ASC 832-10
Overall
832 Government Assistance
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ASC 832-10 governs government assistance received by business entities (not-for-profits and plans under Topics 960, 962, and 965 are excluded). In its current form it is a disclosure-only topic requiring annual disclosure of the nature, accounting policy, financial statement effects, and significant terms of transactions with a government accounted for by analogy to a grant or contribution model. ASU 2025-10 converts it into a full recognition and measurement model for "government grants," under which a grant is recognized only when it is probable the entity will comply with the grant's conditions and receive the grant (832-10-25-1), with grants related to assets recognized under either a deferred income approach or a cost accumulation approach and grants related to income recognized in earnings on a systematic and rational basis as the related costs are expensed.
Key points (7)
- Scope: the Topic applies to all entities except not-for-profit entities and employee benefit plans within Topics 960, 962, and 965 (832-10-15-2); after ASU 2025-10 it excludes income tax credits within Topic 740, below-market interest rate loans, government guarantees, and (per ASU on Subtopic 818-20) environmental credits (832-10-15-4A), as well as intangible assets/services, tax abatements, government ownership, nongovernmental contributions under 958-605, and Topic 606/610-20 transactions (832-10-55-5).
- Recognition threshold: no government grant is recognized until it is probable both that the entity will comply with the grant's conditions and that the grant will be received, and the asset-grant or income-grant recognition guidance is met (832-10-25-1); mere receipt of cash is not conclusive evidence conditions are met, and no receivable is recognized until the threshold is satisfied (832-10-25-2).
- Grants related to an asset are recognized as the entity incurs the related costs using an election of either the deferred income approach (separate deferred income amortized into earnings as depreciation, gain/loss on sale, or impairment is recognized) or the cost accumulation approach (grant reduces the asset's carrying amount with no separate earnings recognition) (832-10-25-4 through 25-7).
- Grants related to income are recognized in earnings on a systematic and rational basis over the periods the related costs are expensed (832-10-25-9), or immediately when the grant compensates for previously incurred expenses/losses or provides immediate financial support with no future related costs (832-10-25-10).
- A forgivable loan is treated as a government grant once it is probable the entity will meet the forgiveness terms (832-10-25-3); a tangible nonmonetary asset grant is measured at fair value under the deferred income approach and at the entity's cost under the cost accumulation approach (832-10-30-1).
- Repayment: repayment of an income grant is applied first against unamortized deferred income with the excess to earnings immediately; repayment of an asset grant increases the asset's carrying amount (cost accumulation, with catch-up of depreciation that would have been recognized) or reduces deferred income, with the excess to earnings (832-10-35-1), and the new carrying amount drives impairment and depreciation (832-10-35-2).
- Disclosure (annual, 832-10-50-1): nature of the transaction/grant and form received, accounting policies used (235-10-50-1), affected balance sheet and income statement line items and amounts, useful life for cost-accumulation asset grants, fair value of tangible nonmonetary assets received, and significant terms and conditions such as duration, commitments, recapture provisions, and other contingencies (832-10-50-3 through 50-4); legally prohibited information may be omitted only with a description of its general nature (832-10-50-5).
For students. Historically business entities had no GAAP recognition model for government grants and analogized to IAS 20 or ASC 958-605 with only Topic 832 disclosures; ASU 2025-10 (effective 2029/2030, early adoption permitted) supplies an actual recognition and measurement model, so know which version applies. The most common misunderstanding is thinking cash receipt triggers income recognition—recognition instead follows the probable-compliance test and the periods in which the compensated costs are expensed.
Machine-generated study aid for ASC 832-10. Check the source paragraphs below.
832-10-00Status
Source downloaded: .Record version cf5344e707e0. Effective date must be checked in the source.
832-10-05Overview and Background
Source downloaded: .Record version 48249f0ed34b. Effective date must be checked in the source.
832-10-15Scope and Scope Exceptions
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Overall Guidance
Entities
Transactions
- aTransactions within the scope of Topic 740 on income taxes (for example, nonrefundable, nontransferable income tax credits)
- bThe benefit of below-market interest rate loans
- cGovernment guarantees.
- aTransactions within the scope of Topic 740 on income taxes (for example, nonrefundable, nontransferable income tax credits)
- bThe benefit of below-market interest rate loans
- cGovernment guarantees
- dEnvironmental credits within the scope of Subtopic 818-20.
832-10-20Glossary
Source downloaded: .Record version bf80daccfc71. Effective date must be checked in the source.
