Note 4 – Fair Value Measurements

The Company measures its assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets based on the framework set forth in the GAAP fair value accounting guidance. The framework establishes a fair value hierarchy of three levels based upon the transparency of information used in measuring the fair value of assets or liabilities as of the measurement date. The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs in the valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three categories.

Level 1 – Valuation is based upon quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the Company is able to access. Level 1 fair value is not subject to valuation adjustments.

Level 2 – Valuation is based upon quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active. In addition, the Company may use various valuation techniques or pricing models that use observable inputs to measure fair value.

Level 3 – Valuation is based upon unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s own assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The Company determines the existence of an active market for an asset or liability based on its judgment as to whether transactions for the asset or liability occur in such market with sufficient frequency and volume to provide reliable pricing information. If the Company concludes that there has been a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for an investment in relation to normal market activity for such investment, adjustments to transactions and quoted prices are made to estimate fair value.

The inputs used in the valuation techniques employed by the Company are provided by nationally recognized pricing services, external investment managers and internal resources. To assess these inputs, the Company’s review process includes, but is not limited to, quantitative analysis including benchmarking, initial and ongoing evaluations of methodologies used by external parties to calculate fair value, and ongoing evaluations of fair value estimates based on the Company’s knowledge and monitoring of market conditions.

The Company periodically reviews the pricing service provider’s policies and procedures for valuing securities. The assumptions underlying the valuations from external service providers, including unobservable inputs, are generally not readily available as this information is often deemed proprietary. Accordingly, the Company is unable to obtain comprehensive information regarding these assumptions and methodologies.

The Company’s investments in fixed maturity securities available for sale, equity securities available for sale and trading securities assets and liabilities are carried at fair value. The following are the Company’s methodologies and valuation techniques for assets and liabilities measured at fair value.

Fixed maturities available for sale mainly consist of U.S. treasury securities and corporate debt securities. The Company employs a market approach to the valuation of securities where there are sufficient market transactions involving identical or comparable assets. If sufficient market data is not available for identical or comparable assets, the Company uses an income approach to valuation. The majority of the financial instruments included in fixed maturity securities available for sale are evaluated utilizing observable inputs; accordingly, they are categorized in either Level 1 or Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. However, in instances where significant inputs utilized in valuation of the securities are unobservable, the securities are categorized in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

Corporate securities primarily include fixed rate corporate bonds. Inputs utilized in connection with the Company’s valuation techniques relating to this class of securities include recently executed transactions, market price quotations, benchmark yields and issuer spreads. Corporate securities are categorized in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

U.S. treasury securities are based on quoted prices in active markets and are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.

Equity securities available for sale consist of common and preferred stocks mainly in private equity investments, financial institutions and insurance companies. Equity securities for which there is sufficient market data are categorized as Level 1 or 2 in the fair value hierarchy. For the equity securities in which quoted market prices are not available, the transaction price is used as the best estimate of fair value at inception. When evidence is believed to support a change to the carrying value from the transaction price, adjustments are made to reflect the expected exit values. The Company performs ongoing reviews of the underlying investments. The reviews consist of the evaluations of expected cash flows, material events and market data. These investments are included in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

Securities designated as trading securities consist of exchange traded equities and exchange traded options. These securities are primarily valued at quoted active market prices, and are therefore categorized as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy.

The following table presents the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2017.

	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets
Fixed Maturities, available for sale	$	9,683,209	$	173,683,226	$	2,756,777	$	186,123,212
Equity Securities, available for sale		22,709,227		7,428,608		29,440,193		59,578,028
Total	$	32,392,436	$	181,111,834	$	32,196,970	$	245,701,240

The following table presents the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2016.

	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets
Fixed Maturities, available for sale	$	9,035,810	$	175,120,657	$	3,083,251	$	187,239,718
Equity Securities, available for sale		19,360,394		6,553,410		25,793,299		51,707,103
Trading Securities		2,500		-		-		2,500
Total	$	28,398,704	$	181,674,067	$	28,876,550	$	238,949,321

Liabilities
Trading Securities	$	1,439	$	-	$	-	$	1,439

The following table provides reconciliations for Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis. Transfers into and out of Level 3 are recognized as of the end of the quarter in which they occur.

