Note 16 – Recent accounting pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.”  The amendments in this ASU, among other things, require the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Financial institutions and other organizations will now use forward-looking information to better inform their credit loss estimates. Many of the loss estimation techniques applied today will still be permitted, although the inputs to those techniques will change to reflect the full amount of expected credit losses. In addition, the ASU amends the accounting for credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities and purchased financial assets with credit deterioration. The FASB has issued multiple updates to ASU 2016-13 as codified in Topic 326, including ASUs 2019-04, 2019-05, 2019-10, 2019-11, 2020-02, and 2020-03. These ASUs have provided for various minor technical corrections and improvements to the codification as well as other transition matters. Smaller reporting companies who file with the SEC and all other entities who do not file with the SEC are required to apply the guidance for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2022. While the Company is currently evaluating the provisions of ASU 2016-13 to determine the potential impact the new standard will have on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements, it has taken steps to prepare for the implementation when it becomes effective, such as forming an internal task force, gathering pertinent data, consulting with outside professionals, and evaluating its current IT systems.  This guidance may result in material changes in the Company's accounting for credit losses on financial instruments.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820) - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement”. ASU 2018-13 modifies the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements by requiring that Level 3 fair value disclosures include the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop those fair value measurements. For certain unobservable inputs, an entity may disclose other quantitative information in lieu of the weighted average if the entity determines that other quantitative information would be a more reasonable and rational method to reflect the distribution of unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements. Certain disclosure requirements in Topic 820 were also removed or modified. ASU 2018-13 was effective for the Company on January 1, 2020.  The adoption of ASU 2018-13 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Effective November 25, 2019, the SEC adopted Staff Accounting Bulletin ("SAB") 119. SAB 119 updated portions of SEC interpretative guidance to align with FASB ASC 326, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses." It covers topics including (1) measuring current expected credit losses; (2) development governance, and documentation of systematic methodology; (3) documenting the results of a systematic methodology; and (4) validating a systematic methodology.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, “Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans.”  These amendments modify the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. Certain disclosure requirements have been deleted while the following disclosure requirements have been added: the weighted-average interest crediting rates for cash balance plans and other plans with promised interest crediting rates and an explanation of the reasons for significant gains and losses related to changes in the benefit obligation for the period. The amendments also clarify the disclosure requirements in paragraph 715-20-50-3, which state that the following information for defined benefit pension plans should be disclosed: The projected benefit obligation (“PBO”) and fair value of plan assets for plans with PBOs in excess of plan assets and the accumulated benefit obligation (“ABO”) and fair value of plan assets for plans with ABOs in excess of plan assets. The amendments are effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted.  The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2018-14 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, “Income Taxes (Topic 740) – Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.”  The ASU is expected to reduce cost and complexity related to the accounting for income taxes by removing specific exceptions to general principles in Topic 740 (eliminating the need for an organization to analyze whether certain exceptions apply in a given period) and improving financial statement preparers’ application of certain income tax-related guidance. This ASU is part of the FASB’s simplification initiative to make narrow-scope simplifications and improvements to accounting standards through a series of short-term projects.  For public business entities, such as the Company, the amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years.  Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact that ASU 2019-12 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In January 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-01, “Investments – Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) – Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815.”  The ASU is based on a consensus of the Emerging Issues Task Force and is expected to increase comparability in accounting for these transactions.  ASU 2020-01 amends ASU 2016-01, which made targeted improvements to accounting for financial instruments, including providing an entity the ability to measure certain equity securities without a readily determinable fair value at cost, less any impairment, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer.  Among other topics, the amendments in ASU 2020-01 clarify that an entity should consider observable transactions that require it to either apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting.  For public business entities, such as the Company,  the amendments in the ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years.  Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2020-01 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.” These amendments provide temporary optional guidance to ease the potential burden in accounting for reference rate reform. The ASU provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying generally accepted accounting principles to contract modifications and hedging relationships, subject to meeting certain criteria, that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued. It is intended to help stakeholders during the global market-wide reference rate transition period. The guidance is effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. The Company has a team to assess ASU 2020-04 and its impact on the Company’s transition away from LIBOR for its loan and other financial instruments.

In March 2020 (Revised in April 2020), various regulatory agencies, including the Federal Reserve and the FDIC, (“the agencies”) issued an interagency statement on loan modifications and reporting for financial institutions working with customers affected by COVID-19. The interagency statement was effective immediately and impacted accounting for loan modifications. Under ASC 310-40, “Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors,” a restructuring of debt constitutes a TDR if the creditor, for economic or legal reasons related to the debtor’s financial difficulties, grants a concession to the debtor that it would not otherwise consider. The agencies confirmed with the staff of the FASB that short-term modifications made on a good faith basis in response to COVID-19 to borrowers who were current prior to any relief, are not to be considered TDRs. This includes short-term (e.g., six months) modifications such as payment deferrals, fee waivers, extensions of repayment terms, or other delays in payment that are insignificant. Borrowers considered current are those that are less than 30 days past due on their contractual payments at the time a modification program is implemented. As of September 30 2020, the Company had a total of $3,535,000 in loans past due greater than 30 days all of which were rehabilitated student loans which have a 98% guarantee by the DOE of principal and interest. For more financial data and other information about loan deferrals refer to section, “Response to COVID-19” under Item 2 – “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”. This interagency guidance is expected to have an impact on the Company’s financial statements; however, this impact cannot be quantified at this time.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06 “Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity.” The ASU simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current GAAP. Consequently, more convertible debt instruments will be reported as a single liability instrument and more convertible preferred stock as a single equity instrument with no separate accounting for embedded conversion features. The ASU removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception, which will permit more equity contracts to qualify for it. The ASU also simplifies the diluted earnings per share calculation in certain areas. In addition, the amendment updates the disclosure requirements for convertible instruments to increase the information transparency. For public business entities, excluding smaller reporting companies, the amendments in the ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within those fiscal years.  For all other entities, including the Company, the standard will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2020-06 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In October 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-08, “Codification Improvements to Subtopic 310-20, Receivables – Nonrefundable fees and Other Costs.” This ASU clarifies that an entity should reevaluate whether a callable debt security is within the scope of ASC paragraph 310-20-35-33 for each reporting period. For public business entities, the ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within those fiscal years.  Early adoption is not permitted. All entities should apply ASU No. 2020-08 on a prospective basis as of the beginning of the period of adoption for existing or newly purchased callable debt securities. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2020-08 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.