120 likes | 274 Views
Guarantees. Nuno Silva. Geneva, 25-28 April 2006. Joint UNECE/Eurostat/OECD/ Meeting on National Accounts and update of SNA. What are debt guarantee?.
E N D
Guarantees Nuno Silva Geneva, 25-28 April 2006 Joint UNECE/Eurostat/OECD/ Meeting on National Accounts and update of SNA
What are debt guarantee? Debt guarantees are arrangements in which a guarantor agrees to pay a creditor if a debtor defaults. For general government, giving a guarantee is a way to support economic activities without a need for an immediate cash outlay. Guarantees have a significant impact on the behaviour of economic agents by modifying the lending and borrowing conditions on financial markets.
The AEG decisions • In the 1993 SNA only guarantees that are classified as financial derivatives are recorded • However, important contingencies should be provided assupplementary information • The AEG argued that this treatment should be modified for three reasons: • (i) the supplementary data is currently not reported • (ii) the need to delineate across economic events that lead to guarantees • (iii) the convergence with international accounting standards that quantify the underlying liability, notably in the public sector
Case 1: Financial derivatives • Those that are actively traded on financial markets, such as credit default swaps • The derivative would be based on the risk of default of a reference instrument and so not actually linked to an individual loan or bond
Case I: The accounting treatment • The purchaser pays a fee – this is recorded as a transaction in financial derivatives • Changes to the value of the derivative are recorded as revaluations • The reference instrument defaults – this is also recorded as a transaction in financial derivatives
Case 2: Standardised guarantees • Similar types of credit risk for a large number of cases • It is not possible to estimate precisely the risk of default of each individual loan but • It is possible to estimate how many out of a large number of similar loans will default • It is possible for the guarantor to determine suitable fees
Case 2: The accounting treatment (1) • These guarantees are to be recorded like insurance • When fees cover costs… • If a publicly controlled market guarantor sells guarantees for premiums that do not fully cover the costs… • If a government unit provides the guarantee to a creditor without a fee…
Case 2: The accounting treatment (2) • The value of the output and consumption… • The initial value of the financial asset and liability… • The expected cost of calls should be spread over time • Claims would be recorded like insurance claims
Case 2: The accounting treatment (3) • Property income is imputed… and deemed to be reinvested… • Other changes in the financial asset and liability are recorded as other changes in the volume of assets • The asset is always recorded in the balance sheet of the entity that holds the right to claim and receive funds • Rerouting transactions are needed when…
Case 3: One-off guarantees • It is not possible to accurately calculate the degree of risk associated with the debt • In most cases they are considered a contingency and is not recorded as a financial asset or liability • As an exception, one-off guarantees might be treated as if these guarantees were called at inception
Case 3: The accounting treatment • The activation of a one-off guarantee is treated in the same way as a debt assumption • In most instances, the guarantor is deemed to make a capital transfer to the original debtor • The amount of debt assumed should be recorded at the time the guarantee is actually activated and the debt assumed