ASC 835-20
Capitalization of Interest
835 Interest
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ASC 835-20 requires interest cost incurred while a qualifying asset is being readied for its intended use to be capitalized as part of the asset's historical cost, on the theory that such interest is an avoidable cost caused by the acquisition. Qualifying assets include assets constructed for an entity's own use, discrete projects built for sale or lease, and equity-method investments in investees that have not yet begun planned principal operations; routinely mass-produced inventory, assets already in use or idle, and gift/grant-funded assets are excluded. The amount capitalized equals the capitalization rate (rate on specific new borrowing, then weighted average of other borrowings) applied to average accumulated expenditures, capped at total interest cost incurred in the period.
Key points (7)
- Interest is capitalized only on qualifying assets — assets constructed or produced for the entity's own use (including those built by others with deposits/progress payments), assets built as discrete projects for sale or lease, and equity-method investments while the investee has activities in progress to commence planned principal operations (835-20-15-5).
- Interest is not capitalized on assets in use or ready for use, idle assets not undergoing readying activities, assets outside the consolidated balance sheet, equity-method investees after planned principal operations begin, regulated investees capitalizing debt and equity cost, assets funded by restricted gifts and grants, or inventories routinely produced in large quantities on a repetitive basis (835-20-15-6).
- The capitalization period begins when all three conditions exist — expenditures have been made, activities necessary to ready the asset are in progress, and interest cost is being incurred — and continues while they persist (835-20-25-3).
- Capitalization ceases when the asset is substantially complete and ready for its intended use, and is suspended if the entity suspends substantially all activities, though brief, externally imposed, or inherent delays do not stop capitalization (835-20-25-4 through 25-6).
- The amount capitalized equals the capitalization rate times average accumulated expenditures; a specific new borrowing's rate applies up to that borrowing's amount, with a weighted average of other borrowing rates applied to the excess (835-20-30-3), and total interest capitalized may not exceed total interest cost incurred in the period (835-20-30-6).
- Interest earned may not be offset against interest cost except for qualifying assets financed with externally restricted tax-exempt borrowings, where net interest (cost less interest earned on related investments) is capitalized from the date of borrowing (835-20-30-8 through 30-11; 835-20-25-8).
- Disclose interest cost incurred and charged to expense when none is capitalized, and both total interest incurred and the amount capitalized when some is capitalized (835-20-50-1).
For students. Exam questions almost always test the mechanics: average accumulated expenditures × capitalization rate, capped at actual interest incurred. The classic trap is offsetting interest income against interest cost — prohibited except for externally restricted tax-exempt borrowings — and forgetting that routinely mass-produced inventory and idle or already-in-use assets never qualify.
Machine-generated study aid for ASC 835-20. Check the source paragraphs below.
835-20-00Status
Source downloaded: .Record version 96a410e93ec6. Effective date must be checked in the source.
| Paragraph | Action | Accounting Standards Update | Date |
| Contract | Added | Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 | 02/25/2016 |
| Finance Lease | Added | Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 | 02/25/2016 |
| Interest Cost | Amended | Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 | 02/25/2016 |
| Lease | Added | Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 | 02/25/2016 |
| Lessee | Added | Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 | 02/25/2016 |
| Underlying Asset | Added | Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 | 02/25/2016 |
| 835-20-55-2 | Amended | Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-10 | 06/10/2014 |
835-20-05Overview and Background
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835-20-10Objectives
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835-20-15Scope and Scope Exceptions
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Entities
Other Considerations
- aAssets that are constructed or otherwise produced for an entity's own use, including assets constructed or produced for the entity by others for which deposits or progress payments have been made.
- bAssets intended for sale or lease that are constructed or otherwise produced as discrete projects (for example, ships or real estate developments).
- cInvestments (equity, loans, and advances) accounted for by the equity method while the investee has activities in progress necessary to commence its planned principal operations provided that the investee's activities include the use of funds to acquire qualifying assets for its operations. The investor's investment in the investee, not the individual assets or projects of the investee, is the qualifying asset for purposes of interest capitalization.
- aAssets that are in use or ready for their intended use in the earning activities of the entity
- bAssets that are not being used in the earning activities of the entity and that are not undergoing the activities necessary to get them ready for use
- cAssets that are not included in the consolidated balance sheet of the parent entity and consolidated subsidiaries
- dInvestments accounted for by the equity method after the planned principal operations of the investee begin (see paragraph 835-20-55-2 for clarification of the phrase after planned principal operations begin)
- eInvestments in regulated investees that are capitalizing both the cost of debt and equity capital (see paragraph 835-20-55-3 for guidance on capitalization of costs by a regulated investee)
- fAssets acquired with gifts and grants that are restricted by the donor or grantor to acquisition of those assets to the extent that funds are available from such gifts and grants. Interest earned from temporary investment of those funds that is similarly restricted shall be considered an addition to the gift or grant for this purpose.
