Business, Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies | Business, Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies Rocket Companies, Inc. (the "Company", and together with its consolidated subsidiaries, "Rocket Companies", "we", "us", "our") was incorporated in Delaware on February 26, 2020 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Rock Holdings Inc. ("RHI") for the purpose of facilitating an initial public offering ("IPO") of its Class A common stock, $0.00001 par value (the “Class A common stock”) and other related transactions in order to carry on the business of RKT Holdings, LLC ("Holdings") and its wholly owned subsidiaries. We are a Detroit-based fintech holding company consisting of tech-driven mortgage, real estate and financial services businesses. We are committed to providing an industry-leading client experience powered by our simple, fast and trusted digital solutions. In addition to Rocket Mortgage, one of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders, we have expanded into complementary industries, such as real estate services, personal lending, solar, and personal finance. Through these industries, we seek to deliver innovative client solutions leveraging our Rocket platform. Our business operations are organized into the following two segments: (1) Direct to Consumer and (2) Partner Network, refer to Note 16, Segments. Rocket Companies, Inc. is a holding company. Its primary material asset is the equity interest in Holdings which, including through its direct and indirect subsidiaries, conducts a majority of the Company's operations. Holdings is a Michigan limited liability company and wholly owns the following entities, with each entity's subsidiaries identified in parentheses: Rocket Mortgage, LLC, Amrock Holdings, LLC (“Amrock”, "Amrock Title Insurance Company" ("ATI") and "Nexsys Technologies LLC"), LMB HoldCo LLC (“Core Digital Media”), RCRA Holdings LLC (“Rock Connections” and “Rocket Auto”), Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC (“Rocket Homes”), RockLoans Holdings LLC (“Rocket Loans” and "Rocket Solar"), Rock Central LLC dba Rocket Central ("Rocket Money, Inc."), EFB Holdings Inc. (“Rocket Mortgage Canada”), Lendesk Canada Holdings Inc. ("Lendesk Technologies"), RockTech Canada Inc., and Woodward Capital Management LLC. As used herein, “Rocket Mortgage” refers to either the Rocket Mortgage brand or platform, or the Rocket Mortgage business, as the context allows. Edison Financial ULC, changed its name to "Rocket Mortgage Canada ULC", effective as of July 12, 2022. Basis of Presentation and Consolidation Prior to the completion of the initial public offering, RHI, Holdings and its subsidiaries consummated an internal reorganization in which Rocket Companies, Inc. became the sole managing member of Holdings. Prior to the reorganization, Rocket Companies, Inc. had no operations. As the sole managing member of Holdings, the Company operates and controls all of the business affairs of Holdings, and through Holdings and its subsidiaries, conducts its business. Holdings is considered a variable interest entity (“VIE”) and we consolidate the financial results of Holdings under the guidance of ASC 810, Consolidation. A portion of our Net income is allocated to Net income attributable to non-controlling interest. For further details, refer below to Variable Interest Entities and Note 17 , Non-controlling Interests. Income from Holdings and its subsidiaries prior to the reorganization and IPO has been accounted for as a non-controlling interest in our Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. Accumulated net income prior to the reorganization and IPO is presented in Net Parent Investment in our Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity as the financial statements prior to the reorganization and IPO reflect combined subsidiaries operating as part of RHI. We have accounted for the reorganization as one of entities under common control and the Net Parent Investment was allocated between Total Non-controlling Interest and Additional Paid-in Capital based on the ownership of Holdings. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts between the businesses comprising the Company have been eliminated in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. The Company's derivatives, IRLCs, mortgage loans held for sale, and MSRs are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. Additionally, other assets may be required to be measured at fair value in the consolidated financial statements on a nonrecurring basis. Examples of such measurements are mortgage loans transferred between held for investment and held for sale, certain impaired loans, and other real estate owned. For further details of the Company's transactions refer to Note 2, Fair Value Measurements. All transactions and accounts between RHI and other related parties with the Company have a history of settlement or will be settled for cash and are reflected as related party transactions. For further details of the Company’s related party transactions refer to Note 7, Transactions with Related Parties. Our consolidated financial statements are audited and presented in U.S. dollars. They have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period financial statement presentation. We believe the assumptions underlying the consolidated financial statements, including the assumptions regarding allocation of expenses from RHI are reasonable. Prior to the reorganization and IPO, the executive management compensation expense has been allocated based on time incurred for services provided to Holdings and its subsidiaries for 2020. Total costs allocated to us for these services were $96,199 for the year ended December 31, 2020. This amount was included in salaries, commissions and team member benefits in our Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. In our opinion, these consolidated financial statements include all normal and recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of our results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented. Acquisition Agreement On August 5, 2020, Rocket Companies, Inc. entered into an acquisition agreement with RHI and its direct subsidiary Amrock Holdings Inc. pursuant to which we acquired ATI, a title insurance underwriting business, for total aggregate