Dataline: Indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment -- FASB issues guidance that simplifies impairment test and allows early adoption (No. 2012-08)

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The FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2012-02, Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment

(the revised standard), on July 27, 2012. The revised standard is intended to reduce the cost and complexity of testing indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill for impairment by providing entities with an option to perform a "qualitative" assessment to determine whether further impairment testing is necessary. The approach is similar to the guidance finalized last year for goodwill impairment testing.

The revised standard is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012. However, an entity can choose to early adopt the revised standard even if its annual or interim impairment test date is before July 27, 2012 (the date on which the revised standard was issued), provided that its financial statements for the most recent annual or interim period have not yet been issued.

This Dataline looks at the key provisions of the revised standard and offers our observations.