The useful life of the asset

In order to implement the correct taxation, RF Government Resolution No. 1 establishes the useful life of the fixed asset (OS). To regulate it, there is a special OS classification. In addition, the Tax Code of the Russian Federation establishes certain special rules for calculating these terms that apply to funds already in use or received as a contribution to the capital of this enterprise.

Since 2009, these norms have been unified for all objects that are acquired by the enterprise, regardless of the method of acquisition.

In this classifier, all OSs are divided into 10 groups, depending on which useful life is provided for the objects assigned to this particular group.

At the same time, any enterprise or organization has the right, at its own discretion, to regulate the useful life of an asset. Practice is determined by the very essence of this concept. This essence lies in the fact that the time itself is the time during which a particular OS object is able to bring an enterprise or company revenue, and also be used for production or commercial purposes of the enterprise. Independence for the definition of the period under consideration stems from the fact that in each of the enterprises the activity and frequency of use of different OSs are different. For some species, it is calculated based on the performance of the enterprise. This is often the number of products or works. At the same time, the indicator is reflected in natural values. The deadline is set when the OS is adopted for accounting.

If the useful life of the asset is not specified in its technical specifications or the operating manual, if it can not be determined by the standards, the organization or enterprise can establish it independently, guided by the following considerations and assumptions:

- proceeding from the supposedly expected effective period of production operation;

- Based on the forecast for physical deterioration of this OS;

- other possible restrictions.

It should be borne in mind that the calculation of depreciation in the case when an organization or an enterprise determines the useful life of a fixed asset is carried out only with such means that were acquired by these organizations or enterprises after 1998. To be correctly reflected in accounting, the information On the time of putting the OS into operation, and, consequently, on the norms for calculating depreciation charges, it is indicated in a special act (FS-1). The form and procedure for issuing this document are set out in Resolution No. 71A of the State Statistics Committee of the Russian Federation. Such an act, according to this resolution, is the primary accounting source for operations to write off obsolete operating systems and acquire new ones.

Quite often there is a situation when the time of actual operation of the OS from the previous owner is equal to the period that provides for the useful life of the fixed asset, established by the previously considered classifier or technical conditions. In addition, there may be a situation where this period is less than the period of actual use. Therefore, in order to avoid inconsistencies in accounting, it is mandatory to take care of documentary evidence of the operating life of the OS from the previous owner. Such can serve, according to the Tax Code, the data of the tax base, the accountant's reference from the enterprise of the previous owner of the OS, the indicators of tax accounting.

Proper management of the actual use of equipment is important not only for the problems considered. This account is an important parameter in choosing the direction of the company's development, it is an indispensable factor in making the right management decisions.