consideration of $14,400 that consisted of 800,000 Holdings Units and shares of Rocket Companies, Inc. Class D common stock valued at the initial public offering price of $18.00 per share (the number of shares issued equals the purchase price divided by the price to the public in our initial public offering), the acquisition closed on August 14, 2020 subsequent to the IPO date on August 10, 2020. Because the Acquisition was a transaction between commonly controlled entities, U.S. GAAP requires the retrospective combination of the entities for all periods presented as if the combination had been in effect since the inception of common control. Accordingly, the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, reflect the retrospective combination of the entities as if the combination had been in effect since inception of common control. Management Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Although management is not currently aware of any factors that would significantly change its estimates and assumptions, actual results may differ from these estimates. Subsequent Events In preparing these consolidated financial statements, the Company evaluated events and transactions for potential recognition or disclosure through the date these consolidated financial statements were issued. Refer to Note 6, Borrowings for disclosures on changes to the Company’s debt agreements and Note 12 , Income Taxes for transactions subsequent to December 31, 2022. Special Dividends On February 25, 2021, our board of directors authorized and declared a cash dividend (the "2021 Special Dividend") of $1.11 per share to the holders of our Class A common stock. The 2021 Special Dividend was paid on March 23, 2021 to holders of the Class A common stock of record as of the close of business on March 9, 2021. The Company funded the 2021 Special Dividend from cash distributions of approximately $2.2 billion by RKT Holdings, LLC to all of its members, including the Company. On February 24, 2022, our board of directors declared a cash dividend (the "2022 Special Dividend") of $1.01 per share to the holders of our Class A common stock. The 2022 Special Dividend is payable on March 22, 2022 to holders of the Class A common stock of record as of the close of business on March 8, 2022. The Company will fund the 2022 Special Dividend from cash distributions of approximately $2.0 billion by RKT Holdings, LLC to all of its members, including the Company. Share Repurchase Authorization On November 1, 2022, the Company's board of directors approved the renewal of the share repurchase program effective November 11, 2022. The share repurchase program renews and extends the previously approved share repurchase program and authorizes the Company to repurchase shares of the Company’s common stock in an aggregate value, not to exceed $1 billion dollars, from time to time, in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions, in accordance with applicable securities laws. The share repurchase program will remain in effect for a two-year period terminating in November 2024. The share repurchase program does not obligate the Company to make any repurchases at any specific time. The timing and extent to which the Company repurchases its shares will depend upon, among other things, market conditions, share price, liquidity targets, regulatory requirements and other factors. As of December 31, 2022 approximately $590.7 million remains available under the Share Repurchase Program. Revenue Recognition Gain on sale of loans, net — includes all components related to the origination and sale of mortgage loans, including (1) net gain on sale of loans, which represents the premium we receive in excess of the loan principal amount and certain fees charged by investors upon sale of loans into the secondary market, (2) loan origination fees (credits), points and certain costs, (3) provision for or benefit from investor reserves, (4) the change in fair value of interest rate locks and loans held for sale, (5) the gain or loss on forward commitments hedging loans held for sale and interest rate lock commitments (IRLCs), and (6) the fair value of originated MSRs. An estimate of the gain on sale of loans, net is recognized at the time an IRLC is issued, net of a pull-through factor. Subsequent changes in the fair value of IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale are recognized in current period earnings. When the mortgage loan is sold into the secondary market, any difference between the proceeds received and the current fair value of the loan is recognized in current period earnings in Gain on sale of loans, net. Included in Gain on sale of loans, net is the fair value of originated MSRs, which represents the estimated fair value of MSRs related to loans which we have sold and retained the right to service. Refer to Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights for information related to the gain/(loss) on changes in the fair value of MSRs. Loan servicing income (loss), net — includes income from servicing, sub-servicing and ancillary fees, and is recorded to income as earned, which is upon collection of payments from borrowers. This amount also includes the Change in fair value of MSRs, which is the adjustment for the fair value measurement of the MSR asset as of the respective balance sheet date. Interest income, net — includes interest earned on mortgage loans held for sale and mortgage loans held for investment net of the interest expense paid on our loan funding facilities. Interest income is recorded as earned and interest expense is recorded as incurred. Interest income is accrued and credited to income daily based on the unpaid principal balance outstanding. The accrual of interest is generally discontinued when a loan becomes 90 days past due. Other income — is derived primarily from closing fees, net appraisal revenue, net title insurance fees, personal finance subscription revenue, real estate network referral fees, contact center revenue, personal loans business, professional service fees, and lead generation revenue. The following revenue streams fall within the scope of ASC Topic 606 — Revenue from Contracts with Customers and are disaggregated hereunder: Amrock closing fees — The Company recognizes closing fees for non-recurring services provided in connection with the