Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in Commercial Real Estate Sublease Accounting

GAAP Sublease Accounting

Summary of GAAP/FASB Accounting for a Loss Associated with a Sublease
Our interpretation of GAAP sublease analysis according to FASB accounting rules is as follows:

Overview: Start by determining the net present value of all rental costs including write-offs of depreciation and subleasing costs, offset by the sublease income (the NPV write-off). The Income Statement (Profit & Loss statement) is then charged the NPV write-off and it is charged an interest expense based on a declining balance of the NPV write-off, the accretion interest expense. The declining balance is determined by taking the net monthly costs (including sublease income) and the interest expense and deducting that cost from the NPV write-off.

Steps are as follows:

1. Determine a start date for the sublease analysis, e.g. if the space is vacated in January 2004 and put on the market for sublease, then the analysis starts January 2004.
2. Determine the remaining lease obligation for the balance of the term from the start date above (rent, operating expenses, taxes, i.e. what was committed to when the lease was executed).
3. Determine the net book value (NBV) of any assets that will be written off as of the start date above, e.g. un-depreciated leasehold improvements.
4. Make sublease assumptions including
   • Timing, when space will be subleased
   • Rent and Free Rent
   • Operating Expenses and Taxes (Subtenant's base year?)
   • Commissions
   • Tenant Improvement costs paid by the Sublessor associated with the sublease
   • Other costs associated with the sublease
5. Calculate the total cost of the space, include the write-off of the assets on the start date and any Commissions and Tenant Improvement costs paid by the Sublessor
6. Calculate the total income from the sublease, i.e. rent and any operating expense reimbursement.
7. Determine the Shortfall that is the difference between the cost of the space and income.
8. Determine the present value of the Shortfall using a risk-free discount rate (the NPV write-off). Note 1: The discount rate may not be the same rate as the corporation uses for internal analysis. Note 2: LseMod calculates the present value monthly based on a beginning of month payment.
9. Determine the Beginning Balance for calculation of Accretion Interest Expense. The Beginning Balance is the Present Value minus the Cash Shortfall in the current month.
10. Determine the monthly Accretion Interest Expense. This expense is the Interest on the Beginning Balance in step 9 above. The Interest rate is the same as used for the present value calculation in step 8.
11. Re-set the Beginning Balance for the next month by taking the previous month's balance and reducing it by the Cash Shortfall in the current month.
12. Continue this process until the balance is 0.
13. At the end, all costs net out to 0 on the Income Statement (P&L).

Costs booked against the Income Statement include the following:
a. NPV Write-Off including Depreciation
b. Accretion (Interest Expense)

The net effect of GAAP subleasing is what we used to call "funny money" accounting. However, it does impact the Income Statement (P&L), which in turn impacts Taxes, which impacts the AfterTax NPV.

Examples

See the example below or download an example at http://www.lsemod.com/downloads/examples.html.

Notes

Note A: If the original lease costs booked to the Income Statement (Profit & Loss statement) were based on GAAP accounting (i.e. the rent was spread evenly over the term), then the calculations of the loss must be based on the GAAP rent, not the Cash Flow rent.

Note B: LseMod's Gold Series includes the option to create a GAAP rent analysis as well as a GAAP sublease analysis.

Disclaimer - The summary above represents our interpretation. It is NOT intended to replace information received from tax accounting professionals.

To see the actual FASB write-up, go to
http://www.fasb.org/st/
scroll down the page to Statement No. 146, "Accounting for Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities."

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