Statement No. 86
Certain Debt Extinguishment Issues
(Issued 05/17)
The primary objective of this Statement is to improve consistency in accounting and financial reporting for in-substance defeasance of debt by providing guidance for transactions in which cash and other monetary assets acquired with only existing resources—resources other than the proceeds of refunding debt—are placed in an irrevocable trust for the sole purpose of extinguishing debt. This Statement also improves accounting and financial reporting for prepaid insurance on debt that is extinguished and notes to financial statements for debt that is defeased in substance.
In-Substance Defeasance of Debt Using Only Existing Resources
Statement No. 7, Advance Refundings Resulting in Defeasance of Debt, requires that debt be considered defeased in substance when the debtor irrevocably places cash or other monetary assets acquired with refunding debt proceeds in a trust to be used solely for satisfying scheduled payments of both principal and interest of the defeased debt. The trust also is required to meet certain conditions for the transaction to qualify as an in-substance defeasance. This Statement establishes essentially the same requirements for when a government places cash and other monetary assets acquired with only existing resources in an irrevocable trust to extinguish the debt. However, in financial statements using the economic resources measurement focus, governments should recognize any difference between the reacquisition price (the amount required to be placed in the trust) and the net carrying amount of the debt defeased in substance using only existing resources as a separately identified gain or loss in the period of the defeasance.
Governments that defease debt using only existing resources should provide a general description of the transaction in the notes to financial statements in the period of the defeasance. In all periods following an in-substance defeasance of debt using only existing resources, the amount of that debt that remains outstanding at period-end should be disclosed.
Prepaid Insurance Related to Extinguished Debt
For governments that extinguish debt, whether through a legal extinguishment or through an in-substance defeasance, this Statement requires that any remaining prepaid insurance related to the extinguished debt be included in the net carrying amount of that debt for the purpose of calculating the difference between the reacquisition price and the net carrying amount of the debt.
Additional Disclosure for All In-Substance Defeasance Transactions
One of the criteria for determining an in-substance defeasance is that the trust hold only monetary assets that are essentially risk-free. If the substitution of essentially risk-free monetary assets with monetary assets that are not essentially risk-free is not prohibited, governments should disclose that fact in the period in which the debt is defeased in substance. In subsequent periods, governments should disclose the amount of debt defeased in substance that remains outstanding for which that risk of substitution exists.
Effective Date
The requirements of this Statement are effective for reporting periods beginning after June 15, 2017. Earlier application is encouraged.
How the Changes in This Statement Will Improve Accounting and Financial Reporting
The requirements of this Statement will increase consistency in accounting and financial reporting for debt extinguishments by establishing uniform guidance for derecognizing debt that is defeased in substance, regardless of how cash and other monetary assets placed in an irrevocable trust for the purpose of extinguishing that debt were acquired. The requirements of this Statement also will enhance consistency in financial reporting of prepaid insurance related to debt that has been extinguished. In addition, this Statement will enhance the decision-usefulness of information in notes to financial statements regarding debt that has been defeased in substance.
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.