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Credit Losses on Financial Instruments | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2022
Credit Loss [Abstract] |
Credit Losses on Financial Instruments | Credit Losses on Financial Instruments To assess our expected credit losses on financial instruments, we aggregate financial assets with similar risk characteristics to monitor their credit quality or deterioration over the life of such assets. We periodically monitor certain risk characteristics within our aggregated financial assets and revise their composition accordingly, to the extent internal and external risk factors change. We separately evaluate financial assets that do not share risk characteristics with other financial assets. Our financial assets measured at amortized cost primarily consist of accounts receivable. We use a loss rate method to estimate our allowance for credit losses. Our determination of the current expected credit loss rate begins with our review of historical loss experience as a percentage of accounts receivable. We measure our historical loss period based on the average days to recognize accounts receivable as credit losses. When asset specific characteristics and current conditions change from those in the historical period, due to changes in our credit and collections strategy, certain classes of aged balances, or credit loss and recovery policies, we perform a qualitative and quantitative assessment to adjust our historical loss rate. We use regression analysis to develop an expected loss rate using historical experience and economic data over a forecast period. We measure our forecast period based on the average days to collect payment on billed accounts receivable. To determine our current allowance for credit losses, we combine the historical and expected credit loss rates and apply them to our period end accounts receivable. If there is an unexpected deterioration of a customer's financial condition or an unexpected change in economic conditions, including macroeconomic events, we assess the need to adjust the allowance for credit losses. Any such resulting adjustments would affect earnings in the period that adjustments are made. The assessment of the correlation between historical observed default rates, current conditions and forecasted economic conditions requires judgment. Alternative interpretations of these factors could have resulted in different conclusions regarding our allowance for credit losses. The amount of credit loss is sensitive to changes in circumstances and forecasted economic conditions. Our historical credit loss experience, current conditions and forecast of economic conditions may also not be representative of the customers' actual default experience in the future, and we may use methodologies that differ from those used by other companies. The following table presents the activity of our allowance for credit losses by accounts receivable portfolio for the nine months ended September 30, 2022:
| Business |  | Mass Markets |  | Total
| (Dollars in millions)
As of December 31, 2021(1) | $ | 88 |  |  | 26 |  |  | 114 |
Provision for expected losses | 19 |  |  | 80 |  |  | 99 |
Write-offs charged against the allowance | (47) |  |  | (88) |  |  | (135) |
Recoveries collected | 9 |  |  | 5 |  |  | 14 |
Foreign currency exchange rate change adjustment | 1 |  |  | — |  |  | 1 |
Change in allowance in assets held for sale | (1) |  |  | 3 |  |  | 2 |
Ending balance at September 30, 2022(2) | $ | 69 |  |  | 26 |  |  | 95 |
______________________________________________________________________ (1)As of December 31, 2021, these amounts excluded a $24 million allowance for credit losses classified as held for sale related to the August 1, 2022 divestiture of the Latin American business and the divestiture of the ILEC business. See Note 2—Recently Completed Divestitures of the Latin American and ILEC Businesses. (2)As of September 30, 2022, these amounts excluded a $19 million allowance for credit losses classified as held for sale related to the divestiture of the ILEC business. See Note 2—Recently Completed Divestitures of the Latin American and ILEC Businesses.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for credit loss on financial instrument measured at amortized cost basis, net investment in lease, off-balance sheet credit exposure, and available-for-sale debt security. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922895-210455 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919272-210447 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919236-210447 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 20 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919269-210447 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922888-210455 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919244-210447 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919230-210447 + Details
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