origination of the loan. These fees are recognized at the time of loan closing for purchase transactions or at the end of a client's three-day rescission period for refinance transactions, which represents the point in time the loan closing services performance obligation is satisfied. The consideration received for closing services is a fixed fee per loan that varies by state and loan type. Closing fees were $157,853, $506,685, and $457,703 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. Amrock appraisal revenue, net — The Company recognizes appraisal revenue when the appraisal service is completed. The Company may choose to deliver appraisal services directly to its client or subcontract such services to a third-party licensed and/or certified appraiser. In instances where the Company performs the appraisal, revenue is recognized as the gross amount of consideration received at a fixed price per appraisal. The Company is an agent in instances where a third-party appraiser is involved in the delivery of appraisal services and revenue is recognized net of third-party appraisal expenses. Appraisal revenue, net was $65,082, $96,471, and $78,673 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. Rocket Money (formerly known as Truebill) subscription revenue - The Company recognizes subscription revenue ratably over the contract term beginning on the commencement date of each contract. We have determined that subscriptions represent a stand-ready obligation to perform over the subscription term. These performance obligations are satisfied over time as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits. Contracts are one month to one year in length. Subscription revenues were $118,344 for the year ended December 31, 2022. Rocket Homes real estate network referral fees — The Company recognizes real estate network referral fee revenue based on arrangements with partner agencies contingent on the closing of a transaction. As this revenue stream is variable, and is contingent on the successful transaction close, the revenue is constrained until the occurrence of the transaction. At this point, the constraint on recognizing revenue is deemed to have been lifted and revenue is recognized for the consideration expected to be received. Real estate network referral fees, net of intercompany eliminations, were $48,207, $54,181, and $42,777 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. Rock Connections and Rocket Auto contact center revenue — The Company recognizes contact center revenue for communication services including client support and sales. Consideration received mainly includes a fixed base fee and/or a variable contingent fee. The fixed base fee is recognized ratably over the period of performance, as the performance obligation is considered to be satisfied equally throughout the service period. The variable contingent fee related to car sales is constrained until the sale of the car is completed. Contact center revenues, net of intercompany eliminations, were $17,476, $45,485, and $27,904 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. Professional service fees — The Company recognizes professional service fee revenue based on the delivery of services (e.g., human resources, technology, training) over the term of a contract. Consideration for the promised services is received through a combination of a fixed fee for the period and incremental fees paid for optional services that are available at an incremental rate determined at the time such services are requested. The Company recognizes the annual fee ratably over the life of the contract, as the performance obligation is satisfied equally over the term of the contract. For the optional services, revenue is only recognized at the time the services are requested and delivered and pricing is agreed upon. Professional service fee revenues were $12,111, $12,753, and $10,884 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively, and were rendered entirely to related parties. Core Digital Media lead generation revenue — The Company recognizes online consumer acquisition revenue based on successful delivery of marketing leads to a client at a fixed fee per lead. This service is satisfied at the time the lead is delivered, at which time revenue for the service is recognized. Online consumer acquisition revenue, net of intercompany eliminations, were $9,049, $27,699, and $24,231 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. Marketing and Advertising Costs Marketing and advertising costs for direct and non-direct response advertising are expensed as incurred. The costs of brand marketing and advertising are expensed in the period the advertising space or airtime is used. The Company incurred marketing and advertising costs related to the naming rights for Rocket Mortgage Field House and other promotional sponsorships, which are related parties. Refer to Note 7. Transactions with Related Parties for further information. Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. We maintain our bank accounts with a relatively small number of high-quality financial institutions. Restricted cash as of December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020 consisted of cash on deposit for a repurchase facility and client application deposits, title premiums collected from the insured that are due to the underwritten, principal and interest received in collection accounts for purchased assets, and a $25,000 bond. December 31, 2022 2021 2020 Cash and cash equivalents $ 722,293 $ 2,131,174 $ 1,971,085 Restricted cash 66,806 80,423 83,018 Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash in the statement of cash flows $ 789,099 $ 2,211,597 $ 2,054,103 Mortgage Loans Held for Sale The Company has elected the fair value option for accounting for mortgage loans held for sale. Included in mortgage loans held for sale are loans originated as held for sale that are expected to be sold into the secondary market and loans that have been previously sold and repurchased from investors that management intends to resell into the secondary market. Refer to Note 4, Mortgage Loans Held for Sale , for further information. Derivative Financial Instruments The Company enters into interest rate lock commitments, forward commitments to sell mortgage loans and forward commitments to purchase loans, which are