Issued: March 8, 2013
Impact: 2013 US GAAP

Issue

In the 2012 Taxonomy, the accumulated gains and losses on Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity securities had the elements representing accumulated gains as a debit amount and accumulated losses as a credit amount.  In 2013, these balance attributes were changed to reflect the amounts of unrealized gain or loss for AOCI for Available-for-Sale securities. As a result of the balance attribute being different than some companies expected, the values were entered as negative amounts.

In the 2013 Taxonomy, the balance attributes were changed and the elements’ period type was also changed from an instant to a duration.  Because these elements represent the cumulative amount of gains and losses, the period type does not match the meaning of the element.  Filers should not create a point-in-time element by entering a start and end date with the same value to represent an instant.  In addition, they should not use the current context.

Recommendation

This recommendation applies specifically to the 2013 taxonomy.  This guidance will not apply to taxonomies subsequent to the 2013 release.

In the 2013 Taxonomy, the filer will need to create extension elements as the accumulated gains and losses on Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity securities are modeled as durations.

Do not use these elements with the current context.  The diagram below shows an example of the attributes of the extension items that should be created. The following lists the duration elements in the 2013 US GAAP taxonomy that should be extended for.  For each duration element, two instant extensions are given. The first is for the pretax component within AOCI.  The second is for the difference between the fair value and carrying value of the investments.

1. AvailableforsaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLoss1 (2013 Taxonomy Element)
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInAOCI
Balance Attribute Credit
Data type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Net amount of accumulated unrealized gains (losses) on investments in available-for-sale securities that are recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI).
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
Balance Attribute Debit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Net amount of accumulated unrealized gains (losses) on investments in available-for-sale securities impacting investments. Represents the difference between the fair value and cost of investments in available-for-sale securities.

 

2. AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLoss (2013 Taxonomy Element)
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossAccumulatedInAOCI
Balance Attribute Debit
Data type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss before deducting unrealized gain on investments in available-for-sale securities recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI).
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossAccumulatedInInvestments
Balance Attribute Credit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss before deducting pre-tax unrealized gain on investments in available-for-sale securities impacting investments.

 

3. AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLoss (2013 Taxonomy Element)
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossAccumulatedInAOCI
Balance Attribute Debit
Data type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss before deducting pre-tax unrealized gain on investments in available-for-sale debt securities recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI).
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossAccumulatedInInvestments
Balance Attribute Credit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss before deducting pre-tax unrealized gain on investments in available-for-sale debt securities impacting investments.

 

4. AvailableForSaleEquitySecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLoss (2013 Taxonomy Element)
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleEquitySecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossAccumulatedInAOCI
Balance Attribute Debit
Data type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss before deducting pre-tax unrealized gain on investments in available-for-sale equity securities recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI).
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleEquitySecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossAccumulatedInInvestments
Balance Attribute Credit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss before deducting pre-tax unrealized gain on investments in available-for-sale equity securities impacting investments.

 

5. AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGains (2013 Taxonomy Element)
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInAOCI
Balance Attribute Credit
Data type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized gains on investments in available-for-sale securities that are recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI).
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInInvestments
Balance Attribute Debit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized gains before deducting pre-tax unrealized losses on investments in available-for-sale securities impacting investments.

 

6. AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGain (2013 Taxonomy Element)
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInAOCI
Balance Attribute Credit
Data type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized gain before deducting pre-tax unrealized loss on investments in available-for-sale debt securities recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI).
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInInvestments
Balance Attribute Debit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized gain before deducting pre-tax unrealized loss on investments in available-for-sale debt securities impacting investments.

 

7. AvailableForSaleEquitySecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGain (2013 Taxonomy Element)
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleEquitySecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInAOCI
Balance Attribute Credit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss before deducting pre-tax unrealized gain on investments in available-for-sale equity securities recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI).
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleEquitySecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInInvestments
Balance Attribute Debit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized gain before deducting pre-tax unrealized loss on investments in available-for-sale equity securities impacting investments.

 

8. AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLosses (2013 Taxonomy Element)
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLossesAccumulatedInAOCI
Balance Attribute Debit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss on securities classified as available-for-sale recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI).
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLossesAccumulatedInInvestments
Balance Attribute Credit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss on securities classified as available-for-sale impacting investments.

 

9. AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses (2013 Taxonomy Element)
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLossesAccumulatedInAOCI
Balance Attribute Debit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss on securities classified as available-for-sale that have been in a loss position for twelve months or longer recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI).
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLossesAccumulatedInInvestments
Balance Attribute Credit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss on securities classified as available-for-sale that have been in a loss position for twelve months or longer impacting investments.

 

10. AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses (2013 Taxonomy)
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLossesAccumulatedInAOCI
Balance Attribute Debit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss on investments in available-for-sale securities that have been in a loss position for less than twelve months recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI).
Extension Element Name AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLossesAccumulatedInInvestments
Balance Attribute Credit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss on investments in available-for-sale securities that have been in a loss position for less than twelve months impacting investments.

 

11. HeldToMaturitySecuritiesUnrecognizedHoldingLosses (2013 Taxonomy)
Extension Element Name HeldToMaturitySecuritiesAccumulatedUnrecognizedHoldingLoss
Balance Attribute Credit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition This item represents the excess of amortized cost basis over fair value of securities in a loss position and which are categorized as held-to-maturity.

 

12. HeldToMaturitySecuritiesUnrecognizedHoldingGains (2013 Taxonomy)
Extension Element Name HeldToMaturitySecuritiesAccumulatedUnrecognizedHoldingGain
Balance Attribute Debit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition This item represents the excess of amortized cost basis over fair value of securities in a gain position and which are categorized as held-to-maturity.

 

13. HeldToMaturitySecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLoss (2013 Taxonomy)
HeldtomaturitySecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
Credit
Monetary
Instant
Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss on investments in held-to-maturity securities that have been in a loss position for twelve months or longer.

 

14. HeldToMaturitySecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLoss (2013 Taxonomy)
Extension Element Name HeldtomaturitySecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
Balance Attribute Credit
Data Type Monetary
Period Type Instant
Definition This item represents the excess of amortized cost basis over fair value of securities that have been in a loss position for less than twelve months for those securities which are categorized as held-to-maturity.

 

15. HeldToMaturitySecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLoss (2013 Taxonomy)
Extension Element Name See item 11

In each of the pairs of Available-for-sale extensions above, the first extension has been modeled from the perspective of the impact on AOCI as this is the disclosure required under US GAAP for Available-for-sale securities.  The second extension is modeled from the impact on investments.  The values in the two should always be the same, although they will be of opposite balance types.

The following figure shows how the difference between Fair Value and Amortized Cost are typically shown with the impact on investments being disclosed.

Gains and Losses on Investments1

The columns labeled Gross Unrealized Gains and Gross Unrealized Losses will be tagged with different elements for Available-for-sale and Held-to-maturity securities.

This is a known issue which was addressed by the FASB in the 2014 taxonomy, and in a FASB FAQ. The 2014 additions are instant period types under AvailableForSaleSecuritiesFairValueToAmortizedCostBasisAbstract. Company extension taxonomies using the 2014 or later versions of the UGT should use those elements and create calculation trees in which amortized cost is the calculation tree parent concept, as prescribed by the FASB FAQ.