Subsequent measurement

ASC 205-30 tells an entity when it must abandon going-concern accounting and switch to the liquidation basis, how to measure assets and liabilities under that basis, and what to disclose. The trigger is that liquidation is "imminent" (205-30-25-1 and 25-2), unless the liquidation follows a plan specified in the entity's governing documents at inception. Under the liquidation basis, assets are measured at the estimated cash or other consideration expected to be collected, previously unrecognized items such as trademarks are recognized, expected disposal costs and income/expenses through the end of liquidation are accrued (undiscounted), and the entity presents a statement of net assets in liquidation and a statement of changes in net assets in liquidation.

This Subtopic tells time-share sellers how to account for a change in the delineation of a time-share project or its phases. If the change results from a significant change in facts and circumstances about the project's development (e.g., major sales price or discount revisions, construction cost or inflation changes, temporary construction delays, design changes, or a shift toward more luxury units), it is a change in accounting estimate under Subtopic 250-10, recorded as a current-period adjustment per 978-330-35-1. If there is no such change in facts and circumstances, the change is a change in the method of applying an accounting principle under Subtopic 250-10.

ASC 255-10 governs supplementary disclosure of the effects of changing prices (inflation) on financial statements. Business entities reporting in U.S. dollars under GAAP are *encouraged but not required* to disclose a five-year summary of current cost-constant purchasing power data — including income from continuing operations on a current cost basis, purchasing power gain or loss on net monetary items, and the inflation-adjusted change in the current cost of inventory and PP&E. The Subtopic also supplies the measurement rules for current cost and lower recoverable amount, the CPI-U restatement mechanics, the translate-restate vs. restate-translate methods for foreign functional currency operations, and guidance on classifying balance sheet items as monetary or nonmonetary.

ASC 274-10 governs personal financial statements prepared for an individual, a married couple, or a family. The core rule is that assets are presented at their estimated current values and liabilities at their estimated current amounts on the accrual basis (274-10-25-1; 274-10-35-1), with a provision for estimated income taxes on the difference between those amounts and the related tax bases (274-10-35-15). The required statement is a statement of financial condition ending in net worth; a statement of changes in net worth and comparative statements are optional (274-10-45-4, 45-5).

ASC 310-10 is the Overall subtopic for receivables, providing general guidance on recognizing, measuring, presenting, and disclosing loans and trade receivables (including factoring, loan syndications, standby commitments to purchase loans, purchased credit card portfolios, and secured loans), plus a separate set of Subsections on acquisition, development, and construction (ADC) arrangements. Receivables held for the foreseeable future are carried at amortized cost basis (with credit losses under Topic 326), while nonmortgage loans held for sale are carried at the lower of amortized cost basis or fair value through a valuation allowance. The ADC Subsections tell a lender whether an arrangement in which it participates in expected residual profit is a loan, a real estate investment, or a real estate joint venture; most of the old impairment/TDR guidance in this subtopic was superseded by ASU 2016-13 and ASU 2022-02, leaving modification disclosures behind.

ASC 310-20 governs how lenders and loan purchasers account for nonrefundable fees, origination costs, commitment fees, syndication fees, credit card fees, and purchase premiums/discounts. The core rule is that loan origination fees and direct loan origination costs are deferred, offset, and recognized only as a net amount over the life of the loan as a yield (interest income) adjustment using the interest method; all other lending-related costs (advertising, solicitation, servicing, unsuccessful efforts, occupancy, equipment) are expensed as incurred. It also prescribes when a refinancing/restructuring is treated as a new loan versus a carryover of unamortized net fees and costs.

ASC 310-30 formerly governed loans and debt securities acquired with evidence of deteriorated credit quality (so-called purchased credit-impaired assets), where it was probable at acquisition that the investor would not collect all contractually required payments receivable; it required accreting the excess of expected cash flows over the initial investment into interest income as accretable yield and prohibited carrying over or creating a valuation allowance at acquisition. Every substantive paragraph of this subtopic has been superseded by Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13 (CECL). Purchased financial assets with credit deterioration are now accounted for under Subtopics 326-20 and 326-30.

ASC 310-905 provides industry-specific guidance on receivables (loans, notes, and others) for agricultural entities, with dedicated Cooperatives—Patrons Subsections for patrons of agricultural cooperatives. Its core rules govern when a patron recognizes a patronage refund receivable and how a patron's unbilled receivable from products delivered to a cooperative is subsequently measured. Scope follows ASC 905-10-15.

This Subtopic gives industry guidance for depository and lending institutions on receivables, principally debt-equity swap programs in which a bank converts U.S.-dollar-denominated loans to financially troubled countries into approved local equity investments. A swap is measured at fair value at the date both parties agree to the transaction, considering both the secondary market price of the loan given up and the fair value of the equity or net assets received; a shortfall against the recorded investment in the loan is a loss charged to the allowance for loan losses. It also addresses nonaccrual loans to troubled countries, when interest may again be recognized as income, and gross presentation of customers' liabilities on acceptances.

ASC 310-944 tells insurance entities how to account for receivables: mortgage loans held as investments, reinsurance recoverables, and premium receivables on financial guarantee insurance contracts. Mortgage loans are recognized as assets at principal (or cost if bought at a discount/premium) and carried at amortized cost with an allowance for expected credit losses under Topic 326-20; reinsurance recoverables must be reported gross as assets (no netting against related liabilities absent a legal right of setoff). For financial guarantee contracts with installment premiums, the premium receivable is measured at the present value of premiums expected to be collected using a risk-free rate at inception, with the discount accreted to earnings.

This Subtopic governs how an investment company presents receivables in its statement of assets and liabilities. Receivables must be listed separately at net realizable value by category — dividends and interest, investment securities sold, capital stock sold, and other accounts receivable (including related-party and affiliate expense-reimbursement receivables and variation margin on open futures contracts). Foreign-currency-denominated receivables are translated into the functional currency at current exchange rates and may be grouped with the corresponding functional currency receivables.

This subtopic governs how mortgage banking entities account for mortgage loans and mortgage-backed securities, including classification as held for sale versus held for long-term investment, related origination fees and costs, and transactions with affiliates. Loans held for sale are carried at the lower of amortized cost basis or fair value through a valuation allowance charged to income, while loans held for long-term investment are carried at amortized cost basis with credit losses measured under Subtopic 326-20. Transfers between classifications require reversal in earnings of any previously recorded allowance and re-measurement under the new classification.

This subtopic governs contributions (promises to give) receivable — a receivable unique to not-for-profit entities — focusing on subsequent measurement, presentation, and disclosure after initial recognition under 958-605. Unconditional promises are recognized as an asset and revenue when received (with verifiable documentation), measured initially under 958-605-30-4 through 30-8, and thereafter either at fair value under the 825-10 fair value option or under the change-in-value rules in Section 35 (interest accretion is contribution revenue; decreases in expected assets are bad debt expense/loss; increases generally are not recognized except as recovery of previously recognized bad debts).

This Subtopic governs receivables in the financial statements of defined contribution pension plans — principally employer/participant contributions receivable and participant loans. Contributions receivable are recognized when supported by a formal commitment or legal/contractual requirement, are shown net of an allowance for estimated uncollectible amounts, and are separately identified. Participant loans are measured at unpaid principal plus accrued but unpaid interest and are reported as notes receivable from participants rather than as investments at fair value.

This Subtopic governs receivables of health and welfare benefit plans, principally contributions receivable from employers and amounts due from insurance entities. Employer contributions are recognized only when supported by a formal commitment (e.g., a governing-body resolution, an established pattern of post-year-end funding, a tax deduction, or the employer's own recorded payable), and contributions receivable must carry an allowance for estimated uncollectible amounts. Deposits with insurance entities or service providers and premium stabilization reserves remain plan assets until applied against premiums or claims, and experience-rating refunds are recorded when probable and reasonably estimable.

This subtopic governs the measurement, derecognition, and disclosure of receivables arising from retail land sales. Its core rule is that an allowance for contract cancellations must be provided for receivables not expected to be collected because of cancellation, estimated from historical collection data drawn from a representative, current sample covering an adequate period (310-976-35-1). Cancelled contract receivable balances are charged in full against that allowance (310-976-40-1), and specified receivable disclosures are required (310-976-50-1).

This Subtopic governs the accounting for notes receivable arising from time-sharing interval sales, which are typically seller-financed recourse promissory notes with 5- to 10-year terms. It requires uncollectibility (of both principal and interest) to be measured on actual collection experience rather than on proceeds from receivable sales or securitizations, and requires an allowance for credit losses estimated each reporting period (at least quarterly) under Subtopic 326-20. It also prescribes specific disclosures about note maturities, interest rates, and allowance activity, including receivables sold with recourse.

ASC 320-10 governs the accounting and reporting for all investments in debt securities (post-ASU 2016-01, equity securities moved to Topic 321). At acquisition an entity must classify each debt security as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity (320-10-25-1) and document that classification (320-10-25-2); trading and AFS securities are carried at fair value (unrealized gains/losses in earnings and OCI, respectively) while HTM securities are carried at amortized cost (320-10-35-1). The Subtopic's core tension is the restrictive "positive intent and ability to hold to maturity" standard, the narrow list of sales/transfers that do not "taint" the HTM portfolio, and the required category disclosures.

This industry Subtopic supplements ASC 320-10 for depository and financial institutions (banks, thrifts, savings banks, credit unions, finance companies, insurance entities), addressing how they measure and disclose investments in debt and equity securities. Its core content is disclosure: securities must be broken out by prescribed major security types and by at least four maturity groupings, collateral pledged must be disclosed, and the accounting policy (including basis for classification) explained. It also confirms that amortization or accretion of debt securities generally runs from the purchase date to maturity, and that bank regulators' general divestiture authority does not by itself defeat held-to-maturity classification.

This Subtopic governs how an investment company (a fund) accounts for its portfolio of debt and equity securities, with special attention to high-yield debt securities such as zero-coupon, step, and payment-in-kind (PIK) bonds. Core rules: record purchases and sales on trade date, initially measure at transaction price including commissions, subsequently measure at fair value, recognize interest on step and PIK bonds using the interest method (with reserves when income is not expected to be realized), and record dividends on the ex-dividend date. It also prescribes the treatment of capital infusions, workout expenditures, and writeoffs of purchased versus accrued interest.

This Subtopic (codified as 958-320) governs how not-for-profit entities account for investments in debt securities and sets disclosure rules for most NFP investments. The core rule is simple and different from the business-entity model: all debt securities held by an NFP are carried at fair value in the statement of financial position, with no held-to-maturity, trading, or available-for-sale classification. Purchased securities are initially measured at acquisition cost (excluding brokerage and other transaction fees); contributed securities and those received in agency transactions are initially measured at fair value.

ASC 320-965 tells health and welfare benefit plans how to account for their investments in debt and equity securities. Such securities are reported at fair value less costs to sell (if significant) at the financial statement date, and purchases and sales are ordinarily recorded on a trade-date basis. Settlement-date accounting is permitted only if the fair value did not change significantly between trade date and financial statement date and the transactions do not significantly affect the composition of plan assets available for benefits.

ASC 321-10 governs the accounting for investments in equity securities and other ownership interests (partnerships, unincorporated joint ventures, LLCs) that are not consolidated, not accounted for under the equity method, and not derivatives. The default rule is fair value measurement in the balance sheet with all unrealized holding gains and losses (and dividend income) recognized in earnings (321-10-35-1, 35-6). As an alternative, an entity may elect, investment by investment, a "measurement alternative" for an equity security without a readily determinable fair value: cost minus impairment, adjusted up or down for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer (321-10-35-2).

ASC 323-10 governs the equity method of accounting for investments in common stock (and in-substance common stock) of corporate joint ventures and other investees over which the investor can exercise significant influence but does not control. An investment of 20% or more of the voting stock creates a rebuttable presumption of significant influence (323-10-15-8); under the method, the investment is initially recorded at cost (323-10-30-2) and then adjusted for the investor's share of investee earnings/losses, dividends, OCI, intra-entity profit eliminations, and basis-difference amortization, and reported as a single line on both the balance sheet and income statement (323-10-45-1). Losses are recognized only down to zero (plus other investments and committed support), and other-than-temporary declines in value must be recognized (323-10-35-32).

ASC 323-30 extends equity method concepts to investments in unincorporated entities—partnerships, unincorporated joint ventures (undivided interests in ventures), and limited liability companies—that are outside the literal scope of Subtopic 323-10 (which addresses common stock of corporations). Investors generally apply the equity method by analogy when they can exercise significant influence over the investee (323-30-25-1), including the intra-entity profit elimination rules of 323-10-35-7. An LLC that maintains a specific ownership account for each investor is treated like a limited partnership interest in deciding between Topic 321 and the equity method (323-30-35-3).

ASC 323-740 provides standalone guidance on the proportional amortization method for equity investments in flow-through limited liability entities made primarily to receive income tax credits and other income tax benefits (e.g., LIHTC and other tax credit programs). If the conditions in 323-740-25-1 are met and the method is elected on a tax-credit-program-by-tax-credit-program basis (323-740-25-4), the investor amortizes the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the income tax credits and other income tax benefits allocated to it, and reports that amortization within income tax expense (benefit) (323-740-35-2; 323-740-45-2).

This subtopic tells investment companies how (and whether) to apply the equity method of Topic 323. The general rule is that an investment company does not use the equity method for its noncontrolling ownership interests; instead it measures those investments at fair value under Subtopic 946-320. The one exception is an investment in an operating entity that provides services to the investment company (e.g., an investment adviser or transfer agent), which is accounted for under the equity method if it otherwise qualifies.

ASC 323-970 (also cited as 970-323) governs how an investor accounts for interests in real estate ventures—corporate joint ventures, general partnerships, limited partnerships, and undivided interests. The general rule is one-line equity method presentation for noncontrolling investors (pro rata consolidation is prohibited except under 810-10-45-14), consolidation principles if the investor controls the venture, and Topic 321 if the interest is so minor that the investor has virtually no influence. It also prescribes initial measurement of contributed cash or real estate (via Subtopic 610-20 / 360-10-40-3A through 40-3C), elimination of intra-entity profit, and rules for recognizing losses in excess of the investment.

This Subtopic tells a REIT how to account for its investment in a "service corporation" — an affiliated entity, typically holding non-qualifying REIT activities, whose voting stock is largely held by others. Even without a voting majority, listed factors (activities performed primarily for the REIT, economic benefits flowing to the REIT, common board members/officers, nominal outside equity, management influence, access to financial information) indicate the REIT has at least significant influence, requiring the equity method or consolidation based on facts and circumstances (323-974-25-1). Service corporations that are variable interest entities are excluded and are instead evaluated under the VIE Subsections of Section 810-10.

ASC 325-10 is the Overall subtopic of Investments—Other, the residual investments Topic in the Codification. It mainly serves as a roadmap: it explains that investment accounting is split across Topics 320 (debt securities), 321 (equity securities), 323 (equity method and joint ventures), and 325 (other investments), and it lists the Subtopics within Topic 325 — Overall, Investments in Insurance Contracts (325-30), and Beneficial Interests in Securitized Financial Assets (325-40). It contains no substantive recognition or measurement guidance of its own.

ASC 325-20 formerly governed the cost method of accounting for equity securities without a readily determinable fair value (cost-method investments), including their initial measurement, impairment assessment, and disclosure. Every substantive paragraph in the subtopic was superseded by ASU 2016-01, so the subtopic is now an empty shell with no operative guidance. Equity investments previously accounted for under the cost method are now within the scope of ASC 321, Investments—Equity Securities.

ASC 325-30 governs investments in life insurance contracts held by entities that are the owner or beneficiary (e.g., corporate-owned or bank-owned life insurance), and, in separate Subsections, investments in life settlement contracts purchased from policy owners. The general rule is that a life insurance policy is reported as an asset measured at "the amount that could be realized under the insurance contract" at the balance sheet date, determined policy-by-policy (or certificate-by-certificate) and reflecting probable contractual limitations. For life settlement contracts, an investor makes an irrevocable, instrument-by-instrument election between the investment method (cost plus capitalized premiums and direct external costs, subject to impairment) and the fair value method (remeasured each period through earnings).

ASC 325-40 governs how a holder recognizes interest income on beneficial interests in securitized financial assets — both a transferor's retained interests in securitizations accounted for as sales under Topic 860 and purchased beneficial interests. The holder measures accretable yield at acquisition as the excess of cash flows expected to be collected (or contractual cash flows, for PCD beneficial interests) over the initial investment (or initial amortized cost basis), and accretes it into interest income using the effective yield method. Expected cash flows must be updated each period; favorable or adverse changes are run first through the credit loss guidance in Topic 326, with any residual change adjusting accretable yield prospectively.

ASC 325-905 governs how agricultural cooperatives account for investments in other cooperatives and how patrons (members) account for their investments in a cooperative. The core rule is that these nonmarketable long-term investments are carried at cost — including allocated equities and per-unit retains recorded at face value — rather than as equity securities, with the equity method of ASC 323-10 applied only in the infrequent case where the investor's share of the investee cooperative's unallocated retained earnings is material. Carrying amounts must be written down when the patron cannot recover full carrying value, and undistributed retains are classified as noncurrent.

This subtopic tells broker-dealers in securities how to account for equity investments or financing they provide to another entity as part of a financial-restructuring transaction, including investments made through a "bridge entity" formed to pool funds from several sources. Such investments (and related receivables and debt and equity securities) are measured initially at fair value (325-940-30-1) and subsequently at fair value (325-940-35-1). Consolidation of majority-owned investees is addressed by the broker-dealer consolidation guidance in 940-810-45-1.

This Subtopic gives depository and lending institutions the recognition and measurement rules for four narrow items: Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and Federal Reserve Bank stock, National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) deposits and premiums, regular-way securities trades, and exchange memberships. FHLB/Federal Reserve Bank stock is a restricted investment security carried at cost (no readily determinable fair value; redeemable only at $100 par) and tested for impairment based on ultimate recoverability of par, not temporary declines. NCUSIF deposits are assets only so long as they are fully refundable, and regular-way purchases and sales are recorded on the trade date.

This subtopic tells an investment company how to account for its "other investments" (investments other than debt and equity securities). Such investments are initially measured at transaction price, including commissions and other charges that are part of the purchase transaction, and are subsequently measured at fair value. Its scope mirrors the investment company Overall Subtopic scope in Section 946-10-15.

This Subtopic governs how health care entities (within the scope of Topic 954) account for investments that are NOT financial instruments — for example, investment real estate or certain oil and gas interests. Such investments are reported at amortized cost and tested for impairment under the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets Subsections of Subtopic 360-10. Property held for investment purposes is presented within investments on the balance sheet.

ASC 325-958 governs how not-for-profit entities account for "other investments"—those that are neither debt nor equity securities, derivatives, equity-method or consolidated investees, nor investments held by a financially interrelated entity—such as real estate, non-security mortgage notes, and oil and gas interests. Purchased other investments are initially measured at acquisition cost (including transaction fees) and contributed or agency-acquired ones at fair value. Subsequent measurement depends on the type of NFP: higher education institutions and voluntary health and welfare entities may elect carrying value or fair value, while other NFPs elect fair value or the lower of cost or fair value, applied consistently to all other investments.

ASC 325-960 (paralleling 960-325) governs how a defined benefit pension plan accounts for and reports its investments and insurance contracts. The core rule is that plan investments—equity and debt securities, real estate, and other assets other than insurance contracts—are presented at fair value at the reporting date, with purchases and sales generally recorded on a trade-date basis; insurance contracts are presented the same way as in the plan's ERISA filing (fair value or contract value). Extensive disclosure is required by general type of investment, including the plan's interest in a master trust.

ASC 962-325 governs how a defined contribution pension plan reports its investments and insurance contracts. The core rule is that plan investments (including derivatives) are reported at fair value under Topic 820, with two exceptions: fully benefit-responsive investment contracts are reported at contract value, and insurance contracts as defined in Subtopic 944-20 are presented the same way as in the plan's ERISA Form 5500 filing (fair value or contract value). It also prescribes trade-date recording, presentation of investments by general type, master trust disclosures, and disclosures about benefit-responsive contracts.

