Significant Accounting Policies | 2. Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of the Company and its controlled subsidiaries. Noncontrolling interests (“NCI”) on the consolidated statements of financial condition represent the portion of CIPs and a consolidated affiliate (collectively, “consolidated entities”) in which the Company does not have direct equity ownership. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain prior period presentations and disclosures, while not required to be recast, were reclassified to ensure comparability with current period classifications. Cash and Cash Equivalents . Cash and cash equivalents primarily consists of cash, money market funds and short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. Cash and cash equivalent balances that are legally restricted from use by the Company are recorded in other assets on the consolidated statements of financial condition. Cash balances maintained by consolidated VIEs and voting rights entities (“VREs”) are not considered legally restricted and are included in cash and cash equivalents on the consolidated statements of financial condition. Investments Investments in Debt Securities. The Company classifies debt investments as held-to-maturity or trading based on the Company’s intent and ability to hold the debt security to maturity or its intent to sell the security. Held-to-maturity securities are purchased with the positive intent and ability to be held to maturity and are recorded at amortized cost on the consolidated statements of financial condition. Trading securities are those investments that are purchased principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term. Trading securities are carried at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial condition with changes in fair value recorded in nonoperating income (expense) on the consolidated statements of income. Trading securities include certain investments in collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) for which the fair value option is elected in order to reduce operational complexity of bifurcating embedded derivatives. Investments in Equity Securities. Equity securities are generally carried at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial condition with changes in the fair value recorded through net income (“FVTNI”) within nonoperating income (expense). For nonmarketable equity securities, the Company generally elects to apply the practicality exception to fair value measurement, under which such securities will be measured at cost, less impairment, plus or minus observable price changes for identical or similar securities of the same issuer with such changes recorded in the consolidated statements of income. Dividends received are recorded as dividend income within nonoperating income (expense). Equity Method. The Company applies the equity method of accounting for equity investments where the Company does not consolidate the investee, but can exert significant influence over the financial and operating policies of the investee. The evaluation of whether the Company exerts control or significant influence over the financial and operational policies of its investees is based on the facts and circumstances surrounding each individual investment. Factors considered in these evaluations may include the type of investment, the legal structure of the investee, the terms and structure of the investment agreement, including investor voting or other rights, the terms of BlackRock’s advisory agreement or other agreements with the investee, any influence BlackRock may have on the governing board of the investee, the legal rights of other investors in the entity pursuant to the entity’s operating documents and the relationship between BlackRock and other investors in the entity. The Company’s share of the investee’s underlying net income or loss is recorded as net gain (loss) on investments within nonoperating income (expense) and as other revenue for certain strategic minority investments since such investees are considered to be an extension of the Company’s core business. The Company’s share of net income of the investee is recorded based upon the most current information available at the time, which may precede the date of the consolidated statement of financial condition. Distributions received reduce the Company’s carrying value of the investee and the cost basis if deemed to be a return of capital. Impairments of Investments. Management periodically assesses equity method , nonmarketable investments, and held-to-maturity investments for impairment. If impairment exists , an impairment charge would be recorded for the excess of the carrying amount of the investment over its estimated fair value in the consolidated statements of income. For equity method investments and nonmarketable investments, impairment evaluation considers qualitative factors, including the financial conditions and specific events related to an investee, that may indicate the fair value of the investment is less than its carrying value. For held-to-maturity investments, impairment is evaluated using market values, where available, or the expected future cash flows of the investment. For the Company’s investments in CLOs, the Company reviews cash flow estimates over the life of each CLO investment. On a quarterly basis, if the present value of the estimated future cash flows is lower than the carrying value of the investment and there is an adverse change in estimated cash flows, an impairment is considered to be other-than-temporary. Consolidation. The Company performs an analysis for investment products to determine if the product is a VIE or a VRE. Factors considered in this analysis include the entity’s legal organization, the entity’s capital structure and equity ownership, the rights of equity investment holders and the Company’s contractual involvement with, and economic interest in, the entity and any related party or de facto agent implications of the Company’s involvement with the entity. Entities that are determined to be VIEs are consolidated if the Company is the primary beneficiary (“PB”) of the entity. VREs are typically consolidated if the Company holds the majority voting interest. Upon the occurrence of certain events (such as contributions and redemptions, either by the Company, or third parties, or amendments to an entity’s governing documents), management reviews and reconsiders its previous conclusion regarding the status of an entity as a VIE or a VRE. Additionally, management continually reconsiders whether the Company is deemed to be a VIE’s PB that consolidates such entity. Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities . Certain investment products for which a controlling financial interest is achieved through arrangements that do not involve or are not directly linked to voting interests are deemed consolidated VIEs. BlackRock reviews factors, including whether or not i) the entity has equity at risk that is sufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated support from other parties and ii) the equity holders at risk have the obligation to absorb losses, the right to receive residual returns, and the right to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance, to determine if the investment product is a VIE. The PB of a VIE is defined as the variable interest holder that has a controlling financial interest in the VIE. A controlling financial interest is defined as (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity that potentially could be significant to the VIE. The Company generally consolidates VIEs in which it holds an economic interest of 10% or greater and deconsolidates such VIEs once equity ownership falls below 10%. Consolidation of Voting Rights Entities . BlackRock is required to consolidate an investee to the extent that BlackRock can exert control over the financial and operating policies of the investee, which generally exists if there is a greater than 50% voting equity interest. Retention of Specialized Investment Company Accounting Principles. Upon consolidation of sponsored investment products, the Company retains the specialized investment company accounting principles of the underlying funds. All of the underlying investments held by such CIPs are carried at fair value with corresponding changes in the investments’ fair values reflected in nonoperating income (expense) on the consolidated statements of income. When the Company no longer controls these funds due to reduced ownership percentage or other reasons, the funds are deconsolidated and accounted for as an equity method investment or equity securities FVTNI. Separate Account Assets and Liabilities . Separate account assets are maintained by BlackRock Life Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, which is a registered life insurance company in the United Kingdom, and represent segregated assets held for purposes of funding individual and group pension contracts. The life insurance company does not underwrite any insurance contracts that involve any insurance risk transfer from the insured to the life insurance company. The separate account assets primarily include equity securities, debt securities, money market funds and derivatives. The separate account assets are not subject to general claims of the creditors of BlackRock. These separate account assets and the related equal and offsetting liabilities are recorded as separate account assets and separate account liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial condition. The net investment income attributable to separate account assets supporting individual and group pension contracts accrues directly to the contract owner and is not reported on the consolidated statements of income. While BlackRock has no economic interest in these separate account assets and liabilities, BlackRock earns policy administration and management fees associated with these products, which are included in investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue on the consolidated statements of income. Separate Account Collateral Assets Held and Liabilities Under Securities Lending Agreements. The Company facilitates securities lending arrangements whereby securities held by separate accounts maintained by BlackRock Life Limited are lent to third parties under global master securities lending agreements. In exchange, the Company receives collateral by obtaining either a) legal title or b) first ranking priority security interest. The minimum collateral values generally range from approximately 102% to 112% of the value of the securities lent in order to reduce counterparty risk. The required collateral value is calculated on a daily basis. The global master securities lending agreements provide the Company the right to request additional collateral or, in the event of borrower default, the right to liquidate collateral. The securities lending transactions entered into by the Company are accompanied by an agreement that entitles the Company to request the borrower to return the securities at any time; therefore, these transactions are not reported as sales. In situations where the Company receives the legal title to collateral under these securities lending arrangements, the Company records an asset on the consolidated statements of financial condition in addition to an equal collateral liability for the obligation to return the collateral. Additionally, in situations where the Company obtains a first ranking priority security interest in the collateral, the Company does not have the ability to pledge or resell the collateral and therefore does not record the collateral on the consolidated statements of financial condition. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, the fair value of loaned securities held by separate accounts was approximately $ 13.2 billion and $ 15.2 billion, respectively, and the fair value of the collateral under these securities lending agreements was approximately $ 14.1 billion and $ 16.5 billion, respectively, of which approximately $ 7.1 billion as of 2021 and $ 16.5 billion as of 2020 was recognized on the consolidated statements of financial condition. During 202 1 and 2020 , the Company had no t resold or repledged any of the collateral received under these arrangements . The securities lending revenue earned from lending securities held by the separate accounts is included in investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue on the consolidated statements of income. Property and Equipment . Property and equipment are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is generally determined by cost less any