CAS -16

COST ACCOUNTING STANDARD ON DEPRECIATION AND AMORTISATION

The following is the COST ACCOUNTING STANDARD 16 (CAS 16) issued by the Council of The
Institute of Cost Accountants of India on DEPRECIATION AND AMORTISATION. In this
Standard, the standard portions have been set in bold italic type. This standard should be read
in the context of the background material which has been set in normal type.
1. Introduction
This standard deals with the principles and methods of measurement and assignment of
Depreciation and Amortisation for determination of the cost of product or service, and the
presentation and disclosure in cost statements.
2. Objective
The objective of this standard is to bring uniformity and consistency in the principles and
methods of determining the Depreciation and Amortisation with reasonable accuracy.
3. Scope
This standard shall be applied to cost statements which require measurement, assignment,
presentation and disclosure of Depreciation and Amortisation, including those requiring
attestation.
4. Definitions
The following terms are being used in this standard with the meaning specified:4.1 Amortisation: Amortisation is the systematic allocation of the depreciable amount of an
intangible asset over its useful life.
It refers to expensing the acquisition cost minus the residual value of intangible assets
such as Franchise, Patents and Trademarks or Copyrights in a systematic manner over
their estimated useful economic life so as to reflect their consumption in the production
of goods and services.
4.2

Asset: The terms Asset, Fixed Asset and Intangible Asset will have the same meaning as
in the Accounting Standards notified by the Central Government under the Companies
(Accounting Standards) Rules, 2006.
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An asset is a resource controlled by the enterprise as a result of past events from which
future economic benefits are expected to flow to the enterprise. In case of some assets
which are acquired for safety or environmental reasons, the acquisition of such assets
may not provide future economic benefits directly but may be necessary for an entity to
obtain the future economic benefits from other assets. Such items also qualify for
recognition as assets.
4.3

Cost Object: This includes a product, service, cost centre, activity, sub-activity, project,
contract, customer or distribution channel or any other unit in relation to which costs
are ascertained.

4.4

Depreciation: Depreciation is a measure of the wearing out, consumption or other loss

of value of a depreciable asset arising from use, efflux of time or obsolescence through
technology and market changes. Depreciation is allocated so as to charge a fair
proportion of the depreciable amount in each accounting period during the estimated
useful life of the asset.

4.5

Depreciable amount of a depreciable asset is its historical cost, or other amount

substituted for historical cost in the financial statements, less the estimated residual
value.

4.6

Depreciable fixed and Intangible assets are assets which:

(i) are expected to be used during more than one accounting period;
(ii) have a limited useful life; and
(iii) are held by an enterprise for use in the production or supply of goods and services,
for rental to others, or for administrative purposes and not for the purpose of sale in the
ordinary course of business.
Land is not a depreciable asset as it does not have a defined useful life.

4.7

Residual (salvage) value: Residual value is the amount which an enterprise expects to
obtain for an asset at the end of its useful life after deducting the expected costs of
disposal.

4.8

Useful life of asset is either

(i)

the period over which a depreciable asset is expected to be used by the enterprise; or
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(ii)

the number of production or similar units expected to be obtained from the use of the
asset by the entity

5. Principles of Measurement
5.1

Depreciation and Amortisation shall be measured based on the depreciable amount and
the useful life.
The residual value of an intangible asset shall be assumed to be zero unless:
(a) there is a commitment by a third party to purchase the asset at the end of its useful
life; or
(b) there is an active market for the asset and:
I. residual value can be determined by reference to that market; and
II.
it is probable that such a market will exist at the end of the assets useful life.
III.
The residual value of a fixed asset shall be considered as zero if the entity is
unable to estimate the same with reasonable accuracy.
The minimum amount of depreciation to be provided shall not be less than the amount
calculated as per principles and methods as prescribed by any law or regulations
applicable to the entity and followed by it.

5.2

In case of regulated industry the amount of depreciation shall be the same as prescribed
by the concerned regulator.

5.3

While estimating the useful life of a depreciable asset, consideration shall be given to
the following factors:
(a) Expected physical wear and tear;
(b) Obsolescence; and
(c) Legal or other limits on the use of the asset.