considered derivative financial instruments. These items are accounted for as free-standing derivatives and are included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value. The Company treats all of its derivative instruments as economic hedges; therefore, none of its derivative instruments are designated as accounting hedges. Changes in the fair value of the IRLCs and forward commitments to sell and purchase mortgage loans are recorded in current period earnings and are included in gain on sale of loans, net in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. Forward commitments to purchase mortgage loans are recognized in current period earnings and are included in gain on sale of loans, net in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. The Company enters into IRLCs to fund residential mortgage loans with its potential borrowers. These commitments are binding agreements to lend funds to these potential borrowers at specified interest rates within specified periods of time. The fair value of IRLCs is derived from the fair value of similar mortgage loans or bonds, which is based on observable market data. Changes to the fair value of IRLCs are recognized based on changes in interest rates, changes in the probability that the commitment will be exercised, and the passage of time. The expected net future cash flows related to the associated servicing of the loan are included in the fair value measurement of rate locks. IRLCs and uncommitted mortgage loans held for sale expose the Company to the risk that the value of the mortgage loans held and mortgage loans underlying the commitments may decline due to increases in mortgage interest rates during the life of the commitments. To protect against this risk, the Company uses forward loan sale commitments to economically hedge the risk of potential changes in the value of the loans. These derivative instruments are recorded at fair value. The Company expects that the changes in fair value of these derivative financial instruments will either fully or partially offset the changes in fair value of the IRLCs and uncommitted mortgage loans held for sale. The changes in the fair value of these derivatives are recorded in gain on sale of loans, net. MSR assets (including the MSR value associated with outstanding IRLCs) that the Company plans to sell expose the Company to the risk that the value of the MSR asset may decline due to decreases in mortgage interest rates prior to the sale of these assets. To protect against this risk, the Company uses forward loan purchase commitments to economically hedge the risk of potential changes in the value of MSR assets that have been identified for sale. These derivative instruments are recorded at fair value. The Company expects that the changes in fair value of these derivative financial instruments will either fully or partially offset the changes in fair value of the MSR assets the Company intends to sell. The changes in fair value of these derivatives are recorded in the change in fair value of MSRs, net. Forward commitments include To-Be-Announced ("TBA") mortgage-backed securities that have been aggregated at the counterparty level for presentation and disclosure purposes. Counterparty agreements contain a legal right to offset amounts due to and from the same counterparty under legally enforceable master netting agreements to settle with the same counterparty, on a net basis, as well as the right to obtain cash collateral. Forward commitments also include commitments to sell loans to counterparties and to purchase loans from counterparties at determined prices. Refer to Note 13, Derivative Financial Instruments for further information. Mortgage Servicing Rights Mortgage servicing rights are recognized as assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets when loans are sold, and the associated servicing rights are retained. The Company maintains one class of MSR asset and has elected the fair value option. These MSRs are recorded at fair value, which is determined using a valuation model that calculates the present value of estimated future net servicing fee income. The model includes estimates of prepayment speeds, discount rate, cost to service, float earnings, contractual servicing fee income, and ancillary income and late fees, among others. These estimates are supported by market and economic data collected from various outside sources. Refer to Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights for further information. Property and Equipment Property and equipment are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation of property and equipment is generally computed on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Amortization of leasehold improvements is computed on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the estimated useful lives or the remaining lease terms. Depreciation is not recorded on projects-in-process until the project is complete and the associated assets are placed into service or are ready for the intended use. Upon retirement or sale, the cost of assets disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts; any resulting gain or loss is credited or charged to operations. Costs of maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Refer to Note 5, Property and Equipment for further information. Intangible Assets Definite-lived intangible assets primarily consist of customer relationships and technology acquired through business combinations and are recorded at their estimated fair value at the date of acquisition. These assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives and are tested for impairment only if events or circumstances indicate that the assets might be impaired. Indefinite-lived intangible assets consist of licenses to perform title insurance services acquired through business combinations and are recorded at their estimated fair value at the date of acquisition. The Company tests indefinite-lived intangible assets consistent with the policy described below for goodwill. Goodwill Goodwill is the excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of identifiable net assets acquired in business combinations. The Company tests goodwill for impairment annually in the fourth quarter, or more frequently when indications of potential impairment exist. The Company monitors the existence of potential impairment indicators throughout the fiscal year. Goodwill impairment testing is performed at the reporting unit level. The Company may elect to perform either a qualitative test or a quantitative test to determine if it is more likely than not that the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value. Fair value reflects the price a market participant would be willing to pay in a potential sale of the reporting unit. If the estimated fair value exceeds carrying value, then we conclude the goodwill is not impaired. