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DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block]
1.
Description of business and summary of significant accounting policies
 
Description of business –Brownie’s Marine Group, Inc., (hereinafter referred to as the “Company” or “BWMG”) designs, tests, manufactures and distributes recreational hookah diving, yacht based scuba air compressor and nitrox generation systems, and scuba and water safety products through its wholly owned subsidiary Trebor Industries, Inc. The Company sells its products both on a wholesale and retail basis, and does so from its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Company does business as (dba) Brownie’s Third Lung, the dba name of Trebor Industries, Inc. The Company’s common stock is quoted on the OTCBB under the symbol “BWMG”.
 
Basis of Presentation – The financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). In the opinion of management all normal recurring adjustments considered necessary to give a fair presentation of operating results for the periods presented have been included.
 
Definition of fiscal year – The Company’s fiscal year end is December 31
 
Use of estimates - The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make 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 revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
Reclassifications – Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2013 financial statement amounts to conform to the 2014 financial statement presentation. Effective July 15, 2013 the Company effectuated a reverse stock split (1 -for- 1,350). See Note 18. CHANGE IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE for more information. Accordingly, the transactional number of shares referenced throughout the Notes has been retroactively stated unless otherwise noted.
 
Cash and equivalents – Only highly liquid investments with original maturities of 90 days or less are classified as cash and equivalents. These investments are stated at cost, which approximates market value.
 
Going Concern –The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business for the twelve-month period following the date of these financial statements. We have incurred losses since 2009, and expect to have during 2014. We have had a working capital deficit since 2009.
 
The Company is behind on payments due for payroll taxes and withholding, matured convertible debentures, related parties notes payable, accrued liabilities and interest – related parties, and certain vendor payables. The Company is handling delinquencies on a case by case basis. However, there can be no assurance that cooperation the Company has received thus far will continue. Payment delinquencies are further addressed in Note 7. RELATED PARTIES TRANSACTIONS, Note 9. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED LIABILITIES, Note 10. OTHER LIABILITIES, Note 11. NOTES PAYABLE, and Note 12. CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURES.
 
During the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company formed a joint venture with one dive entity, and in the first quarter of 2012, purchased the assets of another, with assumption of their retail location lease. The Company accomplished both transactions predominantly through issuance of restricted common stock in BWMG. The Company believed these transactions would help generate sufficient future working capital. Neither endeavor did or has generated profit or positive cash-flow. Therefore, effective May 31, 2013, the Company closed and ceased operations at its retail facility. The Company is still involved in the joint venture. See Note 17. JOINT VENTURE EQUITY EXCHANGE AGREEMENT and Note 8. ASSET PURCHASE for further discussion of these transactions. As a result, the Company does not expect that existing operational cash flow will be sufficient to fund presently anticipated operations beyond the second quarter of 2014. This raises substantial doubt about BWMG’s ability to continue as a going concern. The Company will need to raise additional funds and is currently exploring alternative sources of financing. BWMG has issued a number of convertible debentures as an interim measure to finance working capital needs as discussed in Note 12. CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURES and may continue to raise additional capital through sale of restricted common stock or other securities, and obtaining some short term loans. The Company has paid for legal and consulting services with restricted stock to maximize working capital, and intends to continue this practice when possible. In addition, the Company implemented some cost saving measures and will continue to explore more to reduce operating expenses.
 
If BWMG fails to raise additional funds when needed, or does not have sufficient cash flows from sales, it may be required to scale back or cease operations, liquidate assets and possibly seek bankruptcy protection. The accompanying consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that may result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
 
Inventory – Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or fair market value. Cost is principally determined by using the average cost method that approximates the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) method of accounting for inventory. Inventory consists of raw materials as well as finished goods held for sale. The Company’s management monitors the inventory for excess and obsolete items and makes necessary valuation adjustments when required.
 
Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment – Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided principally on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which are primarily 3 to 5 years. The cost of repairs and maintenance is charged to expense as incurred. Expenditures for property betterments and renewals are capitalized. Upon sale or other disposition of a depreciable asset, cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is reflected in other income (expense).
 
The Company periodically evaluates whether events and circumstances have occurred that may warrant revision of the estimated useful lives of fixed assets or whether the remaining balance of fixed assets should be evaluated for possible impairment. The Company uses an estimate of the related undiscounted cash flows over the remaining life of the fixed assets in measuring their recoverability.
 
Revenue recognition – Revenues from product sales are recognized when the Company’s products are shipped or when service is rendered. Revenues from fixed-price contracts are recognized on the percentage-of-completion method, measured by the percentage of cost incurred to date to estimated total cost of each contract. This method is used because management considers the percentage of cost incurred to date to estimated total cost to be the best available measure of progress on the contracts.
 
Contract costs include all direct material and labor costs and those indirect costs related to contract performance, such as indirect labor, supplies, tools, repairs, and depreciation costs. General and administrative costs are charged to expense as incurred. Provisions for estimated losses on uncompleted contracts are made in the period in which such losses are determined. Change in job performance, job conditions, and estimated profitability may result in revisions to costs and income and are recognized in the period in which the revisions are determined.
 
Revenue and costs incurred for time and material projects are recognized as the work is performed.
 
Product development costs – Product development expenditures are charged to expenses as incurred.
 
