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Impairment of a Patent

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Every so often, the value of an asset can suddenly decline. An example of this would be losing a patent lawsuit. “In such cases the asset is said to be impaired and the accounting treatment depends on the type of asset and the accounting standards in use” (Financial Education, 2007). Patents are intangible asset that “gives their owners exclusive rights to use or manufature of a particular product” (Walther, 2010, ch. 11). The patent cost is “amortized over its useful life which should not exceed its legal life of 20 years” (Walther, 2010, ch.11). The impairment of a patent denotes that the owner of the asset (patent) “no longer expects to be able to generate returns of cash from the asset sufficient to recapture its recorded net book value” (Walther, 2010, ch. 11). FASB 30-35-11, states that as a result of an impairment loss, the loss should be “presented in the income statement in the same manner as other impairment losses” (FASB, 30-35-11). An impairment loss is recorded on the income statement and the intangible asset is reduced on the books of the company. FASB 30-35-14 goes on to explain that an impairment loss should be “recognized if the carrying amount of an intangible asset is not recoverable and its carrying amount exceeds its fair value” (FASB, 30-35-14). Once this loss is recognized, “the adjusted carrying amount of the intangible asset should be its new accounting basis” (FASB, 30-35-19).

References
(2007). Financial Education. Retrieved February 6, 2011 from http://financial-education.com/2007/05/28/asset-impairment-charges/

Walther, L. (2010). Principles of Accounting. Retrieved from http://www.principlesofaccounting.com/chapter%2011.htm#ASSET%20IMPAIRMENTS

(n.d). FASB Accounting Standard Codification. Retrieved from http://asc.fasb.org/section&trid=2144487%26analyticsAssetName=subtopic_page_section%26nav_type=subtopic_page

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