Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X.  Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements.  In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) and certain reclassifications considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.  Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior period financial statements in order to conform to the current year presentation.  These reclassifications did not have an impact on net income previously reported.  Operating results for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2019.

In preparation of the Company’s financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from these estimates.

The balance sheets at December 31, 2018 have been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements.

For further information, including definitions of capitalized terms not defined herein, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company’s and the Operating Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Income and Other Taxes

Income and Other Taxes

Due to the structure of EQR as a REIT and the nature of the operations of its operating properties, no provision for federal income taxes has been made at the EQR level.  In addition, ERPOP generally is not liable for federal income taxes as the partners recognize their proportionate share of income or loss in their tax returns; therefore no provision for federal income taxes has been made at the ERPOP level.  Historically, the Company has generally only incurred certain state and local income, excise and franchise taxes.  The Company has elected taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”) status for certain of its corporate subsidiaries and as a result, these entities may incur both federal and state income taxes on any taxable income of such entities after consideration of any net operating losses.

In December 2017, H.R. 1, informally titled the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”), became law. As of September 30, 2019, the Tax Act did not have a material impact on our REIT or subsidiary entities, our ability to continue to qualify as a REIT or on our results of operations.  

Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued a new standard which requires companies to adopt a new approach for estimating credit losses on certain types of financial instruments, such as trade and other receivables and loans.  The standard requires entities to estimate a lifetime expected credit loss for most financial instruments, including trade receivables. In November 2018, the FASB issued an amendment excluding operating lease receivables accounted for under the leases standard from the scope of the new credit losses standard.  The new standard will be effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted beginning January 1, 2019.  The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the new standard on its consolidated results of operations and financial position.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued a comprehensive revenue recognition standard entitled Revenue from Contracts with Customers that superseded nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance.  The standard specifically excludes lease revenue.  The standard may be applied retrospectively to each prior period presented or prospectively with the cumulative effect, if any, recognized as of the date of adoption.  The Company selected the modified retrospective transition method as of the date of adoption as required effective January 1, 2018.  Approximately 94% of rental income consists of revenue from leasing arrangements, which is specifically excluded from the standard.  The Company analyzed its remaining revenue streams, inclusive of fee and asset management and gains and losses on sales, and concluded these revenue streams have the same timing and pattern of revenue recognition under the new guidance, and therefore the Company had no changes in revenue recognition with the adoption of the standard.  As such, adoption of the standard did not result in a cumulative adjustment recognized as of January 1, 2018, and the standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations, equity/capital or cash flows.

For the remaining approximately 6% of rental income that is subject to the revenue recognition standard, the Company’s disaggregated revenue streams are disclosed in the table included in the Company’s and the Operating Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and are comparable with the percentage of rental income for the nine months and quarter ended September 30, 2019.  These revenue streams have the same timing and pattern of revenue recognition across our reportable segments, with consistent allocations between the leasing and revenue recognition standards.  

Additionally, as part of the revenue recognition standard, the FASB issued amendments related to partial sales of real estate.  Adoption of the partial sales standard did not result in a change of accounting for the Company related to its disposition process.  We concluded that the Company’s typical dispositions will continue to meet the criteria for sale and associated profit recognition under both standards.

In February 2016, the FASB issued a leases standard which sets out principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both parties to a contract (i.e. lessors and lessees).  The standard requires the following:

• Lessors – Leases are accounted for using an approach that is substantially equivalent to existing guidance for operating, sales-type and financing leases, but aligned with the revenue recognition standard.  Lessors are required to allocate lease

payments to separate lease and non-lease components of each lease agreement, with the non-lease components evaluated under the revenue recognition standard.

• Lessees – Leases are accounted for using a dual approach, classifying leases as either operating or finance based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase of the leased asset by the lessee.  This classification determines whether the lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease (for operating leases) or based on an effective interest method (for finance leases).  A lessee is also required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability on its balance sheet for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months regardless of their classification as operating or finance leases.  Leases with a term of 12 months or less are accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases.