Restricted cash represents funds held-on-deposit with processing banks pursuant to agreements to cover potential merchant losses. It is presented as long-term assets on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets since the related agreements extend beyond the next twelve months. Following the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash (Topic 230), the Company includes restricted cash along with the cash and cash equivalents balance for presentation in the consolidated statements of cash flows. The reconciliation between the consolidated balance sheet and the consolidated statement of cash flows is as follows:

Accounts receivable consist primarily of uncollateralized credit card processing residual payments due from processing banks requiring payment within thirty days following the end of each month. Accounts receivable also include amounts due from the sales of the Company’s technology solutions to its customers. The carrying amount of accounts receivable is reduced by an allowance for doubtful accounts, if necessary, which reflects management’s best estimate of the amounts that will not be collected. The allowance is estimated based on management’s knowledge of its customers, historical loss experience and existing economic conditions. Accounts receivable and the allowance are written-off when, in management’s opinion, all collection efforts have been exhausted. The Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts was $232 and $205 as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively; however, actual write-offs may exceed estimated amounts.

Settlement assets and obligations result when funds are temporarily held or owed by the Company on behalf of merchants, consumers, schools, and other institutions. Timing differences, interchange expense, merchant reserves and exceptional items cause differences between the amount received from the card networks and the amount funded to counterparties. These balances arising in the settlement process are reflected as settlement assets and obligations on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. With the exception of merchant reserves, settlement assets or settlement obligations are generally collected and paid within one to four days. As of September 30, 2019, the Company had no remaining settlement assets or settlement obligations. As of September 30, 2018, settlement assets and settlement obligations were both $863.

Property and equipment are stated at cost or, if acquired through a business combination or an asset acquisition, fair value at the date of acquisition. Depreciation and amortization are provided over the assets’ estimated useful lives (or, if obtained in connection with a business acquisition, over their estimated remaining useful lives) using the straight-line method, except for leasehold improvements, which are depreciated over the shorter of the estimated useful lives of the assets or the lease term.

Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are expensed when incurred. Expenditures for renewals or betterments are capitalized. Management reviews long-lived assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company recognizes impairment when the sum of undiscounted estimated future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset is less than the carrying value of the asset. There were no impairment charges during the years ended September 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017.

Development costs for software to be sold or leased to customers are capitalized once technological feasibility of the software product has been established. Costs incurred prior to establishing technological feasibility are expensed as incurred. Technological feasibility is established when the Company has completed a detailed program design and has determined that a product can be produced to meet its design specifications, including functions, features and technical performance requirements. Capitalization of costs ceases when the product is generally available to clients. Software development costs are amortized using the greater of the straight-line method or the usage method over its estimated useful life, which is generally estimated to be three years.

Software development costs may become impaired in situations where development efforts are abandoned due to the viability of a planned project becoming doubtful or due to technological obsolescence of a planned software product. Management evaluates the remaining useful lives and carrying values of capitalized software at least annually or when events and circumstances warrant such a review, to determine whether significant events or changes in circumstances indicate that impairment in value may have occurred. To the extent estimated net realizable values, which are estimated to equal future undiscounted cash flows, exceed the carrying value, no impairment is necessary. If estimated net realizable values are less than the carrying values, an impairment charge is recorded. Impairment charges during the years ended September 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017 were nominal.

Identifiable software technology intangible assets resulting from acquisitions are amortized using the straight-line method over periods not exceeding their remaining estimated useful lives. GAAP requires that intangible assets with estimated useful lives be amortized over their respective estimated useful lives to their residual values, and reviewed for impairment. Acquisition technology intangibles’ net book values are included in capitalized software, net in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Business acquisitions have been recorded using the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”), and, accordingly, the purchase price has been allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair value as of the date of acquisition. Where relevant, the fair value of material contingent consideration included in an acquisition is calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation. The fair value of merchant relationships and non-compete assets acquired is identified using the Income Approach. The fair value of trade names acquired is identified using the Relief from Royalty Method. The fair value of deferred revenue is identified using the Adjusted Fulfillment Cost Method. After the purchase price has been allocated, goodwill is recorded to the extent the total consideration paid for the acquisition, including the acquisition date fair value of contingent consideration, if any, exceeds the sum of the fair values of the separately identifiable acquired assets and assumed liabilities. Acquisition costs for business combinations are expensed

The Company’s goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net identifiable assets acquired in business combinations. The goodwill generated from the business combinations is primarily related to the value placed on the employee workforce and expected synergies. Judgment is involved in determining if an indicator or change in circumstances relating to impairment has occurred. Such changes may include, among others, a significant decline in expected future cash flows, a significant adverse change in the business climate, and unforeseen competition. No goodwill impairment charges were recognized during the years ended September 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017.