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, the Company recognizes an impairment loss in an amount equal to the excess, not to exceed the amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. Refer to Note 9, Goodwill and Intangible Assets , for further information on the goodwill attributable to the Company’s acquisitions. Loans subject to repurchase right from Ginnie Mae For certain loans sold to Ginnie Mae, the Company as the servicer has the unilateral right to repurchase any individual loan in a Ginnie Mae securitization pool if that loan meets defined criteria, including being delinquent more than 90 days. Once the Company has the unilateral right to repurchase the delinquent loan, the Company has effectively regained control over the loan and must re-recognize the loan on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and establish a corresponding finance liability regardless of the Company's intention to repurchase the loan. The asset and corresponding liability are recorded at the unpaid principal balance of the loan, which approximates its fair value. Non-controlling interests As noted above, we are the sole managing member of Holdings and consolidate the financial results of Holdings. Therefore, we report a non-controlling interest based on the Holdings Units of Holdings held by Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman (our "Chairman") and RHI (the "non-controlling interest holders") on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Income or loss is attributed to the non-controlling interests based on the weighted average Holdings Units outstanding during the period and is presented on the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. Refer to Note 17, Non-controlling Interests for more information. Share-based Compensation In connection with the IPO, equity-based awards were issued under the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan including restricted stock units and stock options to purchase shares of our Class A common stock at an exercise price equal to the price to the public in the initial public offering. Share-based compensation expense is recorded as a component of salaries, commissions and team member benefits. Share-based compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period based on the fair value of the award on the date of grant, refer to Note 18, Share-based Compensation for additional information. Income taxes Our income tax expense, deferred tax assets and liabilities, and reserves for unrecognized tax benefits reflect management’s best assessment of estimated current and future taxes to be paid. We are subject to income taxes predominantly in the United States and Canada. These tax laws are often complex and may be subject to different interpretations. Deferred income taxes arise from temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amount and the tax basis of assets and liabilities. In evaluating our ability to recover our deferred tax assets within the jurisdiction from which they arise, we consider all available positive and negative evidence. If based upon all available positive and negative evidence, it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized, a valuation allowance is established. The valuation allowance may be reversed in a subsequent reporting period if the Company determines that it is more likely than not that all or part of the deferred tax asset will become realizable. Our interpretations of tax laws are subject to review and examination by various taxing authorities and jurisdictions where the Company operates, and disputes may occur regarding its view on a tax position. These disputes over interpretations with the various tax authorities may be settled by audit, administrative appeals or adjudication in the court systems of the tax jurisdictions in which the Company operates. We regularly review whether we may be assessed additional income taxes as a result of the resolution of these matters, and the Company records additional reserves as appropriate. In addition, the Company may revise its estimate of income taxes due to changes in income tax laws, legal interpretations, and business strategies. We recognize the financial statement effects of uncertain income tax positions when it is more likely than not, based on the technical merits, that the position will be sustained upon examination. We record interest and penalties related to uncertain income tax positions in income tax expense. For additional information regarding our provision for income taxes refer to Note 12, Income Taxes . Tax Receivable Agreement In connection with the reorganization completed prior to our IPO in 2020, the Company entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with RHI and our Chairman ("LLC Members") that will obligate the Company to make payments to the LLC Members generally equal to 90% of the applicable cash tax savings that the Company actually realizes or in some cases is deemed to realize as a result of the tax attributes generated by (i) certain increases in our allocable share of the tax basis in Holdings’ assets resulting from (a) the purchases of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) from the LLC Members (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) using the net proceeds from our initial public offering or in any future offering, (b) exchanges by the LLC Members (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) for cash or shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, as applicable, or (c) payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement; (ii) tax benefits related to imputed interest deemed arising as a result of payments made under the Tax Receivable Agreement and (iii) disproportionate allocations (if any) of tax benefits to Holding |