skattekostnad

Skattekostnad is a term used in Norwegian accounting to describe the tax expense recognized in a company's income statement for a given period. It represents the portion of the company’s profit that is payable to tax authorities and is typically shown as a single line item, sometimes broken down into current tax and changes in deferred tax.

The tax expense comprises two main components. Current tax is the amount payable for the period based on the taxable profit calculated under applicable tax laws, after considering tax credits, losses carried forward, and other adjustments. Deferred tax arises from temporary differences between the accounting value of assets and liabilities and their tax bases. This includes differences in depreciation methods, revenue recognition, provisions, and other timing effects. Deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect the expected future tax consequences of these differences and are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply when the differences reverse.

Skattekostnad is determined under the applicable accounting framework (such as IFRS or national standards) and affects the reported net profit for the period. It is possible for the cash tax paid to differ from the skattekostnad due to timing differences or changes in tax estimates. In notes to the financial statements, companies may provide a reconciliation between the effective tax rate and the statutory tax rate, as well as details on current and deferred tax amounts.

In practice, skattekostnad helps users assess a company’s tax burden and the impact of tax planning, tax rate changes, and temporary differences on profitability.