Credit Losses on Financial Instruments

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Credit Loss [Abstract]

Credit Losses on Financial Instruments

Credit Losses on Financial Instruments

In accordance with ASC 326, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses" ("ASC 326") we aggregate financial assets with similar risk characteristics to align our expected credit losses with the credit quality or deterioration over the life of such assets. We monitor certain risk characteristics within our aggregated financial assets and revise their composition accordingly, to the extent internal and external risk factors change each reporting period. Financial assets that do not share risk characteristics with other financial assets are evaluated separately. Our financial assets measured at amortized cost primarily consist of accounts receivable.

In developing our accounts receivable portfolio, we pooled certain assets with similar credit risk characteristics based on the nature of our customers, their industry, policies used to grant credit terms and their historical and expected credit loss patterns.

Prior to the adoption of the new credit loss standard, the allowance for doubtful accounts receivable reflected our best estimate of probable losses inherent in our receivable portfolio determined based on historical experience, specific allowances for known troubled accounts, and other currently available evidence.

We implemented the new standard effective January 1, 2020, using a loss rate method to estimate our allowance for credit losses. Our current expected credit loss rate begins with the use of historical loss experience as a percentage of accounts receivable. We measure our historical loss period based on the average days to move accounts receivable to credit loss. When asset specific characteristics and current conditions change from those in the historical period, due to changes in our credit and collections strategy, certain classes of aged balances, or credit loss and recovery policies, we perform a qualitative and quantitative assessment to update our current loss rate, which as noted below has increased due to an increase in historic loss experience and weakening economic forecasts. We use regression analysis to develop an expected loss rate using historical experience and economic data over a forecast period. We measure our forecast period based on the average days to collect payment on billed accounts receivable. The historical, current, and expected credit loss rates are combined and applied to period end accounts receivable, which results in our allowance for credit losses.

If there is a deterioration of a customer's financial condition or if future default rates in general differ from currently anticipated default rates (including changes caused by COVID-19), we may need to adjust the allowance for credit losses, which would affect earnings in the period that adjustments are made.

The assessment of the correlation between historical observed default rates, current conditions, and forecasted economic conditions requires judgment. Alternative interpretations of these factors could have resulted in different conclusions regarding the allowance for credit losses. The amount of credit loss is sensitive to changes in circumstances and forecasted economic conditions. Our historical credit loss experience, current conditions, and forecast of economic conditions may also not be representative of the customers' actual default experience in the future.

The following table presents the activity of our allowance for credit losses by accounts receivable portfolio:

	Business		Consumer	Total
	(Dollars in millions)
Beginning balance at January 1, 2020 (1)	$	17	18	35
Provision for expected losses	17		14	31
Write-offs charged against the allowance	(12)		(18)	(30)
Recoveries collected	2		4	6
Ending Balance at June 30, 2020	$	24	18	42

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⁽¹⁾The beginning balance includes the cumulative effect of the adoption of new credit loss standard.

For the six months ended June 30, 2020, we increased our allowance for credit losses for our business and consumer accounts receivable portfolio due to an increase in historical and expected loss experience, which we believe is predominantly attributable to the current COVID-19 induced economic slowdown, and recoveries collected.