Information relevance of deferred tax : a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Accounting at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Abstract

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has undertaken research on accounting for income taxes. The IASB research suggests that a fundamental change from International Accounting Standard 12: Income Taxes (IAS 12), the balance sheet method, to another method may be considered. Other methods for accounting for deferred tax include the taxes payable method, the comprehensive basis under the income statement method, and the partial basis under the income statement method. This thesis provides evidence on this issue by using non-United States data to examine these deferred tax methods. This thesis examines the research question “are deferred tax methods, relative to the taxes payable method, information relevant?” Information that is ‘information relevant’ has two components: predictability and value relevance (Ohlson, 1995). The predictability of deferred tax methods is measured by its ability to predict future tax payments relative to the taxes payable method. The value relevance of deferred tax methods is measured by its association with share price relative to the taxes payable method. Literature examining deferred taxes predominately uses United States US data and US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP), and only partially examines deferred tax methods. This thesis contributes to the literature by examining all three deferred tax line items: deferred tax liabilities, deferred tax assets and deferred tax expense. The data is collected from the financial information for firms listed on the NZ Stock Exchange. Two samples of firms are examined: from 2000 to 2004 (pre IFRS) and 2008 to 2012 (post IFRS). The results show that the comprehensive basis under the income statement method is a better predictor of future tax payments and is value relevant relative to the taxes payable method. This indicates that it is information relevant. The partial basis under the income statement method is a better predictor of future tax payments relative to the taxes payable method however it is only value relevant for firms in the highest three deciles of mean increases in tax paid over the period. The balance sheet method is not a better predictor of future tax payments relative to the taxes payable method. The balance sheet method is, however, value relevant. The balance sheet method using disaggregated deferred tax is also value relevant relative to the balance sheet method.