Variable Interest Entities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Variable Interest Entities

Variable Interest Entities

Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) are defined within GAAP as entities which either (1) lack sufficient equity at risk to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support, (2) have equity investors that lack attributes typical of an equity investor, such as the ability to make significant decisions through voting rights affecting the entity’s operations, or the obligation to absorb expected losses or the right to receive residual returns of the entity, or (3) are structured with voting rights that are disproportionate to the equity investor’s obligation to absorb losses or right to receive returns, and substantially all of the activities are conducted on behalf of the holder of the equity investment at risk with disproportionately few voting rights. Investors that finance a VIE through debt or equity interests are variable interest holders in the entity and the variable interest holder, if any, that has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and, through its variable interest, the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive returns that could potentially be significant to the entity is deemed to be the VIE’s primary beneficiary and is required to consolidate the VIE.

Tax Credit Structures. Northern Trust invests in qualified affordable housing projects and community development entities (collectively, community development projects) that are designed to generate a return primarily through the realization of tax credits. The community development projects are formed as limited partnerships and limited liability companies in which Northern Trust invests as a limited partner/investor member through equity contributions. The economic performance of the community development projects, some of which are VIEs, is subject to the performance of their underlying investment and their ability to operate in compliance with the rules and regulations necessary for the qualification of tax credits generated by equity investments. Northern Trust has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of any community development project VIEs as it lacks the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the underlying investments or to affect their ability to operate in compliance with the rules and regulations necessary for the qualification of tax credits generated by equity investments. This power is held by the general partners and managing members who exercise full and exclusive control of the operations of the community development project VIEs.

Northern Trust’s maximum exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with community development projects is limited to the carrying amounts of its investments, including any undrawn commitments. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the carrying amounts of these investments in community development projects that generate tax credits, included in Other Assets on the consolidated balance sheets, totaled $904.3 million and $916.8 million, respectively, of which $867.2 million and $880.0 million are VIEs as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, liabilities related to unfunded commitments on investments in tax credit community development projects, included in Other Liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets, totaled $218.9 million and $289.3 million, respectively, of which $210.1 million and $280.5 million related to undrawn commitments on VIEs as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Northern Trust’s funding requirements are limited to its invested capital and undrawn commitments for future equity contributions. Northern Trust has no exposure to loss from liquidity arrangements and no obligation to purchase assets of the community development projects.

Tax credits and other tax benefits attributable to community development projects totaled $99.1 million and $87.2 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2022 and 2021.

Investment Funds. Northern Trust acts as asset manager for various funds in which clients of Northern Trust are investors. As an asset manager of funds, Northern Trust earns a competitively priced fee that is based on assets managed and varies with each fund’s investment objective. Based on its analysis, Northern Trust has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs under GAAP.

Some of the funds for which Northern Trust acts as asset manager comply or operate in accordance with requirements that are similar to those in Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 for registered money market funds and therefore the funds are exempt from the consolidation requirements in ASC 810-10. Northern Trust voluntarily waived $64.2 million of money market fund fees for the year ended December 31, 2022 related to certain competitive factors. Northern Trust voluntarily waived $287.8 million of money market mutual fund fees for the year ended December 31, 2021 related to the low-interest-rate environment and certain competitive factors. Northern Trust does not have any contractual obligations to provide financial support to the funds. Any potential future support of the funds will be at the discretion of Northern Trust after an evaluation of the specific facts and circumstances.

Periodically, Northern Trust makes seed capital investments to certain funds. As of December 31, 2022, Northern Trust had $19.9 million of investments valued using net asset value per share and included in Other Assets and had no unfunded commitments related to seed capital investments. As of December 31, 2021, Northern Trust had no seed capital investments and no unfunded commitments related to seed capital investments.