ASC 325-965 (parallel to 965-325) governs how health and welfare benefit plans measure, present, and disclose their investments and insurance contracts. The core rule is that plan investments are reported at fair value less costs to sell, if significant, at the financial statement date, except that insurance contracts are presented as reported in the plan's ERISA Form 5500 filing (fair value or contract value) and fully benefit-responsive investment contracts of defined contribution plans are measured at contract value. Presentation is by general type of investment, with specified disclosures for benefit-responsive contracts and for plan interests in master trusts.

ASC 326-20 is the CECL (current expected credit loss) model for financial assets measured at amortized cost, net investments in leases, off-balance-sheet credit exposures, and reinsurance recoverables. At every reporting date an entity records an allowance (a valuation account deducted from amortized cost) equal to management's current estimate of all credit losses expected over the contractual term, based on past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts, with a reversion to historical loss information beyond the forecastable period (326-20-30-1, 30-6, 30-9). Assets are pooled when they share similar risk characteristics and evaluated individually only when they do not (326-20-30-2).

ASC 326-30 governs measurement of credit losses on debt securities classified as available-for-sale (AFS), including loans meeting the definition of debt securities classified as AFS. Unlike the pooled CECL model in 326-20, impairment is assessed at the individual security level: when fair value is below amortized cost, the entity determines how much of the decline is credit-related by comparing the present value of expected cash flows with amortized cost, records that amount as an allowance for credit losses (capped at the amount fair value is below amortized cost), and puts the remaining decline in other comprehensive income. If the entity intends to sell or more likely than not must sell before recovery, the allowance is written off and the security is written down to fair value through earnings.

ASC 330-10 governs the accounting for inventory: inventory is initially measured at cost (all expenditures and charges, direct and indirect, incurred to bring an article to its existing condition and location), with fixed production overhead allocated based on normal capacity and unallocated overhead, abnormal freight, handling, and spoilage expensed as incurred. Cost may be assigned using FIFO, average cost, LIFO, standard cost, or the retail inventory method, chosen to most clearly reflect periodic income and applied consistently. Subsequent measurement is bifurcated: inventory measured under LIFO or the retail inventory method uses lower of cost or market, while all other inventory (FIFO, average cost) uses lower of cost and net realizable value.

ASC 330-905 applies Inventory guidance to the agricultural industry, covering producers (growing crops, developing animals, harvested crops, livestock held for sale, secondary products), pooling cooperatives, and cooperative patrons. Direct and indirect costs of growing crops are accumulated until harvest, with pre-planting costs deferred and post-harvest cultural costs estimated and accrued to the harvested crop. Harvested crops and animals held for sale may be carried at net realizable value if they have a reliable, readily determinable market price, insignificant and predictable disposal costs, and immediate availability for delivery; otherwise Subtopic 330-10 measurement applies.

ASC 330-908 governs inventory accounting for airlines, where "inventory" consists of expendable spare parts, materials, and supplies held for internal consumption rather than sale. Expendable parts are recorded at cost in a current asset account akin to a prepaid expense, carry an allowance for obsolescence tied to the lives of the related fleets, and are charged to expense as used.

This subtopic applies inventory accounting to film production and distribution entities that hold physical products for sale, such as videocassettes and digital video discs. Its core rule is that at each balance sheet date the entity must evaluate these product inventories for net realizable value and obsolescence exposure and record appropriate adjustments (330-926-35-1). Scope follows the Entertainment—Films Overall Subtopic scope in Section 926-10-15.

This Subtopic governs inventory accounting for entities in the oil and gas (extractive activities) industry, borrowing the scope of ASC 932-10-15. Its core rules are prohibitions: energy trading contracts that are not derivatives under Topic 815 may not be subsequently measured at fair value through earnings, and physical inventories may not be measured at fair value unless another Topic permits it. Exchanges (buying and selling inventory with the same counterparty) are directed to ASC 845-10-15-5 through 15-9.

ASC 330-978 governs how time-share sellers measure time-sharing inventory (intervals) and cost of sales. Sellers must use the relative sales value method, applied phase by phase, with common costs (including amenities) allocated among benefited phases, and must recalculate total estimated time-sharing revenue and total costs at least quarterly. Changes in estimate are recorded as current-period adjustments, and rental/other activity during the holding period is treated as incidental operations that reduce the pool of inventory costs.

ASC 340-10 is the Overall subtopic for Other Assets and Deferred Costs, applicable to all entities. Its substantive guidance is limited to (1) describing prepaid expenses — amounts paid in advance (insurance, interest, rents, taxes, unused royalties, prepaid advertising service, operating supplies) that are used up within the normal operating cycle and classified as current assets — and (2) the recognition rules for preproduction design and development costs incurred under long-term supply arrangements. Costs deferred under other regimes (loan origination costs, internal-use software, environmental costs, broker-dealer and industry costs) are addressed by other Topics cross-referenced in Section 60.

ASC 340-20 formerly governed capitalized advertising costs (including direct-response advertising) — when such costs could be recorded as assets, how they were measured, amortized, tested for realizability, presented, and disclosed. Every paragraph in the subtopic (Sections 05, 15, 25, 30, 35, 45, 50, 55, and 60) has been superseded by Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (Revenue from Contracts with Customers). The subtopic therefore contains no operative guidance; advertising costs are now expensed as incurred (or the first time the advertising takes place) under ASC 720-35, and contract-related costs are addressed by ASC 340-40.

ASC 340-30 tells you how to apply the deposit method of accounting to insurance and reinsurance contracts that fail to transfer insurance risk (which requires transfer of both timing risk and underwriting risk). At inception a deposit asset or liability is recognized at consideration paid or received less explicitly identified premiums or fees retained (340-30-25-1; 340-30-30-1). Subsequent measurement depends on which of four risk categories the contract falls into: effective-yield/interest-method accretion for timing-risk-only or no-risk contracts, unexpired-coverage plus present value of expected recoveries for underwriting-risk-only contracts, and the open-year method for indeterminate-risk contracts.

ASC 340-40 governs capitalization, amortization, and impairment of two kinds of contract costs for contracts within the scope of Topic 606: incremental costs of obtaining a contract and costs to fulfill a contract that are not within the scope of another Topic. Incremental costs of obtaining a contract (e.g., sales commissions) are capitalized if the entity expects to recover them (340-40-25-1), while fulfillment costs are capitalized only if they relate directly to an identifiable (or specifically anticipated) contract, generate or enhance resources used to satisfy future performance obligations, and are expected to be recovered (340-40-25-5). Capitalized amounts are amortized consistently with transfer of the related goods or services and tested for impairment, with no reversal of impairment losses.

ASC 340-928 governs when a music entity may capitalize advance royalties paid to artists, the cost of record masters, and minimum guarantees paid in advance by licensees. Capitalization hinges on recoverability: an advance royalty or the record company's share of record master cost is an asset only if the artist's past performance and current popularity provide a sound basis for estimating recovery from future royalties or sales. Capitalized amounts are charged to expense as royalties are earned or amortized over the recorded performance's life in relation to expected net revenue, with immediate write-off of nonrecoverable portions.

ASC 340-940 governs two broker-dealer asset/deferred-cost items: exchange memberships and deferred underwriting expenses. Memberships are classified based on the rights conveyed — as an intangible asset (trading right only), an ownership interest in the exchange (cost less impairment), or a contributed interest (fair value with an equal, offsetting subordinated liability). Underwriting expenses incurred before securities are issued are deferred and recognized when the related underwriting revenues are recorded, or written off if the deal does not close.

This Subtopic governs the accounting for the cost of issuing certain Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) securities by mortgage banking entities. Issuers electing the internal reserve method must capitalize the one month's interest cost required to be paid to a trustee (340-948-25-1), subject to a ceiling equal to the present value of net future servicing income (340-948-30-1). The capitalized amount is then amortized in proportion to, and over the period of, estimated net servicing income (340-948-35-1).

This Subtopic covers "other assets and deferred costs" of health care entities — prepaid expenses, deposits, and deferred expenses, including amounts paid to physicians for future services such as administering a hospital department or providing community services that further the entity's mission (340-954-05-2). If such prepaid costs are deferred, they must be amortized over the period benefited (340-954-35-2), and all such items are classified as current or noncurrent as appropriate (340-954-45-1). The former recognition guidance (Sections 25 and part of 35) was superseded by ASU 2014-09, so contract cost questions now fall under ASC 340-40 and revenue under ASC 606.

ASC 340-970 (the Real Estate Project Costs Subsections) governs when costs of real estate projects may be capitalized, how they are subsequently measured and amortized, and when they must be written off. Preacquisition costs are capitalized only if directly identifiable with a specific property, capitalizable if the property were owned, and acquisition is probable; option payments are always capitalized. Once a project is substantially completed and held available for occupancy, carrying and rental operating costs are expensed, depreciation begins, and capitalized rental costs are amortized.

This subtopic governs when a rate-regulated entity may capitalize incurred costs as regulatory assets (deferred costs) and, in particular, how to account for phase-in plans — rate-making arrangements that defer part of the rate increase caused by placing a newly completed plant in service in order to avoid a "rate spike." A cost is capitalized only if it is probable that future revenue at least equal to the cost will result from including it in allowable costs and that revenue is intended to recover the previously incurred cost rather than fund similar future costs (980-340-25-1). Amounts deferred under a phase-in plan may be capitalized only for plants completed or substantially constructed before January 1, 1988, and only if the plan meets four strict criteria (980-340-25-3).

ASC 350-10 is the Overall subtopic that sets the scope and structure for the Intangibles—Goodwill and Other Topic. It governs the subsequent measurement, presentation, and disclosure of goodwill and other intangible assets (through Subtopics 350-20, 350-30, 350-40, 350-50, and 350-60), but expressly excludes accounting at acquisition for goodwill and intangibles acquired in a business combination, an NFP acquisition, or recognized by a joint venture upon formation. It also directs that derecognition of nonfinancial assets within the Topic follow Subtopic 610-20 or Topic 606, as applicable.

ASC 350-20 governs the accounting for goodwill after its initial recognition (initial recognition/measurement is in 805-30, 805-60, or 958-805) and prohibits capitalizing internally developed goodwill. Under the general model, goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment at least annually at the reporting unit level, with an optional qualitative "more likely than not" screen; if the quantitative test shows the reporting unit's carrying amount exceeds its fair value, a loss is recognized for that excess, capped at the goodwill allocated to the unit. Private companies and not-for-profit entities may elect accounting alternatives to amortize goodwill over 10 years or less and to test only upon a triggering event, and/or to evaluate triggering events only as of the end of each reporting period.

ASC 350-30 governs the accounting for intangible assets other than goodwill — their recognition when acquired individually or in an asset group, the expensing of internally developed intangibles that are not specifically identifiable, and, for all intangibles (including those from a business combination), their subsequent measurement, impairment, presentation, and disclosure. The core rule is that accounting after acquisition turns on useful life: finite-lived intangibles are amortized over their useful life (residual value presumed zero) and tested for impairment under Subtopic 360-10, while indefinite-lived intangibles are not amortized and are tested for impairment at least annually by comparing fair value with carrying amount.

ASC 350-40 governs the accounting for costs of computer software acquired, developed, or modified solely for an entity's internal needs (with no substantive plan to market it externally), and for implementation costs of hosting arrangements that are service contracts. Under current guidance, preliminary project stage costs and training/data conversion costs are expensed, while internal and external direct costs incurred during the application development stage are capitalized (350-40-25-1 through 25-6) once management authorizes and commits funding and completion is probable (350-40-25-12). Capitalized amounts are amortized straight-line beginning when the software is ready for its intended use (350-40-35-4 through 35-6) and tested for impairment under Section 360-10-35.

ASC 350-50 tells you which website development costs get capitalized and which get expensed, organized by five stages: planning, application and infrastructure development, graphics development, content development, and operating. Planning-stage costs, content input costs, data conversion costs, and operating-stage costs are expensed as incurred; website software (including graphics, which are treated as a component of software) is capitalized under ASC 350-40 for internal-use software or ASC 985-20 if a plan exists to market the software externally, and domain registration costs are capitalized under ASC 350-30. The entire Subtopic is superseded by ASU 2025-06 effective for fiscal years beginning after December 16, 2027 (transition guidance in 350-40-65-4).

ASC 350-60 governs the subsequent measurement, presentation, and disclosure of in-scope crypto assets (e.g., bitcoin-type fungible tokens). The core rule is that such assets are measured at fair value on the balance sheet with remeasurement gains and losses recognized in net income (350-60-35-1), replacing the old indefinite-lived intangible impairment-only model. Initial measurement, recognition, and derecognition remain governed by other GAAP (350-60-05-2).

ASC 350-908 tells airlines how to account for purchased take-off and landing slots. Because the Department of Transportation permits airlines to sell or trade slots, a purchased slot is a salable right recorded as an intangible asset under Topic 350 (350-908-25-1). Slots acquired by exchanging slots with another airline are nonmonetary assets measured under Topic 845 and then accounted for under Topic 350 (350-908-35-2).

This Subtopic tells a broadcaster (licensee) how to account for rights acquired under a license agreement for program material: when to recognize the asset and related liability, at what amounts to record them, and how to amortize and test them for impairment. The core rule is that the license is treated as a purchase of a right or group of rights, recognized when the license period begins and three cost/acceptance/availability conditions are met, then amortized based on estimated future showings and carried at the lower of unamortized cost or fair value. It also governs accounting for terminated network affiliation agreements.

This Subtopic governs intangible-type costs incurred by cable television systems, principally programming and other system costs during the "prematurity period" and franchise application costs. During the prematurity period, fixed system costs incurred in anticipation of a fully operating system are split between current operations (expensed) and future operations (capitalized) using the subscriber-based fraction in 922-360-35-3, and amortization is computed using that same fraction. Costs of successful franchise applications are capitalized and amortized under Topic 350, while unsuccessful or abandoned franchise costs are expensed.

ASC 350-950 governs accounting for title plants — the indexed historical records of land ownership, encumbrances, maps, and prior title reports used by title insurers, abstract entities, and title agents. Costs directly identifiable with constructing a title plant (and purchased title plants, recorded at cost/fair value of consideration given) are capitalized, while maintenance and title search costs are expensed as incurred. Capitalized title plant is not amortized or depreciated; it is carried indefinitely unless impaired under the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets Subsections of Subtopic 360-10.

This subtopic applies Topic 350's goodwill and intangibles guidance to entities with regulated operations. Its core rule is that goodwill is not amortized and is tested for impairment under Topic 350 unless a regulator permits amortization of goodwill as an allowable cost for rate-making purposes, in which case the regulator's action provides reasonable assurance of a regulatory asset that is amortized over the period allowed for rate-making. It also addresses long-term power sales contracts acquired in a business combination and the need to review such contracts for loss-contract status.

ASC 360-10 governs the accounting for property, plant, and equipment and, in separate "Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets" Subsections, the impairment testing of long-lived assets held and used and the measurement, presentation, and disclosure of long-lived assets to be disposed of. Cost (including capitalized interest) is allocated to periods through systematic and rational depreciation (360-10-35-4). A held-and-used asset group is written down only if its carrying amount fails an undiscounted cash flow recoverability test, and then only down to fair value (360-10-35-17); held-for-sale assets are measured at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell and are not depreciated (360-10-35-43).

ASC 360-905 governs how agricultural producers account for property, plant, and equipment — land development, orchards/groves/vineyards, intermediate-life plants, and animals. The core rule is that development costs (permanent and limited-life land development, cultural costs of trees and vines, and direct and indirect costs of developing animals) are capitalized during the development period; permanent land development is never depreciated because it has an indefinite life, while limited-life development, plantings, and mature breeding/production animals are depreciated over estimated useful or productive lives beginning when commercial production or maturity is reached.

ASC 360-908 governs property, plant, and equipment accounting unique to airlines: unit versus group depreciation, rotable parts, airframe modifications, and airframe/engine overhauls. Its core rules are that modifications enhancing an aircraft's usefulness must be capitalized and depreciated over the shorter of the aircraft's or the modification's useful life, and that overhauls must be accounted for under one of three permitted methods—direct expensing, built-in overhaul, or deferral—with the accrue-in-advance (accrual) method prohibited.

This subtopic governs how cable television entities account for plant and installation costs during the "prematurity period" — the span between the start of construction/marketing and the point at which the system is substantially complete and serving subscribers. Management must fix the prematurity period before revenue from the first subscriber is recognized (presumed not to exceed two years), capitalize cable plant costs and initial subscriber installation costs in full during that period, and record depreciation using a subscriber-based fraction rather than full depreciation. Distinguishable portions of a system in the prematurity period are accounted for and tested for recoverability separately.

This Subtopic gives mining-specific guidance on accounting for mineral rights and mining assets within Property, Plant, and Equipment. It clarifies that undeveloped land does not qualify for interest capitalization, how mineral resource asset current costs are measured when current cost disclosures are provided, and—most importantly—that impairment cash flow estimates for mining assets must include value beyond proven and probable reserves (with the related development and extraction outflows) and must reflect market-participant assumptions about mineral price fluctuations.

This subtopic governs long-lived tangible assets held by not-for-profit entities, including contributed property, plant, and equipment and collection items. Its core rules are that all NFPs must recognize depreciation on long-lived tangible assets (360-958-35-1), that contributed PP&E is recognized under the Contributions Received Subsections of 958-605 with initial measurement including all costs to place the asset in use (360-958-30-1), and that an NFP holding a "collection" may elect one of three policies—full capitalization, prospective capitalization, or no capitalization—but capitalizing selected items is precluded (360-958-25-3).

This Subtopic governs how a defined benefit pension plan accounts for property, plant, and equipment it uses in operating the plan (buildings, equipment, furniture and fixtures, leasehold improvements). Unlike plan investments, which are generally reported at fair value, these operating assets are presented at cost less accumulated depreciation or amortization (360-960-35-1). The rationale is that expenditures for operating assets are advance payments for future administrative services rather than investments expected to generate cash flows to pay benefits (360-960-35-2).

This subtopic governs how a defined contribution pension plan accounts for property, plant, and equipment that the plan itself uses in its operations. The core rule is that such operating assets — buildings, equipment, furniture and fixtures, and leasehold improvements — are reported at cost less accumulated depreciation or amortization, rather than at fair value like investment assets.

This subtopic tells health and welfare benefit plans how to measure property, plant, and equipment on the plan's financial statements. Assets used in plan operations (buildings, equipment, furniture and fixtures, leasehold improvements) are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation or amortization, while real estate and other holdings held as plan investments are reported at fair value less costs to sell, if significant, as of the financial statement date.

This Subtopic tells regulated entities (utilities) how to account for property, plant, and equipment in three situations: plant abandonments, disallowances of costs of recently completed plants, and capitalization of an allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC). When abandonment becomes probable, the asset's cost comes out of construction work-in-process or plant-in-service and a separate new asset is recorded — at full cost if a full return on investment is likely to be provided, or at the present value of expected future recovery revenues (discounted at the entity's incremental borrowing rate) if partial or no return is likely, with the shortfall and any probable, estimable disallowance recognized as a loss. When it becomes probable that part of the cost of a recently completed plant will be disallowed for rate-making purposes and the amount is reasonably estimable, that amount is deducted from the plant's reported cost and recognized as a loss.

ASC 405-30 governs when and how entities—insurers and self-insurers alike—accrue liabilities for statutory or regulatory insurance-related assessments such as state guaranty-fund assessments, insurance department administrative assessments, and workers' compensation second-injury fund assessments. A liability is recognized only when an assessment is probable, the obligating event has occurred by the balance sheet date, and the amount is reasonably estimable (405-30-25-1); the obligating event differs by assessment mechanism (retrospective vs. prospective vs. prefunded premium-based, and loss-based). Related recoveries via premium tax offsets or policy surcharges are recognized as assets when probable (405-30-25-8), but recoveries expected only through future premium rate structures are not (405-30-25-10).

ASC 405-40 governs how an entity recognizes, measures, and discloses obligations arising from joint and several liability arrangements when the total amount of the obligation is fixed at the reporting date (e.g., debt with co-obligors, settled litigation shared with other defendants). The core measurement rule is that the reporting entity records the amount it agreed to pay under its arrangement with co-obligors plus any additional amount it expects to pay on behalf of those co-obligors. Scope excludes obligations already covered by Topics 410, 450, 460, 715, and 740.

This Subtopic governs two casino-specific liabilities: outstanding gaming chips and jackpot obligations. A casino recognizes a chip liability equal to the difference between chips placed in service and chips in its own custody/control, adjusted periodically for chips that will never be redeemed. Jackpot liabilities are accrued only when the casino has an obligation to pay — base jackpots that can be avoided (e.g., by pulling the machine) are not accrued, while the customer-funded incremental portion of a progressive jackpot is accrued as play occurs.

ASC 405-926 governs how film production and distribution entities accrue participation costs — amounts owed to third parties such as actors and writers — and costs of insignificant post-release changes to a film. Participation costs are accrued using the individual-film-forecast-computation method (current period actual revenue over estimated remaining unrecognized ultimate revenue at the beginning of the fiscal year), but only when it is probable an entity will sacrifice assets to settle the obligation, and never for less than amounts currently payable. If the recorded participation liability exceeds estimated unpaid ultimate participation costs, the excess reduces unamortized film costs first, then goes to income.

This subtopic tells a music licensee how to account for fees owed under a license agreement with the owner/licensor of a record master or music copyright that grants the right to sell or distribute records or music for a stipulated fee. Its single rule: license fees that are not fixed in amount before the agreement expires must be estimated and accrued, license by license.

ASC 405-944 tells insurance entities where liability accounting guidance lives and adds one specific rule for reinsurance contracts. Liabilities for claims costs and future policyholder benefits are in Subtopic 944-40, premium deficiencies in 944-60, and policyholder dividends in 944-50. The substantive rule here: a ceding entity that agrees to service the reinsured contracts without reasonable compensation must accrue a liability for estimated excess future servicing costs (405-944-25-1).

This Subtopic addresses how a not-for-profit entity accounts for its own liabilities, principally unconditional promises to give (grants/pledges the NFP makes to others). It fixes the discount rate used in a present-value measurement at initial recognition (no revision unless the fair value option under 825-10 is elected), requires discount amortization to be reported in the same functional expense classification as the original promise, and requires a maturity schedule disclosure. It also cross-references guidance for donated assets transferred to intermediaries/agents and for refundable membership interests of social and country clubs.

ASC 410-20 governs legal obligations associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets that arise from acquisition, construction, development, and/or normal operation of the asset, including environmental remediation resulting from normal operations. An entity recognizes the fair value of the ARO liability in the period incurred if fair value can be reasonably estimated, and simultaneously capitalizes an equal asset retirement cost in the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset (410-20-25-4; 410-20-25-5). Fair value is normally measured with an expected present value technique discounted at a credit-adjusted risk-free rate, with later changes recognized as accretion expense and as revisions to estimated cash flows (410-20-30-1; 410-20-35-3).

ASC 410-30 governs accounting for environmental remediation liabilities — obligations to clean up pollution arising from past acts under Superfund (CERCLA), RCRA corrective-action provisions, or analogous state/non-U.S. laws. Applied site by site, it uses the loss contingency model of ASC 450-20: accrue when it is probable a liability has been incurred (litigation/claim asserted or probably will be, and an unfavorable outcome probable) and the amount (or a minimum in a range) is reasonably estimable, measured as the entity's allocable share of the joint and several liability plus amounts other PRPs won't pay. Remediation costs are generally expensed as a component of operating income, with narrow capitalization exceptions and separate recognition of probable third-party recoveries as assets.

ASC 410-980 explains how rate-regulated entities apply the asset retirement obligation (ARO) model of Subtopic 410-20. Because rate regulation may allow recovery of retirement costs on a timing pattern different from GAAP ARO cost recognition, a regulated entity that meets the requirements of Topic 980 recognizes a regulatory asset or regulatory liability for that timing difference. Capitalized asset retirement cost is included in long-lived asset impairment testing on the same basis as for any other entity.

This subtopic governs the commitment of a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) to provide future services and the use of facilities to current residents under continuing-care contracts. The CCRC must recalculate that obligation annually and, if advance fees plus periodic fees are insufficient to cover the cost of future services and facilities, record a liability measured actuarially at the present value of future net cash flows, less deferred revenue (contract liability), plus depreciation of facilities to be charged to those contracts and any unamortized incremental costs of obtaining a contract. Extensive note disclosure about the contracts, liability, discount rate, escrow requirements, and refund policy is required.

ASC 470-30 governs how a *borrower* accounts for a participating mortgage loan — a mortgage in which the lender is entitled to share in appreciation in the fair value of the mortgaged real estate project, in its results of operations, or both. If the lender participates in fair value appreciation, the borrower recognizes a participation liability at the fair value of the participation feature at loan inception with an offsetting debt discount, remeasures the liability to current fair value each reporting period (adjusting the discount), and amortizes the discount to interest expense using the interest method. Participations in results of operations are charged to interest expense in the period incurred with a credit to the participation liability.

ASC 470-50 governs the debtor's accounting for extinguishments of debt and for modifications or exchanges of debt instruments with the same creditor (excluding troubled debt restructurings under 470-60 and conversions pursuant to conversion privileges under 470-20). Its core rule is the "10 percent cash flow test": if the present value of cash flows under the new instrument differs by at least 10% from the PV of the remaining cash flows of the original instrument (discounted at the original instrument's effective rate), the terms are substantially different and the transaction is accounted for as an extinguishment, with the new debt recorded at fair value and gain or loss recognized currently in income. If not substantially different, no gain or loss is recognized and a new effective interest rate is computed from the original carrying amount and revised cash flows.

ASC 470-60 governs how a debtor accounts for a troubled debt restructuring (TDR) — a restructuring in which the creditor, for economic or legal reasons related to the debtor's financial difficulties, grants a concession it would not otherwise consider (470-60-15-5). Settlements by transfer of assets or grant of an equity interest are measured at fair value, with a gain on restructuring equal to the excess of the payable's carrying amount over that fair value (470-60-35-2, 35-4). Pure modifications of terms are accounted for prospectively with no change in carrying amount and a new effective interest rate, unless total future cash payments (including contingent amounts) are less than the carrying amount, in which case the debtor writes down the payable and recognizes a gain (470-60-35-5 through 35-7).

This Subtopic modifies the general rule that gains and losses on early extinguishment of debt hit income immediately (Subtopic 470-50) for entities whose rates are set by a regulator. If the regulator will recover a reacquisition loss through future rates, the regulated entity capitalizes the excess of reacquisition price over net carrying amount as a regulatory asset; if the regulator will reduce future rates for a gain, the entity records a regulatory liability. Either amount is amortized as an adjustment of interest expense over the period reflected in rate-making.

ASC 480-10 tells an issuer when a freestanding financial instrument with characteristics of both liabilities and equity must be classified as a liability (or, in some cases, an asset) rather than equity. It captures three classes of instruments: (1) mandatorily redeemable financial instruments (480-10-25-4); (2) obligations, other than outstanding shares, to repurchase the issuer's own equity shares by transferring assets (480-10-25-8); and (3) certain obligations settleable in a variable number of shares whose monetary value is fixed, indexed to something other than the issuer's shares, or varies inversely with the issuer's share price (480-10-25-14). Measurement is generally fair value, except that mandatorily redeemable instruments and physically settled fixed-share forward purchase contracts are accreted to the settlement amount with the change recognized as interest cost.

After ASU 2014-09 gutted most of legacy Topic 605, ASC 605-20 survives only as the guidance on recognizing a loss (onerous-contract provision) on separately priced extended warranty and product maintenance contracts. A separately priced contract is one whose price is not included in the original price of the covered product. If expected costs of providing the services plus any capitalized incremental cost of obtaining the contract exceed the related unearned revenue (contract liability), a loss must be recognized.

ASC 944-605 governs when and how insurance entities recognize premium revenue, split into short-duration, long-duration, reinsurance, and financial guarantee subsections. Short-duration premiums are earned over the contract (or risk) period in proportion to insurance protection provided; long-duration premiums are recognized when due from policyholders; universal life-type contract revenue is limited to amounts assessed against policyholders, with front-end fees deferred as unearned revenue. Reinsurance sections address prepaid reinsurance premiums, deferral and amortization of retroactive reinsurance gains, and the open year versus periodic method for foreign reinsurance.

This Subtopic governs how film production and distribution entities account for costs of manufacturing or duplicating products held for sale, such as videocassettes and digital video discs. Manufacturing/duplication costs are charged to expense on a unit-specific basis when the related product revenue is recognized (705-926-25-1). The cost of theatrical film prints is instead expensed over the period benefited (705-926-25-2).

ASC 705-985 is a "links only" subtopic that points to the authoritative guidance elsewhere in the Codification on cost of sales and services for computer software. Its content is that amortization of capitalized software development costs for products marketed to others is charged to cost of sales or a similar expense category (per 985-20-45-1), while duplication/packaging costs are inventory costs under 985-330 and costs to keep software current with hardware revisions are addressed in 985-20-55-11 through 55-12.

ASC 710-10 is the catch-all compensation subtopic for arrangements outside pensions/OPEB (715), postemployment benefits (712), and stock compensation (718). Its General Subsections require accrual of a liability for compensated absences when four conditions are met (services already rendered, rights vest or accumulate, payment probable, amount reasonably estimable), prescribe accrual of individual deferred compensation contracts over the service period to the full eligibility date at present value, and limit deferral of union-contract lump-sum payments. The Deferred Compensation—Rabbi Trusts Subsections classify trust-held employer stock as treasury stock and classify the deferred compensation obligation as equity or a liability depending on the plan's settlement and diversification features (Plans A–D).