5.4

The useful life of an intangible asset that arises from contractual or other legal rights
shall not exceed the period of the contractual or other legal rights, but may be shorter
depending on the period over which the entity expects to use the asset.
If the contractual or other legal rights are conveyed for a limited term that can be
renewed, the useful life of the intangible asset shall include the renewal period(s) only if
there is evidence to support renewal by the entity without significant cost. The useful life
of a re-acquired right recognised as an intangible asset in a business combination is the
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remaining contractual period of the contract in which the right was granted and shall not
include renewal periods.
The useful life of an intangible asset, in any situation, shall not exceed 10 years from the
date it is available for use.
5.5

Depreciation shall be considered from the time when a depreciable asset is first put into
use.
An asset which is used only when the need arises but is always held ready for use.
Example: fire extinguisher, stand by generator, safety equipment shall be considered to
be an asset in use. Depreciable assets will be considered to be put into use when
commercial production of goods and services commences.
Depreciation on an asset which is temporarily retired from production of goods and
services shall be considered as abnormal cost for the period when the asset is not in use.

5.6

Depreciation of any addition or extension to an existing depreciable asset which

becomes an integral part of that asset shall be based on the remaining useful life of that
asset.

5.7

Depreciation of any addition or extension to an existing depreciable asset which retains

a separate identity and is capable of being used after the expiry of the useful life of that
asset shall be based on the estimated useful life of that addition or extension.

5.8

The impact of higher depreciation due to revaluation of assets shall not be assigned to
cost object.

5.9

Impairment loss on assets shall be excluded from cost of production.

5.10 The method of depreciation used shall reflect the pattern in which the assets future
economic benefits are expected to be consumed by the entity.
5.11 An entity can use any of the methods of depreciation to assign depreciable amount of
an asset on a systematic basis over its useful life.
For example:
a)
Straight-line method;
b)
Diminishing balance method; and
c)
Units of production method.
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5.12 The method of amortisation of intangible asset shall reflect the pattern in which the
economic benefits accrue to entity.
5.13 The methods and rates of depreciation applied shall be reviewed at least annually and,
if there has been a change in the expected pattern of consumption or loss of future
economic benefits, the method applied shall be changed to reflect the changed pattern.
5.14 Spares purchased specifically for a particular asset, or class of assets, and which would
become redundant if that asset or class of asset was retired or use of that asset was
discontinued, shall form part of that asset. The depreciable amount of such spares shall
be allocated over the useful life of the asset.
5.15 Cost of small assets shall be written off in the period in which they were purchased as per
the accounting policy of the entity.
5.16 Depreciation of an asset shall not be considered in case cumulative depreciation exceeds
the original cost of the asset, net of residual value.
5.17 Where depreciation for an addition of an asset is measured on the basis of the number
of days for which the asset was used for the preparation and presentation of financial
statements, depreciation of the asset for assigning to cost of object shall be measured in
relation to the period, the asset actually utilized.
6.

Assignment of Costs

6.1

Depreciation and Amortisation shall be traced to the cost object to the extent
economically feasible.

6.2

Where the depreciation and Amortisation is not directly traceable to cost object, it shall
be assigned based on either of the following two principles:
i.
Cause and effect - cause is a process or operation or activity and effect is the
incurrence of cost.
ii.
Benefits received depreciation and Amortisation is to be apportioned to the
various cost objects in proportion to the benefits received by them.

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7. Presentation
Depreciation and Amortisation, if material, shall be presented in the cost statement as a
separate item of cost.
8. Disclosures
8.1

The cost statement shall disclose the following:1. The basis of distribution of Depreciation and Amortisation to the cost objects.
2. Any credits / recoveries relating to Depreciation and Amortisation.
3. Additional Depreciation on account of revaluation of asset, which is not included
in cost.
4. Amount of depreciation that is not included in cost because of temporary
retirement of assets from production of goods and services.

8.2

Disclosure shall be made only where material, significant and quantifiable.

8.3

Disclosures shall be made in the body of the cost statement or as a foot note or in a
separate schedule.

8.4

Any change in the cost accounting principles and methods applied for the measurement
and assignment of Depreciation and Amortisation during the period covered by the cost
statement which has a material effect on Depreciation and Amortisation shall be
disclosed. Where the effect of such change is not ascertainable wholly or partly, the fact
shall be indicated.
Effective date:
This Cost Accounting Standard shall be effective from the period commencing on or after
1st April 2014 for being applied for the preparation and certification of General Purpose
Cost Accounting Statements

9.

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