XML 97 R34.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.20.4
Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments Contingencies and Guarantees [Text Block] Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies
Commitments
The following table presents the Company’s funding commitments as of December 31:
20202019
(in millions)
Commercial mortgage loans$18 $60 
Affordable housing and other real estate partnerships12 22 
Property funds17 12 
Private funds9 12 
Pledged asset lines of credit342 — 
Consumer lines of credit1 1 
Total funding commitments$399 $107 
Guarantees
The Company’s annuity and life products all have minimum interest rate guarantees in their fixed accounts. As of December 31, 2020, these guarantees range from 1% to 5%.
Contingencies
The Company and its subsidiaries are involved in the normal course of business in legal proceedings which include regulatory inquiries, arbitration and litigation, including class actions concerning matters arising in connection with the conduct of its activities as a diversified financial services firm. These include proceedings specific to the Company as well as proceedings generally applicable to business practices in the industries in which it operates. The Company can also be subject to legal proceedings arising out of its
general business activities, such as its investments, contracts, leases and employment relationships. Uncertain economic conditions, heightened and sustained volatility in the financial markets and significant financial reform legislation may increase the likelihood that clients and other persons or regulators may present or threaten legal claims or that regulators increase the scope or frequency of examinations of the Company or the financial services industry generally.
As with other financial services firms, the level of regulatory activity and inquiry concerning the Company’s businesses remains elevated. From time to time, the Company receives requests for information from, and/or has been subject to examination or claims by, the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the OCC, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, the FRB, state insurance and securities regulators, state attorneys general and various other domestic or foreign governmental and quasi-governmental authorities on behalf of themselves or clients concerning the Company’s business activities and practices, and the practices of the Company’s financial advisors. The Company typically has numerous pending matters which include information requests, exams or inquiries that the Company has received during recent periods regarding certain matters, including: sales and distribution of mutual funds, exchange traded funds, annuities, equity and fixed income securities, real estate investment trusts, insurance products, and financial advice offerings, including managed accounts; supervision of the Company’s financial advisors and other associated persons; administration of insurance and annuity claims; security of client information; trading activity and the Company’s monitoring and supervision of such activity; and transaction monitoring systems and controls. The Company has cooperated and will continue to cooperate with the applicable regulators.
These legal and regulatory proceedings are subject to uncertainties and, as such, it is inherently difficult to determine whether any loss is probable or even reasonably possible, or to reasonably estimate the amount of any loss. The Company cannot predict with certainty if, how or when any such proceedings will be initiated or resolved. Matters frequently need to be more developed before a loss or range of loss can be reasonably estimated for any proceeding. An adverse outcome in one or more proceeding could eventually result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties or other sanctions, in addition to further claims, examinations or adverse publicity that could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.
In accordance with applicable accounting standards, the Company establishes an accrued liability for contingent litigation and regulatory matters when those matters present loss contingencies that are both probable and can be reasonably estimated. The Company discloses the nature of the contingency when management believes there is at least a reasonable possibility that the outcome may be material to the Company’s consolidated financial statements and, where feasible, an estimate of the possible loss. In such cases, there still may be an exposure to loss in excess of any amounts reasonably estimated and accrued. When a loss contingency is not both probable and reasonably estimable, the Company does not establish an accrued liability, but continues to monitor, in conjunction with any outside counsel handling a matter, further developments that would make such loss contingency both probable and reasonably estimable. Once the Company establishes an accrued liability with respect to a loss contingency, the Company continues to monitor the matter for further developments that could affect the amount of the accrued liability that has been previously established, and any appropriate adjustments are made each quarter.
Guaranty Fund Assessments
RiverSource Life and RiverSource Life of NY are required by law to be a member of the guaranty fund association in every state where they are licensed to do business. In the event of insolvency of one or more unaffiliated insurance companies, the Company could be adversely affected by the requirement to pay assessments to the guaranty fund associations. The Company projects its cost of future guaranty fund assessments based on estimates of insurance company insolvencies provided by the National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations and the amount of its premiums written relative to the industry-wide premium in each state. The Company accrues the estimated cost of future guaranty fund assessments when it is considered probable that an assessment will be imposed, the event obligating the Company to pay the assessment has occurred and the amount of the assessment can be reasonably estimated.
The Company has a liability for estimated guaranty fund assessments and a related premium tax asset. As of both December 31, 2020 and 2019, the estimated liability was $12 million. As of both December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related premium tax asset was $10 million. The expected period over which guaranty fund assessments will be made and the related tax credits recovered is not known.