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Pre and post incorporation profits

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Laavi Sahu

3 Points Posted on 17 January 2023

What is the treatment of preliminary expense for the computation of pre and post incorporation profits ?

Replies (3)

Quick Summary

This discussion clarifies the treatment of preliminary expenses concerning pre and post incorporation profits. Preliminary expenses are capitalised and typically written off over five years. The Income Tax Act 1961 limits total preliminary expenses to 5% of capital employed, allowing for amortisation in five equal annual installments, meaning a maximum of 1% can be written off each year.

Yasaswi Gomes new

Finance

4592 Points Posted on 17 January 2023

PRELIMINARY EXPENSES ARE CAPITALISED. PRE INCORPORATION PROFITS ARE NOT ACCOUNTED AS FAR AS I AM AWARE. POST INCORPORATION PROFIT BEFORE TAX WILL DECREASE. IF AMORTISATION IS TAX EXEMPT, THEN SOME PART OF THE PROFITS WILL RECOVER IN PAT. IF YOU STILL HOLD PRE INCORPORATION PROFITS, INTRODUCE IT AS CAPITAL OR CASH TO THE BUSINESS.

Laavi Sahu

3 Points Posted on 17 January 2023

No I meant how do we write off preliminary expenses and in what proportion?

Yasaswi Gomes new

Finance

4592 Points Posted on 17 January 2023

As explained above the preliminary expenses can be written off within five years however as per Section 35 of The Income Tax Act 1961, the total preliminary expenses cannot be more than 5 % of the capital employed, which can be amortised in five equal installments, this also means that a company cannot write off preliminary expense more than 1 % of the capital employed in one year.