Goodwill is carried as an asset and evaluated for impairment at least once a year. Until 2001, goodwill was an amortization expense for a period of up to 40 years.Many companies used the 40-year maximum to neutralize the periodic earnings effect and report supplementary cash earnings that they then added to net income.n accounting, goodwill is accrued when an entity pays more for an asset than its fair value based on the company’s brand, client base or other factors. Corporations use the purchase method of accounting, which does not allow for automatic amortization of goodwill.