Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies	Note 1. Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies basis of presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements represent the consolidation of General Electric Company (the Company) and all companies that we directly or indirectly control, either through majority ownership or otherwise. See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements of our Form 8-K filed on May 8, 2015, which discusses our consolidation and financial statement presentation. As used in this report on Form 10-Q (Report), “GE” represents the adding together of all affiliated companies except General Electric Capital Corporation (GECC or Financial Services), whose continuing operations are presented on a one-line basis; GECC consists of General Electric Capital Corporation and all of its affiliates; and “Consolidated” represents the adding together of GE and GECC with the effects of transactions between the two eliminated. Unless otherwise indicated, we refer to the caption revenues and other income simply as “revenues” throughout this Form 10-Q. We have reclassified certain prior-period amounts to conform to the current-period presentation. Unless otherwise indicated, information in these notes to the consolidated financial statements relates to continuing operations. THE GE Capital Exit Plan On April 10, 2015, the Company announced its plan (the GE Capital Exit Plan) to reduce the size of its financial services businesses through the sale of most of the assets of GECC over the following 24 months, and to focus on continued investment and growth in the Company’s industrial businesses. Under the GE Capital Exit Plan, which was approved on April 2, 2015 and aspects of which were approved on March 31, 2015, the Company will retain certain GECC businesses, principally its vertical financing businesses—GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), Energy Financial Services and Healthcare Equipment Finance—that directly relate to the Company’s core industrial domain and other operations, including Working Capital Solutions and our run-off insurance activities (together referred to as GE Capital Verticals or Verticals). The assets planned for disposition include Real Estate, most of Commercial Lending and Leasing (CLL) and all Consumer platforms (including all U.S. banking assets). In the first and second quarters of 2015, GE recorded $16,118 million and $4,581 million, respectively, of after-tax charges related to the GE Capital Exit Plan. As a result of certain businesses meeting discontinued operations criteria, $6,691 million of first quarter after-tax charges and $4,405 million of second quarter after-tax charges (including $4,329 million related to CLL) were reported in discontinued operations. As part of the GE Capital Exit Plan, the Company and GECC entered into an amendment to their existing financial support agreement. Under this amendment (the Amendment), the Company has provided a full and unconditional guarantee (the Guarantee) of the payment of principal and interest on all tradable senior and subordinated outstanding long-term debt securities and all commercial paper issued or guaranteed by GECC identified in the Amendment. In the aggregate, the Guarantee applied to $207,118 million of GECC debt as of June 30, 2015. See Note 8. The Guarantee replaced the requirement that the Company make certain income maintenance payments to GECC in certain circumstances. GECC’s U.S. public indentures were concurrently amended to provide the full and unconditional guarantee by the Company set forth in the Guarantee. See Notes 2 and 7 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information. interim period presentation The consolidated financial statements and notes thereto are unaudited. These statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) that we considered necessary to present a fair statement of our results of operations, financial position and cash flows. The results reported in these consolidated financial statements should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. It is suggested that these consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2014 consolidated financial statements. Effective for the first quarter of 2015, the Company is following a calendar quarter. Previously, we established interim quarterly closing dates using a fiscal calendar, which required our businesses to close their books on either a Saturday or Sunday, depending on the business. summary of significant accounting policies In addition to the policies referenced in our 2014 Form 10-K Report and Form 8-K filed on May 8, 2015, we have supplemented the discussion of our significant accounting policies and critical accounting estimates to describe the estimates used to determine the fair value of businesses and assets held for sale as follows. BUSINESSES AND ASSETS HELD FOR SALE Businesses held for sale represent components that meet accounting requirements to be classified as held for sale and are presented as single asset and liability amounts in our financial statements with a valuation allowance, if necessary, to recognize the net carrying amount at the lower of cost or fair value, less cost to sell. Financing receivables that no longer qualify to be presented as held for investment must be classified as held for sale and recognized in our financial statements at the lower of cost or fair value, less cost to sell, with that amount representing a new cost basis at the date of transfer. As previously discussed, as a result of the GE Capital Exit Plan, management has committed to reduce the size of its financial services businesses through the sale of most of the assets of GECC over the following 24 months. As a result, certain GECC businesses met the criteria to be classified as businesses held for sale and certain financing receivables were required to be recognized as held for sale at June 30, 2015. The determination of fair value for businesses and portfolios of financing receivables involves significant judgments and assumptions. Development of estimates of fair values in this circumstance is complex and is dependent upon, among other factors, the nature of the potential sales transaction (for example, asset sale versus sale of legal entity), composition of assets and/or businesses in the disposal group, the comparability of the disposal group to market transactions, negotiations with third party purchasers etc. Such factors bear directly on the range of potential fair values and the selection of the best estimates. Key assumptions were developed based on market observable data and, in the absence of such data, internal information that is consistent with what market participants would use in a hypothetical transaction as of June 30, 2015. We review all businesses and assets held for sale each reporting period to determine whether the existing carrying amounts are fully recoverable in comparison to estimated fair values.

basis of presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements represent the consolidation of General Electric Company (the Company) and all companies that we directly or indirectly control, either through majority ownership or otherwise. See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements of our Form 8-K filed on May 8, 2015, which discusses our consolidation and financial statement presentation. As used in this report on Form 10-Q (Report), “GE” represents the adding together of all affiliated companies except General Electric Capital Corporation (GECC or Financial Services), whose continuing operations are presented on a one-line basis; GECC consists of General Electric Capital Corporation and all of its affiliates; and “Consolidated” represents the adding together of GE and GECC with the effects of transactions between the two eliminated. Unless otherwise indicated, we refer to the caption revenues and other income simply as “revenues” throughout this Form 10-Q.