Advertising and marketing costs – The Company expenses the costs of producing advertisements and marketing material at the time production occurs, and expenses the costs of communicating advertisements and participating in trade shows in the period in which occur. Advertising and trade show expense was $912 and $27,262 for the years ended March 31, 2014, and 2013, respectively.
 
Customer deposits and returns policy – The Company takes a minimum 50% deposit against custom and large tankfill systems prior to ordering and/or building the systems. The remaining balance due is payable upon delivery, shipment, or installation of the system. There is no provision for cancellation of custom orders once the deposit is accepted, nor return of the custom ordered product. Additionally, returns of all other merchandise are subject to a 15% restocking fee as stated on each sales invoice.
 
Income taxes – The Company accounts for its income taxes under the assets and liabilities method, which requires recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
 
The Company records net deferred tax assets to the extent the Company believes these assets will more likely than not be realized. In making such determination, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax planning strategies and recent financial operations. A valuation allowance is established against deferred tax assets that do not meet the criteria for recognition. In the event the Company were to determine that it would be able to realize deferred income tax assets in the future in excess of their net recorded amount, they would make an adjustment to the valuation allowance which would reduce the provision for income taxes.
 
The Company follows the accounting guidance which provides that a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position may be recognized when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolutions of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits. Income tax positions must meet a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold at the effective date to be recognized initially and in subsequent periods. Also included is guidance on measurement, derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition.
 
Comprehensive income – The Company has no components of other comprehensive income. Accordingly, net income equals comprehensive income for all periods.
 
Stock-based compensation – The Company accounts for all compensation related to stock, options or warrants using a fair value based method whereby compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the value of the award and is recognized over the service period, which is usually the vesting period. The Company uses the Black-Scholes valuation model to calculate the fair value of options and warrants issued to both employees and non-employees. Stock issued for compensation is valued on the effective date of the agreement in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, which includes determination of the fair value of the share-based transaction. The fair value has been determined either through use of the quoted stock price.
 
For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company compensated and/or converted all accrued payroll to stock for one employee. For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company transacted stock-based compensation transactions as follows: amortized prepaid equity based compensation for personal guarantees of Chief Executive Officer on Company’s bank debt; additional compensation expense to the Chief Executive Officer; Board of Directors’ Fees and Bonuses; certain consulting, legal, and other professional fees; equity based incentive and/or retention bonuses for some employees, and consultants; and operating expense for exclusivity pursuant to strategic alliance agreement payable. These transactions, as applicable, are also further discussed in Note 7. RELATED PARTIES TRANSACTIONS, Note 13. EQUITY BASED COMPENSATION FOR CONSULTING, LEGAL, AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, Note 20. EQUITY BASED INCENTIVE/RETENTION BONUSES, and Note 12. STRATEGIC ALLIANCE AGREEMENT.
  
Beneficial conversion features on convertible debentures – The fair value of the stock upon which to base the beneficial conversion feature (BCF) computation has been determined either through use of the quoted stock price unless the trading activity is nominal, which may indicate it does not represent the fair value. Under these circumstances, the Company determines fair value through an analysis of its fair value of net assets and comparable publicly traded companies that have higher trading volumes with similar results of operations and industries.  See Note 12. CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURES for further discussion.
 
Fair value of financial instruments – Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. An entity is required to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. There are three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:
 
Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical assets or liabilities.
 
Level 2 - Quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets.
 
Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 assets and liabilities include financial instruments whose value is determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques, as well as instruments for which the determination of fair value requires significant management judgment or estimation.
 
Inputs are used in applying the various valuation techniques and broadly refer to the assumptions that market participants use to make valuation decisions, including assumptions about risk. An investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. However, the determination of what constitutes “observable” requires significant judgment by the Company. Management considers observable data to be market data which is readily available, regularly distributed or updated, reliable and verifiable, not proprietary, provided by multiple, independent sources that are actively involved in the relevant market. The categorization of an investment within the hierarchy is based upon the pricing transparency of the investment and does not necessarily correspond to the Company’s perceived risk of that investment.
 
At March 31, 2014, and December 31, 2013, the carrying amount of cash, accounts receivable, accounts receivable – related parties, customer deposits and unearned revenue, royalties payable – related parties, other liabilities, other liabilities and accrued interest – related parties, notes payable, notes payable – related parties, and accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate fair value because of the short maturity of these instruments. The fair value of the Company’s convertible debentures was the principal balance due at March 31, 2014, and December 31, 2013, or $516,800, and $526,910, respectively, as presented in Note 12. CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURES. The principal balance due approximates fair value because of the short maturity of these instruments. On the face of the balance sheet the convertible debentures are presented net of discount, which is less than fair market value at period end dates when discount is not fully accreted.
 
Earnings per common share – Basic earnings per share excludes any dilutive effects of options, warrants and convertible securities. Basic earnings per share is computed using the weighted-average number of outstanding common shares during the applicable period. Diluted earnings per share is computed using the weighted average number of common and common stock equivalent shares outstanding during the period. Common stock equivalent shares are excluded from the computation if their effect is antidilutive. All common stock equivalent shares were excluded in the computation dilutive earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2014, and 2013, since their effect was antidilutive.
 
New accounting pronouncements – The Company believes there was no new accounting guidance adopted but not yet effective that either has not already been disclosed in prior reporting periods or is relevant to the readers of BWMG’s financial statements.