The Advantages of Using Software to Implement the New Lease Standard
Implementing the new lease standard is complex, particularly for organizations with many leases. Beyond the complexity and time-consuming nature of implementing the new standard, setting it up manually with spreadsheets is also extremely risky. This blog will examine the advantages of using software instead.
Ask the Expert: John Hepp Discusses Related Party Leases
Important note: This is a judgment-based standard, which means there are few hard-and-fast rules and the treatment of your leases will depend on your unique situation. It's important that you always double-check decisions with an accounting professional who knows your circumstances. This blog should not be considered, or take the place of, professional advice or services.
This month, we’re bringing back industry expert John Hepp to discuss related party leases. John is a retired partner from Grant Thornton and a former FASB project manager. He holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is currently on the faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
With John’s help, this blog will examine leases between related parties, specifically the lease term that should be booked.
The New Lease Standard: Defining and Identifying Embedded Leases
One of the trickier aspects of the new lease standard is the concept of embedded leases. Like many components of the new standard, identifying an embedded lease takes human judgment—and there are few shortcuts to simplify the process.
This article examines the basics of embedded leases and how to identify them, so you can help your clients with this complex aspect of implementing the new lease standard.
Meet Your Updated General Ledger Accounts Under the New Lease Standard
The new lease standard requires you to account for leases differently on your financial statements, which of course includes your general ledger. Learn what’s new in this blog, including a few intricacies and potential surprises to watch out for as you help clients implement the standard.
ASC 842: Transitioning Leases and Why Equity Likely Isn’t Affected
When the changes in an accounting standard impact assets or liabilities, we are accustomed to the difference flowing through equity. The new lease standard, ASC 842, is different because equity is not typically impacted in the initial journal entries. It might seem strange to not use your trusty “Cumulative Effect of a Change in Accounting Principle” account when implementing a new standard, yet it’s true - and important to know to ensure that your lease assets and liabilities are properly recorded. So how does it work? Read on to learn more.
How the New Lease Standard Affects Accounting for Common Area Maintenance (CAM)
The new lease standard, ASC 842, changes the treatment of common area maintenance (CAM) within a real estate lease contract. Many real estate leases include some form of CAM, such as cleaning a building lobby, snow removal, landscaping, or janitorial services. Here are some things you need to know about CAM, including what is changing and a few practical examples.
What Can CPA Firms Do Now To Help Clients With Policy Decisions in the New Lease Standard?
Policy elections that must be made under the new lease accounting standard are a critical part of implementation planning. They impact your clients’ future accounting and financial statement disclosures and your clients may not have even considered them yet. For example:
- Do they understand the difference between lease and non-lease components?
- Do they know that there is a short-term lease exception available?
- Do they know how they want the presentation of lease assets and liabilities on their statement of financial position to appear?
- Do they know that there are a number of practical expedients available that can save them time, but that they must elect them?
How Do I Know If My Lease Has Multiple Lease Components?
Lease accounting is applied at the lowest asset component. As a result, after you have identified the lease and nonlease components, you as the lessee should determine if the lease contains more than one lease component. You will do this by identifying the individual asset units and their relationships.
You determine if a lease has separate lease components by considering the interdependencies of individual assets covered in a contract. A key consideration is whether the supplier will use multiple assets, or a group of assets that work together, to fulfill the arrangement.
For example, if a customer leases 15 computers and monitors from a technology supplier, then there are clearly multiple assets involved in fulfilling this arrangement.
Is there one or many leases?
Separating Lease and Nonlease Components
Identifying lease and nonlease components
Not all costs related to a lease are included in the leased asset and liability. For example, a lessor may lease a truck and also include a provision to operate the truck on behalf of the lessee. Providing a driver, maintenance and gas are not related to securing the use of the truck and these costs would be considered nonlease components. Another example of a nonlease component is the fee for common area maintenance when renting office space.