estimated residual value using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the various classes of property and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful life or the remaining lease term. The Company capitalizes certain costs incurred in connection with developing or obtaining software within property and equipment. Capitalized software costs are amortized, beginning when the software product is ready for its intended use, over the estimated useful life of the software of approximately three years. Goodwill and Intangible Assets . Goodwill represents the cost of a business acquisition in excess of the fair value of the net assets acquired. The Company has determined that it has one reporting unit for goodwill impairment testing purposes, the consolidated BlackRock single operating segment, which is consistent with internal management reporting and management's oversight of operations. In its assessment of goodwill for impairment, the Company considers such factors as the book value and market capitalization of the Company. On a quarterly basis, the Company considers if triggering events have occurred that may indicate a potential goodwill impairment. If a triggering event has occurred, the Company performs assessments, which may include reviews of significant valuation assumptions, to determine if goodwill may be impaired. The Company performs an impairment assessment of its goodwill at least annually, as of July 31st. Intangible assets are comprised of indefinite-lived intangible assets and finite-lived intangible assets acquired in a business acquisition. The value of contracts to manage assets in proprietary open-end funds and collective trust funds and certain other commingled products without a specified termination date is generally classified as indefinite-lived intangible assets. In addition, trade names/trademarks are considered indefinite-lived intangible assets when they are expected to generate cash flows indefinitely. Indefinite-lived intangible assets and goodwill are not amortized. Finite-lived investor/customer relationships, technology-related assets, and management contracts, which relate to acquired separate accounts and funds, that are expected to contribute to the future cash flows of the Company for a specified period of time, are amortized over their useful lives. On a quarterly basis, the Company considers whether the indefinite-lived and finite-lived classifications are still appropriate. The Company performs assessments to determine if any intangible assets are potentially impaired at least annually, as of July 31 st In evaluating whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of indefinite-lived intangibles is less than its carrying value, BlackRock assesses various significant qualitative factors, including assets under management (“AUM”), revenue basis points, projected AUM growth rates, operating margins, tax rates and discount rates. If an indefinite-lived intangible is determined to be more likely than not impaired, then the fair value of the asset is compared with its carrying value and any excess of the carrying value over the fair value would be recognized as an expense in the period in which the impairment occurs. For finite-lived intangible assets, if potential impairment circumstances are considered to exist, the Company will perform a recoverability test using an undiscounted cash flow analysis. If the carrying value of the asset is determined not to be recoverable based on the undiscounted cash flow test, the difference between the carrying value of the asset and its current fair value would be recognized as an expense in the period in which the impairment occurs. Consolidated Affiliate. During the second quarter of 2021, the Company formed a majority-controlled asset management company in China - BlackRock CCB Wealth Management Company Ltd. (“WMC”). WMC is 50.1% owned by the Company. The Company consolidates WMC, which it deems to be a VRE, because it exerts control over the financial and operating policies of the entity, based on the Company’s 50.1% ownership and voting rights. Noncontrolling Interests. NCI consist of third-party investments in the Company’s CIPs (“NCI – CIPs”) and the WMC. The Company reports NCI in stockholders’ equity, separate from the parent’s equity, on the consolidated statements of financial condition. NCI that are redeemable at the option of the holders are classified as temporary equity at estimated redemption value and nonredeemable NCI are classified as a component of permanent equity in the consolidated statements of financial condition. In addition, the Company reports net income (loss) attributable to redeemable and nonredeemable NCI holders in net income (loss) attributable to NCI in the consolidated statements of income. Treasury Stock . The Company records common stock purchased for treasury at cost. At the date of subsequent reissuance, the treasury stock account is reduced by the cost of such stock using the average cost method. Revenue Recognition. Revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of promised services to customers in an amount to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those services. The Company enters into contracts that can include multiple services, which are accounted for separately if they are determined to be distinct. Consideration for the Company’s services is generally in the form of variable consideration because the amount of fees is subject to market conditions that are outside of the Company’s influence. The Company includes variable consideration in revenue when it is no longer probable of significant reversal, i.e. when the associated uncertainty is resolved. For some contracts with customers, the Company has discretion to involve a third party in providing services to the customer. Generally, the Company is deemed to be the principal in these arrangements because the Company controls the promised services before they are transferred to customers, and accordingly presents the revenue gross of related costs. Investment Advisory, Administration Fees and Securities Lending Revenue. Investment advisory and administration fees are recognized as the services are performed over time because the customer is receiving and consuming the benefits as they are provided by the Company. Fees are primarily based on agreed-upon