In accordance with AASB 9, the decision to provide a loan at no interest represents income foregone by the lender. The income foregone (or financial loss) should be recognised at the time of the decision to make the loan rather than over the life of the loan. Therefore the accounting standard requires that the loss be recognised at the time that the loan is made. After initial recognition, the loan should be treated consistent with a commercial loan (as represented by the recognition of interest revenue over the remaining life of the loan).

In accounting terms, AASB 9 requires that:

1. Financial assets issued at less than a market interest rate are required to be discounted to their fair value, with the difference between the issue price and the fair value (i.e. the financial loss for interest foregone) being recognised as a loss in the statement of comprehensive income and as a reduction in the value of the loan receivable; and
2. Over the life of the loan, a notional interest income is recognised as interest revenue in the statement of comprehensive income and an increase in the loan receivable.