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SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements (the “consolidated financial statements”) have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP” or “GAAP”) on a basis consistent with reporting interim financial information in accordance with instructions to the Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and results of operations have been made. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements present the consolidated results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries and those investment companies, partnerships and joint ventures in which the Company has control and a majority economic interest as well as those variable interest entities (“VIEs”) that meet the requirements for consolidation.

All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. The terms “third quarter 2022” and “third quarter 2021” refer to the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The terms “first nine months of 2022” and “first nine months of 2021” refer to the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements and Future Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Changes to U.S. GAAP are established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) in the form of Accounting Standards Updates (“ASUs”) to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”). The Company considers the applicability and impact of all ASUs. ASUs listed below include those that have been adopted during the current fiscal year and/or those that have been issued but not yet adopted as of September 30, 2022, and as of the date of this filing. ASUs not listed below were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or not material.

Future Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements


Description	Effective Date and Method of Adoption	Effect on the Financial Statement or Other Significant Matters
ASU 2018-12: Financial Services - Insurance (Topic 944); ASU 2020-11: Financial Services - Insurance (Topic 944): Effective Date and Early Application
This ASU provides targeted improvements to existing recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure requirements for long-duration contracts issued by an insurance entity. The ASU primarily impacts four key areas, including: 1. Measurement of the liability for future policy benefits for traditional and limited payment contracts. The ASU requires companies to review, and if necessary, update cash flow assumptions at least annually for non-participating traditional and limited-payment insurance contracts. The ASU also prescribes the discount rate to be used in measuring the liability for future policy benefits for traditional and limited payment long-duration contracts. 2. Measurement of MRBs. MRBs, as defined under the ASU, will encompass certain GMxB features associated with variable annuity products and other general account annuities with other than nominal market risk. 3. Amortization of deferred acquisition costs. The ASU simplifies the amortization of deferred acquisition costs and other balances amortized in proportion to premiums, gross profits, or gross margins, requiring such balances to be amortized on a constant level basis over the expected term of the contracts. 4. Expanded footnote disclosures. The ASU requires additional disclosures including information about significant inputs, judgements, assumptions and methods used in measurement.	In November 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-11 which deferred the effective date of the amendments in ASU 2018-12 for all insurance entities. ASU 2018-12 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is allowed. For the liability for future policyholder benefits for traditional and limited payment contracts, companies can elect one of two adoption methods. Companies can either elect a modified retrospective transition method applied to contracts in force as of the beginning of the earliest period presented on the basis of their existing carrying amounts, adjusted for the removal of any related amounts in AOCI or a full retrospective transition method using actual historical experience information as of contract inception. The same adoption method must be used for deferred policy acquisition costs. For MRBs, the ASU should be applied retrospectively as of the beginning of the earliest period presented.	The Company continues to progress with implementation efforts and the evaluation of the impact that adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Due to its extensive nature, the adoption of the ASU is expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, as well as systems, processes and controls. Effective January 1, 2023, the new guidance will be adopted using the modified retrospective approach, except for MRBs which will use the full retrospective approach. The Company has created a governance framework and implementation plan to ensure timely adoption of the guidance. In preparation for implementation, the Company continues to refine key accounting policy decisions, modernize processes and update internal controls. These changes include modifications of actuarial valuation systems, data sourcing, analytical procedures and reporting processes. The impact on total equity of applying this ASU is estimated to be neutral to the current amount of reported total equity as of September 30, 2022. As of September 30, 2022, a positive impact to AOCI is expected due to increases in the Company’s estimate of its non-performance risk on variable annuity guarantees accounted for as MRBs for the first time under the guidance. The estimated impact to the retained earnings element of total equity as of September 30, 2022, due to accounting for variable annuity guarantees as MRBs that are not currently measured at fair value, is mitigated by the Company’s present use of a near industry low interest rate assumption of 2.25% on GMIB business. Because movements in equity markets, interest rates and credit spreads are unpredictable and at times volatile, it is possible that the estimated effects of adoption could change materially between September 30, 2022 and January 1, 2023.

