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Adoption of Accounting Pronouncements
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Adoption of Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract] 
Adoption of Accounting Pronouncements

NOTE 4.               Adoption of Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2010-06, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820): Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements. This guidance requires: (i) separate disclosure of significant transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy and reasons for the transfers; (ii) disclosure, on a gross basis, of purchases, sales, issuances, and net settlements within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy; (iii) disclosures by class of assets and liabilities; and (iv) a description of the valuation techniques and inputs used to measure fair value for both recurring and nonrecurring fair value measurements. This guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009, except for the Level 3 disclosure requirements, which are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010 and interim periods within those fiscal years. We have included the disclosures required by this guidance in our notes to the consolidated financial statements, where appropriate.

 

In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-28 Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): When to Perform Step 2 of the Goodwill Impairment Test for Reporting Units with Zero or Negative Carrying Amounts. This guidance modifies Step 1 of the goodwill impairment test, which assesses whether the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, for reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts. It requires that an entity perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which determines if goodwill has been impaired and measures the amount of impairment, if it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists. In determining whether it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists, an entity should consider the qualitative factors within existing guidance that would require goodwill of a reporting unit to be tested for impairment between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. This guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2010. The adoption of this guidance did not impact our financial condition or results of operations.

 

In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-29 Business Combinations (Topic 805): Disclosure of Supplementary Pro Forma Information for Business Combinations. This guidance relates to disclosure of pro forma information for business combinations that have occurred in the current reporting period. It requires that an entity presenting comparative financial statements include revenue and earnings of the combined entity as though the combination had occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual period only. This guidance is effective prospectively for business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2010. The adoption of this guidance did not impact our financial condition or results of operations.

 

Pronouncements to be effective in the future

In October 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-26,Financial Services-Insurance (Topic 944): Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts ("ASU 2010-26"). This guidance requires that only costs that are incremental or directly related to the successful acquisition of new or renewal insurance contracts are to be capitalized as a deferred acquisition cost. This would include, among other items, sales commissions paid to agents, premium taxes, and the portion of employee salaries and benefits directly related to time spent on acquired contracts. This guidance is effective, either with a prospective or retrospective application, for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. Although we continue to evaluate the impact of this guidance, we anticipate that ASU 2010-26 would have an after-tax impact on our stockholders' equity of approximately $55 million, or about $1 of book value per share. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our results of operations on either a historical or prospective basis.

 

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs ("ASU 2011-04"). This guidance changes the wording used to describe the requirements in U.S. GAAP for measuring fair value and disclosing information about fair value measurements to improve consistency in the application and description of fair value between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. ASU 2011-04 clarifies how the concepts of highest and best use and valuation premise in a fair value measurement are relevant only when measuring the fair value of nonfinancial assets, and are not relevant when measuring the fair value of financial assets or liabilities. In addition, ASU 2011-04 expands the disclosures for unobservable inputs for Level 3 fair value measurements, requiring quantitative information to be disclosed related to: (i) the valuation processes used; (ii) the sensitivity of the fair value measurement to changes in unobservable inputs and the interrelationships between those unobservable inputs; and (iii) the use of a nonfinancial asset in a way that differs from the asset's highest and best use. ASU 2011-04 is effective prospectively for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or current disclosures.

 

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income ("ASU 2011-05"). ASU 2011-05 requires that all nonowner changes in stockholders' equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-05 also requires financial statement presentation of reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income ("OCI") to net income. This guidance, which only changes financial statement presentation, is effective, on a retrospective basis, for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011.

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment, which simplifies the requirements to test goodwill for impairment.  The amendment permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount.  If, after assessing events and circumstances, an entity determines that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary.  However, if the entity concludes otherwise, then it is required to perform the quantitative impairment test.  This guidance is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, and early adoption is permitted.  The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or current disclosures.