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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Procedures and Recent Accounting Pronouncements
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
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 or asset acquisition was recognized at fair value as of the date of the transaction (see note 10). 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 and comprehensive income represent amounts paid by Realty Income and its subsidiaries for city and state income and franchise taxes and for U.K. income taxes.
C. The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to limit its spread are negatively impacting the economy across many industries, including the industries in which some of our tenants operate. These impacts may continue and increase in severity as the duration of the pandemic lengthens, which may, in turn, adversely impact the fair value estimates of our real estate and recording of impairments on our properties. As a result, we are evaluating certain key assumptions involving fair value estimates of our real estate. We continue to evaluate the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to limit its spread on our business and industry segments, as the situation continues to evolve and more information becomes available. However, as of March 31, 2020, we have determined that the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to limit its spread have not had a material impact on our consolidated financial statements as of and for period ended March 31, 2020. Based on the status of our business operations as of March 31, 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we expect to remain in compliance with the financial covenants for our unsecured notes and credit facility over the next 12 months.

On April 8, 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, staff and FASB board members responded to questions about the accounting for COVID-19 related rent concessions under Topic 842, Leases. The accounting for these rent concessions under Topic 842 depends on the enforceable rights and obligations of the parties under the original lease contract (including those arising from the laws of the jurisdiction governing the lease contract) and the nature of any changes to the terms and conditions of the contract. If a rent concession under these circumstances is required by the original lease contract (e.g. by a force majeure clause), the concession will generally be accounted for as a variable lease payment. In contrast, if the lessor is under no obligation to grant a rent concession, the lessor’s agreement to grant one should be accounted for as a lease modification.

The FASB staff has provided clarifying guidance for leases where the total lease cash flows will remain substantially the same or less than those after the COVID-19 related effects, though companies may choose to forgo the evaluation of the enforceable rights and obligations of the original lease contract as a practical expedient. Instead, the company would account for rent concessions, whatever their form (e.g. rent deferral, abatement or other), either (1) as if they are part of the enforceable rights and obligations of the parties under the existing lease contract; or (2) as a lease modification. If accounting for a concession as a lease modification, the full lease modification requirements under Topic 842 apply. Under either policy election, we must continue to assess the probability of collecting substantially all of the lease payments to which we are entitled under the original lease contract as required under Topic 842. If we conclude collection of substantially all lease payments is less than probable, rental revenue recognized is limited to cash received and existing operating lease receivables must be written off as an adjustment to rental revenue.

We assess collectability of our future lease payments based on an analysis of creditworthiness, economic trends, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and other facts and circumstances related to the applicable tenants. As we collect the majority of our rent in advance and at this time we do not have any tenant specific information that would change our assessment that collection of substantially all of the future lease payments under our existing leases is probable, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our tenants' ability to pay rent did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. However, since the conversations regarding rent collections for tenants affected by COVID-19 are ongoing we do not currently know the types of concessions, if any, that will ultimately be granted and, as a result, have not yet made an election to proceed with option (1) or (2) above.
D. During the first three months of 2020, we reclassified 'Real estate held for sale, net', which was previously presented in 'Net real estate', into a new caption entitled 'Real estate and lease intangibles held for sale, net'. The reclassification out of 'Net real estate' incorporates intangibles held for sale into a more appropriate presentation of the held for sale caption. Intangibles held for investment are included in the captions entitled 'Lease intangible assets, net' and 'Lease intangible liabilities, net' in the consolidated balance sheets. The December 31, 2019 balance sheet has been reclassified to match the current period classification.