We have reclassified certain prior-period amounts to conform to the current-period presentation. Unless otherwise indicated, information in these notes to the consolidated financial statements relates to continuing operations.

THE GE Capital Exit Plan

On April 10, 2015, the Company announced its plan (the GE Capital Exit Plan) to reduce the size of its financial services businesses through the sale of most of the assets of GECC over the following 24 months, and to focus on continued investment and growth in the Company’s industrial businesses. Under the GE Capital Exit Plan, which was approved on April 2, 2015 and aspects of which were approved on March 31, 2015, the Company will retain certain GECC businesses, principally its vertical financing businesses—GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), Energy Financial Services and Healthcare Equipment Finance—that directly relate to the Company’s core industrial domain and other operations, including Working Capital Solutions and our run-off insurance activities (together referred to as GE Capital Verticals or Verticals). The assets planned for disposition include Real Estate, most of Commercial Lending and Leasing (CLL) and all Consumer platforms (including all U.S. banking assets).

In the first and second quarters of 2015, GE recorded $16,118 million and $4,581 million, respectively, of after-tax charges related to the GE Capital Exit Plan. As a result of certain businesses meeting discontinued operations criteria, $6,691 million of first quarter after-tax charges and $4,405 million of second quarter after-tax charges (including $4,329 million related to CLL) were reported in discontinued operations.

As part of the GE Capital Exit Plan, the Company and GECC entered into an amendment to their existing financial support agreement. Under this amendment (the Amendment), the Company has provided a full and unconditional guarantee (the Guarantee) of the payment of principal and interest on all tradable senior and subordinated outstanding long-term debt securities and all commercial paper issued or guaranteed by GECC identified in the Amendment. In the aggregate, the Guarantee applied to $207,118 million of GECC debt as of June 30, 2015. See Note 8. The Guarantee replaced the requirement that the Company make certain income maintenance payments to GECC in certain circumstances. GECC’s U.S. public indentures were concurrently amended to provide the full and unconditional guarantee by the Company set forth in the Guarantee.

See Notes 2 and 7 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information.

interim period presentation

The consolidated financial statements and notes thereto are unaudited. These statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) that we considered necessary to present a fair statement of our results of operations, financial position and cash flows. The results reported in these consolidated financial statements should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. It is suggested that these consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2014 consolidated financial statements. Effective for the first quarter of 2015, the Company is following a calendar quarter. Previously, we established interim quarterly closing dates using a fiscal calendar, which required our businesses to close their books on either a Saturday or Sunday, depending on the business.

summary of significant accounting policies

In addition to the policies referenced in our 2014 Form 10-K Report and Form 8-K filed on May 8, 2015, we have supplemented the discussion of our significant accounting policies and critical accounting estimates to describe the estimates used to determine the fair value of businesses and assets held for sale as follows.

BUSINESSES AND ASSETS HELD FOR SALE

Businesses held for sale represent components that meet accounting requirements to be classified as held for sale and are presented as single asset and liability amounts in our financial statements with a valuation allowance, if necessary, to recognize the net carrying amount at the lower of cost or fair value, less cost to sell. Financing receivables that no longer qualify to be presented as held for investment must be classified as held for sale and recognized in our financial statements at the lower of cost or fair value, less cost to sell, with that amount representing a new cost basis at the date of transfer.

As previously discussed, as a result of the GE Capital Exit Plan, management has committed to reduce the size of its financial services businesses through the sale of most of the assets of GECC over the following 24 months. As a result, certain GECC businesses met the criteria to be classified as businesses held for sale and certain financing receivables were required to be recognized as held for sale at June 30, 2015.

The determination of fair value for businesses and portfolios of financing receivables involves significant judgments and assumptions. Development of estimates of fair values in this circumstance is complex and is dependent upon, among other factors, the nature of the potential sales transaction (for example, asset sale versus sale of legal entity), composition of assets and/or businesses in the disposal group, the comparability of the disposal group to market transactions, negotiations with third party purchasers etc. Such factors bear directly on the range of potential fair values and the selection of the best estimates. Key assumptions were developed based on market observable data and, in the absence of such data, internal information that is consistent with what market participants would use in a hypothetical transaction as of June 30, 2015.

We review all businesses and assets held for sale each reporting period to determine whether the existing carrying amounts are fully recoverable in comparison to estimated fair values.