insurance-related assessments and obligating events

Liabilities19

1. 405-10Overall405 Liabilities

   ASC 405-10 is the Overall subtopic of the Liabilities Topic; it functions as a navigational "roadmap" rather than a source of substantive measurement rules. It lists the other Subtopics within Topic 405 (Extinguishments of Liabilities, Insurance-Related Assessments, Joint and Several Liability Arrangements, Supplier Finance Programs) and points to the Topics elsewhere in the Codification that directly address recognition of particular liabilities.

2. 405-20Extinguishments of Liabilities405 Liabilities

   ASC 405-20 governs when a debtor may derecognize a liability because it has been extinguished. Under 405-20-40-1, extinguishment occurs if and only if the debtor pays the creditor (cash, other financial assets, goods or services, or reacquisition of its own debt securities) and is relieved of the obligation, or the debtor is legally released as primary obligor judicially or by the creditor. The Subtopic also contains special derecognition (breakage) rules for liabilities from prepaid stored-value products and excludes debt conversions and troubled debt restructurings (see 470-20 and 470-60).

3. 405-30Insurance-Related Assessments405 Liabilities

   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).

4. 405-40Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements405 Liabilities

   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.

5. 405-50Liabilities—Supplier Finance Programs405 Liabilities

   ASC 405-50 is a disclosure-only subtopic requiring the buyer in a supplier finance program (also called reverse factoring, payables finance, or structured payables) to disclose qualitative and quantitative information about the program. A supplier finance program exists when the buyer agrees with a finance provider or intermediary, confirms supplier invoices as valid to that party, and the supplier can request early payment from a party other than the buyer (405-50-15-2). The subtopic does not address recognition, measurement, or balance sheet presentation of the obligation, or the accounting by other parties (405-50-10-2).

6. 405-905Agriculture405 Liabilities

   ASC 405-905 governs liabilities of agricultural entities, with Cooperatives Subsections addressing how agricultural cooperatives account for product deliveries from patrons. When a pooling marketing cooperative's board assigns amounts to unprocessed products received from patrons, those assigned amounts must approximate estimated net realizable value and are credited to amounts due patrons, creating a short-term liability. Excess of pool revenues over assigned amounts and operating costs is paid or allocated to patrons pro rata, and retained allocated equities may be mandatorily redeemable instruments requiring liability classification under Subtopic 480-10.

7. 405-910Contractors—Construction405 Liabilities

   ASC 405-910 formerly provided liability guidance (offsetting/presentation and disclosure of advances, billings, and related contractor obligations) for construction contractors. Every paragraph in the subtopic — Sections 05, 15, 45, and 50 — was superseded by ASU 2014-09 (Revenue from Contracts with Customers). As a result, the subtopic contains no operative guidance; contract liabilities of construction contractors are now addressed under ASC 606 (and contract costs under ASC 340-40).

8. 405-912Contractors—Federal Government405 Liabilities

   ASC 405-912 tells federal government contractors how to present and disclose liabilities arising from terminated contracts and from progress/advance payments. Termination loans (even if government-guaranteed) are third-party liabilities shown as current liabilities with cross-reference to the related claim; unliquidated advance payments on a terminated contract are deducted from the claim receivable. Progress and advance payments accounted for as borrowings under 912-310-25-7 are reported as cash received from financing activities.

9. 405-920Entertainment—Broadcasters405 Liabilities

   This Subtopic governs how broadcasters account for the liabilities they incur under license agreements for program material. A broadcaster recognizes both an asset (the program rights) and a liability when the license period begins and the conditions in 920-350-25-2 are met, measuring both at either the fair value or the gross amount of the liability, with any discount accreted as interest under Topic 835. The liability is then split between current and noncurrent on the balance sheet according to the payment terms.

10. 405-924Entertainment—Casinos405 Liabilities

    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.

11. 405-926Entertainment—Films405 Liabilities

    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.

12. 405-928Entertainment—Music405 Liabilities

    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.

13. 405-940Financial Services—Brokers and Dealers405 Liabilities

    This Subtopic addresses liabilities of brokers and dealers in securities, specifically stock-loan and repurchase (repo) transactions entered into to finance investment positions in lieu of a bank loan. Topic 860 supplies the general accounting for whether such transactions are sales or financings. If they are accounted for as financing transactions, the related rebate or interest expense must be presented in the income statement separately from any trading gains or losses.

14. 405-942Financial Services—Depository and Lending405 Liabilities

    This Subtopic governs how depository and lending institutions recognize, measure, present, and disclose deposit liabilities and short-sale obligations. Deposit liabilities are recognized when deposits are received (not when funds are collected), with deposit float recorded as both an asset and a liability, and credit unions must present member share/savings accounts unequivocally as liabilities. Short sales ("securities sold, not yet purchased") are reported as liabilities measured at fair value through income, with interest on short positions accrued as interest expense.

15. 405-944Financial Services—Insurance405 Liabilities

    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).

16. 405-946Financial Services—Investment Companies405 Liabilities

    This Subtopic gives presentation guidance for liabilities in an investment company's statement of assets and liabilities. It requires accounts payable to be broken out separately for investment securities purchased and for capital stock reacquired, and describes what falls into "other liabilities." Foreign-currency payables are translated at current exchange rates and may be grouped with the corresponding functional currency payables.

17. 405-954Health Care Entities405 Liabilities

    This Subtopic governs recognition and disclosure of liabilities unique to health care entities, principally accrued health care costs under capitation and other risk-bearing payor contracts. Providers that bear risk for referrals and outside services must accrue a liability for unpaid claims, including incurred but not reported (IBNR) claims, and must accrue health care costs as services are rendered, including services required beyond the premium period and post-termination costs. It also clarifies that entering into a Medicare fraud settlement that requires five years of future compliance audits is not itself the obligating event, so no liability is recognized for those future audits.

18. 405-958Not-for-Profit Entities405 Liabilities

    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.

19. 405-980Regulated Operations405 Liabilities

    This Subtopic explains when a regulator's rate actions create liabilities (regulatory liabilities) for an entity with regulated operations. Three mechanisms create liabilities: required refunds to customers that meet the loss-contingency accrual criteria, current rates collected to recover costs expected to be incurred in the future for which the entity remains accountable, and gains or other reductions of net allowable costs that the regulator requires be amortized to customers over future periods. A regulator's actions can eliminate a liability only if the regulator's actions imposed it in the first place.