Amortization

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Blog Author :

Shrestha Ghosal

Edited by :

Ashish Kumar Srivastav

Reviewed by :

Dheeraj Vaidya, CFA, FRM

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Amortization Meaning

Amortization is when an asset or a long-term liability's value or cost is gradually spread out or allocated over a specific period. It aims to allocate costs fairly, accurately, and systematically so that financial records can offer a clear picture of a company's economic performance.

Amortization

Amortization in accounting involves making regular payments or recording expenses over time to display the decrease in asset value, debt, or loan repayment. This process helps a company comply with the accounting principles. Furthermore, it is a valuable tool for budgeting, forecasting, and allocating future expenses.

Table of Contents
  • Amortization is an accounting process that systematically allocates an asset or a long-term liability's cost over its useful life. It spreads out the asset or liability cost over its lifespan and reflects its actual value over time.
  • Additionally, it applies to debts or loans, which involve periodic payments, including principal and interest components, decreasing the outstanding loan or debt balance over time.
  • This method is valuable for depicting a clear picture of a company's financial performance. Moreover, it aids in budgeting, forecasting, and allocating future expenses. Furthermore, it is beneficial for a business's financial planning.

Amortization Explained

Amortization is a financial concept that allows an asset or a long-term liability cost's gradual allocation or repayment over a specific period. This method helps in matching the expenses with the revenue or benefits generated by an asset or liability over time with accuracy. Furthermore, amortization in accounting offers a more accurate representation of a company's financial performance.

This process allocates an asset's cost over its useful life. The cost is divided into equal periodic payments or installments over months or years. Each payment decreases the asset's value on the balance sheet, displaying its loss in value over time. The business records the expense on the income statement, reducing the company's net income. Furthermore, this method is applicable for loans or debts. It is the gradual principal amount repayment along with interest through equal periodic payments. As a result, the outstanding loan or debt balance keeps reducing over time until it turns to zero.

Types

The amortization types are:

  • Straight-Line: It evenly distributes the asset or liability cost over its useful life. Under this method type, the business amortizes the same amount each period, resulting in a consistent expense or deduction in value. This is the most basic and commonly used method.
  • Declining Balance: This method applies a more significant expense or reduction in the asset or liability value in the earlier periods and gradually decreases over time. It showcases that the asset's value or benefits are higher in the beginning years of its useful life. Companies generally use this method for assets that experience higher obsolescence over time.
  • Annuity: This type involves a debt or loan repayment through equal periodic payments or installments. The installment amount includes both the principal and interest portions. Each payment decreases the outstanding balance and covers the interest charges. In the initial years, the interest component is higher than the principal component in the payment amount. However, over time, the interest element decreases while the principal portion increases, thus gradually reducing the total debt or loan amount.

Formula

The formula for amortization calculation is as follows:

Amortization Expense = (Initial Cost - Residual Value) / Useful Life

In this formula for amortization:

Initial Cost = initial cost of the asset or liability.

Residual value = asset's estimated value at the end of its useful life.

Useful life = estimated period over which the asset or liability will be useful.

Examples

Let us discuss a few examples:

Example #1

Suppose a company, Dreamzone Ltd., purchased a patent for $100,000 with a useful life of 10 years. Dreamzone divided the purchase price by the useful life to amortize the patent's cost.

Therefore, $100,000 / 10 = $10,000

This implies that this company would record an expense of $10,000 annually. Dreamzone Ltd will record this expense on the income statement, which will reduce the company's net income. At the same time, the patent's value on the balance sheet would decrease by $10,000 each year until it reaches zero at the end of the 10-year period. This systematic cost allocation over time depicts the asset's value and usage. This is an example of amortization.

Example #2

From the tax year 2022, R&D expenditures can no longer be expensed in the first year of service in the United States. Instead, these expenses must be amortized over five years for domestic research and 15 years for foreign study. The research and development (R&D) Tax Breaks are a set of tax incentives that helps attract firms with high research expenditures to the United States. They've existed for 70 years. However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2017 has changed how they can be expensed. This is an example of amortization.

