An adjustment for the portion of income tax expense that is recognized on the income statement but not paid in the current period due to timing differences.
In the short run, the market is a voting machine. In the long run, it is a weighing machine.
Deferred income tax refers to a tax expense or benefit that arises from temporary timing differences between financial accounting and tax accounting. In other words, it’s the portion of income tax that is recognized on the income statement but is not paid or due in the current period under tax laws. This difference occurs because certain revenues or expenses are recognized in different periods for book accounting versus tax filings. The deferred portion is recorded on the balance sheet as either a deferred tax liability or a deferred tax asset.
Liabilities vs. Assets: Future Obligations or Benefits?
Deferred taxes can take two forms, depending on the nature of the timing difference:
- Deferred Tax Liability (DTL): This represents a future tax obligation. A DTL arises when a company’s taxable income is temporarily lower than its accounting income (e.g., by using accelerated depreciation for tax purposes). The company pays less tax now but will have to pay more in the future.
- Deferred Tax Asset (DTA): This represents a future tax benefit. A DTA arises when a company’s taxable income is temporarily higher than its accounting income (e.g., an expense is recognized for books now but is only deductible for tax later). The company effectively prepays tax and will receive a benefit later.
The Cash Flow Statement Treatment
Deferred income tax is a non-cash item. The expense or benefit on the income statement does not reflect a cash transaction in the current period. Therefore, on the cash flow statement (indirect method), it appears as an adjustment in the Operating Activities section to reconcile net income to actual cash flow.
The Rule for Adjustments
“In the short run, the market is a voting machine. In the long run, it is a weighing machine.”
— Benjamin Graham, Author, The Intelligent Investor Security Analysis (1934)
The ‘Why’: Reconciling Accrual Profit to Cash Reality
The purpose of this adjustment is to bridge the gap between the accrual-based tax expense on the income statement and the actual cash taxes paid to the government. Net income includes the total tax expense, both current and deferred. The cash flow statement adjustment for deferred income tax effectively removes the non-cash portion, ensuring that operating cash flow is only reduced by the amount of cash that actually left the business to pay taxes during the period.
Without this adjustment, net income would either understate or overstate the true cash generated from operations. The deferred income tax line acts as a correcting item to align accounting profit with the company’s cash reality.
Real-World Examples in Financial Statements
Example: General Motors
In its 2013 cash flow statement, GM listed a ‘Provision for deferred taxes’ of (35,561) million. This large negative amount was subtracted from net income, as it was a non-cash tax benefit that had inflated reported profits.
Example: Travel + Leisure Co. (Q1 2025)
Travel + Leisure reported a ‘Deferred income taxes’ adjustment of $22 million. This positive number was added back to net income, indicating a non-cash tax expense that had reduced profit but not cash.
Example: Fiserv, Inc. (Q1 2025)
Fiserv showed a ‘Deferred income taxes’ adjustment of $(37) million. The parentheses signify a subtraction from net income. This implies Fiserv recognized a non-cash tax benefit that increased its net income, so it had to be removed to calculate the actual cash flow.