Chartered Accountant
1375 Points
Joined August 2012
Well, revenue expenditure incurred by promoters prior to commencement of operations can have treatments as follows:
Accounting Aspects:
The same may be charged off as 'Preliminary Expenditure written off'. You CANNOT write it off over a period exceeding 1 year since 'AS 26 - Intangible Assets' has prohibited the concept of 'Deferred Revenue Expenditure' half a decade ago. Hence all preliminary expenses have to written off in 1st year itself.
Hence the entry to be passed may be:
Preliminary Expense written off A/c Dr. (full amount)
To Payable to Promoters A/c (since the entire amount was borne by the promoters)
Taxation Aspects:
Its a whole new sight when one steps into the land of taxes. The preliminary expenses falling within the scope of Section 35D needs to charged off over a period of 5 years. (You have to be an eligible assessee who has incurred some eligible expenditure - check section for more clarity). Also the maximum allowable amount is 5% of the Cost of project/ Capital Employed, as the case may be.
Hence only 1/5th of such expense can be claimed as expense in the 1st year of operation.
Hope this helps.
Other views & suggestions are invited.