IMPORTANCE OF DEFERRED INCOME TAX IN INSURANCE COMPANIES: CASE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Insurance companies in the Republic of Serbia (RS) are required to report deferred income tax in accordance with the International Accounting Standards (IAS) 12 – Income Taxes. They recognize deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities on the balance sheet or deferred tax expenses and deferred tax income on the income statement. This paper examines the materiality of the deferred income tax in Serbian insurance companies, as well as its impact on assessing profi tability and corporate income tax burden. The research conducted from 2017 to 2020 covered 16 insurance companies, and has shown that the eff ective tax rates in an average Serbian insurance company are lower than the prescribed rate of income tax. The research results have shown that typically, deferred tax does not materially represent a signifi cant item in a statement of fi nancial position of insurance companies. In addition, when assessing profi tability and corporate income tax burden of insurance companies, deferred income tax is not a signifi cant item on a balance sheet.

Keywords: income tax, deferred tax, IAS 12, materiality, profi tability, insurance.

JEL classification: G22, H25, M41.