Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Interim Period Presentation Policy

Interim Period Presentation

The condensed, 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 condensed, 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 condensed, consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2010 consolidated financial statements. We label our quarterly information using a calendar convention, that is, first quarter is labeled as ending on March 31, second quarter as ending on June 30, and third quarter as ending on September 30. It is our longstanding practice to establish interim quarterly closing dates using a fiscal calendar, which requires our businesses to close their books on either a Saturday or Sunday, depending on the business. The effects of this practice are modest and only exist within a reporting year. The fiscal closing calendar from 1993 through 2013 is available on our website, www.ge.com/secreports.

Accounting Changes Policy

Accounting Changes

On July 1, 2011, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2011-02, an amendment to Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 310, Receivables. ASU 2011-02 provides guidance for determining whether a restructuring of a debt constitutes a troubled debt restructuring (TDR). ASU 2011-02 requires that a restructuring be classified as a TDR when it is both a concession and the debtor is experiencing financial difficulties. The amendment also clarifies the guidance on a creditor's evaluation of whether it has granted a concession. The amendment applies to restructurings that have occurred subsequent to January 1, 2011. As a result of adopting these amendments on July 1, 2011, we have classified an additional $271 million of financing receivables as TDRs and have recorded an increase of $77 million to our allowance for losses on financing receivables. See Note 12.