ASC 715-10 is the Overall subtopic that sets the objectives and pervasive scope for employer accounting for pension, other postretirement, and certain special or contractual termination benefits. Its core premise is that a benefit plan is an exchange of deferred compensation for employee service, so the employer's obligation is incurred as services are rendered and cost is recognized over the employee service periods. Because the original content was built on an expense recognition model, most operative guidance sits in the Subsequent Measurement Sections of Subtopics 715-20, 715-30, 715-60, 715-70, and 715-80.

ASC 715-30 governs an employer's accounting for single-employer defined benefit pension plans: it requires the employer to recognize the plan's funded status (projected benefit obligation versus fair value of plan assets) on the balance sheet and to recognize net periodic pension cost made up of service cost, interest cost, actual return on plan assets, and amortization of prior service cost/credit, net gain or loss, and any remaining transition asset or obligation. Gains, losses, and prior service cost are first recognized in other comprehensive income and amortized into net periodic pension cost over time (subject to the 10 percent corridor for net gains and losses). Separate Subsections govern settlements, curtailments, and certain termination benefits, which accelerate recognition in earnings of amounts sitting in accumulated other comprehensive income.

ASC 715-60 governs an employer's accounting for single-employer defined benefit postretirement benefit plans other than pensions (OPEB)—chiefly retiree health care, but also retiree life insurance, tuition, day care, legal services and housing subsidies. The employer must recognize the funded status of each plan (fair value of plan assets less the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation) on the balance sheet, attribute the expected postretirement benefit obligation ratably over an attribution period ending at the full eligibility date, and recognize net periodic postretirement benefit cost with delayed recognition of prior service cost, gains/losses, and any transition obligation through other comprehensive income. Separate Subsections address the Medicare Part D subsidy, settlements/curtailments/termination benefits, and split-dollar life insurance arrangements.

ASC 715-70 governs employer accounting and disclosure for defined contribution pension and other postretirement benefit plans—plans that provide an individual account for each participant and benefits based only on contributions plus returns. The core rule is that net periodic cost equals the contribution called for in the period in which the employee renders service (715-70-35-1), with costs accrued during the service period if contributions relate to periods after retirement or termination. Plans with characteristics of both defined benefit and defined contribution plans must be accounted for based on their substance (715-70-15-2).

ASC 718-20 governs the subsequent measurement of share-based payment awards that are classified as equity (liability-classified awards go to 718-30, and general recognition/measurement rules stay in 718-10). Its core rules address awards whose grant-date fair value cannot be reasonably estimated (intrinsic value remeasurement through settlement), clawback and other contingent features (accounted for only when the contingent event occurs), and — most importantly — modification accounting, under which a modification is treated as an exchange of the original award for a new one, with incremental cost measured as the excess of the modified award's fair value over the original award's fair value immediately before modification. It also covers repurchases, cancellations, and cancellation-and-replacement transactions.

ASC 718-30 governs share-based payment awards that are classified as liabilities rather than equity (e.g., cash-settled stock appreciation rights). Liability awards use the same grant-date measurement objective as equity awards, but the measurement date is the settlement date, so the liability is remeasured at fair value (or intrinsic value if a nonpublic entity so elects) at every reporting date through settlement. Changes in value during the requisite service (or nonemployee vesting) period are recognized as compensation cost in proportion to service rendered; changes after that period are expensed immediately in the period of change.

ASC 720-20 tells a policyholder (a noninsurance entity, or an insurer buying coverage outside its core operations) how to account for insurance it purchases, covering three contract types: retroactive contracts, claims-made contracts, and multiple-year retrospectively rated contracts. If a contract does not actually transfer insurance risk, the premium (less amounts retained by the insurer) is accounted for as a deposit under Subtopic 340-30 (720-20-25-1). For retroactive coverage of already-incurred liabilities, the premium is expensed immediately, a receivable is recorded for expected recoveries, and any excess of receivable over premium is a deferred gain amortized over the recovery period (720-20-25-3 through 25-4; 720-20-35-2).

ASC 720-30 governs when an accrual-basis taxpayer records a liability for real and personal property taxes and how much is charged to income in each period. Legal liability for such taxes generally attaches at a specific event date (assessment date, lien date, levy date, etc.) determined by state law, but the preferred accounting is a monthly accrual over the fiscal period of the taxing authority for which the taxes are levied. Accrued property taxes are current liabilities, and later revisions of estimated amounts run through the income statement.

ASC 720-35 governs how entities account for advertising costs in annual financial statements. The core rule: advertising costs are expensed either as incurred or the first time the advertising takes place, applied consistently as an accounting policy to similar kinds of advertising activities (720-35-25-1); no advertising asset is capitalized, though sales materials may be treated as prepaid supplies and cooperative-advertising obligations must be accrued when the related revenue is recognized. The notes must disclose the policy elected and total advertising expense for each income statement presented (720-35-50-1).

ASC 720-40 addresses when a producer must recognize a liability and expense for the cost of disposing of "historical waste" electrical and electronic equipment held by private households under EU Directive 2002/96/EC (WEEE). Because the Directive funds historical household waste collectively by producers selling in the market during a country-defined measurement period, the obligating event is participation in that market — so no liability may be recognized before the measurement period begins, regardless of how much qualifying equipment the producer previously sold (720-40-25-1). The liability is accrued over the measurement period based on estimated total program costs and the producer's estimated market share, and is adjusted as actual data arrives (720-40-25-3; 720-40-35-1).

This Subtopic tells investment advisers and mutual fund distributors how to account for costs incurred to distribute fund shares. The general rule: if the adviser does not receive both 12b-1 fees and contingent-deferred sales fees, the distribution/offering costs fail the definition of an asset and must be expensed as incurred (with initial offering costs treated as start-up costs under Subtopic 720-15). Distributors of no-front-end-load mutual funds instead defer and amortize incremental direct costs and expense indirect costs as incurred.

ASC 720-954 governs how health care entities account for insurance-related and other operating expenses, principally retrospectively rated insurance policies, claims-made policies, malpractice loss accruals, multiprovider captive insurance arrangements, and stop-loss insurance. The core rules turn on whose loss experience drives the premium: if the entity's own experience, the minimum premium is expensed over the coverage period and recoveries are deferred until estimated losses exceed the stipulated maximum premium; if a group's experience, additional premiums or refunds are accrued based on group experience to date, including asserted and unasserted, reported and unreported claims.

ASC 740-10 is the Overall subtopic for income taxes and contains the core asset-and-liability model: recognize (1) current taxes payable or refundable for the year and (2) deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequences of temporary differences and operating loss/tax credit carryforwards (740-10-10-1; 740-10-25-2). Deferred taxes are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply when the item reverses, are not discounted, and deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that some or all will not be realized (740-10-30-5, 740-10-30-8). It also houses the two-step uncertain tax position model — more-likely-than-not recognition on technical merits, then measurement at the largest benefit greater than 50 percent likely of being realized on settlement (740-10-25-6; 740-10-30-7).

This subtopic gives investment companies the income tax accounting and reporting rules unique to their industry. Its core rules are narrow: any provision for deferred income taxes on unrealized appreciation must be charged against the unrealized gains account (946-740-35-1) and disclosed as such in the statement of operations (946-740-50-1). Implementation guidance addresses regulated investment companies' post-October capital and foreign currency loss deferrals and how they factor into deferred tax disclosures.

This subtopic applies ASC 740 to entities whose rates are regulated and that meet the criteria in 980-10-15-2. It prohibits net-of-tax accounting, requires a deferred tax liability for tax benefits flowed through to customers and for the equity component of the allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC), and requires deferred taxes to be adjusted for enacted changes in tax law or rates. When it is probable that a regulator will allow recovery from (or require refund to) customers of those future tax amounts, the entity recognizes a separate regulatory asset or liability, which is itself a temporary difference generating additional deferred tax.

ASC 805-944 tells insurance entities how to account for insurance and reinsurance contracts acquired in a business combination and how to account for demutualizations (or formation of a mutual insurance holding entity). Acquired insurance/reinsurance contracts are treated as new contracts, recognized at fair value but split into (a) amounts measured under the acquirer's own insurance accounting policies and (b) an intangible asset (or liability) for the residual, while the acquiree's classification as insurance versus deposit contract is carried forward. A demutualization is not itself a change in ownership requiring a new accounting basis; instead the entity computes a one-time actuarial calculation of maximum future closed-block earnings and records a policyholder dividend obligation whenever cumulative actual closed-block earnings exceed cumulative expected earnings.

This Subtopic tells an investment company (as defined in Topic 946) when consolidation applies. The general rule: an investment company does not consolidate an investee that is not itself an investment company, even if it holds a controlling financial interest; instead that interest is measured at fair value under Subtopic 946-320. The one exception is a controlling financial interest in an operating entity that provides services to the investment company (e.g., an investment adviser or transfer agent), which must be consolidated.

This narrow Subtopic deals with measurement issues for noncontrolling interests in certain real estate investment trusts (REITs). It contains almost no substantive guidance of its own: its scope simply mirrors Section 974-10-15, and its initial and subsequent measurement sections are essentially unused, with a single cross-reference pointing to Section 974-323-25 for how a REIT accounts for an investment in a service corporation.

ASC 815-25 supplies the incremental accounting rules for fair value hedges that qualify under the designation criteria in ASC 815-20. The core mechanic (815-25-35-1) is that the gain or loss on the hedging instrument goes to current earnings, and the change in fair value of the hedged item attributable to the hedged risk adjusts the hedged item's carrying amount and also goes to current earnings, both presented in the same income statement line item as the hedged item's earnings effect; any mismatch therefore falls automatically into earnings. The Subtopic also governs basis adjustments and their amortization, portfolio layer method hedges of closed portfolios, interaction with impairment/credit loss rules, and mandatory or voluntary discontinuation of hedge accounting.

ASC 815-30 provides the incremental accounting for cash flow hedges — derivatives designated as hedging the variability in expected future cash flows of a forecasted transaction or of a recognized variable-cash-flow asset/liability. The entire change in fair value of the hedging instrument that is included in the assessment of effectiveness is recorded in other comprehensive income and reclassified into earnings in the same period(s) the hedged forecasted transaction affects earnings, presented in the same income statement line item as the hedged item. The Subtopic also governs excluded components, quantitative effectiveness methods for interest rate hedges, and discontinuation/dedesignation (including immediate reclassification when the forecasted transaction is probable of not occurring).