832-10-25Recognition
Source downloaded: .Record version 5dd138e73838. Effective date must be checked in the source.
Overall Guidance
- aIt is probable that both of the following criteria are met:
- 1The entity will comply with the conditions attached to the government grant.
- 2The government grant will be received.
- 1
- bAn entity meets the recognition guidance for a grant related to an asset in paragraphs or a grant related to income in paragraph 832-10-25-9.
Grant Related to an Asset
- aSeparately recognize the grant as deferred income. (This is referred to as the deferred income approach.)
- bReflect the grant as an adjustment to the cost basis in determining the carrying amount of the asset. (This is referred to as the cost accumulation approach.)
Grant Related to Income
832-10-30Initial Measurement
Source downloaded: .Record version aef51e445a61. Effective date must be checked in the source.
Government Grant of a Tangible Nonmonetary Asset
832-10-35Subsequent Measurement
Source downloaded: .Record version 961eeb55949a. Effective date must be checked in the source.
Repayment of a Government Grant
- aRepayment of a grant related to income shall be applied first against the unamortized deferred income recognized related to the grant. To the extent that the repayment exceeds the unamortized deferred income or when no deferred income exists, the repayment shall be recognized immediately in earnings.
- bRepayment of a grant related to an asset shall be recognized by increasing the carrying amount of the asset (if the cost accumulation approach is applied) or by reducing the deferred income balance (if the deferred income approach is applied) by the amount repayable. When applying the cost accumulation approach, all related expenses such as the cumulative depreciation (or change in previously recognized gain or loss on sale) that would have been recognized in earnings to date in the absence of the government grant shall be recognized immediately in earnings. If the deferred income approach is applied, to the extent that the repayment exceeds the unamortized deferred income, the repayment shall be recognized immediately in earnings.
832-10-45Other Presentation Matters
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Grant Related to an Asset
- aSeparately under a general heading such as other income
- bDeducted from the related expense (for example, depreciation, gain or loss on sale, or impairment).
Grant Related to Income
- aSeparately under a general heading such as other income
- bDeducted from the related expense.
832-10-50Disclosure
Source downloaded: .Record version 0ba4fba0cbaf. Effective date must be checked in the source.
- aThe nature of the transactions, the related accounting policies used to account for the transactions, and the effect of the transactions on an entity's financial statements
- bSignificant terms and conditions of the transactions.
- aThe nature of the grant, the related accounting policies used to account for the grant, and the effect of the grant on an entity's financial statements
- bSignificant terms and conditions of the grant.
Nature of the Assistance, Related Accounting Policies, and Effect on Financial Statement Amounts
- aThe nature of the transactions, including a general description of the transactions and the form in which the assistance has been received (for example, cash or other assets)
- bThe accounting policies used to account for the transactions as required by paragraph 235-10-50-1
- cThe line items on the balance sheet and income statement that are affected by the transactions, and the amounts applicable to each financial statement line item in the current reporting period.
| Editor's Note: Paragraph 832-10-50-3 will be amended upon transition, together with its heading: |
| > Nature of the Government Grant, Related Accounting Policies, and Effect on Financial Statement Amounts |
- aThe nature of the grant, including a general description of the grant and the form in which the grant has been received (for example, cash or tangible nonmonetary assets)
- bThe accounting policies used to account for the grant as required by paragraph 235-10-50-1(for example, for a grant related to an asset, whether the deferred income approach or the cost accumulation approach is applied or for a grant related to income, whether the grant is presented separately under a general heading such as other income or deducted from the related expense).
- c
- aThe line items on the balance sheet that are affected by the grant and the amounts applicable to each financial statement line item
- bThe useful life of any related depreciable or amortizable asset.
Significant Terms and Conditions
- aThe duration or period of the agreement
- bCommitments made by both the reporting entity and the government
- cProvisions, if any, for recapture (for example, when the government can recapture amounts awarded), including the conditions under which recapture is allowed
- dOther contingencies.
- aThe duration or period of the grant
- bCommitments made by both the reporting entity and the government
- cProvisions, if any, for recapture (for example, when the government can recapture amounts awarded), including the conditions under which recapture is allowed
- dOther contingencies.
Restrictions
832-10-55Implementation Guidance and Illustrations
Source downloaded: .Record version fc0062fe700b. Effective date must be checked in the source.
- aImplementation guidance is provided in paragraphs .
- bIllustrations are provided in paragraphs .
