The recognition of intangible assets refers to the process of recording items that meet the conditions for recognition of intangible assets as intangible assets of enterprises and counting them into the balance sheet of enterprises. According to the accounting system, an enterprise can recognize intangible assets only when it meets the following two conditions: (1) The economic benefits generated by this asset are likely to flow into the enterprise; (2) The cost of the asset can be measured reliably. In other words, to be recognized as intangible assets, a project must first meet the definition of intangible assets, and then meet the above two conditions.
1. meets the definition of intangible assets.
As an accounting item of intangible assets, it should first conform to the definition of intangible assets, that is, non-monetary long-term assets held by enterprises for producing goods, providing services, renting them to others or for management purposes without physical form.
One of the important manifestations of conforming to the definition of intangible assets is that enterprises can control the economic benefits generated by the intangible assets. Although this is the characteristic of general assets of enterprises, it is particularly important for intangible assets. Generally speaking, if an enterprise has the right to obtain the economic benefits generated by an intangible asset and can restrain others from obtaining these economic benefits at the same time, it means that the enterprise controls the intangible asset, or controls the economic benefits generated by the intangible asset, which is embodied in the fact that the enterprise has legal ownership of the intangible asset, or the enterprise has signed an agreement with others, so that the relevant rights of the enterprise are protected by law. For example, the technology developed by the enterprise itself has the legal ownership of the patented technology within a certain period of time after obtaining the patent right according to law through application; Another example is that enterprises sign contracts with other enterprises to transfer trademark rights. Due to the signing of the contract, the relevant rights of the trademark assignee are protected by law.
On the other hand, if the control right owned by the enterprise is not confirmed by legal means or contractual means, it means that the relevant projects do not meet the definition of intangible assets. For example, if an enterprise has a skilled employee, it can be sure that the employee's skills will be improved through further training. In this case, the enterprise can expect employees to continue to contribute their skills to the enterprise. However, enterprises usually can't fully control the expected future economic benefits brought by having a skilled employee and training him, so they can't be considered as conforming to the definition of intangible assets. For similar reasons, specific management or technical talents are unlikely to meet the definition of intangible assets unless the use of these management or technical talents and the expected future economic benefits from them are protected by legal rights. For another example, an enterprise may have a certain customer or market share, and strive to establish good customer relationship and trust, so as to expect these customers to continue to do business with it. However, due to the lack of legal rights protection or other ways to control this customer relationship or customer's trust in the enterprise, the enterprise generally can't control the economic benefits brought by this customer relationship and customer trust, so it can't be considered that these projects (market share, good customer relationship and customer trust) meet the definition of intangible assets.
2. The generated economic benefits are likely to flow into the enterprise.
As an intangible asset of an enterprise, a project must have the basic conditions that the generated economic benefits are likely to flow into the enterprise. In practice, professional judgment is needed to determine whether the economic benefits created by intangible assets may flow into enterprises. When executing this judgment, relevant factors need to be considered. For example, whether the enterprise has enough human resources, high-quality management team, related hardware equipment and related raw materials to create economic benefits for the enterprise with intangible assets. Of course, the most important thing is to pay attention to the influence of external factors, such as whether there are related new technologies and new products that impact the market of intangible assets related technologies or products produced according to them. In a word, when making a judgment, the enterprise management department should make the most robust estimation of various factors existing in the estimated service life of intangible assets.
3. The cost can be measured reliably.
Reliable measurement of cost is the basic condition for asset recognition. Intangible assets. This condition is very important. The self-created goodwill of an enterprise conforms to the definition of intangible assets, but the expenses incurred in the process of self-created goodwill are difficult to measure, so it cannot be recognized as intangible assets of an enterprise. For another example, the scientific and technological talents of some high-tech enterprises assume that they have signed a service contract with the enterprise, and the contract stipulates that they cannot provide services for other enterprises within a certain period of time. In this case, although the knowledge of these scientific and technological talents is expected to create economic benefits for the enterprise within the prescribed time limit, the knowledge of these scientific and technological talents is difficult to identify, and the expenses incurred in forming this knowledge are difficult to measure, so it cannot be recognized as intangible assets of the enterprise.
(2) Measurement of intangible assets
According to the different ways of obtaining intangible assets, the accounting system clearly stipulates the determination of intangible assets cost.
1. Outsourcing intangible assets
According to the accounting system, the purchased intangible assets should be accounted for according to the actual price paid. For example, if an enterprise outsources a patent, the cost is 6.5438+0.000 million yuan, and the related expenses are 20,000 yuan, then the cost of outsourcing the patent is recorded as 6.5438+0.02 million yuan.
Two related notes:
(1) The present value factor is not considered when calculating and determining the cost of intangible assets. Enterprises can buy intangible assets on credit, in which case, they should be accounted for according to the total liabilities undertaken. For example, Company A bought an intangible asset from Company B at a price of 2 million yuan and paid it off one year later. In this case, Company A should take 2 million yuan as the cost of purchasing intangible assets and calculate this amount. This treatment is somewhat different from international accounting standards and other countries' practices, which generally require a discount of 2 million yuan to determine the cost of purchasing intangible assets.
