On January 15, 2020, the U.S. and China signed a “phase one” trade agreement previously announced by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in December 2019. The complete text of the trade agreement can be read here.
When the “phase one” trade agreement was first announced, the U.S. had suspended the additional 15-percent tariff on List 4B goods imported from China that was scheduled to take effect on December 15, 2019. The formal text of the “phase one” trade agreement does not directly address any further tariff reductions. However, the USTR is expected to publish a separate Federal Register notice on reduction of tariffs on List 4A goods from 15 percent to 7.5 percent later this week, and the tariff reduction is scheduled to take effect on February 14, 2020. Further, the U.S. will maintain the 25-percent tariffs currently in place on List 1, 2, and 3 goods imported from China totaling approximately $370 billion.
According to the “phase one” trade agreement, China will increase its imports of certain U.S. goods worth no less than $200 billion by the end of 2021, along with commitments in other areas including intellectual property, technology transfer, agriculture, financial services, and currency and foreign exchange.
Beyond this limited truce, no further developments in the ongoing trade negotiations between China and the U.S. are expected this coming year due to November’s impending U.S. presidential election.
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ASC 740 – FASB Issues ASU On Simplifying The Accounting For Income Taxes
On December 18, 2019, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ASU 2019-12 on Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The decisions reflected in the ASU update specific areas of ASC 740, Income Taxes, to reduce complexity while maintaining or improving the usefulness of the information provided to users of financial statements.
Background: At its April 10, 2019, meeting, the FASB decided to add a project to its technical agenda to address simplifications to the accounting rules for income taxes under ASC 740. The project is part of the board’s overall Simplification Initiative. The objective of the Simplification Initiative is to identify, evaluate, and improve areas of GAAP for which cost and complexity can be reduced while maintaining or improving the usefulness of the information required to be reported by an entity. A draft ASU was issued by the FASB in May 2019 with 24 comment letters provided by stakeholders at the end of June 2019.
Transition and Effective Date: For public business entities, the amendments in the ASU 2019-12 are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. For all other entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022.
Early adoption of the amendments is permitted, including adoption in any interim period for (1) public business entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued and (2) all other entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been made available for issuance. An entity that elects to early adopt the amendments in an interim period should reflect any adjustments as of the beginning of the annual period that includes that interim period. Additionally, an entity that elects early adoption must adopt all the amendments in the same period.
The amendments in ASU 2019-12 related to separate financial statements of legal entities that are not subject to tax should be applied on a retrospective basis for all periods presented.
The amendments related to changes in ownership of foreign equity method investments or foreign subsidiaries should be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption.
The amendments related to franchise taxes that are partially based on income should be applied on either a retrospective basis for all periods presented or a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption.
All other amendments should be applied on a prospective basis.
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