The two main types of leases are operating leases and finance leases, and the classification of a lease depends on several criteria. In this blog, we will discuss the criteria used to classify leases and the accounting treatment for each type of lease.

Operating Leases

Operating leases are leases where the lessee does not assume ownership of the leased asset, and the lease term is less than the useful life of the asset. The lessor retains ownership of the asset and is responsible for maintenance and repairs. Operating leases are typically used for short-term or low-value assets such as office equipment or vehicles.

The criteria used to classify a lease as an operating lease are as follows:

• The lease term is less than 75% of the asset's useful life
• The present value of the lease payments is less than 90% of the fair value of the leased asset
• The lease agreement does not contain a transfer of ownership clause

Accounting Treatment: Operating leases are treated differently than finance leases under the current lease accounting standards (IFRS 16 and ASC 842). The lease payments are recognized as expenses on the income statement, and the lease asset and liability are not recorded on the balance sheet.

Finance Leases

Finance leases are leases where the lessee assumes ownership of the leased asset at the end of the lease term. The lease term is usually longer than the useful life of the asset. Finance leases are typically used for high-value assets such as machinery or buildings.

The criteria used to classify a lease as a finance lease are as follows:

• The lease term is longer than 75% of the asset's useful life
• The present value of the lease payments is greater than 90% of the fair value of the leased asset
• The lease agreement contains a transfer of ownership clause

Accounting Treatment: Finance leases are recorded differently than operating leases. The lease asset and liability are recorded on the balance sheet at the present value of the lease payments. The lease liability is then amortized over the lease term, and the lease asset is depreciated over the useful life of the asset.

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At iLeasePro, we’ve been helping companies understand and implement ASC 842 since it replaced ASC 840 in December of 2021. We know standard inside out, and we know how to implement software solutions that will help you be in compliance.

We’ve done this for both small and large businesses, and we’ve also helped these companies use ASC 842 as a business tool to operate more efficiently, get better reporting and use their leases as assets. When you call us we can set you up with a lease accounting software free demo so you can see how it all works.

To do this, call us at 888-351-4606, or you can email us at info@ileasepro.com We also have plenty of great information about lease accounting software on our website, which is ileasepro.com, and you can chat with a live representative there as well.