more likely than not

ASC 350-20 governs the accounting for goodwill after its initial recognition (initial recognition/measurement is in 805-30, 805-60, or 958-805) and prohibits capitalizing internally developed goodwill. Under the general model, goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment at least annually at the reporting unit level, with an optional qualitative "more likely than not" screen; if the quantitative test shows the reporting unit's carrying amount exceeds its fair value, a loss is recognized for that excess, capped at the goodwill allocated to the unit. Private companies and not-for-profit entities may elect accounting alternatives to amortize goodwill over 10 years or less and to test only upon a triggering event, and/or to evaluate triggering events only as of the end of each reporting period.

This subtopic covers income tax accounting peculiar to oil- and gas-producing activities. Its core rules: the tax benefit of statutory depletion in excess of cost depletion is recognized only in the period the excess is deducted on the tax return (no deferred tax asset before then), and the likelihood that future statutory depletion will reduce or eliminate future taxable income must be weighed in the more-likely-than-not realizability assessment for deferred tax assets. It also notes that costs such as intangible drilling and development costs and geological and geophysical costs are deducted for tax purposes in periods different from when they are expensed or amortized for book purposes, creating temporary differences.