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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Procedures and Recent Accounting Pronouncements
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Procedures and Recent Accounting Pronouncements Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Procedures and Recent Accounting Pronouncements
 
A.  The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Realty Income and other subsidiaries for which we make operating and financial decisions (i.e., control), after elimination of all material intercompany balances and transactions.  We consolidate entities that we control and record a noncontrolling interest for the portion that we do not own. Noncontrolling interest that was created or assumed as part of a business combination was recognized at fair value as of the date of the transaction (see note 11).  We have no unconsolidated investments.
 
B.  We have elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. We believe we have qualified and continue to qualify as a REIT. Under the REIT operating structure, we are permitted to deduct dividends paid to our stockholders in determining our taxable income.  Assuming our dividends equal or exceed our taxable net income, we generally will not be required to pay federal corporate income taxes on such income. Accordingly, no provision has been made for federal income taxes in the accompanying consolidated financial statements, except for federal income taxes of our taxable REIT subsidiaries. The income taxes recorded on our consolidated statements of income represent amounts paid by Realty Income and its subsidiaries for city and state income and franchise taxes.
 
C.  We assign a portion of goodwill to our applicable property sales, which results in a reduction of the carrying amount of our goodwill. In order to allocate goodwill to the carrying amount of properties that we sell, we utilize a relative fair value approach based on the original methodology for assigning goodwill.  As we sell properties, our goodwill will likely continue to gradually decrease over time. Based on our analysis of goodwill during the second quarters of 2018 and 2017, we determined there was no impairment on our existing goodwill.
 
D.  In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This ASU, as amended by ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Deferral of the Effective Date, outlines a comprehensive model for companies to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers, and will apply to transactions such as the sale of real estate. This ASU, which is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services and also to provide certain additional disclosures. We adopted this standard effective as of January 1, 2018 and utilized the cumulative effect transition method of adoption. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.
 
E.  In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02 (Topic 842, Leases), as clarified and amended by ASU 2018-01, which amended Topic 840, Leases. Under this amended topic, the accounting applied by a lessor is largely unchanged from that applied under Topic 840, Leases. The large majority of operating leases should remain classified as operating leases, and lessors should continue to recognize lease income for those leases on a generally straight-line basis over the lease term. Although primarily a lessor, we are also a lessee under several ground lease arrangements. Upon adoption, we will recognize lease obligations for ground leases with a
corresponding right of use asset, and are currently evaluating other impacts this amendment may have on our consolidated financial statements. The amendments included in this topic are effective, for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. We plan to adopt this standard when it becomes effective beginning January 1, 2019, and we expect to elect the practical expedients available for implementation under the standard.