The Company has the option of performing a qualitative assessment of impairment to determine whether any further quantitative testing for impairment is necessary. The option of whether or not to perform a qualitative assessment is made annually and may vary by reporting unit. Factors the Company considers in the qualitative assessment include general macroeconomic conditions, industry and market conditions, cost factors, overall financial performance of the Company’s reporting units, events or changes affecting the composition or carrying amount of the net assets of its reporting units, sustained decrease in its share price, and other relevant entity specific events. If the Company determines not to perform the qualitative assessment or if it determines, on the basis of qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit is more likely than not less than the carrying value, then the Company performs a quantitative test for that reporting unit. The fair value of each reporting unit is compared to the reporting unit’s carrying value, including goodwill. Subsequent to the adoption on January 1, 2017 of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, if the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, the Company recognizes an impairment equal to the excess carrying value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.

Intangible assets include acquired merchant relationships, residual buyouts, referral agreements, trademarks, tradenames, website development costs and non-compete agreements. Merchant relationships represent the fair value of customer relationships purchased by the Company. Residual buyouts represent the right to not have to pay a residual to an independent sales agent related to certain future transactions with the agent’s referred merchants. Referral agreements represent the right to exclusively obtain referrals from a partner for their customers' credit card processing services.

The Company amortizes definite lived identifiable intangible assets using a method that reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible asset are expected to be consumed or otherwise utilized. The estimated useful lives of the Company’s customer-related intangible assets approximate the expected distribution of cash flows, whether straight-line or accelerated, generated from each asset. The useful lives of contract-based intangible assets are equal to the terms of the agreement.

i3 Verticals, Inc. is taxed as a corporation and pays corporate federal, state and local taxes on income allocated to it from i3 Verticals, LLC based on i3 Verticals, Inc.'s economic interest in i3 Verticals, LLC. i3 Verticals, LLC's members, including the Company, are liable for federal, state and local income taxes based on their share of i3 Verticals, LLC's pass-through taxable income. i3 Verticals, LLC is not a taxable entity for federal income tax purposes, but is subject to and reports entity level tax in both Tennessee and Texas. In addition, certain subsidiaries of i3 Verticals, LLC are corporations that are subject to state and federal income taxes.

Under GAAP, a tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded. The Company has no uncertain tax positions that qualify for either recognition or disclosure in the consolidated financial statements.

On occasion, the Company may have acquisitions which include contingent consideration. Accounting for business combinations requires the Company to estimate the fair value of any contingent purchase consideration at the acquisition date. For a discussion of the estimate methodology and the significance of various inputs, please see the subheading below titled “Use of Estimates.” Changes in estimates regarding the fair value contingent purchase consideration are reflected as adjustments to the related liability and recognized within operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. Short and long-term contingent liabilities are presented within accrued expenses and other current liabilities and other long-term liabilities on the Company's consolidated balance sheets, respectively.

Revenue is recognized when it is realized or realizable and earned, in accordance with ASC 605, Revenue Recognition (“ASC 605”). Recognition occurs when all of the following criteria are met: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (2) delivery has occurred or services have been performed; (3) the seller’s price to the buyer is fixed or determinable; and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. The Company accrues for rights of refund, processing errors or penalties, or other related allowances based on historical experience.

Discount fees represent a percentage of the dollar amount of each credit or debit transaction processed. Discount fees are recognized at the time the merchants’ transactions are processed. The Company follows the requirements of ASC 605-45 Revenue Recognition—Principal Agent Considerations, in determining its merchant processing services revenue reporting. Generally, where the Company has control over merchant pricing, merchant portability, credit risk and ultimate responsibility for the merchant relationship, revenues are reported at the time of sale on a gross basis equal to the full amount of the discount charged to the merchant. This amount includes interchange fees paid to card issuing banks and assessments paid to payment card networks pursuant to which such parties receive payments based primarily on processing volume for particular groups of merchants. Revenues generated from merchant portfolios where the Company does not have control over merchant pricing, liability for merchant losses or credit risk or rights of portability are reported net of interchange and other fees.