(2) For intangible assets purchased in a package, the cost should usually be determined according to the relative ratio of the fair value of the intangible assets to other assets. For example, Company A purchased a patent right and related equipment from Company B, and the total price and related expenses were 3 million yuan. Among them, the patent right can be identified separately, but not separately from the price of related equipment. In this case, we should consider the relative proportion of patent rights and the fair value of related equipment to share the actual payment of 3 million yuan. Assuming that the relative ratio between patent right and fair value of related equipment is 5: 1, the patent cost should be 2.5 million yuan and the related equipment cost should be 500,000 yuan.
Using the relative proportion of fair value to determine the cost of intangible assets purchased with other assets must be based on whether the relative value of the intangible assets is large. If the relative value is relatively small, it does not need to be accounted for separately, and it can be included in the cost of other assets as a component of other assets; On the contrary, it needs to be accounted for separately. For example, a relatively small amount of software purchased randomly as an indispensable accessory of a computer does not need to be accounted for separately; However, if it is purchased by a group of computers and the amount is relatively large (even accounting for the main part), it must be accounted for separately. The land use right purchased together with the attachments on the ground also belongs to a similar situation.
2. Intangible assets swap
According to the accounting system, the recorded value of intangible assets exchanged through non-monetary transactions shall be determined in accordance with the accounting treatment provisions of non-monetary transactions. To this end, enterprises should handle the following situations:
(1) If premium is not involved, the book value of the exchanged intangible assets plus the relevant taxes payable shall be taken as the entry value.
For example, enterprise A exchanges its non-cash assets for an intangible asset, the book value of the exchanged non-cash assets is 200,000 yuan, and the related taxes and fees are 6,543.8+0,000 yuan. If premium is not involved, intangible assets should be recorded as 2,654,38+0,000 yuan.
(2) Where premium is involved, it shall be handled according to different situations:
① If the premium is paid, the book value of the exchanged intangible assets, plus the premium and relevant taxes and fees payable, shall be regarded as the book value of the exchanged assets.
For example, if enterprise A exchanges its non-cash assets into an intangible asset, the book value of the exchanged non-cash assets is equal to 200,000 yuan, the premium paid is 20,000 yuan, and the related taxes and fees are 6,543,800 yuan, then the exchanged intangible assets should be accounted for 230,000 yuan.
② If the premium is received, the recorded value of the transferred intangible assets shall be calculated and determined according to the following formula:
Book value of transferred intangible assets = book value of transferred assets-(premium/fair value of transferred assets) × book value of transferred assets+relevant taxes payable.
For example, if enterprise A exchanges its non-cash assets into an intangible asset, the book value of the exchanged non-cash assets is equal to 200,000 yuan, the fair value is 200,000 yuan, the premium is 20,000 yuan, and the related taxes and fees are 6,543,800 yuan, then the recorded value of the exchanged intangible assets is calculated and determined according to the following methods:
The recorded value of the transferred intangible assets = 20-(2/20) × 20+1=19 (ten thousand yuan).
Where intangible assets are exchanged with other assets at the same time, the recorded value of intangible assets shall be determined according to the ratio of its fair value to the total fair value of the exchanged assets multiplied by the sum of the book value of the exchanged assets and the relevant taxes payable.
For example, if enterprise A exchanges a number of assets into a group of assets including intangible assets, the total book value of the exchanged assets is 6,543,800,000 yuan, the fair value of the exchanged intangible assets accounts for 2: 5 of the total fair value of the exchanged assets, and the related taxes and fees incurred are 20,000 yuan, then the book value of the exchanged intangible assets shall be calculated and determined according to the following formula:
The recorded value of intangible assets =( 1000+2)×(2/5)= 4008 (ten thousand yuan)
3. Investors invest in intangible assets
According to the accounting system, intangible assets invested by investors should be recorded as the value confirmed by investors; However, the intangible assets that an enterprise accepts from investors when issuing shares for the first time shall be accounted for according to the book value of the intangible assets with investors. In other words, when determining the cost of intangible assets acquired by investment, enterprises should deal with the following situations:
(1) In general, the cost of intangible assets acquired by an enterprise by accepting investment (that is, excluding intangible assets accepted by investors in the initial stock issuance) is determined by the value confirmed by all investors.
For example, Company A is a joint stock limited company invested by two shareholders, A and B. After one year of operation, another investor, C, who is not a shareholder of A and B, requested to join Company A. After negotiation, Party A and Party B agreed that Party C would invest in a non-patented technology, and the three parties confirmed that the value of the non-patented technology was 6,543,800 yuan. In this case, when Company A accepts the non-patented technology invested by Party C, it should be credited with 6,543,800 yuan.