Accounting and Consolidation of VIEs

For all new investment products and entities developed by the Company, the Company first determines whether the entity is a VIE, which involves determining an entity’s variability and variable interests, identifying the holders of the equity investment at risk and assessing the five characteristics of a VIE. Once an entity has been determined to be a VIE, the Company then determines whether it is the primary beneficiary of the VIE based on its beneficial interests. If the Company is deemed to be the primary beneficiary of the VIE, then the Company consolidates the entity.

Management of the Company reviews quarterly its investment management agreements and its investments in, and other financial arrangements with, certain entities that hold client AUM to determine the entities that the Company is required to consolidate under this guidance. These entities include certain mutual fund products, hedge funds, structured products, group trusts, collective investment trusts and limited partnerships.

The analysis performed to identify variable interests held, determine whether entities are VIEs or VOEs, and evaluate whether the Company has a controlling financial interest in such entities requires the exercise of judgment and is updated on a continuous basis as circumstances change or new entities are developed. The primary beneficiary evaluation generally is performed qualitatively based on all facts and circumstances, including consideration of economic interests in the VIE held directly and indirectly through related parties and entities under common control, as well as quantitatively, as appropriate.

Consolidated VIEs

Consolidated CLOs

The Company is the investment manager of certain asset-backed investment vehicles, commonly referred to as CLOs, and certain other vehicles for which the Company earns fee income for investment management services. The Company may sell or syndicate investments through these vehicles, principally as part of the strategic investing activity as part of its investment management businesses. Additionally, the Company may invest in securities issued by these vehicles which are eliminated in consolidation of the CLOs.

As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, Equitable Financial holds $93 million and $109 million of equity interests in the CLOs. The Company consolidated the CLOs as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 as it is the primary beneficiary due to the combination of both its equity interest held by Equitable Financial and the majority ownership of AB, which functions as the CLOs loan manager. The assets of the CLOs are legally isolated from the Company’s creditors and can only be used to settle obligations of the CLOs. The liabilities of the CLOs are non-recourse to the Company and the Company has no obligation to satisfy the liabilities of the CLOs. As of September 30, 2022, Equitable Financial holds $67 million of equity interests in a SPE established to purchase loans from the market in anticipation of a new CLO transaction. The Company consolidated the SPE as of September 30, 2022 as it is the primary beneficiary due to the combination of both its equity interest held by Equitable Financial and the majority ownership of AB, which functions as the SPE loan manager.

Resulting from this consolidation in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets are fixed maturities, at fair value using the fair value option with total assets of $1.5 billion and $1.6 billion notes issued by consolidated variable interest entities, at fair value using the fair value option with total liabilities of $1.2 billion and $1.2 billion at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. The unpaid outstanding principal balance of the notes and short-term borrowing is $1.4 billion and $1.3 billion at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021.

Consolidated Limited Partnerships and LLCs

As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 the Company consolidated limited partnerships and LLCs for which it was identified as the primary beneficiary under the VIE model. Included in Other invested assets, Mortgage loans on real estate, Other equity investments, Trading securities, cash and other liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 are total net assets of $562 million and $219 million, respectively related to these VIEs.

Consolidated AB-Sponsored Investment Funds

Included in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 are assets of $477 million and $734 million, liabilities of $26 million and $87 million, and redeemable noncontrolling interests of $310 million and $421 million, respectively, associated with the consolidation of AB-sponsored investment funds under the VIE model. Also included in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 are assets of $28 million and $0 million, liabilities of $2 million and $0 million, and redeemable noncontrolling interests of $2 million and $0 million, respectively, from consolidation of AB-sponsored investment funds under the VOE model. The assets of these consolidated funds are presented within other invested assets and cash and cash equivalents, and liabilities of these consolidated funds are presented with other liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets; ownership interests not held by the Company relating to consolidated VIEs and VOEs are presented either as redeemable or non-redeemable noncontrolling interests, as appropriate. Redeemable noncontrolling interests are presented in mezzanine equity and non-redeemable noncontrolling interests are presented within permanent equity. The Company is not required to provide financial support to these AB-sponsored investment funds, and only the assets of such funds are available to settle each fund’s own liabilities.

