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Guarantees
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Guarantees [Abstract]  
Guarantees
GUARANTEES
We extend a variety of financial guarantees to third parties. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the following financial guarantees were outstanding:
  
December 31, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
(dollars in millions)
Maximum
Potential
Payment

 
Carrying
Amount of
Liability

 
Maximum
Potential
Payment

 
Carrying
Amount of
Liability

Commercial aerospace financing arrangements (see Note 5)
$
348

 
$
14

 
$
365

 
$
12

Credit facilities and debt obligations (expire 2017 to 2028)
270

 
15

 
241

 

Performance guarantees
55

 
4

 
55

 
3


We also have obligations arising from sales of certain businesses and assets, including those from representations and warranties and related indemnities for environmental, health and safety, tax and employment matters. The maximum potential payment related to these obligations is not a specified amount as a number of the obligations do not contain financial caps. The carrying amount of liabilities related to these obligations was $171 million at December 31, 2016 and 2015. For additional information regarding the environmental indemnifications, see Note 18.
We accrue for costs associated with guarantees when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. The most likely cost to be incurred is accrued based on an evaluation of currently available facts, and where no amount within a range of estimates is more likely, the minimum is accrued. In accordance with the Guarantees Topic of the FASB ASC we record these liabilities at fair value.
We provide service and warranty policies on our products and extend performance and operating cost guarantees beyond our normal service and warranty policies on some of our products, particularly commercial aircraft engines. In addition, we incur discretionary costs to service our products in connection with specific product performance issues. Liabilities for performance and operating cost guarantees are based upon future product performance and durability, and are largely estimated based upon historical experience. Adjustments are made to accruals as claim data and historical experience warrant. The changes in the carrying amount of service and product warranties and product performance guarantees for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 are as follows:
(dollars in millions)
2016
 
2015
Balance as of January 1
$
1,212

 
$
1,264

Warranties and performance guarantees issued
246

 
291

Settlements made
(240
)
 
(259
)
Other
(19
)
 
(84
)
Balance as of December 31
$
1,199

 
$
1,212