Firm 1 has a deferred tax liability and Firm 2 has a deferred tax asset. With respect to the taxes payable for each firm when these deferred tax items reverse, a decrease in the firms’ tax rates will lead to:
When the expected tax rate decreases, income will be taxed at a lower rate when a DTL reverses, resulting in lower (cash) taxes payable for Firm 1. In contrast, expenses that will be tax deductible when the DTA reverses will provide less of a benefit when the tax rate is lower, resulting in higher taxes payable for Firm 2.
