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Inland Revenue has operational assets that include information technology (IT) equipment, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles and leasehold improvements. The capitalisation thresholds are:

  • IT equipment - Over $2,000
  • Furniture - Over $2,000
  • Office equipment - Over $2,000
  • Motor vehicles - No threshold
  • Leasehold improvements - No threshold

Certain items of IT equipment, furniture and office equipment, which are low value and high quantity such as chairs and IT monitors, are pooled together. All pooled assets are capitalised.

Property, plant and equipment are stated at historical cost, less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Historical cost is the value of consideration given to acquire or create the asset, and includes any directly attributable costs of bringing the asset to working condition for its intended use.

The cost of an item of property, plant and equipment is recognised as an asset if it is probable that the future economic benefits or service potential associated with the item will flow to Inland Revenue beyond 1 year, and the cost of the item can be measured reliably. In most instances, an item of property, plant and equipment is recognised at its cost. Where an asset is acquired through a non-exchange transaction, it is recognised at fair value as at the date of acquisition.

Subsequent costs are capitalised when it is probable that the future economic benefits or service potential associated with the item will flow to Inland Revenue beyond 1 year and the cost of the item can be measured reliably. All repairs and maintenance are expensed.

Depreciation is provided on a straight-line basis on all property, plant and equipment other than assets under construction. The rate of depreciation will reduce the value of the asset to the estimated residual value over the useful life of the asset. The useful lives of major classes of assets have been estimated as:

  • IT equipment - 3 to 5 years 
  • Furniture - 3 to 10 years
  • Office equipment - 5 to 10 years 
  • Motor vehicles - 3 to 5 years
  • Leasehold improvements - 3 to 10 years

All property, plant and equipment other than motor vehicles are assumed to have no residual value. Motor vehicles are assumed to have a 20% to 40% residual value.

The cost of leasehold improvements is capitalised and depreciated over the unexpired period of the lease or the estimated remaining useful life of the improvements, whichever is shorter, up to a maximum of 10 years.

Assets under construction are recognised at cost less impairment and are not depreciated. The total cost of a capital project is transferred to the appropriate asset class on its completion and then depreciated.

The assets’ residual values and useful lives are reviewed, and adjusted if appropriate, at each balance date. 

 

Gains and losses on disposals are determined by comparing proceeds with the carrying amount. These are recognised on a net basis in the net surplus or deficit.

Property, plant and equipment that have a finite useful life are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Property, plant and equipment are also reviewed annually for indicators of impairment at each balance date. Assets under construction are tested for impairment at each balance date.

An impairment loss is recognised for the amount by which the asset’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable service amount. The recoverable service amount is the higher of an asset’s fair value less costs to sell and value in use.

Value in use is the present value of the asset’s remaining service potential. Value in use is determined based on either the depreciated replacement cost or the restoration cost, depending on the nature of the impairment and the availability of information.

If an asset’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable service amount, the asset is considered to be impaired and is written down to the recoverable service amount. The impairment loss and any reversal of impairment loss are recognised in the net surplus or deficit. 

Last updated: 19 Dec 2023
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