	Fixed Maturities, Available for Sale			Equity Securities, Available for Sale			Total
Balance at December 31, 2016	$	3,083,251		$	25,793,299		$	28,876,550
Total unrealized gains (losses):
Included in realized gains (losses)		-			-			-
Included in other comprehensive income		702,375			2,640,392			3,342,767
Purchases		-			2,114,307			2,114,307
Sales		(1,028,849	)		(1,107,805	)		(2,136,654	)
Balance at September 30, 2017	$	2,756,777		$	29,440,193		$	32,196,970

The Level 3 securities include collateralized debt obligations of trust preferred securities issued by banks and insurance companies and certain equity securities with unobservable inputs. The Company computed fair value of Level 3 equity investments based on a review of current financial information, earnings trends and similar companies in the same industries.

There were no transfers in or out of Level 3 as of September 30, 2017. Transfers occur when there is a lack of observable market information.

Certain assets are not carried at fair value on a recurring basis, including investments such as mortgage loans and policy loans. Accordingly, such investments are only included in the fair value hierarchy disclosure when the investment is subject to re-measurement at fair value after initial recognition and the resulting re-measurement is reflected in the Consolidated Financial Statements.

The carrying values and estimated fair values of certain of the Company’s financial instruments not recorded at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheets are shown below. Because the fair value for all Consolidated Balance Sheet items are not required to be disclosed, the aggregate fair value amounts presented below are not reflective of the underlying value of the Company.

	September 30, 2017				December 31, 2016
Assets	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value
Mortgage loans on real estate	$	18,171,257	$	18,171,257	$	18,577,372	$	18,577,372
Investment real estate		52,637,677		52,637,677		57,138,980		57,138,980
Notes receivable		17,638,632		17,638,632		16,876,485		16,876,485
Policy loans		9,669,594		9,669,594		10,070,134		10,070,134
Cash and cash equivalents		15,989,747		15,989,747		15,156,548		15,156,548

The above estimated fair value amounts have been determined based upon the following valuation methodologies. Considerable judgment was required to interpret market data in order to develop these estimates. Accordingly, the estimates are not necessarily indicative of the amounts which could be realized in a current market exchange. The use of different market assumptions or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the fair value amounts.

The fair values of mortgage loans on real estate are estimated using discounted cash flow analyses and interest rates being offered for similar loans to borrowers with similar credit ratings. The inputs used to measure the fair value of our mortgage loans on real estate are classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy.

A portion of the mortgage loans balance consists of discounted mortgage loans. The Company has been purchasing non-performing discounted mortgage loans at a deep discount through an auction process led by the Federal Government. In general, the discounted loans are non-performing and there is a significant amount of uncertainty surrounding the timing and amount of cash flows to be received by the Company. Accordingly, the Company records its investment in the discounted loans at its original purchase price, which Management believes approximates fair value. The inputs used to measure the fair value of our discounted mortgage loans are classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy.

Investment real estate is recorded at the lower of the net investment in the real estate or the fair value of the real estate less costs to sell. The determination of fair value assessments are performed on a periodic, non-recurring basis by external appraisal and assessment of property values by Management. The inputs used to measure the fair value of our investment real estate are classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy.

Notes receivable are carried at their unpaid principal balances, which approximates fair value. The inputs used to measure the fair value of the loans are classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy.

Policy loans are carried at the aggregate unpaid principal balances in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets which approximate fair value, and earn interest at rates ranging from 4% to 8%. Individual policy liabilities in all cases equal or exceed outstanding policy loan balances. The inputs used to measure the fair value of our policy loans are classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy.

The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents in the Consolidated Balance Sheets approximates fair value given the highly liquid nature of the instruments. The inputs used to measure the fair value of our cash and cash equivalents are classified as Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy.

The carrying amount of short term investments in the Consolidated Balance Sheets approximates fair value. The inputs used to measure the fair value of our short term investments are classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy.

The carrying value is a reasonable estimate of fair value for notes payable subject to floating rates of interest. The fair value of notes payable with fixed rate borrowings is determined based on the borrowing rates currently available to the Company for loans with similar terms and average maturities. The inputs used to measure the fair value of our notes payable are classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy.