Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2015

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Businesses and Assets Held for Sale Policy

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 and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

NOTE 1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

General Electric Company (GE Company or GE) owns all of the common stock of General Electric Capital Corporation (GECC). Our financial statements consolidate all of our affiliates – companies that we control and in which we hold a majority voting interest. We also consolidate the economic interests we hold in certain businesses within companies in which we hold a voting equity interest and are majority owned by our parent, but which we have agreed to actively manage and control. See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements of our Form 8-K filed on May 8, 2015 consolidated financial statements), which discusses our consolidation and financial statement presentation. GECC includes Commercial Lending and Leasing (CLL), Consumer, Energy Financial Services and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS).

Effects of transactions between related companies are made on an arms-length basis and are eliminated. As a wholly-owned subsidiary, GECC enters into various operating and financing arrangements with its parent, GE. These arrangements are made on an arms-length basis and consist primarily of GECC dividends to GE; GE customer receivables sold to GECC; GECC services for trade receivables management and material procurement; buildings and equipment (including automobiles) leased between GE and GECC; information technology (IT) and other services sold to GECC by GE; aircraft engines manufactured by GE that are installed on aircraft purchased by GECC from third-party producers for lease to others; and various investments, loans and allocations of GE corporate costs.

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.

Interim Period Presentation Policy

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, GECC 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.