which are not yet due for payment.