Gov Acct - Ch. 5 (Acct for General Capital Assets and Capital Projects)

General Capital Assets Acquired under Lease Agreements

- A lease is defined as "a contract that conveys control of the right to use another entity's nonfinancial asset as specified in the contract for a period of time in an exchange or exchange-like transaction"; a short-term lease has a maximum possible term under the contract of 12 months or less, including any options to extend. - Lease payments for assets used by governmental funds are recorded as expenditures of the period. - At the government-wide level, the GASB requires lessees to recognize a lease liability and an intangible right-to-use lease asset.

Assets Impairments and Insurance Recoveries

- An asset impairment is defined as a significant, unexpected decline in the service utility of a capital asset. Impairments occur as a result of unexpected circumstances or events, such as physical damage, obsolescence, enactment of laws or regulations or other environmental factors, or change in the manner or duration of the asset's use. - Asset impairments result in a write-down of the asset's carrying value.

Bond Anticipation Notes: The Problem of Interest Expenditures

- As with most borrowed funds, interest is generally required on Bond Anticipation Notes Payable. - Since the Capital Projects Fund's available funding would be reduced by the payment of interest, managers of that fund would prefer the interest be paid by any other fund. - Although the debt service fund is a logical fund to assume the payment of interest, it is unlikely to have funds available to make the payment. - Another choice is the General Fund, which may not have appropriated for the interest. If it did not, there may need to be an authorization by the legislative body to allow this expenditure.

Capital Assets

- Capital assets include land, buildings, land and building improvements, construction work in progress, vehicles, machinery, equipment, works of art and historical treasures, infrastructure assets, and intangible assets. - They are commonly financed by issuance of long-term debt to be repaid from tax revenues, special assessments against property deemed to be particularly benefited by the long-lived asset, grants from other governments, transfers from other funds, gifts from individuals or organizations, leases, or a combination of these resources.

Required Disclosure for Capital Assets

- Capital assets not being depreciated are disclosed separately from assets that are being depreciated. - In addition to general policy for capitalizing assets and for estimating the useful lives of depreciable assets, required disclosures include: - Beginning-of-year and end-of-year balances showing accumulated depreciation separate from historical cost. - Capital acquisitions during the year. - Sales or other dispositions during the year. - Depreciation expense for the current period with disclosure of the amounts charged to each function in the statement of activities. - Disclosures describing works of art or historical treasures that are not capitalized and explaining why they are not capitalized. If capitalized, include in the disclosures described above.

Intangible Assets

- Capital assets that lack physical substance. - Have a useful life of more than one reporting period. - Non-financial in nature.

Capital Projects Fund

- Ensure revenues and other financing sources dedicated to a certain purpose are used for that purpose and no other. - Continue to exist until the project is completed. - Do not record any debt incurred to finance the project. - No need for appropriations or estimated revenues, but use of encumbrances is recommended.

Accounting for General Capital Assets

- General Fund and/or Special Revenue Funds ---> Account for capital outlay expenditures from budget appropriations - Capital Projects Funds ---> Account for construction and major capital expenditures - Government-wide Governmental Activities ---> Account for cost and depreciation of general capital assets

Bond Premium, Discount, and Accrued Interest on Bonds Sold

- Government issues bonds, typically selling the entire issue to an underwriter who sells the bonds to individuals or institutions. - Bonds may be sold at a premium, and if not prohibited, may also be sold at a discount. If sold between interest payment dates, purchasers also pay accrued interest. - Proceeds are recorded in the capital projects fund, while the liability is recorded at the government-wide level. Principal and interest payments are made from the debt service fund or General Fund.

Capital Projects Financial Reporting

- If the Capital Projects Fund meets the definition of a major fund, it is presented in a separate column in the governmental funds financial reports. - Nonmajor funds would be included in an aggregate column with other nonmajor funds. - If the fund is nonmajor, details about the fund can be disclosed in the combining financial statements as a part of the recommended supplementary information. - It is a part of the Governmental Activities column in the government-wide statements.

Construction Work in Progress

- In the governmental activities general journal, the account Construction Work in Progress is used to capitalize the accumulated costs of a construction project. - The account is reported on the statement of net position with other assets not being depreciated. - When construction is complete, the asset is reclassified to the appropriate category and depreciation begins.