ASC 815-35 governs the subsequent measurement of hedges of a net investment in a foreign operation (designated under 815-20). The effective portion of the gain or loss on the hedging derivative — or the foreign currency transaction gain or loss on a nonderivative hedging instrument such as foreign-currency debt — is reported the same way as a translation adjustment, i.e., in the cumulative translation adjustment (CTA) section of other comprehensive income (815-35-35-1). An entity elects either the spot method or the forward method to assess effectiveness and must apply that choice consistently to all derivative net investment hedges (815-35-35-4).

ASC 815-45 governs the accounting for weather derivatives that are not exchange-traded (exchange-traded weather derivatives fall under ASC 815-10), and excludes insurance contracts that pay only upon an insurable event causing a liability or adverse change in value of a specific asset or liability. If entered into for nontrading purposes, forward-based weather derivatives are accounted for under the intrinsic value method, purchased options are recorded as a premium asset amortized to expense plus intrinsic value measurement, and written options are recorded as a premium liability remeasured to fair value through earnings. All weather derivatives entered into for trading or speculative activities are recognized as assets or liabilities at fair value with subsequent changes in fair value in earnings.

ASC 818-10 is the Overall subtopic of the new Environmental Credits and Environmental Credit Obligations Topic (created by ASU 2026-02), which sets the accounting and reporting requirements for entities that acquire, internally generate, or receive environmental credits and for entities subject to regulatory compliance programs (e.g., cap-and-trade, renewable portfolio or fuel standards) that create environmental credit obligations. It applies to all environmental credits and environmental credit obligations, and items within its scope are excluded from derivatives accounting under Topic 815. The objective is to give investors useful information about the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows from these transactions.

ASC 818-20 governs the accounting for environmental credits (e.g., emissions allowances, carbon offsets, renewable energy certificates, RINs). An environmental credit is recognized as an asset only if it is probable it will be used to settle an environmental credit obligation, transferred in an exchange transaction, or used in a nonreciprocal transfer; otherwise the cost is expensed as incurred and can never later be capitalized. Credits recognized as assets are classified as compliance credits (not remeasured) or noncompliance credits (tested for impairment each reporting date, with an optional fair value policy election by class for eligible credits).

ASC 818-30 governs when and how an entity recognizes, measures, presents, and discloses an environmental credit obligation — a liability to remit environmental credits (e.g., emissions allowances, renewable energy certificates) under a regulatory compliance program. A liability is recognized when events on or before the reporting date would require remitting credits assuming the reporting date were the end of the compliance period (818-30-25-1). The liability is split into a funded portion, measured at the carrying amount of compliance environmental credits on hand under Subtopic 818-20 costing methods (818-30-30-2), and an unfunded portion, measured at fair value of the needed credits unless the entity intends to settle in cash or with credits from an unconditional commitment or right (818-30-30-3).

ASC 820-10 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (an exit price), and provides a single framework for measuring it plus related disclosures. Fair value is a market-based, not entity-specific, measurement, determined in the principal (or, absent one, most advantageous) market using assumptions market participants would use, maximizing observable and minimizing unobservable inputs. Inputs are categorized in a three-level hierarchy (Level 1 quoted prices, Level 2 other observable inputs, Level 3 unobservable inputs), with the whole measurement classified at the lowest level input significant to it.

ASC 825-20 governs registration payment arrangements — agreements in which an issuer must file/obtain effectiveness of a registration statement (or obtain/maintain a stock exchange listing) for financial instruments and must transfer cash or shares to the counterparty if it fails. The core rule is that the arrangement is a separate unit of account: the underlying financial instruments are recognized and measured under other GAAP (e.g., 815-10, 815-40, 835-30) ignoring the contingent obligation, while the contingent obligation itself is recognized and measured under the loss-contingency model in Subtopic 450-20. Extensive disclosures are required even if payment is remote.

ASC 830-10 sets the scope and foundational framework for foreign currency accounting: it requires each foreign entity's assets, liabilities, and operations to be measured in that entity's functional currency—the currency of the primary economic environment in which it operates (830-10-45-2)—before amounts are translated into the reporting currency. It supplies the economic indicators (cash flow, sales price, sales market, expense, financing, and intra-entity indicators in 830-10-55-5) that management weighs to identify the functional currency, mandates remeasurement of books of record not kept in the functional currency using historical rates for specified nonmonetary items (830-10-45-17 through 45-18), and requires entities in highly inflationary economies (cumulative 3-year inflation ≈100% or more) to be remeasured as if the reporting currency were the functional currency (830-10-45-11).

ASC 830-20 governs how an entity accounts for transactions denominated in a currency other than its functional currency (foreign currency transactions). At the transaction date, each asset, liability, revenue, expense, gain, or loss is recorded and measured in the functional currency using the exchange rate in effect at that date (830-20-25-1; 830-20-30-1); thereafter, balances denominated in a foreign currency are remeasured at each balance sheet date at the current rate (830-20-35-2), with the resulting transaction gains and losses generally included in net income. Narrow exceptions—economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity and long-term-investment-nature intra-entity balances—are reported like translation adjustments in other comprehensive income (830-20-35-3).

ASC 832-10 governs government assistance received by business entities (not-for-profits and plans under Topics 960, 962, and 965 are excluded). In its current form it is a disclosure-only topic requiring annual disclosure of the nature, accounting policy, financial statement effects, and significant terms of transactions with a government accounted for by analogy to a grant or contribution model. ASU 2025-10 converts it into a full recognition and measurement model for "government grants," under which a grant is recognized only when it is probable the entity will comply with the grant's conditions and receive the grant (832-10-25-1), with grants related to assets recognized under either a deferred income approach or a cost accumulation approach and grants related to income recognized in earnings on a systematic and rational basis as the related costs are expensed.

ASC 835-10 is the Overall subtopic of the Interest Topic; it does little more than map the Topic's structure and point readers elsewhere. It explains that Topic 835 addresses interest recognition in two instances — capitalization of interest costs incurred in connection with an investment in an asset (Subtopic 835-20) and imputation of interest where required (Subtopic 835-30) — and acknowledges that interest income/expense for specific transactions and instrument types is governed by other Topics.

ASC 835-30 governs when and how interest must be "imputed" on notes receivable and payable whose face amount does not reasonably represent the present value of the consideration exchanged — typically non-interest-bearing notes or notes with an unreasonable stated rate. In those cases the note and the related sales price/cost are recorded at the fair value of the property, goods, or service or at an amount approximating the fair value of the note (whichever is more clearly determinable), and any resulting discount or premium is amortized to interest income or expense using the interest method. Discount, premium, and debt issuance costs are presented as direct deductions from or additions to the face amount of the note, not as deferred charges or credits.

This Subtopic governs when an investor-lender may recognize interest income on loans or advances made to a real estate venture (e.g., a joint venture in which the investor holds an equity interest). The core rule is that interest income must be deferred where collectibility is doubtful or other investors may not bear their share of losses; it is recognized in full only where the venture has expensed the interest (or the investor adjusts its equity pickup as if it had); otherwise a portion is deferred in proportion to the investor's interest in the venture's profits and losses (835-970-35-1).

This Subtopic governs when a real estate investment trust must stop recognizing interest revenue on loans it holds. Interest recognition must be discontinued when it is no longer reasonable to expect the revenue will be received, and certain conditions (past-due payments, default, foreclosure, borrower creditworthiness doubts, construction cost overruns/delays, renegotiation) create a rebuttable presumption that recognition should stop (835-974-35-1). Once discontinued, recognition may not resume and unrecorded interest may not be recognized until it is evident that principal and interest will be collected (835-974-35-2).

ASC 840-30 was the legacy guidance governing lessee accounting for capital leases and lessor accounting for direct financing and sales-type leases (recognition, initial measurement of the leased asset and obligation at the present value of minimum lease payments, subsequent interest and amortization, terminations/renewals, presentation, and disclosure). Every paragraph in this subtopic has been superseded — almost entirely by ASU 2016-02 (Leases, which created ASC 842), with 840-30-25-5 superseded by ASU 2014-09 (Revenue). As a result, 840-30 contains no operative guidance for entities that have adopted ASC 842.

ASC 842-20 governs how a lessee accounts for leases already classified as finance or operating leases under 842-10. At commencement the lessee recognizes a right-of-use asset and lease liability measured at the present value of unpaid lease payments (842-20-25-1; 30-1); thereafter finance leases produce separate amortization and interest (842-20-25-5), while operating leases produce a single straight-line lease cost (842-20-25-6). It also covers short-term lease policy elections, remeasurement, ROU asset impairment, leasehold improvements, subleases, terminations, and extensive presentation and disclosure requirements.

ASC 842-30 governs how lessors account for leases already classified under 842-10 as sales-type, direct financing, or operating leases. For sales-type and direct financing leases the lessor derecognizes the underlying asset and recognizes a net investment in the lease (lease receivable plus unguaranteed residual asset, discounted at the rate implicit in the lease), with selling profit recognized immediately in a sales-type lease but deferred into the net investment in a direct financing lease; interest income then accretes at a constant periodic rate. For operating leases the lessor keeps the asset on its books and recognizes lease payments as income straight-line (or another systematic and rational basis) over the lease term, and a collectibility-not-probable assessment overrides normal recognition in all three models.

ASC 842-50 preserves the legacy leveraged lease accounting model, but only for leases that existed at the ASC 842 transition date and meet the criteria in 842-10-65-1(z) — no new leveraged leases may be created. A lessor records a single net investment consisting of rentals receivable (net of nonrecourse debt service), investment-tax-credit receivable, estimated residual value, and unearned/deferred income (842-50-25-1; 842-50-30-1), and recognizes income only in years when the net investment (less related deferred taxes) is positive, using the rate of return that distributes total net income to those years (842-50-35-2). Important assumptions, including residual value and the projected timing of income tax cash flows, must be reviewed at least annually, with any change triggering recalculation from lease inception and immediate gain or loss recognition (842-50-35-6 through 35-8).

