Tax provision includes which components?

• A. Current taxes only
• B. Current and deferred taxes
• C. Only deferred taxes
• D. Credits and deductions

Answer: (B)

The tax provision reflects the tax effects of the period’s results and includes two parts: current taxes payable for the period and any deferred taxes arising from timing differences between accounting income and tax bases. Current tax expense is based on the taxable income for the year using enacted tax rates and represents what is owed to tax authorities now. Deferred tax arises because some items are recognized in one period for accounting purposes but in another for tax purposes, creating future tax consequences that show up as deferred tax assets or liabilities. Credits and deductions are tools that reduce taxable income (and thus current tax), but they are not standalone components of the tax provision itself. They influence the amount recognized, not the structure of the provision. So the correct understanding is that the tax provision comprises both current and deferred taxes.