2. | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
Basis of Accounting — The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP).
Use of Estimates — The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires Plan management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in these financial statements, including disclosures of contingent liabilities. Actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions.
Risks and Uncertainties — The Plan provides various investment options to participants. Investment securities, in general, are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate risk, credit risk, and overall market volatility. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such change could materially affect the value of the participants’ account balances and the amounts reported in the financial statements.
Investment Valuation of Master Trust Fund and Income Recognition — Investments are stated at fair value. Fair value of a financial instrument is the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Plan’s interest in the Master Trust is presented at fair value, which has been determined based on the fair value of the underlying investments of the Master Trust. The Master Trust invests in mutual funds, collective trust funds, and the Berkshire Fund. See Note 8 for a description of the fair value methodology by investment type.
Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Net appreciation (depreciation) includes the Plan’s gains and losses on investments bought and sold as well as held during the year.
Notes Receivable from Participants — Notes receivable from participants are measured at their unpaid principal balance plus any accrued but unpaid interest. Delinquent participant loans are recorded as distributions based on the terms of the Plan document.
Administrative Expenses — In general, as provided in the Plan document, all expenses incurred in connection with administering the Plan, including but not limited to legal, accounting, and consulting fees, will be paid by the Plan, at the discretion of the Benefits Committee, except to the extent such expenses are paid by the Company.
The Plan is permitted to require Participants to pay certain fees in connection with the operation of the Plan from individual Participant accounts. As a result, each Participant’s account is charged an annual fee to help cover the cost of Plan administration. The annual fees were $52 in 2021. The Plan also has a revenue-sharing agreement whereby certain investment managers return a portion of the investment fees to participants who hold investments in the funds generating the credits. For the year ended December 31, 2021 revenue credits of $53,718 were applied to individual participant accounts that invested in the funds generating the revenue credits. The Plan held undistributed revenue credits of $152,834 and $156,039, as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Payments of Benefits — Benefit payments to participants are recorded upon distribution. There were no participants, who have elected to withdraw from the Plan, but have not yet been paid as of December 31, 2021 and 2020.
Transfers — Along with the Plan, the Company sponsors the Johns Manville Hourly Employees 401(k) Plan (the “Hourly Employees Plan”) for hourly employees. If employees change their union status during the year, they may elect to transfer their account balance into the corresponding plan. For the year ended December 31, 2021, plan transfers reported in the statement of changes in net assets available for benefit received from the Hourly Employees Plan were $22,574.
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