For another example, Company B is a listed company and plans to issue new shares this year. Enterprise A is its old shareholder, and after consultation with Company B, it plans to purchase new shares with a patent right. Both parties confirm that the patent value of enterprise A used to offset the share payment is 2 million yuan, which is equal to the share payment purchased. In this case, when Company B accepts the patent invested by Company A, it should be recorded as 2 million yuan.
(2) As there is no clear market price for the intangible assets provided by the investor when the enterprise issues shares for the first time, it should be recorded according to the book value of the intangible assets in the other party (i.e. the investor). This also shows that if the intangible assets invested by investors are not recorded in investors' accounts, then the enterprises that issue shares for the first time should not record them when accepting intangible assets.
4. Debt restructuring to obtain intangible assets
The accounting system stipulates that the entry value of intangible assets obtained through debt restructuring shall be determined in accordance with the accounting treatment provisions of debt restructuring.
Obtaining intangible assets through debt restructuring usually occurs when the debtor pays off the debt with intangible assets. According to the provisions of the debt restructuring standards, the cost of intangible assets obtained by creditor enterprises should be accounted for according to the book value of restructured creditor's rights; If there are related taxes and fees, the influence of related taxes and fees should be considered.
If the book value of the enterprise's creditor's rights (that is, the balance after deducting the impairment reserve) is 6,543,800 yuan, and the related taxes and fees incurred are 20,000 yuan, the intangible assets obtained through debt restructuring should be accounted as 6,543,800 yuan+0,200 yuan.
If the debt restructuring transaction involves premium, it should be handled according to different situations: if the premium is received, the cost of intangible assets shall be determined according to the book value of the creditor's rights plus the relevant taxes payable MINUS the premium; If the premium is paid, it shall be determined according to the book value of the creditor's rights plus the relevant taxes and premiums payable.
5. Accept donations to acquire intangible assets
According to the accounting system, the recorded value of donated intangible assets shall be determined according to the following circumstances:
(1) If the donor provides relevant credentials, it shall be determined according to the amount indicated on the credentials plus the relevant taxes payable. For example, Company A accepts a set of computer management software donated by other units, and the software donated by the donor is purchased at a price of 6,543,800 yuan; During the donation process, the relevant taxes and fees are 30,000 yuan. In this case, Company A should account for the donated software according to 6.5438 yuan +0.03 million yuan.
(2) If the donor is unable to provide relevant evidence, it shall be determined in the following order: if there is an active market for similar or similar intangible assets, it shall be determined by referring to the estimated amount of the market price of similar or similar intangible assets, plus the relevant taxes payable; If there is no active market for similar or similar intangible assets, it shall be determined according to the present value of the estimated future cash flow of the donated intangible assets.
For example, an enterprise accepts donations from others to obtain a patent right, but the donor fails to provide evidence about its value; In the technology market, the price of a patent similar to this patent is 6,543,800 yuan, and the value of this patent is 900,000 yuan according to professional estimation. Assuming that no relevant taxes and fees have occurred, the enterprise should calculate the patent right with 900,000 yuan.
It is worth noting that the uniqueness of intangible assets determines the lack of similar or similar intangible assets and the related market is not active enough. Therefore, when the donor fails to provide relevant value certificates, it is often necessary to calculate the present value of its future cash flow to determine its entry value.
6. Self-created and self-created intangible assets
According to the accounting system, the recorded value of intangible assets developed by ourselves and applied for according to law shall be determined according to the registered capital, lawyer's fees and other expenses incurred when they are obtained according to law; Research and development expenses incurred before obtaining a legal application shall be recognized as current expenses when incurred.
In the process of independent research and development of intangible assets, enterprises will incur various expenses. For example, the salary and welfare of R&D personnel, the depreciation of equipment used, and the expenses incurred by outsourcing related technologies. These fees are often difficult to collect according to a specific project; In addition, with the intensification of technological competition among enterprises, there is often great uncertainty in the process of R&D whether the R&D project of enterprises is likely to succeed and whether it can bring future economic benefits to enterprises in the future. Therefore, the accounting system clearly requires that the research and development expenses incurred in the process of developing intangible assets by enterprises themselves should be recognized as current expenses when they occur; Registration fees, attorney fees and other expenses incurred when applying for acquisition according to law shall be accounted for as the cost of applying for acquisition of intangible assets according to law.
For example, an enterprise successfully developed a set of computer management software and applied for a patent according to law. For this reason, 40 thousand yuan was generated, including registration fee and lawyer's fee. In this case, the enterprise should record the patent it applied for as 40,000 yuan.
It should be noted that: (1) intangible assets have been included in the current expenses before they are developed by themselves and successfully applied according to law, and the cost of intangible assets cannot be increased after the successful application. (2) The principle of handling R&D expenses in China's accounting system is different from relevant international accounting standards. According to international accounting standards, research and development should be distinguished; Accordingly, research expenses should be included in current profits and losses, and development expenses should be capitalized when certain conditions are met.