Revenues are also derived from a variety of fixed transaction or service fees, including authorization fees, convenience fees, statement fees, annual fees, and fees for other miscellaneous services, such as handling chargebacks. Revenues derived from service fees are recognized at the time the services are performed and there are no further performance obligations. Revenue from the sale of equipment is recognized upon transfer of ownership and delivery to the customer, after which there are no further performance obligations.

Revenues from sales of the Company’s software licensing subscriptions are recognized when they are realized or realizable and earned. Contractual arrangements are evaluated for indications that multiple element arrangements may exist, including instances where more-than-incidental software deliverables are included. Arrangements may contain multiple elements, such as hardware, software products, maintenance, and professional installation and training services. Revenues are allocated to each element based on the selling price hierarchy. The selling price for a deliverable is based on vendor specific objective evidence of selling price, if available, third party evidence, or estimated selling price. The Company establishes estimated selling price, based on the judgment of the Company's management, considering internal factors such as margin objectives, pricing practices and controls, customer segment pricing strategies and the product life cycle. In arrangements with multiple elements, the Company determines allocation of the transaction price at inception of the arrangement based on the relative selling price of each unit of accounting.

In multiple element arrangements where more-than-incidental software deliverables are included, the Company applies the residual method to determine the amount of software license revenues to be recognized. Under the residual method, if fair value exists for undelivered elements in a multiple-element arrangement, such fair value of the undelivered elements is deferred with the remaining portion of the arrangement consideration recognized upon delivery of the software license or services arrangement. The Company allocates the fair value

of each element of a software-related multiple-element arrangement based upon its fair value as determined by vendor specific objective evidence of selling price, with any remaining amount allocated to the software license. If evidence of the fair value cannot be established for the undelivered elements of a software arrangement, then the entire amount of revenue under the arrangement is deferred until these elements have been delivered or objective evidence can be established. These amounts, if any, are included in deferred revenue in the consolidated balance sheets. Revenues related to software licensing subscriptions, maintenance or other support services with terms greater than one month are recognized ratably over the term of the agreement.

Interchange and network fees consist primarily of fees that are directly related to discount fee revenue. These include interchange fees paid to issuers and assessment fees payable to card associations, which are a percentage of the processing volume the Company generates from Visa and Mastercard, as well as fees charged by card-issuing banks. Other costs of services include costs directly attributable to processing and bank sponsorship costs, which may not be based on a percentage of volume. These costs also include related costs such as residual payments to sales groups, which are based on a percentage of the net revenues generated from merchant referrals. In certain merchant processing bank relationships the Company is liable for chargebacks against a merchant equal to the volume of the transaction. Losses resulting from chargebacks against a merchant are included in other cost of services on the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. The Company evaluates its risk for such transactions and estimates its potential loss from chargebacks based primarily on historical experience and other relevant factors. The reserve for merchant losses is included within accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The cost of equipment sold is also included in other cost of services. Interchange and other costs of services are recognized at the time the merchant's transactions are processed.

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP 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 consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Such estimates include, but are not limited to, the value of purchase consideration paid and identifiable assets acquired and assumed in acquisitions, goodwill and intangible asset impairment review, warrant valuation, revenue recognition for multiple element arrangements, loss reserves, assumptions used in the calculation of equity-based compensation and in the calculation of income taxes, and certain tax assets and liabilities as well as the related valuation allowances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software: Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract (Subtopic 350-40). The amendments in ASU No. 2018-15 align the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The amendments in this ASU No. 2018-15 are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. As a public business entity, the Company is an emerging growth company and smaller reporting company and has elected to use the extended transition period provided for such companies. As a result, the Company is not required to adopt this ASU No. 2018-15 until October 1, 2021. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company elected to early adopt this standard using the prospective method as of October 1, 2018. There was no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the adoption of ASU No. 2018-15.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement: Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820). The amendments in ASU No. 2018-13 provide clarification and modify the disclosure requirements on fair value measurement in Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. The amendments in this ASU No. 2018-13 are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. As a public business entity, the Company is an emerging growth company and smaller reporting company and has elected to use the extended transition period provided for such companies. As a result, the Company will not be required to adopt this ASU No. 2018-13 until October 1, 2021. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this principle on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation—Stock Compensation: Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting (Topic 718). The amendments in ASU No. 2018-07 expand the scope of Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation to include share-based payments issued to nonemployees for goods or services. The amendments in this ASU No. 2018-07 are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. As a public business entity, the Company is an emerging growth company and smaller reporting company and has elected to use the extended transition period provided for such companies. As a result, the Company is not required to adopt this ASU No. 2018-07 until October 1, 2020. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than a company’s adoption date of ASU No. 2014-09 (defined below). The Company is electing to early adopt this standard as of October 1, 2019. There will be no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326). The amendments in ASU No. 2016-13 require the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The amendments in this ASU No. 2016-13 are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. As a public

