capital lease

Broad Transactions3

1. 840-10Overall840 Leases

   ASC 840-10 was the "Overall" subtopic of the legacy U.S. GAAP lease model, containing the scope, lease classification criteria (capital vs. operating), lease term and minimum lease payment definitions, and related implementation guidance for both lessees and lessors. Every substantive paragraph in this subtopic has been superseded by Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 (and one paragraph, 840-10-60-3, by ASU 2014-09), which replaced Topic 840 with Topic 842. As currently codified, 840-10 contains no operative guidance.

2. 840-30Capital Leases840 Leases

   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 Every paragraph in this subtopic has been superseded — almost entirely by ASU 2016-02 (Leases, which created ASC 842), with 840-30-25-5 superseded by ASU 2014-09 (Revenue).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.

3. 840-980Regulated Operations840 Leases

   This subtopic formerly provided lease guidance specific to regulated operations (rate-regulated utilities) under the old lease model in ASC 840 — for example, how capital lease accounting interacted with regulator-prescribed rate-making treatment. Every paragraph in every section (05, 15, 25, 35, 45, 55) has been superseded by ASU 2016-02 (Leases (Topic 842)), so the subtopic contains no operative guidance. Lessees and lessors in regulated operations now apply ASC 842, together with the regulated-operations guidance in ASC 980 (including ASC 842-10 and 980-340/980-405 concepts on regulatory assets and liabilities).