- gInventories that are routinely manufactured or otherwise produced in large quantities on a repetitive basis.
835-20-25Recognition
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The Capitalization Period
- aExpenditures for the asset have been made.
- bActivities that are necessary to get the asset ready for its intended use are in progress.
- cInterest cost is being incurred.
- aSome assets are completed in parts, and each part is capable of being used independently while work is continuing on other parts. An example is a condominium. For such assets, interest capitalization shall stop on each part when it is substantially complete and ready for use.
- bSome assets must be completed in their entirety before any part of the asset can be used. An example is a facility designed to manufacture products by sequential processes. For such assets, interest capitalization shall continue until the entire asset is substantially complete and ready for use.
- cSome assets cannot be used effectively until a separate facility has been completed. Examples are the oil wells drilled in Alaska before completion of the pipeline. For such assets, interest capitalization shall continue until the separate facility is substantially complete and ready for use.
The Capitalization Period for Assets Financed with Tax-Exempt Borrowings
835-20-30Initial Measurement
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The Amount of Interest Cost to Be Capitalized
835-20-35Subsequent Measurement
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Amortization of Capitalized Interest on an Equity Method Investment
Compounding of Interest
835-20-40Derecognition
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835-20-50Disclosure
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- aFor an accounting period in which no interest cost is capitalized, the amount of interest cost incurred and charged to expense during the period
- bFor an accounting period in which some interest cost is capitalized, the total amount of interest cost incurred during the period and the amount thereof that has been capitalized.
835-20-55Implementation Guidance and Illustrations
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Implementation Guidance
- a Financial planning
- b Raising capital
- c Exploring for natural resources
- d Developing natural resources
- e Research and development
- f Establishing sources of supply
- g Acquiring property, plant, and equipment or other operating assets, such as mineral rights
- h Recruiting and training personnel
- i Developing markets
- j Starting up production.
Illustrations
- a Entity A is committed to construct a project at a cost of $10 million. The project is to be financed from three sources:
- 1 $4 million government grant restricted to use for the specified construction project, payable $1 million per year
- 2 $4 million tax-exempt borrowing at an interest rate of 8 percent ($320,000 per year)
- 3 $2 million from operations.
- 1
- b Entity A has $10 million in other borrowings that are outstanding throughout the construction of the project. The interest rate on those borrowings is 6 percent. Other qualifying assets of the entity never exceed $5 million during the construction of the project.
- c The proceeds from the borrowing and the initial phase of the grant are received 1 year in advance of starting construction on the project and are temporarily invested in interest-bearing investments yielding 12 percent. Interest income earned from temporary investments is not reinvested.
- d The project will take four years after start of construction to complete.
- e The following table sets forth the amount of interest to be capitalized as part of the entity's investment in the project.
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Year 19X1 19X2 19X3 19X4 19X5 (amounts in thousands) (1) Assumed average qualifying assets $- " $2,000 " " $5,000 " " $8,000 " " $9,000 " (2) Average funding received Borrowing " 4,000 " " 4,000 " " 4,000 " " 4,000 " " 4,000 " Grant " 1,000 " " 2,000 " " 3,000 " " 4,000 " " 4,000 " (3) "Average temporary investments [(2) - (1), not less than zero] (a)" Borrowing " 4,000 " " 3,000 " " 1,000 " - - Grant " 1,000 " " 1,000 " " 1,000 " - - (4) Interest earned [(3) x 12 percent] (a) Borrowing 480 360 120 - - (b) Grant 120 120 120 - - (5) "Average qualifying assets in excess of borrowing, grant,and interest earned on grant (b)" - - - - 640 (6) Interest cost capitalized—other borrowings [(5) x 6 percent] - - - - 38 (7) Interest cost—tax-exempt borrowings 320 320 320 320 320 (8) Interest capitalized [(6) + (7) - (4)(a)] (c) (160) (40) 200 320 358 (a) Balances of unexpended borrowings and unexpended grants can vary depending on the source from which the entity elects to disburse funds. (b) "That is, (1) average qualifying assets minus the sum of [(2) average funding received plus (4)(b) cumulative interest earned on grant], not less than zero." (c) Note that amounts in parentheses are reductions in the cost of the asset.
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- f Over the course of construction, the net cost of financing is $678,000, the sum of the interest capitalized for the five years. Accordingly, Entity A's total net investment in the project will be $10,678,000.
835-20-60Relationships
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