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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
9 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
NOTE 9: COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Assisted tax returns, as well as services provided under Tax Pro GoSM and Tax Pro ReviewSM, are covered by our 100% accuracy guarantee, whereby we will reimburse a client for penalties and interest attributable to an H&R Block error on a return. DIY tax returns are covered by our 100% accuracy guarantee, whereby we will reimburse a client up to a maximum of $10,000 if our software makes an arithmetic error that results in payment of penalties and/or interest to the IRS that a client would otherwise not have been required to pay. Our liability related to estimated losses under the 100% accuracy guarantee was $7.0 million, $7.0 million and $9.9 million as of January 31, 2020 and 2019 and April 30, 2019, respectively. The short-term and long-term portions of this liability are included in deferred revenue and other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.
Liabilities related to acquisitions for (1) estimated contingent consideration based on expected financial performance of the acquired business and economic conditions at the time of acquisition and (2) estimated accrued compensation related to continued employment of key employees were $11.4 million, $11.3 million and $11.1 million as of January 31, 2020 and 2019 and April 30, 2019, respectively, with amounts recorded in deferred revenue and other liabilities. Should actual results differ from our estimates, future payments made will differ from the above estimate and any differences will be recorded in results from continuing operations.
We have contractual commitments to fund certain franchises with approved short-term loans and revolving lines of credit. Our total obligation under these lines of credit was $40.0 million at January 31, 2020, and net of amounts drawn and outstanding, our remaining commitment to fund totaled $14.2 million.
Emerald AdvanceTM lines of credit (EAs) are originated by Axos Bank, a federal savings Bank (Axos). We purchase a 90% participation interest, at par, in all EAs originated by Axos in accordance with our participation agreement. At January 31, 2020, the principal balance of purchased participation interests for the current year totaled $367.8 million.
On October 8, 2019, we entered into a Refund Advance Program Agreement and certain ancillary agreements with Axos, pursuant to which they originate and fund Refund Advance loans, and provide technology, software, and underwriting support services related to such loans during the 2020 tax season. Refund Advance loans are offered to certain assisted U.S. tax preparation clients, based on client eligibility as determined by the loan originator. We pay loan origination fees based on loan size and customer type. The loan origination fees are intended to cover expected loan losses and payments to capital providers, among other items. We have provided two limited guarantees related to this agreement. We have provided a limited guarantee up to $7.5 million related to loans to clients prior to the IRS accepting electronic filing. At January 31, 2020, we accrued an estimated liability of $1.9 million related to this guarantee, compared to $1.4 million at January 31, 2019. Additionally, we provided a limited guarantee for the remaining loans, up to $57 million in the aggregate, which would cover certain incremental loan losses. We were not required to make a payment in connection with this guarantee for the fiscal year 2019 tax season, and we do not expect that a material amount will be paid for this guarantee under anticipated loss scenarios related to the fiscal year 2020 tax season.
LOSS CONTINGENCIES PERTAINING TO DISCONTINUED MORTGAGE OPERATIONS – SCC ceased originating mortgage loans in December 2007 and, in April 2008, sold its servicing assets and discontinued its remaining operations. Mortgage loans originated by SCC were sold either as whole loans to single third-party buyers, who generally securitized such loans, or in the form of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBSs). In connection with the sale of loans and/or RMBSs, SCC made certain representations and warranties. Claims under these representations and warranties together with any settlement arrangements related to these losses are collectively referred to as "representation and warranty claims."
SCC accrues a liability for losses related to representation and warranty claims when those losses are believed to be both probable and reasonably estimable. SCC’s loss estimate is based on the best information currently available, management judgment, developments in relevant case law, and the terms of bulk settlements. In periods when a liability is accrued for such loss contingencies, the liability is included in deferred revenue and other current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. SCC had no liability accrued for these losses as of January 31, 2020 and 2019 or April 30, 2019.
See note 11, which addresses contingent losses that may be incurred with respect to various indemnification or contribution claims by underwriters, depositors, and securitization trustees in securitization transactions in which SCC participated.