FR – L2 – Q39 – Leases

The following information relates to the financial statements of Bela Limited for the year to 31 March 20X4.

On 1 October 20X3, Bela Limited entered into a 5 year lease for a machine from Narbona, agreeing to make payments every 6 months of GH¢29,500 beginning on the 1 October 20X3.

The present value of future lease payments at the commencement of the lease and before any payments are made is GH¢250,000 and the machine is believed to have a useful life of 5 years. The six-month interest rate implicit in the lease is 3.9%.

Required

Explain the correct accounting treatment for the above (with calculations where appropriate).

A right-of-use asset and lease liability should be recognised at the commencement of the lease in the amount of GH¢250,000.
The right-of-use asset should be recognised as a non-current asset and depreciated over the 5 year lease period/useful life.
By 31st March 20X4, the carrying amount of the right-of-use asset will be GH¢225,000, being the cost of GH¢250,000 less 6 months depreciation.
The lease payments are in advance so the lease liability would be immediately reduced after initial recognition by GH¢29,500. During the 6 months up to the year-end finance costs will be recognised to increase the lease liability.
The finance costs on the lease of GH¢45,000 (Being total payments of (10 × GH¢29,500) – cash price GH¢250,000) will be spread over the lease term using the interest rate implicit in the lease.
Therefore, the finance cost relating to the first 6 months through to 31st March 20X4 is GH¢8,600 (3.9% × (GH¢250,000 – GH¢29,500)).
This will result in a movement on the lease liability as follows:

6 months to Brought forward Payment (in advance) Net balance at start Finance cost Carried forward
31/03/20X4 250,000 (29,500) 220,500 8,600 229,100
30/09/20X4 229,100 (29,500) 199,600 7,784 207,384
31/03/20X5 207,384 (29,500) 177,884 6,937 184,821
30/09/20X5 184,821 (29,500) 155,321 6,058 161,379

The year-end liability of GH¢229,100 will be split between current liabilities GH¢51,216 (29,500 + (29,500 – 7,784)), and the balance of GH¢178,500 as non-current liabilities.