Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies) | 12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 |
Accounting Policies [Abstract] | ' | ' |
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block] | ' | ' |
GENERAL: The Trust is a California business trust that was formed on October 7, 1986. The primary purpose of the Trust was to engage in the business of acquiring, owning, operating and financing real estate investments. The Trust commenced operations on October 19, 1987, upon the sale of the minimum offering amount of shares of beneficial interest. |
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A special meeting of the shareholders of record of USA Real Estate Investment Trust (the “Trust”) was held on December 4, 2013, and the shareholders adopted a resolution for the immediate termination of the Trust and a distribution of the assets of the Trust (subject to a reserve for the costs and expenses of winding up the business of the Trust) to the shareholders of record of the Trust. After the meeting, the Trustees acted to set aside a reasonable reserve for the anticipated costs and expenses of winding up the business of the Trust, and then resolved to pay and distribute the remaining balance of the assets of the Trust to the shareholders of record on a pro rata basis according to the number of shares owned by each shareholder. |
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The Trustees expect that the business and affairs of the Trust will be completely wound up and the Trust will be dissolved by the end of 2014. At that time, there will be a final accounting of the reserve described above and, if any assets of the Trust then remain, there will be another and final pro rata distribution of the remaining assets of the Trust on the same basis as the current distribution. However, if at that time there are no remaining assets of the Trust, then there will be no further distribution to the shareholders of the Trust. |
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As a result of these decisions, the Trust adopted the liquidation basis of accounting as of December 1, 2013, which was the beginning of the fiscal month closest to the shareholders’ approval date. This basis of accounting is appropriate when the liquidation of an entity is imminent. Under this basis of accounting, assets and liabilities are stated at their net realizable value, and estimated costs through the liquidation date are accrued for, to the extent reasonably determinable. |
Liquidity Disclosure [Policy Text Block] | ' | ' |
ACCRUED LIQUIDATION COSTS: Under the liquidation basis of accounting, assets are stated at their net realizable value, liabilities are stated at their estimated settlement amounts and estimated costs through the liquidation date are accrued for, to the extent reasonably determinable. The Trust is required to make significant estimates and judgments. These estimates are subject to change. The Trust reviews, on a quarterly basis, the estimated fair value of its assets and all other remaining operating expenses and contractual commitments such as professional fees and other outside services to determine the estimated costs to be incurred during the liquidation period. The Trust expects to incur liquidation costs of $124,694 through the liquidation date. Liquidation costs of $122,982 were unpaid and accrued as of December 31, 2013. |
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The Trust is required to make significant estimates and exercise judgment in determining accrued liquidation costs. The Trust accrued costs expected to be incurred in liquidation and recorded payments made related to the accrued liquidation costs as follows: |
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Accrued Liquidation Costs | | As Booked | | | Adjustments | | | Payments | | | Balance at | |
December 1, | To | December 31, |
2013 | Reserves | 2013 |
Outside services | | $ | 116,444 | | | $ | -- | | | $ | (1,712 | ) | | $ | 114,732 | |
Trustee fees | | | 8,250 | | | | -- | | | | -- | | | | 8,250 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total | | $ | 124,694 | | | $ | -- | | | $ | (1,712 | ) | | $ | 122,982 | |
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On a periodic basis, the Trust reviews all other remaining operating expenses and contractual commitments such as outside services and Trustee fees to determine the estimated costs to be incurred during the liquidation period. The Trust anticipates that wind up related costs will extend through 2014 as it settles the remaining matters. |
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The estimate for outside services in accrued liquidation costs was $114,732 at December 31, 2013. These costs reflect the costs expected to be incurred to wind up the Trust through 2014. |
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The estimated Trustee fees in accrued liquidation costs were $8,250 at December 31, 2013. These costs reflect the fees to be incurred for the final Trustee meetings scheduled for January and February of 2014. The Trust does not expect to incur any additional Trustee fees after these meetings to wind up the Trust. |
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The Trust expects to settle its liabilities through cash on hand. |
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block] | ' | ' |
USE OF ESTIMATES: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates. |
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block] | ' | ' |
CASH: Cash consists of demand deposits with financial institutions. Cash balances periodically exceeded the insurable amounts. |
Distributiions in Excess of Net Income [Policy Text Block] | ' | ' |
DISTRIBUTIONS IN EXCESS OF NET INCOME: The Trust has a general policy of distributing cash to its shareholders in an amount that approximates taxable income plus noncash charges such as depreciation and amortization. As a result, distributions to shareholders exceed cumulative net income. |
Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block] | ' | ' |
SEGMENT POLICY: The Trust operates in one business segment. For 2013 and 2012, all revenues have been derived from domestic operations. |
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block] | ' | ' |
REVENUE RECOGNITION: Interest income is accrued on the outstanding principal amounts of the real estate loans. When the Trust determines that a loan is impaired, income recognition is suspended if full recovery of interest and principal appears uncertain. Loan fees are recognized as interest income over the lives of the related real estate loans using the straight-line method. |
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block] | ' | ' |
INCOME TAXES: From 1987 through 2011 the Trust was organized and operated in a manner that enabled it to be taxed as a real estate investment trust rather than a regular corporation. In 2012 the Trust was unable to maintain its status as a real estate investment trust. Accordingly, in 2012 and subsequent years the Trust will be taxed as a regular corporation. |
Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block] | ' | ' |
NET INCOME PER SHARE: Net income per share is computed based on the weighted-average number of shares outstanding. |
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block] | ' | ' |
RECENTLY ISSUED AND ADOPTED ACCOUNTING GUIDANCE: In April 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2013-07, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205)–Liquidation Basis of Accounting. These amendments require an entity to prepare its financial statements using the liquidation basis of accounting (“LBA”) when liquidation is imminent. Among the requirements of LBA financial statements is that they: (a) present relevant information about an entity's expected resources in liquidation by measuring and presenting assets at the amount of the expected cash proceeds from liquidation; (b) include in its presentation of assets any items not previously recognized under U.S. GAAP but that it expects to either sell in liquidation or use in settling liabilities; (c) recognize and measure an entity's liabilities in accordance with U.S. GAAP that otherwise applies to those liabilities; and (d) disclose an entity's plan for liquidation, the methods and significant assumptions used to measure assets and liabilities, the type and amount of costs and income accrued, and the expected duration of the liquidation process. The Trust adopted this accounting update on December 1, 2013 and provided related disclosures in the financial statement footnotes. |