What are some examples of deferred revenue expenses?

All expenses whose benefits are received over the years or the expenses or losses that are to be written off over the years are classified as Deferred revenue expenses. It includes fictitious expenses like preliminary expenses, loss on issue of debentures, advertising expenses, loss due to unusual occurrences like loss due to fire, theft, and research and development expenses, etc. 

DEFERRED REVENUE EXPENSES

There are certain expenses which are revenue in nature (i.e. expenses incurred to maintain the earning capacity of the firm and generate revenue) but whose benefits are received over a period of years generally between 3 to 7 years. It means its benefit is received not only in the current accounting period but over a few consecutive accounting periods.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Revenue in nature
• Benefits received for more than one accounting period.
• Huge expenditure (large amount is involved)
• Affects the profitability of the business (since a large amount is involved if charged in the same accounting period, then it will decrease the profitability for the year)
• Written off over the years either partially or entirely.
• Fictitious asset It doesn’t result in the creation of any asset but is shown as an asset (fictitious asset) on the Balance Sheet till fully written off.

EXAMPLES

ADVERTISING EXPENSES refers to the expenses incurred for promoting the goods or services of the firm through various channels like TV, Social media, Hoardings, etc.

As the benefit of advertising is not received not only in the period when such expenses were incurred but also in the coming few years, it is classified as Deferred revenue expense.

For example – Suppose the company incurred $10 lakh on advertising to introduce a new product in the market and estimated that its benefit will last for 4 years. In this case, $250,000 will be written off every year, for 4 consecutive years.

EXCEPTIONAL LOSSES are losses that are incurred because of some unusual event and don’t happen regularly like loss from fire, theft, earthquake, flood or any other natural disaster, confiscation of property, etc.

Since these losses can’t be written off in the year they occurred they are also treated as Deferred revenue expenditure and are written off over the years.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPENSES are expenses incurred on researching and developing new products or improving the existing ones. Its benefits are received for many years and thus are classified as Deferred revenue expenses.

For example – Expenses incurred on the creation of intangible assets like patents, copyrights, etc.

PRELIMINARY EXPENSES are those expenses which are incurred before the incorporation and commencement of the business. It includes legal fees, registration fees, stamp duty, printing expenses, etc.

These expenses are fictitious assets and are written off over the years.

TREATMENT

It is debited to the P&L amount (amount written off that year) and the remaining amount on the Aeest side of the Balance Sheet.

In the above example of advertising expenses, in Year 1, $250,000 will be debited in the P&L A/c and the remaining amount of $750,000 is shown on the Asset side of the Balance Sheet.

In Year 2, $250,00 in P&L A/c and the remaining $500,000 in Balance Sheet.

In Year 3, $250,000 in P&L A/c and the remaining $250,000 in the Balance Sheet and in the last Year 4, only the remaining amount of $250,000 in P&L A/c and nothing in the Balance Sheet.