percentages of AUM and recognized for services provided during the period, which are distinct from services provided in other periods. Such fees are affected by changes in AUM, including market appreciation or depreciation, foreign exchange translation and net inflows or outflows. Investment advisory and administration fees for investment funds are shown net of fee waivers. In addition, the Company may contract with third parties to provide sub-advisory services on its behalf. The Company presents the investment advisory fees and associated costs to such third-party advisors on a gross basis where it is deemed to be the principal and on a net basis where it is deemed to be the agent. Management judgment involved in making these assessments is focused on ascertaining whether the Company is primarily responsible for fulfilling the promised service. The Company also earns revenue by lending securities on behalf of clients, primarily to highly rated banks and broker-dealers. The securities loaned are collateralized by either cash or securities, generally ranging from 102% to 112% of the value of the loaned securities. Securities lending fees are based on a) a percentage of the notional value of the loaned securities and b) a spread between the interest earned on the reinvested cash collateral and the amount rebated to the borrower. Revenue is recognized over time as services are performed. Generally, the securities lending fees are shared between the Company and the funds or other third-party accounts managed by the Company from which the securities are borrowed. For 2021, 2020 and 2019, securities lending revenue earned by the Company totaled $555 million, $652 million and $617 million, respectively, and is recorded in investment advisory, administration and securities lending revenue on the consolidated statements of income. Investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue are reported together as the fees for these services often are agreed upon with clients as a bundled fee. Money Market Fee Waivers. The Company may voluntarily waive a portion of its management fees on certain money market funds to ensure that they maintain a targeted level of daily net investment income (the “Yield Support waivers”). During 2021 and 2020, these waivers resulted in a reduction of management fees of approximately $500 million and $35 million, respectively, which was partially offset by a reduction of BlackRock’s distribution and servicing costs paid to financial intermediaries. There were no Yield Support waivers in 2019. The Company may increase or decrease the level of Yield Support waivers in future periods. Investment Advisory Performance Fees / Carried Interest. The Company receives investment advisory performance fees, including incentive allocations (carried interest) from certain actively managed investment funds and certain separately managed accounts. These performance fees are dependent upon exceeding specified relative or absolute investment return thresholds, which vary by product or account, and include monthly, quarterly, annual or longer measurement periods. Performance fees, including carried interest, are recognized when it is determined that they are no longer probable of significant reversal (such as upon the sale of a fund’s investment or when the investment performance exceeds a contractual threshold at the end of a specified measurement period). Given the unique nature of each fee arrangement, contracts with customers are evaluated on an individual basis to determine the timing of revenue recognition. Significant judgement is involved in making such determination. Performance fees typically arise from investment management services that began in prior reporting periods. Consequently, a portion of the fees the Company recognizes may be partially related to the services performed in prior periods that meet the recognition criteria in the current period. At each reporting date, the Company considers various factors in estimating performance fees to be recognized, including carried interest. The Company is allocated carried interest from certain alternative investment products upon exceeding performance thresholds. The Company may be required to reverse/return all, or part, of such carried interest allocations/distributions depending upon future performance of these funds. Carried interest subject to such clawback provisions is recorded in investments or cash and cash equivalents to the extent that it is distributed, on its consolidated statements of financial condition. The Company records a liability for deferred carried interest to the extent it receives cash or capital allocations related to carried interest prior to meeting the revenue recognition criteria. A portion of the deferred carried interest may also be paid to certain employees. The ultimate timing of the recognition of performance fee revenue and related compensation expense, if any, is unknown. Technology services revenue. The Company offers investment management technology systems, risk management services, wealth management and digital distribution tools, all on a fee basis. Clients include banks, insurance companies, official institutions, pension funds, asset managers, retail distributors and other investors. Fees earned for technology services are primarily recorded as services are performed over time and are generally determined using the value of positions on the Aladdin platform, or on a fixed-rate basis. Revenue derived from the sale of software licenses is recognized upon the granting of access rights. Distribution Fees. The Company earns distribution and service fees related to distributing investment products and shareholder support services for investment portfolios. Distribution fees are passed-through to third-party distributors, which perform various fund distribution services and shareholder servicing of certain funds on the Company’s behalf, and are recognized as distribution and servicing costs. The Company presents distribution fees and related distribution and servicing costs incurred on a gross basis. Distribution fees primarily consist of ongoing distribution fees, shareholder servicing fees and upfront sales commissions for serving as the principal underwriter and/or distributor for certain managed mutual funds. The service of distribution is satisfied