Infrastructure Assets

- Infrastructure assets include highways, streets, sidewalks, storm drainage systems, and lighting systems, that are stationary in nature and normally can be preserved for a longer life than most other capital assets. - Infrastructure assets are depreciated unless the government adopts the modified approach.

Retained Percentages

- It is common for a government to hold a portion of a contractor's fee to cover any construction issues that may arise. - The holdback is recorded as Contracts Payable— Retained Percentage when the billing is paid. - The payable is reduced when the remaining percentage is either paid to the contractor or used to satisfy issues with the construction.

Costs Incurred After Acquisition

- Outlays that clearly add to the utility or function of a capital asset or enhance the value of an integral part of it may be capitalized as part of the asset. - Special difficulty arises in the case of large-scale outlays that are partly replacements and partly additions or betterments.

Accounting for General Capital Assets

- Recorded at historical cost, estimated cost, or fair value - Capitalized in governmental activities - Expenditure in governmental fund - Depreciation expense reported in governmental activities only

Value of Impairment Approaches

- Restoration Cost Approach - Deflated Depreciated Replacement Cost Approach - Service Units Approach

Bond Anticipation Notes Payable

- Since the issuance of bonds is complex, and delays in final funding may occur, governments often issue Bond Anticipation Notes Payable, a form of temporary funding. - Although the funding is temporary, Bond Anticipation Notes Payable may be reported as long-term if the following two conditions are met: ---> All legal steps have been taken to refinance the bond anticipation notes. ---> The intent is supported by an ability to consummate refinancing the short-term notes on a long-term basis.

Service Concession Arrangements

- Under a Service Concession Arrangement, a government transfers the rights and obligations of an asset to another legally separate governmental or private sector entity. This external entity provides public services through the use of the asset, collecting related fees in return for an up-front payment to the transferring government. - In general, standards require that the transferring government continue reporting the transferred asset as a capital asset and any related contractual obligations as liabilities.

Modified Approach

- Under the modified approach, a government may elect not to depreciate certain eligible infrastructure assets, provided that two requirements are met. The two requirements are: ---> (1)The government manages the eligible infrastructure assets using an asset management system that includes: (a) an up-to-date inventory of eligible assets, (b) condition assessments of the assets and summary of results using a measurement scale, and (c) estimates each year of the annual amount needed to maintain and preserve the eligible assets at the condition level established and disclosed by the government. ---> (2) The government documents that the eligible infrastructure assets are being preserved approximately at (or above) the condition level established and disclosed (see item 1, (c) above). - At a minimum, adequate documentation must include: ---> (1) complete condition assessments at least every three years, and ---> (2) the three most recent condition assessments must provide reasonable assurance that the eligible infrastructure assets are being preserved at or above the established condition level. - If requirements are met and adequate documentation is maintained, all expenditures incurred to preserve the eligible infrastructure assets should be expensed in the period incurred.

Reduction of Cost or Asset Disposal

- When an asset is disposed of, the cost of the asset and its accumulated depreciation should be removed from the governmental activities general ledger, and any gain or loss on disposal recognized. - A partial reduction of cost may occur when only a part of an asset is sold, disposed of, or destroyed. The entries to record a partial reduction mirror those of a disposal.

Land

Land is an inexhaustible asset, and as such, is not depreciated. The recorded value depends on how the asset is acquired. - Purchase ---> Contract price and all related costs - Forfeiture ---> Total amount of all taxes, liens, and other claims surrendered plus all other costs incidental to acquiring ownership and perfecting title - Donation ---> Appraised value on date of acquisition

Machinery and Equipment

Machinery and equipment are generally purchased, but may also be acquired through construction or donation. - The valuation rules applied to buildings also apply to machinery and equipment. - Machinery and equipment are depreciated.

Buildings and Improvements Other than Buildings

This category includes buildings, building improvements, and land improvements. - All are depreciated, except land improvements that are inexhaustible and provide permanent benefits. - The recorded value depends on how the asset is acquired. - Purchased ---> Contract price and related costs - Constructed ---> Outside contractors: Contract price and related costs ---> Self constructed: All direct and indirect expenditures of the fund providing the construction but also materials and services furnished by other funds - Donated ---> Appraisal as of date of acquisition