*** NOTE! This is the 4th post of many with regards to ASU 2016-14. This update is extensive and covers many asspects of your Accounting. Read ALL of our posts on the various ASU sections to be fully informed. Click here to see our additional posts on this topic.
There are two common types of endowment funds:
Without donor restrictions - Board-designated endowment funds sometimes called a quasi-endowment fund. For example, the board of Fluffy Puppy creates a board-designated endowment fund of $25,000 for long term investment returns. The new ASU does not change the way to account for endowments without restrictions.
Donor restricted funds - These funds are the result of a contribution with a specification that the organization invests these assets either for an extended, identified period or in perpetuity.
For Example:
Fluffy Puppy receives $100,000 contribution to be invested in perpetuity and the organization uses the earnings on the funds for veterinary care of the animals.
End of year one the endowment returns an investment gain of $7,000
End of year two the endowment returns an investment lost of $12,000
End of year three the endowment returns an investment gain of $6000
Current GAAP accounting using the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act of 2006 (UPMIFA) to regulate how a NFP uses net assets of an endowment fund. Regulations classify the original amount given, supplemental finances added to the fund, and resulting investment returns as net assets with donor restrictions. Therefore, unless stated differently in the endowment, the assets in the fund are donor-restricted assets until an organization’s governing board allocates the money for expenditure.
Current accounting for this contribution
The original gift is permanently restricted and unless noted in the agreement under UPMIFA the organization places all returns on the investment into temporary restricted.
This is where all the issues started coming up with endowment, and this is where I saw all the issues with organizations doing “creative accounting”. When the endowment total earnings drop to below $0, a term usually called “underwater endowment”, the GAAP way to record this is to reduce the total earnings to zero $0 and then record any other earning loss as a reduction to unrestricted. You cannot take any funds from the original amount given.
Just like B above, first you book your gain in unrestricted to offset the losses booked in B above, until the net amount is $0 (no more loss on this endowment fund). Then book the reminder of the gain into temporary restricted.
So this is one of the rare accounting items that crosses all the restricted categories. To most individuals, this is very confusing accounting mumbo-jumbo and there has to be a better way.
But wait...
There is . . .
ASU 2016-14!
Part of the new ASU 2016-14 took into account how confusing endowment accounting became and the number of issues it was causing the profession. ASU 2016-14 revamped it and made it clearer.
New accounting: #itsabouttime
Under the new ASU standards, your organization accounts for all the endowment elements (corpus, returns, gain, losses) in the same net asset categories as assets with restrictions. This way is easier and clearer to the reader of your financial statements.
Note: The IRS still requires your organization to disclose in your note to the financial statements the following:
Policy, and any actions taken during the period, concerning appropriation from underwater endowment funds,
Aggregate fair value of such funds,
Aggregate of the original gift amounts (or level required by donor or law) to be maintained, and
Aggregate amount by which funds are underwater, to be classified as part of net assets with donor restrictions.
Here is an example of the required footnote disclosure:
From time to time, the fair value of assets associated with individual donor restricted endowment funds may fall below the level that the donor or UPMIFA requires the organization to retain. Deficiencies of this nature exist in seven donor restricted endowment funds, which together have an original gift value of $375,500, a current fair value of $335,300, and a deficiency of $40,000 as of December 31, 2108. These deficiencies resulted from unfavorable market fluctuations that occurred shortly after the investment of new contributions for donor restricted endowment funds and continued appropriation for certain programs that the Board of Directors deemed prudent.
Ask yourself: Does your organization need to update its present system for following your organization’s endowment activity as the new guidance requires?
You may still find a few confusing kinks in understanding these updated reporting standards. When your organization comes across perplexing information and you have questions -- we are here with the answers. Don’t fret over understanding these new changes. We have the solutions and know-how to get it done for you. If you have any questions about ASU 2016-14 or any other not-for-profit industry topics, contact our not-for-profit team leader at trent@tbfosteraccounting.com. Keep in touch with our blog. We have ideas to share and solutions to management and organizational questions.
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