Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentations (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Pronouncements Adopted



Standard/Description	Effective Date and Adoption Considerations	Effect on Financial Statements or Other significant Matters
ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”). This standard amends existing lease accounting standards for both lessees and lessors. Lessees Lessees must classify most leases as either finance or operating leases. For lease contracts, or contracts with an embedded lease, with a duration of more than one year in which we are the lessee, the present value of future lease payments are recognized on our consolidated balance sheets as a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability. Lessors Lease contracts currently classified as operating leases are accounted for similarly to as under existing guidance. However, lessors are required to account for each lease and non-lease component, such as common area maintenance or tenant service revenues, of a contract separately. In July 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842) - Targeted Improvements (“ASU 2018-11”), which provides lessors optional transition relief from implementing this aspect of ASU 2016-02 if the following criteria are met: (1) both components have the same timing and pattern of revenue and (2) if accounted for separately, both components would be classified as an operating lease. Also under ASU 2016-02, only incremental costs or initial direct costs of executing a lease contract qualify for capitalization, while prior accounting standards allowed for the capitalization of indirect leasing costs.	We adopted the new standard as of January 1, 2019.	We adopted ASU 2016-02 as of January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective approach and by applying the transitional practical expedients noted below. Under the modified retrospective approach, we recognized a cumulative effect adjustment of $0.9 million to retained earnings as of January 1, 2019 (see note 3 for further discussion of the impact of adoption on our consolidated financial statements). We did not elect the hindsight expedient, which would have allowed us to reevaluate lease terms in calculating lease liabilities as part of adoption. Under ASU 2018-11, the FASB offered optional transition relief, if elected as a package, and applied consistently by an entity to all of its leases. Accordingly, upon adoption we elected, as a package, the practical expedients for all leases as follows: (1) we will not reassess whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (2) we will not reassess the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, and (3) we will not reassess initial direct costs for any existing leases.

Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted



Standard/Description	Effective Date and Adoption Considerations	Effect on Financial Statements or Other significant Matters
ASU 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. This standard requires financial assets measured at an amortized cost basis, including trade receivables, to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected.	The new standard is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods therein, with adoption one year earlier permitted.	We are currently evaluating the impact the new standard may have on our consolidated financial statements.
ASU 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software. This standard requires a customer in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract to follow the internal-use software guidance to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as assets.	The standard is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2019 and for interim periods therein, with early adoption permitted.	We are currently evaluating the impact the new standard may have on our consolidated financial statements.

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the consolidated accounts of Washington REIT, our majority-owned subsidiaries and entities in which Washington REIT has a controlling interest. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Basis of Accounting

We have prepared the accompanying unaudited financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and note disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations, although we believe that the disclosures made are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. In addition, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented have been included. These unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Within these notes to the financial statements, we refer to the three months ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018 as the “2019 Quarter” and the “2018 Quarter,” respectively.

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash includes funds escrowed for tenant security deposits, real estate tax, insurance and mortgage escrows and escrow deposits required by lenders on certain of our properties to be used for future building renovations or tenant improvements.

Use of Estimates in the Financial Statements

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.