Implementation Guidance
- aA transfer of cash to fund future expenditures or reimburse expenditures already incurred (for example, capital expenditures, wages, training and other employee-related costs, research and development expenses, or other operating expenses)
- bA transfer of a tangible nonmonetary asset such as a long-lived asset (for example, a building, land, or equipment)
- cThe proceeds of a forgivable loan when an entity meets the guidance in paragraph 832-10-25-1, including when it is probable that the entity will meet the terms for forgiveness of the loan
- dA refundable tax credit that is not within the scope of Topic 740 on income taxes.
- aThe transfer of an intangible asset or provision of a service
- bA reduction of an entity’s liabilities (for example, sales, property, payroll, or other tax abatement)
- cGovernment participation in the ownership of an entity
- dA contribution to a business entity from a nongovernmental source within the scope of Subtopic 958-605 on not-for-profit entities—revenue recognition
- e
Illustrations
832-10-65Transition and Open Effective Date Information
Source downloaded: .Record version f4362c53ee29. Effective date must be checked in the source.
Transition Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2025-10, <em class="ph i">Government Grants (Topic 832): Accounting for Government Grants Received by Business Entities</em>
- aThe pending content that links to this paragraph shall be effective for a public business entity for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2028, and interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods.
- bFor an entity other than a public business entity, the pending content that links to this paragraph shall be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2029, and interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods.
- cEarly adoption of the pending content that links to this paragraph is permitted in both interim and annual reporting periods in which financial statements have not yet been issued or made available for issuance. If an entity adopts the pending content that links to this paragraph in an interim reporting period, it shall adopt the pending content as of the beginning of the annual reporting period that includes that interim reporting period.
- dAn entity shall apply the pending content that links to this paragraph using one of the following transition methods:
- 1A modified prospective approach for both:
- iGovernment grants that are entered into on or after the effective date.
- iiGovernment grants that are not complete as of the effective date. A government grant is complete when substantially all of the government grant proceeds have been recognized before the effective date of the pending content that links to this paragraph.
- i
- 2A modified retrospective approach for both:
- iGovernment grants that are entered into on or after the beginning of the earliest period presented.
- iiGovernment grants that are not complete as of the beginning of the earliest period presented. A government grant is complete when substantially all of the government grant proceeds have been recognized before the beginning of the earliest period presented in which the pending content that links to this paragraph is adopted.
- i
- 3A retrospective approach to all government grants through a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings as of the beginning of the earliest period presented.
- 1
- eFor purposes of the transition guidance in (d)(1)(ii): A grant related to an asset that was accounted for by reflecting the grant as an adjustment to the cost basis in determining the carrying amount of the asset before the effective date is considered recognized when substantially all of the grant is reflected in the carrying amount of the asset on the balance sheet. For all other government grants, a government grant is considered recognized when substantially all of the government grant proceeds have been recognized in the income statement before the effective date of the pending content that links to this paragraph.
- fFor purposes of the transition guidance in (d)(2)(ii): A grant related to an asset that was accounted for by reflecting the grant as an adjustment to the cost basis in determining the carrying amount of the asset before the beginning of the earliest period presented is considered recognized when substantially all of the grant is reflected in the carrying amount of the asset on the balance sheet. For all other government grants, a government grant is considered recognized when substantially all of the government grant proceeds have been recognized in the income statement before the beginning of the earliest period presented.
- gAn entity shall apply the pending content that links to this paragraph prospectively to government grants acquired in business combinations that occur after the effective date of the pending content.
- hAn entity that applies the pending content that links to this paragraph using a modified prospective approach in accordance with (d)(1) shall disclose the nature of and reason for the accounting change.
- iAn entity that applies the pending content that links to this paragraph using a modified retrospective approach or a retrospective approach in accordance with (d)(2) or (d)(3) shall provide the transition disclosures required by paragraphs in the period of adoption, except for the requirements in paragraph 250-10-50-1(b)(2) for the current reporting period and the requirements in paragraph 250-10-50-1(b)(4) through (c)(1).
Related subtopics
- 818-10 OverallEnvironmental Credits and Environmental Credit Obligations
- 805-20 Identifiable Assets and Liabilities, and Any Noncontrolling InterestBusiness Combinations
- 105-10 OverallGenerally Accepted Accounting Principles
- 205-20 Discontinued OperationsPresentation of Financial Statements
- 220-10 OverallIncome Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income
- 270-10 OverallInterim Reporting