at the point in time when an investor makes an investment in a share class of the managed mutual funds. Fees are generally considered variable consideration because they are based on the value of AUM and are uncertain on trade date. Accordingly, the Company recognizes distribution fees over the investment period as the amounts become known and the portion recognized in the current period may relate to distribution services performed in prior periods. Upfront sales commissions are recognized on a trade date basis. Shareholder servicing fees are based on AUM and recognized in revenue as the services are performed. Advisory and other revenue. Advisory and other revenue primarily includes fees earned for advisory services, fees earned for transition management services primarily comprised of commissions recognized in connection with buying and selling securities on behalf of customers, and equity method investment earnings related to certain strategic minority investments. Advisory services fees are determined using fixed-rate fees and are recognized over time as the related services are completed. Commissions related to transition management services are recorded on a trade-date basis as transactions occur. Stock-based Compensation . The Company recognizes compensation cost for equity classified awards based on the grant-date fair value of the award. The compensation cost is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide service (usually the vesting period) in exchange for the stock-based award. The Company measures the grant-date fair value of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) using the Company’s stock price on the date of grant. Stock-based awards may have performance, market and/or service conditions. For employee stock options and instruments with market conditions, the Company uses pricing models. Compensation cost for awards containing performance conditions is recognized if it is probable that the conditions will be achieved. The probability of achievement is assessed on a quarterly basis. If a stock-based award is modified after the grant-date, incremental compensation cost is recognized for an amount equal to the excess of the fair value of the modified award over the fair value of the original award immediately before the modification. Awards under the Company’s stock-based compensation plans vest over various periods. Compensation cost is recorded by the Company on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for each separate vesting portion of the award as if the award is, in-substance, multiple awards and is adjusted for actual forfeitures as they occur. The Company amortizes the grant-date fair value of stock-based compensation awards made to retirement-eligible employees over the requisite service period. Upon notification of retirement, the Company accelerates the unamortized portion of the award over the contractually required retirement notification period. The Company recognizes all excess tax benefits and deficiencies in income tax expense on the consolidated statements of income, which results in volatility of income tax expense as a result of fluctuations in the Company’s stock price. Accordingly, the Company recorded a discrete income tax benefit of $43 million, $36 million and $23 million during 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, for vested RSUs where the grant date stock price was lower than the vesting date stock price. Distribution and Servicing Costs . Distribution and servicing costs include payments to third parties, primarily associated with distribution and servicing of client investments in certain BlackRock products. Distribution and servicing costs are expensed as incurred. Direct Fund Expense . Direct fund expense, which is expensed as incurred, primarily consists of third-party nonadvisory expense incurred by BlackRock related to certain funds for the use of certain index trademarks, reference data for certain indices, custodial services, fund administration, fund accounting, transfer agent services, shareholder reporting services, audit and tax services as well as other fund-related expense directly attributable to the nonadvisory operations of the fund. Leases . The Company determines if a contract is a lease or contains a lease at inception. The Company accounts for its office facility leases as operating leases, which may include escalation clauses that are based on an index or market rate. The Company accounts for lease and non-lease components, including common areas maintenance charges, as a single component for its leases. The Company elected the short-term lease exception for l eases with an initial term of 12 months or less. Consequently, such leases are not recorded on the consolidated statements of financial condition. The Company’s lease terms include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain they will be exercised or not, respectively. The Company recognizes operating right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and operating lease liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial condition based on the present value of future lease payments over the lease term at the commencement date discounted using an incremental borrowing rate (“IBR”). The IBR for individual leases is estimated considering the Company’s or a subsidiary’s credit rating using various financial metrics, such as revenue, operating margin and revenue growth, and, as appropriate, performing market analysis of yields on publicly traded bonds (secured or unsecured) with similar terms of comparable companies in a similar economic environment. ROU assets are tested for impairment when there is an indication that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Fixed lease payments made over the lease term are recorded as lease expense on a straight-line basis. Variable lease payments based on usage, changes in an index or market rate are expensed as incurred. Foreign Exchange . Foreign currency transactions are recorded at the exchange rates prevailing on the dates of the transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are subsequently remeasured into the functional currencies of the Company's subsidiaries at the rates prevailing at each balance sheet date. Gains and losses arising on remeasurement are included in general and administration expens |