This Subtopic addresses how rate-regulated entities account for leases when the regulator's rate-making treatment differs from Topic 842. Lease classification for financial reporting follows Topic 842 regardless of how the regulator treats the lease, but the timing of expense (or income) recognition is modified to conform to the rate treatment, with timing differences capitalized or accrued as regulatory assets or liabilities. Sale-and-leaseback timing differences are handled either as part of a phase-in plan under Subtopic 980-340 or by conforming recognition to the Regulated Operations Topic.

ASC 848-10 was the "Overall" subtopic of Topic 848, Reference Rate Reform, which provided optional expedients and exceptions for contract modifications, hedge accounting, and other transactions affected by the discontinuation of LIBOR and other reference rates. As presented, every paragraph in this subtopic has been superseded — the substantive guidance in Sections 05 through 55 was superseded by ASU 2020-04 and ASU 2021-01, and the transition paragraphs (848-10-65-1 and 65-2) were superseded on 07/02/2026 at the end of the transition period set by ASU 2020-04, ASU 2021-01, and ASU 2022-06 (which deferred the sunset date). The practical result is that Topic 848 relief is time-limited and no longer available after the sunset date.

ASC 852-20 governs quasi-reorganizations ("readjustments"), a corporate readjustment procedure in which a corporation—without forming a new entity or entering court proceedings—restates its balance sheet to fair value, eliminates an accumulated deficit, and relieves current or future income of charges by charging them to additional paid-in capital. This is an express exception to the general rule in 852-20-25-2 that additional paid-in capital may not be used to relieve the income account. The Subtopic prescribes the conditions for the readjustment (full disclosure to and formal consent of shareholders, fair asset carrying amounts), the ordering of write-offs (retained earnings first, then APIC), and the post-readjustment dating of a new retained earnings account.

ASC 855-926 was the film-industry-specific subsection of the subsequent events guidance, which previously required film entities to consider post-balance-sheet information (such as actual results after the reporting date) in estimating ultimate revenue and testing film costs for impairment. Every substantive paragraph (855-926-05-1, 15-1, and 35-1) was superseded by ASU 2012-07, so the subtopic now contains no operative guidance. Film cost impairment and ultimate revenue estimation are addressed instead in ASC 926-20, and general subsequent events guidance remains in ASC 855-10.

ASC 860-50 governs when a servicer must separately recognize a servicing asset or servicing liability and how to measure it. A servicing contract is recognized separately each time an entity undertakes an obligation to service financial assets through a qualifying sale of an entire financial asset, group of entire financial assets, or participating interest, or through an acquisition/assumption of servicing for others' assets (860-50-25-1); it is initially measured at fair value (860-50-30-1) whether or not explicit consideration is exchanged. Subsequently, each class of servicing assets and liabilities is measured using either the amortization method (with impairment tested by stratum via a valuation allowance) or the irrevocable fair value measurement method (860-50-35-1).

ASC 926-20 governs how film production and distribution entities capitalize, amortize, impair, and disclose film costs, which must be reported as a separate asset on the balance sheet (926-20-25-1). Films predominantly monetized on their own are amortized by the individual-film-forecast-computation method — current-period revenue over remaining unrecognized ultimate revenue as of the beginning of the fiscal year (926-20-35-1) — while films in a film group are expensed based on a reasonably reliable estimate of the film's use (926-20-35-2). Unamortized film costs are written down to fair value when triggering events indicate impairment, and such write-downs may never be restored (926-20-35-13).

ASC 944-20 sets the framework for insurance accounting based on the nature of the contract rather than the type of entity: contracts are classified at inception as short-duration (fixed short coverage period, insurer can cancel or reprice each period, 944-20-15-7) or long-duration (not subject to unilateral change, services rendered over an extended period, 944-20-15-10), with sub-models for traditional, universal life-type, participating, and financial guarantee contracts. It also defines when a contract with a reinsurer actually transfers insurance risk (significant insurance risk plus reasonable possibility of significant loss, 944-20-15-41) and prescribes recognition and with-and-without measurement for multiple-year retrospectively rated contracts. Contracts lacking indemnification or significant insurance risk are accounted for under the deposit method (340-30) or as investment contracts.

ASC 944-30 governs how insurance entities capitalize, amortize, present, and disclose acquisition costs (DAC) for short-duration contracts, long-duration contracts, investment contracts, and reinsurance, plus deferred sales inducements. Only costs "related directly to the successful acquisition" of new or renewal contracts may be capitalized (944-30-25-1A) — incremental direct costs, directly related compensation/fringe benefits for underwriting, policy issuance and processing, medical and inspection, and sales force contract selling, plus certain other direct costs and qualifying direct-response advertising. Post-ASU 2018-12, long-duration DAC is amortized on a constant level basis over the expected contract term (944-30-35-3A), and the Internal Replacement Transactions Subsections determine whether a modified/replaced contract is "substantially unchanged" (continuation, DAC carried forward) or "substantially changed" (extinguishment, DAC written off).

ASC 944-40 governs how insurance entities recognize and measure claim costs and liabilities for future policy benefits, with separate subsections for short-duration contracts, long-duration contracts, reinsurance contracts, and financial guarantee insurance contracts. Its core rules are that liabilities for unpaid claims (including IBNR) and claim adjustment expenses are accrued when insured events occur, and that a liability for future policy benefits—the present value of future benefits and related expenses less the present value of future net premiums—is accrued when premium revenue is recognized. Post-ASU 2018-12, cash flow assumptions are updated at least annually with remeasurement gains/losses in net income, the discount rate is an upper-medium grade (low-credit-risk) fixed-income yield updated each reporting date through OCI, and market risk benefits are measured at fair value.

ASC 944-60 tells insurance entities when and how to recognize a premium deficiency (loss recognition) on insurance contracts, with separate guidance for short-duration and long-duration contracts. For short-duration contracts, a deficiency exists when expected claim costs and claim adjustment expenses, expected policyholder dividends, unamortized acquisition costs, and maintenance costs exceed related unearned premiums; it is recognized first by writing off unamortized acquisition costs and then by accruing a liability for any excess (944-60-25-4 through 25-6). For long-duration contracts, if actual experience shows existing contract liabilities plus the present value of future gross premiums will not cover future benefits and settlement costs and recover unamortized present value of future profits, the deficiency is charged to income by reducing the present value of future profits or increasing the liability for future policy benefits (944-60-25-7 through 25-8).

ASC 960-20 governs how a defined benefit pension plan measures and reports the actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits — the benefits reasonably expected to be paid in exchange for employee service rendered to the benefit information date. Benefits are attributed using the plan's own provisions where possible and otherwise pro rata over years of service to full vesting (vested-type benefits) or to expected separation (nonvested-type benefits), measured using pay and service history as of the benefit information date under an ongoing-plan assumption. The total must be segmented at minimum into vested benefits of participants currently receiving payments, other vested benefits, and nonvested benefits, and the significant factors causing the year-to-year change must be identified.

ASC 960-40 covers defined benefit pension plans that are terminating. Once liquidation of the plan is deemed imminent (as defined in 205-30-25-2), the plan's financial statements for periods ending after that determination — including the year-end statements even if the trigger occurred mid-year — must be prepared on the liquidation basis of accounting under Subtopic 205-30. Accumulated plan benefits are measured on that liquidation basis, with all benefits generally reported as vested, and the terminating-plan or wasting-trust circumstances must be disclosed in all subsequent plan financial statements.

ASC 962-10 is the Overall subtopic for financial reporting **by** a defined contribution pension plan itself (not by the sponsoring employer, which follows Topic 715). Its objective is to provide information useful in assessing the plan's present and future ability to pay benefits when due; because plan net assets available for benefits equal the sum of participants' individual account balances, those net assets are measured and reported at values meaningful to users—principally the amount a participant could currently withdraw, borrow, or transfer. It applies to all employee benefit plans providing benefits based on amounts contributed to an employee's individual account, and not to defined benefit plans (Topic 960) or health and welfare plans (Topic 965).

ASC 965-30 governs how a health and welfare benefit plan measures and reports its own benefit obligations (as distinct from the sponsoring employer's obligations). Benefit obligations, measured at actuarial present value as of the plan's year end, comprise three classifications: (1) claims payable, claims incurred but not reported (IBNR), and premiums due to insurance entities; (2) accumulated eligibility credits and postemployment benefits; and (3) postretirement benefits split among retirees, participants fully eligible, and participants not yet fully eligible (965-30-35-1). Plans must also present the significant factors causing year-to-year changes in each classification.

ASC 965-40 governs accounting and reporting by health and welfare benefit plans that are terminating. Once liquidation of the plan is deemed imminent under paragraph 205-30-25-2, the plan must prepare its financial statements using the liquidation basis of accounting under Subtopic 205-30, including for the year-end statements if imminence is determined before the plan year ends. Benefit obligations are measured on the liquidation basis rather than as actuarial present values, and the termination or wasting-trust circumstances must be disclosed in all subsequent plan financial statements.

ASC 980-10 sets the overall scope and framework for accounting by entities with rate-regulated operations. Because regulators sometimes allow costs into rates in a period different from when an unregulated entity would expense them, the rate-making process can create assets (regulatory assets), reduce assets, or create liabilities; an incurred cost the regulator permits to be recovered in a future period is accounted for like a cost reimbursable under a cost-reimbursement-type contract (980-10-05-5, 05-6). The Topic applies only to operations meeting the three criteria in 980-10-15-2 and provides incremental industry guidance that overrides conflicting guidance elsewhere in the Codification.

ASC 985-20 governs the accounting for costs of computer software to be sold, leased, or otherwise marketed, whether internally developed or purchased. All costs incurred to establish technological feasibility are research and development expensed as incurred (985-20-25-1); costs of producing product masters after technological feasibility is established are capitalized (985-20-25-3) and capitalization ceases when the product is available for general release (985-20-25-6). Capitalized amounts are amortized product-by-product at the greater of the revenue-ratio or straight-line amount (985-20-35-1) and are written down to net realizable value at each balance sheet date (985-20-35-4).