Despegar.com, Corp.
Notes to the Interim Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
(in thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share data in U.S. dollars)
(Unaudited)
measures. The Act broadly provided tax payment relief and significant business incentives and made certain technical corrections to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“the Act”). The tax relief measures for businesses included, among other things, a five-year net operating loss carryback, changes in the deductibility of interest, acceleration of alternative minimum tax credit refunds, payroll tax relief, and a technical correction to allow accelerated deductions for qualified improvement property.
Under the Act, net operating loss (“NOL”) deductions arising in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, can offset only up to 80% of future taxable income. The Act also prohibits NOL carrybacks for NOLs arising in tax years ending after December 31, 2017 but allows indefinite carryforwards.
On the contrary, the CARES Act provides that NOLs arising in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, and ending before January 1, 2021, may be carried back for five years. Generally, any NOL carried back must be carried back to the earliest applicable tax year. Further, the 80% limitation enacted under the Act is temporarily suspended for tax years beginning before 2021 and will be reinstated beginning in 2021. Under these conditions, NOLs arising in 2018, 2019 or 2020 could be carried back to years before 2018, in order to maximize the potential cash refund associated with carryback claims.
Thus, we could be allowed to apply for this benefit and the current NOLs could be carried back to compensate potential claims of the Internal Revenue Service (“the IRS”). We continue to assess the effect of the CARES Act and ongoing government guidance related to COVID-19 that may be issued.
Argentina
Knowledge-based economy Law
On June 10, 2019, the Argentine government enacted Law No. 27,506 (knowledge-based economy promotional regime), which established a regime that provided certain tax benefits for companies that derived at least 70% of their revenues from certain specified activities related to the knowledge-based economy.
In particular, the Law promoted many activities, among others: software, computer and digital services; audiovisual production and post-production; biotechnology, neurotechnology and genetic engineering; geological and prospecting services and others related with electronic and communications; professional services as long as they are exported; nanotechnology and nanoscience; aerospace and satellite industry; nuclear industrial engineering; artificial intelligence, robotic and industrial internet, the internet of things, augmented and virtual reality.
Furthermore, Law No. 27,506 allowed companies benefiting from the software development law, to apply for tax benefits under Law No. 27,506, which would be effective from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2029. The above-mentioned regime was suspended on January 20, 2020 through a resolution issued by Argentina’s Ministry of Productive Development until new rules for the application of the knowledge-based economy promotional regime were issued.
On June 25, 2020, Congress passed changes to the knowledge-based economy promotional regime. The Senate then proposed further amendments, which were finally approved by Congress on October 7, 2020. The approved regime is effective as from January 1, 2020 until December 31, 2029. Further regulations related to the application of the regime are expected to be released.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
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