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Receivables and Expected Credit Losses
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020
Receivables [Abstract]  
Receivables and Expected Credit Losses
Note 3 – Receivables and Expected Credit Losses

Our portfolio of receivables is comprised of two portfolio segments: accounts receivable and EIP receivables.

Accounts Receivable Portfolio Segment

Our accounts receivable segment primarily consists of amounts currently due from customers, including service and leased device receivables, handset insurance administrators, wholesale partners, other carriers and third-party retail channels.

We estimate expected credit losses associated with our accounts receivable portfolio using an aging schedule methodology that utilizes historical information and current conditions to develop expected credit losses by aging bucket, including for receivables that are not past due.

To determine the appropriate credit loss percentages by aging bucket, we consider a number of factors, including our overall historical credit losses, net of recoveries and timely payment experience as well as current collection trends such as write-off
frequency and severity, credit quality of the customer base, and other qualitative factors such as macro-economic conditions, including the expected economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We consider the need to adjust our estimate of expected credit losses for reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions. To do so, we monitor professional forecasts of changes in real U.S. gross domestic product and forecasts of consumer credit behavior for comparable credit exposures. We also periodically evaluate other economic indicators such as unemployment rates to assess their level of correlation with our historical credit loss statistics.

EIP Receivables Portfolio Segment

Based upon customer credit profiles at the time of customer origination, we classify the EIP receivables segment into two customer classes of “Prime” and “Subprime.” Prime customer receivables are those with lower credit risk and Subprime customer receivables are those with higher credit risk. Customers may be required to make a down payment on their equipment purchases. In addition, certain customers within the Subprime category are required to pay an advance deposit.

To determine a customer’s credit profile, we use a proprietary credit scoring model that measures the credit quality of a customer using several factors, such as credit bureau information, consumer credit risk scores and service and device plan characteristics.

Installment loans acquired in the Merger are included in EIP receivables. We applied our proprietary credit scoring model to the customers acquired in the Merger with an outstanding EIP receivable balance. Based on tenure, consumer credit risk score and credit profile, these acquired customers were classified into our customer classes of Prime or Subprime. Our proprietary credit scoring model is applied to all EIP arrangements originated after the Merger close date.

The following table summarizes the EIP receivables, including imputed discounts and related allowance for credit losses:
(in millions)June 30, 2020December 31, 2019
EIP receivables, gross (1)
$5,084  $4,582  
Unamortized imputed discount(229) (299) 
EIP receivables, net of unamortized imputed discount4,855  4,283  
Allowance for credit losses (2)
(262) (100) 
EIP receivables, net of allowance for credit losses and imputed discount$4,593  $4,183  
Classified on the balance sheet as:
Equipment installment plan receivables, net of allowance for credit losses and imputed discount$3,194  $2,600  
Equipment installment plan receivables due after one year, net of allowance for credit losses and imputed discount1,399  1,583  
EIP receivables, net of allowance for credit losses and imputed discount$4,593  $4,183  
(1) Through the Merger, we acquired EIP receivables with a fair value of $1.3 billion as of April 1, 2020. As they were recorded at fair value, an imputed discount was not recognized on the acquired receivables.
(2) Allowance for credit losses as of June 30, 2020 was impacted by the cumulative effect of initially applying the new credit loss standard on our receivables portfolio on January 1, 2020, which resulted in an increase to our allowance for credit losses of $91 million.

We manage our EIP receivables portfolio using customer credit class and tenure as key credit quality indicators. As a part of the adoption of the new credit loss standard, we now disclose our EIP receivables portfolio disaggregated by origination year. EIP receivables acquired through the Merger are also presented by origination year. The following table presents the amortized cost of our EIP receivables by delinquency status, customer credit class, and year of origination as of June 30, 2020.

Originated in 2020Originated in 2019Originated prior to 2019Total EIP Receivables, net of
unamortized imputed discounts
(in millions)PrimeSubprimePrimeSubprimePrimeSubprimePrimeSubprimeGrand total
Current - 30 days past due$973  $1,222  $1,041  $1,034  $291  $146  $2,305  $2,402  $4,707  
31 - 60 days past due 17  12  29    22  51  73  
61 - 90 days past due   15     25  34  
More than 90 days past due   19    10  31  41  
EIP receivables, net of unamortized imputed discount$985  $1,253  $1,064  $1,097  $297  $159  $2,346  $2,509  $4,855  
We estimate expected credit losses on our EIP receivables by using historical data adjusted for current conditions to calculate default probabilities for our outstanding EIP loans. We consider various risk characteristics when calculating default probabilities, such as how long such loans have been outstanding, customer credit ratings, customer tenure, delinquency status and other correlated variables identified through statistical analyses. We multiply these estimated default probabilities by our estimated loss given default, which considers recoveries.

As we do for our accounts receivable portfolio segment, we consider the need to adjust our estimate of expected losses on EIP receivables for reasonable and supportable forecasts of economic conditions through monitoring of external professional forecasts and periodic internal statistical analyses, including the expected economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For EIP receivables acquired in the Merger, the difference between the fair value and unpaid principal balance of the loan at the
acquisition date is accreted to interest income over the contractual life of the loan using the effective interest method. EIP receivables had a combined weighted average effective interest rate of 7.7% and 8.8% as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

Activity for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, in the allowance for credit losses and unamortized imputed discount balances for the accounts receivable and EIP receivables segments were as follows:
June 30, 2020June 30, 2019
(in millions)Accounts Receivable AllowanceEIP Receivables AllowanceTotalAccounts Receivable AllowanceEIP Receivables AllowanceTotal
Allowance for credit losses and imputed discount, beginning of period$61  $399  $460  $67  $449  $516  
Beginning balance adjustment due to implementation of the new credit loss standard—  91  91  —  —  —  
Bad debt expense178  168  346  31  113  144  
Write-offs, net of recoveries(56) (96) (152) (37) (127) (164) 
Change in imputed discount on short-term and long-term EIP receivablesN/A10  10  N/A89  89  
Impact on the imputed discount from sales of EIP receivablesN/A(81) (81) N/A(84) (84) 
Allowance for credit losses and imputed discount, end of period$183  $491  $674  $61  $440  $501  

Off-Balance-Sheet Credit Exposures

We do not have material, unmitigated off-balance-sheet credit exposures as of June 30, 2020. In connection with the sales of certain service and EIP accounts receivable pursuant to the sale arrangements, we have deferred purchase price assets included in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets measured at fair value that are based on a discounted cash flow model using unobservable Level 3 inputs, including customer default rates and credit worthiness, dilutions and recoveries. See Note 4 – Sales of Certain Receivables for further information.