Non-Consolidated VIEs

As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 respectively, the Company held approximately $2.3 billion and $2.1 billion of investment assets in the form of equity interests issued by non-corporate legal entities determined under the guidance to be VIEs, such as limited partnerships and limited liability companies, including CLOs, hedge funds, private equity funds and real estate-related funds. As an equity investor, the Company is considered to have a variable interest in each of these VIEs as a result of its participation in the risks and/or rewards these funds were designed to create by their defined portfolio objectives and strategies. Primarily through qualitative assessment, including consideration of related party interests or other financial arrangements, if any, the Company was not identified as primary beneficiary of any of these VIEs, largely due to its inability to direct the activities that most significantly impact their economic performance. Consequently, the Company continues to reflect these equity interests in the consolidated balance sheets as other equity investments and applies the equity method of accounting for these positions. The net assets of these non-consolidated VIEs are approximately $278.9 billion and $245.6 billion as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 respectively. The Company’s maximum exposure to loss from its direct involvement with these VIEs is the carrying value of its investment of $2.3 billion and $2.1 billion and approximately $1.3 billion and $1.2 billion of unfunded commitments as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. The Company has no further economic interest in these VIEs in the form of guarantees, derivatives, credit enhancements or similar instruments and obligations.

Non-Consolidated AB-Sponsored Investment Products

As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the net assets of investment products sponsored by AB that are non-consolidated VIEs are approximately $39.9 billion and $68.9 billion, respectively. The Company’s maximum exposure to loss from its direct involvement with these VIEs is its investment of $5 million and $9 million as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021. The Company has no further commitments to or economic interest in these VIEs.

Assumption Updates

The Company conducts its annual review of its assumptions during the third quarter of each year. The annual review encompasses assumptions underlying the valuation of unearned revenue liabilities, embedded derivatives for our insurance business, liabilities for future policyholder benefits, DAC and DSI assets.

However, the Company updates its assumptions as needed in the event it becomes aware of economic conditions or events that could require a change in assumptions that it believes may have a significant impact to the carrying value of product liabilities and assets and consequently materially impact its earnings in the period of the change.

Fair Value Disclosures

U.S. GAAP establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value, and identifies three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1 Unadjusted quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets. Level 1 fair values generally are supported by market transactions that occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

Level 2 Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar instruments, quoted prices in markets that are not active, and inputs to model-derived valuations that are directly observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3 Unobservable inputs supported by little or no market activity and often requiring significant management judgment or estimation, such as an entity’s own assumptions about the cash flows or other significant components of value that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The Company uses unadjusted quoted market prices to measure fair value for those instruments that are actively traded in financial markets. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are measured using present value or other valuation techniques. The fair value determinations are made at a specific point in time, based on available market information and judgments about the financial instrument, including estimates of the timing and amount of expected future cash flows and the credit standing of counterparties. Such adjustments do not reflect any premium or discount that could result from offering for sale at one time the Company’s entire holdings of a particular financial instrument, nor do they consider the tax impact of the realization of unrealized gains or losses. In many cases, the fair value cannot be substantiated by direct comparison to independent markets, nor can the disclosed value be realized in immediate settlement of the instrument.

Management is responsible for the determination of the value of investments carried at fair value and the supporting methodologies and assumptions. Under the terms of various service agreements, the Company often utilizes independent valuation service providers to gather, analyze, and interpret market information and derive fair values based upon relevant methodologies and assumptions for individual securities. These independent valuation service providers typically obtain data about market transactions and other key valuation model inputs from multiple sources and, through the use of widely accepted valuation models, provide a single fair value measurement for individual securities for which a fair value has been requested. As further described below with respect to specific asset classes, these inputs include, but are not limited to, market prices for recent trades and transactions in comparable securities, benchmark yields, interest rate yield curves, credit spreads, quoted prices for similar securities, and other market-observable information, as applicable. Specific attributes of the security being valued also are considered, including its term, interest rate, credit rating, industry sector, and when applicable, collateral quality and other security- or issuer-specific information. When insufficient market observable information is available upon which to measure fair value, the Company either will request brokers knowledgeable about these securities to provide a non-binding quote or will employ internal valuation models. Fair values received from independent valuation service providers and brokers and those internally modeled or otherwise estimated are assessed for reasonableness.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

Fair value measurements are required on a non-recurring basis for certain assets only when an impairment or other events occur. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, no assets or liabilities were required to be measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis.