The IFRS Interpretations Committee has issued draft updates to its agenda decisions for IFRS 18, Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements. The updates address how certain taxes and government charges should be presented, particularly which payments qualify as income taxes.

Why Does This Matter?

Financial statements affect investors, lenders and banks, business partners, regulators and employees. If taxes are presented incorrectly, reported profits may appear higher or lower than they are, comparisons between companies may be misleading, and confidence in financial information may be weakened.

The clarification is intended to support fairness, transparency and clarity in financial reporting.

What Prompted the Update?

IFRS 18 changes how profit or loss information is presented. As a result, earlier guidance referring to IAS 1 needs to be updated, and the Committee reviewed its previous agenda decisions to ensure they remain appropriate.

Rather than finalising earlier updates, the Committee decided to make further refinements to two specific topics.

Payments That Are Not Income Taxes

Some payments may appear to be taxes but do not qualify as income taxes. Examples include production-based royalties and government charges specific to certain sectors.

The key point is that a payment qualifies as an income tax only if it is based on profit. The way it is paid, who receives it, and whether it reduces the income tax payable do not change its nature. For example, a royalty payment does not become an income tax simply because it reduces a company’s income tax payable.

These payments should be treated as ordinary business expenses, rather than as income tax expense.

Tonnage Taxes in the Shipping Industry

Some shipping companies pay taxes based on the size or capacity of their ships or the tonnage transported.

These taxes are based on gross capacity rather than actual profit, and are calculated using a notional amount rather than actual income and expenses. Accordingly, they do not qualify as income taxes under the accounting requirements.

Tonnage taxes should not be presented as income tax expense. Companies may present them separately if doing so helps users understand their performance.

Does This Create New Rules?

No. The Committee concluded that the existing accounting requirements already provide a clear answer. No new interpretation or standard-setting project is required.

The updates clarify the existing requirements; they do not change the law or accounting principles.

Invitation to Comment

Interested parties may submit feedback to the Malaysian Accounting Standards Board (MASB) by 16 January 2026.

Feedback is particularly useful when it includes clear reasoning, practical alternatives and real-world experience.

Key Takeaways

• Not every payment called a “tax” qualifies as an income tax.

• Income tax is based on profit, not volume, capacity or production.

• Clear classification helps prevent confusion and misleading presentations of profit.

• Transparency supports trust in financial reporting.

IFRS 18：区分所得税与其他政府收费

国际财务报告解释委员会发布了关于IFRS 18议程决定更新的草案，涉及《国际财务报告准则第18号——财务报表的列报与披露》（IFRS 18）。更新内容讨论了特定税费及政府收费应如何列报，尤其是哪些款项符合所得税的定义。

这项议题为何重要？

财务报表会影响投资者、贷款方与银行、商业伙伴、监管机构以及员工。如果税费列报不当，报告利润可能被高估或低估，企业之间的比较可能产生误导，财务信息的可信度也可能受到影响。

这项澄清旨在促进财务报告的公平性、透明度与清晰度。

更新的背景

IFRS 18改变了损益信息的列报方式。因此，先前提及IAS 1的指引需要相应更新，委员会也复核了过往的议程决定，以确保其仍然适用。

委员会没有直接完成先前的更新，而是决定进一步完善两个具体议题。

不属于所得税的款项

部分款项看似税款，但并不属于所得税，例如基于产量计算的特许权使用费，以及特定行业的政府收费。

关键在于，只有以利润为基础计算的款项才属于所得税。款项的支付方式、收款方是谁，以及该款项是否会减少应缴所得税，都不会改变其性质。例如，特许权使用费即使降低了企业应缴的所得税，也不会因此成为所得税。

此类款项应作为一般业务费用处理，而非所得税费用。

航运业的吨位税

部分航运公司根据船舶的大小或运载能力，或运输货物的吨位缴税。

这类税费以总运载能力为基础，而非以实际利润为基础；其计算采用名义金额，而非实际收入与费用。因此，根据会计要求，吨位税不属于所得税。

吨位税不应列示为所得税费用。如果有助于使用者理解企业的业绩，企业可以将其单独列示。

这是否创设了新的规则？

否。委员会认为，现有会计要求已经提供明确指引，无需新增解释或启动新的准则制定项目。

此次更新是对现有要求的澄清，并不改变法律或会计原则。

征求意见

相关方可于2026年1月16日前向马来西亚会计准则委员会（MASB）提交反馈意见。

清晰的论证、实用的替代方案以及实际应用经验，都有助于提供有价值的反馈。

核心要点

• 并非所有被称为“税款”的支付都属于所得税。

• 所得税以利润为基础，而非以交易量、产能或产量为基础。

• 明确分类有助于避免混淆和误导性的利润呈现。

• 透明度有助于维护财务报告的可信度。