On August 17, 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), an independent body that establishes accounting standards for the private sector that are recognized by the Securities and Exchange Commission as authoritative, issued an Exposure Draft detailing proposed changes to standards governing how landlords and tenants account for their leases. The proposed changes are intended to increase transparency for investors by, among other things, requiring that the full long-term payments associated with the leases be shown on the balance sheet of the tenant as liabilities. Renewal options and contingent rents would be included when calculating liability under lease agreements. Operating leases would be capitalized and represented as current liabilities. Under the Final Rule, the standards for public companies must be implemented by 2019.
FASB Lease Accounting Proposals