Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure and Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

NOTE 1 - ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

General

The information contained in the following notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements is condensed from that which would appear in the audited annual consolidated financial statements; accordingly, the consolidated financial statements included herein should be reviewed in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto contained in the annual report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 prepared by Real Estate Associates Limited VI (the "Partnership" or "Registrant"). Accounting measurements at interim dates inherently involve greater reliance on estimates than at year end. The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year.

In the opinion of the Partnership’s management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting primarily of normal recurring items) necessary to present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Partnership at September 30, 2011 and the consolidated results of operations and changes in cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010.

The consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2010 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements.

The general partners collectively have a one percent interest in profits and losses of the Partnership. The limited partners have the remaining 99 percent interest which is allocated in proportion to their respective individual investments. The general partners of the Partnership are National Partnership Investments Corp. ("NAPICO” or the "Corporate General Partner") and National Partnership Investment Associates.  The Corporate General Partner is a subsidiary of Apartment Investment and Management Company (“Aimco”), a publicly traded real estate investment trust.

At both September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, there were 16,660 limited partnership interests outstanding.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

The Partnership’s management evaluated subsequent events through the time this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q was filed.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Partnership and its majority-owned general partnership.  All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Losses in excess of the minority interest in equity that would otherwise be attributed to the minority interest are being allocated to the Partnership.

Method of Accounting for Investments in Local Limited Partnerships

The investments in unconsolidated local limited partnerships (the “Local Limited Partnerships”) are accounted for using the equity method. Acquisition, selection fees

and other costs related to the acquisition of the Local Limited Partnerships have been capitalized as part of the investment account and are being amortized by the straight line method over the estimated lives of the underlying assets, which is generally 30 years.

Net Income (Loss) Per Limited Partnership Interest

Net income (loss) per limited partnership interest was computed by dividing the limited partners’ share of net income (loss) by the number of limited partnership interests outstanding at the beginning of the year. The number of limited partnership interests used was 16,660 and 16,686 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Variable Interest Entities

The Partnership consolidates any variable interest entities in which the Partnership holds a variable interest and is the primary beneficiary. Generally, a variable interest entity, or VIE, is an entity with one or more of the following characteristics: (a) the total equity investment at risk is not sufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support; (b) as a group, the holders of the equity investment at risk lack (i) the ability to make decisions about an entity’s activities through voting or similar rights, (ii) the obligation to absorb the expected losses of the entity, or (iii) the right to receive the expected residual returns of the entity; or (c) the equity investors have voting rights that are not proportional to their economic interests and substantially all of the entity’s activities either involve, or are conducted on behalf of, an investor that has disproportionately few voting rights. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is generally the entity that has (a) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance, and (b) the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

In determining whether it is the primary beneficiary of a VIE, the Partnership considers qualitative and quantitative factors, including, but not limited to: which activities most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and which party controls such activities; the amount and characteristics of the Partnership’s investment; the obligation or likelihood for the Partnership or other investors to provide financial support; and the similarity with and significance to the business activities of the Partnership and the other investors.  Significant judgments related to these determinations include estimates about the current and future fair values and performance of real estate held by these VIEs and general market conditions.

At September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the Partnership holds variable interests in 9 and 14 VIEs, respectively, for which the Partnership is not the primary beneficiary.  The Partnership has concluded, based on its qualitative consideration of the partnership agreement, the partnership structure and the role of the general partner in each of the Local Limited Partnerships, that the general partner of each of the Local Limited Partnerships is the primary beneficiary of the respective Local Limited Partnership.   In making this determination, the Partnership considered the following factors:

·the general partners conduct and manage the business of the Local Limited Partnerships;

·the general partners have the responsibility for and sole discretion over selecting a property management agent for the Local Limited Partnerships’ underlying real estate properties;

·the general partners are responsible for approving operating and capital budgets for the properties owned by the Local Limited Partnerships;

·the general partners are obligated to fund any recourse obligations of the Local Limited Partnerships;

·the general partners are authorized to borrow funds on behalf of the Local Limited Partnerships; and

·the Partnership, as a limited partner in each of the Local Limited Partnerships, does not have the ability to direct or otherwise significantly influence the activities of the Local Limited Partnerships that most significantly impact such entities’ economic performance.

The 9 VIEs at September 30, 2011 consist of Local Limited Partnerships that are directly engaged in the ownership and management of 9 apartment properties with a total of 533 units.  The Partnership is involved with those VIEs as a non-controlling limited partner equity holder. The Partnership’s maximum exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the unconsolidated VIEs is limited to the Partnership’s recorded investments in and receivables from these VIEs, which were approximately $421,000 and $284,000 at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The Partnership may be subject to additional losses to the extent of any financial support that the Partnership voluntarily provides in the future.