Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
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 (2014 consolidated financial statements), which discusses our consolidation and financial statement presentation. GECC includes Commercial Lending and Leasing (CLL), Consumer, Energy Financial Services (EFS) 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. Effective September 30, 2015, certain columns and rows may not add due to the use of rounded numbers. Percentages presented are calculated from the underlying numbers in millions. 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, GE 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 GE’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, GE will retain certain GECC businesses, principally its vertical financing businesses— GE Capital Aviation Services, Energy Financial Services and Healthcare Equipment Finance—that directly relate to GE’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 and all Consumer platforms (including all U.S. banking assets). In the nine months ended September 30, 2015, GE recorded $21,061 million of after-tax charges related to the GE Capital Exit Plan, including $362 million of after-tax charges recorded in the third quarter of 2015, primarily exit-related charges in our CLL business, partially offset by income associated with operations in CLL and Real Estate. A description of after-tax charges for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 is provided below. $9,756 million of net loss primarily related to the planned disposition of the Real Estate business and most of the CLL business, which is recorded in discontinued operations under the caption “Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes” in the Statement of Earnings. $6,209 million of tax expense related to expected repatriation of foreign earnings and write-off of deferred tax assets, of which $6,057 million is reported in GECC’s Corporate component and $152 million is reported in our Consumer business all recorded in continuing operations under the caption “Benefit (provision) for income taxes” in the Statement of Earnings. $4,666 million of net asset impairments due to shortened hold periods, of which $3,151 million is recorded in continuing operations in our Consumer business primarily under the captions “Provisions for losses on financing receivables” and “Revenues from services” in the Statement of Earnings and $1,515 million is recorded in discontinued operations in our CLL business under the caption “Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes” in the Statement of Earnings. $430 million of restructuring and other charges, of which $337 million is recorded in continuing operations in GECC’s Corporate component under the caption “Operating and administrative” in the Statement of Earnings and $93 million is recorded in discontinued operations in our CLL business under the caption “Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes” in the Statement of Earnings. As part of the GE Capital Exit Plan, GE and GECC entered into an amendment to their existing financial support agreement. Under this amendment (the Amendment), GE 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 $183,670 million of GECC debt as of September 30, 2015. See Note 6. The Guarantee replaced the requirement that GE 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 GE set forth in the Guarantee. See Notes 2 and 5 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, 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. 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 September 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 September 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

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 (2014 consolidated financial statements), which discusses our consolidation and financial statement presentation. GECC includes Commercial Lending and Leasing (CLL), Consumer, Energy Financial Services (EFS) 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. Effective September 30, 2015, certain columns and rows may not add due to the use of rounded numbers. Percentages presented are calculated from the underlying numbers in millions. 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, GE 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 GE’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, GE will retain certain GECC businesses, principally its vertical financing businesses— GE Capital Aviation Services, Energy Financial Services and Healthcare Equipment Finance—that directly relate to GE’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 and all Consumer platforms (including all U.S. banking assets).

In the nine months ended September 30, 2015, GE recorded $21,061 million of after-tax charges related to the GE Capital Exit Plan, including $362 million of after-tax charges recorded in the third quarter of 2015, primarily exit-related charges in our CLL business, partially offset by income associated with operations in CLL and Real Estate. A description of after-tax charges for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 is provided below.

$9,756 million of net loss primarily related to the planned disposition of the Real Estate business and most of the CLL business, which is recorded in discontinued operations under the caption “Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes” in the Statement of Earnings.

$6,209 million of tax expense related to expected repatriation of foreign earnings and write-off of deferred tax assets, of which $6,057 million is reported in GECC’s Corporate component and $152 million is reported in our Consumer business all recorded in continuing operations under the caption “Benefit (provision) for income taxes” in the Statement of Earnings.

$4,666 million of net asset impairments due to shortened hold periods, of which $3,151 million is recorded in continuing operations in our Consumer business primarily under the captions “Provisions for losses on financing receivables” and “Revenues from services” in the Statement of Earnings and $1,515 million is recorded in discontinued operations in our CLL business under the caption “Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes” in the Statement of Earnings.

$430 million of restructuring and other charges, of which $337 million is recorded in continuing operations in GECC’s Corporate component under the caption “Operating and administrative” in the Statement of Earnings and $93 million is recorded in discontinued operations in our CLL business under the caption “Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes” in the Statement of Earnings.

As part of the GE Capital Exit Plan, GE and GECC entered into an amendment to their existing financial support agreement. Under this amendment (the Amendment), GE 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 $183,670 million of GECC debt as of September 30, 2015. See Note 6. The Guarantee replaced the requirement that GE 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 GE set forth in the Guarantee.

See Notes 2 and 5 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, 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.

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 September 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 September 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.