Benefits

The amortization benefits are:

  • Allocating Expenses: It helps distribute an asset or long-term liability cost systematically over its useful life. Additionally, this process aids in matching expenses with the revenue or benefits generated by the asset or liability over time with precision. Furthermore, it provides a more accurate representation of a company's financial performance.
  • Financial Recording: This method helps present a more realistic and comprehensive financial picture by spreading the asset cost over its useful life. Moreover, it decreases the effect of substantial upfront expenses and allows smoother and more consistent financial reporting over the asset's lifespan.
  • Deducting Taxes: These expenses are usually tax-deductible in several jurisdictions. This feature offers businesses with a tax advantage by decreasing their taxable income. As a result, it reduces their overall tax liability.
  • Asset Valuation: It helps display the gradual reduction in an intangible asset's value or the depreciation of a long-term asset. Therefore, this precise valuation is beneficial for financial recording, decision-making, and estimating the actual value of a company's assets.
  • Financial Planning: This process ensures better budgeting and financial planning by clearly understanding the costs associated with long-term assets or liabilities. In addition to it, this method helps businesses forecast and allocate future expenses. Furthermore, it helps in cash flow management and overall financial stability.

Amortization vs Capitalization vs Accretion

The differences are as follows:

  • Amortization: It is a method that systematically allocates an intangible asset or a long-term liability's cost over its useful life. This method spreads out the asset or liability cost into equal periodic payments. However, it is commonly used for intangible assets like copyrights, patents, or trademarks. The process decreases the asset value on the balance sheet over time and is displayed as a non-cash expense.
  • Capitalization: This process treats certain costs as investments rather than immediate expenses. Thus, it is the method of recording the cost of obtaining or improving a long-term asset as an asset on the balance sheet rather than addressing it as an expense on the income statement. As a result, capitalized costs are usually depreciated or amortized over time.
  • Accretion: This is the gradual increase in a liability's value over time. However, it is primarily associated with long-term liabilities like bonds and deferred revenue. This process occurs as the liability grows closer to its face value or the amount to be paid in the future. As a result, it is recorded as an expense on the income statement to depict the increase in the liability's value.

Amortization vs Negative Amortization

The differences are:

  • Amortization: It is a gradual loan repayment method or the systematic allocation of an asset or long-term liability costs spread over a specified period. It includes making regular payments in installments that include principal and interest components. Each payment reduces the outstanding balance or asset value. Over time, the outstanding balance keeps reducing until the loan balance turns zero or the asset's value turns zero.
  • Negative Amortization: This method occurs when the payments made towards a loan or asset are insufficient to cover the interest charges leading to an increase in the outstanding balance or asset value. In these cases, the remaining interest adds on to the principal balance, resulting in an overall increase in the debt or loan over time. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is amortization an expense?

This process is not an expense. It is an accounting method that allocates the cost of an intangible asset or a long-term liability over its lifespan. The asset or liability's cost is spread out over a particular period, usually through regular installment payments. Although it decreases the asset value on the balance sheet, it does not directly affect the income statement like an expense.

2. What is an amortization schedule?

An amortization schedule is a table that chalks out a loan repayment or an intangible asset's allocation over a specific time. It breaks down each payment or expense into its principal and interest elements and identifies how much each aspect reduces the outstanding balance or asset value. The amortization schedule usually includes the payment date, payment amount, interest expense, principal repayment, and outstanding balance. It aids the borrowers and lenders in tracking the loan repayment's progress and draws a clear picture of how the principal and interest portions change over the loan or asset's lifespan.

3. Is amortization tax deductible?

Usually, these expenses for intangible assets are tax-deductible. However, the rules and regulations regarding the tax deductibility on these expenses differ between jurisdictions depending on the asset's nature. For example, some countries allow this deduction for specific intangible asset types like patents or copyrights, while others may have more specific criteria or restrictions on these tax deductions.