Summaries / Status
Summary of Statement No. 66
Technical Corrections—2012—an amendment of GASB Statements No. 10 and No. 62
(Issued 03/12)
The objective of this Statement is to improve accounting and financial reporting for a governmental financial reporting entity by resolving conflicting guidance that resulted from the issuance of two pronouncements, Statements No. 54, Fund Balance Reporting and Governmental Fund Type Definitions, and No. 62, Codification of Accounting and Financial Reporting Guidance Contained in Pre-November 30, 1989 FASB and AICPA Pronouncements.
This Statement amends Statement No. 10, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Risk Financing and Related Insurance Issues, by removing the provision that limits fund-based reporting of an entity’s risk financing activities to the general fund and the internal service fund type. As a result, governments should base their decisions about fund type classification on the nature of the activity to be reported, as required in Statement 54 and Statement No. 34, Basic Financial Statements—and Management's Discussion and Analysis—for State and Local Governments.
This Statement also amends Statement 62 by modifying the specific guidance on accounting for (1) operating lease payments that vary from a straight-line basis, (2) the difference between the initial investment (purchase price) and the principal amount of a purchased loan or group of loans, and (3) servicing fees related to mortgage loans that are sold when the stated service fee rate differs significantly from a current (normal) servicing fee rate. These changes clarify how to apply Statement No. 13, Accounting for Operating Leases with Scheduled Rent Increases, and result in guidance that is consistent with the requirements in Statement No. 48, Sales and Pledges of Receivables and Future Revenues and Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets and Future Revenues, respectively.
The provisions of this Statement are effective for financial statements for periods beginning after December 15, 2012. Earlier application is encouraged.
How the Changes in This Statement Improve Financial Reporting
The requirements of this Statement resolve conflicting accounting and financial reporting guidance that could diminish the consistency of financial reporting and thereby enhance the usefulness of the financial reports.
Unless otherwise specified, pronouncements of the GASB apply to financial reports of all state and local governmental entities, including general purpose governments; public benefit corporations and authorities; public employee retirement systems; and public utilities, hospitals and other healthcare providers, and colleges and universities. Paragraph 2 discusses the applicability of this Statement.