Question

If an intangible asset has a legal life of eight years but contractually the usefulness is limited to six years, a company will amortize the cost over:
Six years.
Seven years.
Eight years.
Either six or eight years is allowed.

Answer 1

Answer:

The company will amortize the cost over 6 years.

Explanation:

Intangible assets which have a useful life that is either indefinite or identifiable.

The assets having identifiable useful lives, are amortized on the basis or method of straight-line over the legal or the economic life, which ever is short.

The assets having indefinite useful lives are assessed every year for the impairment. And the impairment losses need to evaluated by deducting the market value of the asset from the carrying value.

So, in this case, the asset has legal life of 8 years and on contract is 6 years, the company will amortize the asset over the 6 years as the intangible asset have identifiable useful lives, therefore, need to amortized over legal or economic life, which ever is shorter.

Hence, legal is 8 years and economic life is 6 years, so the short is 6 years.