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”). This ASU No. 2016-02 amends the existing guidance by recognizing all leases, including operating leases, with a term longer than twelve months on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about the lease arrangements. The effective date of this update is for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. As a public business entity, the Company is an emerging growth company and smaller reporting company and has elected to use the extended transition period provided for such companies. As a result, the Company will not be required to adopt this ASU No. 2016-02 until October 1, 2021. The update requires modified retrospective transition, with the option to initially apply the new standard at the adoption date and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment and elect various practical expedients. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases, which narrows aspects of the guidance issued in the amendments in ASU 2016-02, and ASU 2018-11, Leases—Targeted Improvements (Topic 842), by allowing lessees and lessors to recognize and measure existing leases at the beginning of the period of adoption without modifying the comparative period financial statements (which therefore will remain under prior GAAP, Topic 840, Leases). In December 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-20, Narrow-Scope Improvements for Lessors, which clarifies or simplifies certain narrows aspects of the guidance issued in the amendments in ASU 2016-02 for lessors. Since the Company has not yet adopted ASU 2016-02, the effective date and transition requirements will be the same as the effective date and transition requirements in ASU 2016-02. In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-01, Codification Improvements, which clarifies certain aspects of the guidance issued in the amendments in ASU 2016-02. The amendments in this ASU No. 2016-02 are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of these principles on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“ASU 2014-09”). The FASB issued updates and clarifications to ASU 2014-09, including ASU 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Gross versus Net) issued in March 2016, ASU 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing issued in April 2016 and ASU 2016-12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients issued in May 2016. ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC 605. The new standard provides a five-step analysis of transactions to determine when and how revenue is recognized, based upon the core principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard also requires additional disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The new standard, as amended, is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. As an emerging growth company and smaller reporting company, the Company will not be required to adopt this ASU No. 2014-09 until October 1, 2019. The amendment allows companies to use either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach, through a cumulative adjustment, to adopt this ASU No. 2014-09.

The Company has performed a review of the requirements of the new revenue standard and has monitored the activity of the FASB and the transition resource group as it relates to specific interpretive guidance. The Company has assessed the effects of the new revenue standard in a multi-phase approach. In the first phase, the team reviewed revenue sources and evaluated revenue populations by type to determine the appropriate portfolios that will result in materially consistent conclusions as if each revenue type was evaluated on a contract-by-contract basis under the new standard, applying the five-step model of the new standard to each contract category and comparing the results to current accounting practices. In the second phase, the Company quantified the potential effects, assessed additional contract categories and principal agent considerations, revised

The new standard will change the timing of certain revenue and expenses to be recognized under various arrangement types. In addition, it could increase the administrative burden on the Company’s operations to properly account for customer contracts and provide the more expansive required disclosures. More judgment and estimates will be required when applying the requirements of the new standard than are required under existing GAAP, such as estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in transaction price and estimating expected periods of benefit for certain costs. Through management's review of individual contracts and historical revenue recognition patters in comparison to the provisions under ASU 2014-09, the Company expects the timing of revenue to be recognized under ASU 2014-09 for each of the Company’s revenue categories, including discount fees, software licensing subscriptions, ongoing support, and other POS-related solutions, will be similar to the timing of revenue recognized under current accounting practices. The Company will evaluate, on an ongoing basis, costs to obtain contracts with customers, as well as certain implementation and set-up costs, and, in some cases, may be required to amortize these costs over longer periods than they were historically amortized. Finally, the new standard requires additional disclosures regarding revenues and related capitalized contract costs, if any.

The Company currently expects the most significant ongoing impact of adopting the new revenue standard in fiscal year 2020 to be driven by changes in principal versus agent considerations, with the majority of the change overall in total net revenue attributable to reflecting the Company's interchange and network fees on a net basis prospectively, as opposed to its gross presentation of $242,867 in the year ended September 30, 2019. The Company does not expect the adoption of the new revenue standard to have a material impact on net income. The Company will include additional disclosures of the amount by which each consolidated financial statement line item is affected during fiscal year 2020, as compared to the guidance that was in effect before the change, and an explanation of the reasons for any significant changes.