Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Significant Accounting Policies

v3.19.1
Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]
2.
Significant Accounting Policies
 
Unaudited Financial Statements
 
The accompanying unaudited financial statements of the Company, have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. However, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results to be attained in the entire fiscal year.
 
Use of Estimates
 
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 revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management will base the use of estimates on (a) various assumptions that consider its past experience, (b) the Company’s projections regarding future operations and (c) general financial market and local and general economic conditions. Actual amounts could differ from those estimates.
 
Concentrations of Credit Risk
 
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and mortgage loans. The Company maintains its cash with one major financial institution. Accounts at the financial institution are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to $250,000.
 
Credit risks associated with the Company’s mortgage loan portfolio and related interest receivable are described in Note 3, below, entitled “Mortgages Receivable.”
 
Impairment of long-lived assets
 
The Company continually monitors events or changes in circumstances that could indicate carrying amounts of long lived assets may not be recoverable. When such events or changes in circumstances occur, the Company assesses the recoverability of long-lived assets by determining whether the carrying value of such assets will be recovered through undiscounted expected future cash flows. If the total of the undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying amount of these assets, the Company recognizes an impairment loss based on the excess of the carrying amount over the fair market value of the assets.
 
Income Taxes
 
The Company believes it qualifies as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) for federal income tax purposes and made the election to be taxed as a REIT when it filed its 2017 federal income tax return. As a REIT, the Company is required to distribute at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders on an annual basis. The Company’s qualification as a REIT depends on its ability to meet on a continuing basis, through actual investment and operating results, various complex requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, relating to, among other things, the sources of its income, the composition and values of its assets, its compliance with the distributions requirements applicable to REITs and the diversity of ownership of its outstanding common shares. So long as it qualifies as a REIT, the Company, generally, will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income distributed to its shareholders. However, if it fails to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year and does not qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, it will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates and may also be subject to various penalties and may be precluded from re-electing REIT status for the four taxable years following the year during in which it lost its REIT qualification.
 
The Company has adopted the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 740-10 “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes”, which prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return and disclosure required. An entity may only recognize or continue to recognize tax positions that meet a “more likely than not” threshold. The Company recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense. The Company has determined that there are no uncertain tax positions requiring accrual or disclosure in the accompanying financial statements as of March 31, 2019.
 
Property and Equipment
 
Land and Building
 
Land and building acquired in December 2016 to house the Company’s office facilities is stated at cost. The building will be  depreciated using the straight-line method over its estimated useful life of 40 years. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred. The Company occupied the new facility in March 2019.
 
Revenue Recognition
 
Interest income from the Company’s loan portfolio is earned, over the loan period and is calculated using the simple interest method on principal amounts outstanding. Generally, the Company’s loans provide for interest to be paid monthly in arrears.
 
Origination fee revenue is recognized ratably over the contractual life of the loan in accordance with ASC 310.
 
Deferred Financing Costs
 
Costs incurred in connection with the Company’s line of credit, as discussed in Note 6 below, are amortized over the term of the line of credit, using the straight-line method.
 
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
 
For the line of credit, mortgage payable and interest-bearing mortgages receivable held by the Company, the carrying amount approximates fair value due to the relative short-term nature of such instruments.
 
Earnings Per Share
 
Basic and diluted earnings per share are calculated in accordance with ASC 260 “Earnings Per Share”. Under ASC 260, basic earnings per share is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. The computation of diluted earnings per share is similar to basic earnings per share, except that the denominator is increased to include the potential dilution from the exercise of stock options and warrants for common shares using the treasury stock method. The numerator in calculating both basic and diluted earnings per common share for each period is the reported net income.
 
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
 
 
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASU 2014-09”), which outlines a new, single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes the most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry specific guidance. Several ASUs expanding and clarifying the initial guidance issued in ASU 2014-09 have been released since May 2014. Exclusions from the scope of this guidance include revenue resulting from loans, investment securities (available-for-sale and trading), investments in unconsolidated entities and leases. The Company adopted the ASU effective January 1, 2018. The Company evaluated the applicability of this guidance and concluded that the adoption does not have an effect on its financial statements.
 
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” which amends the existing accounting standards for leases. This ASU requires lessees to record a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability on the balance sheet for the obligation to make payments for all leases, with the exception of those leases with a term of 12 months or less. This ASU also requires expanded disclosures regarding leasing arrangements. The Company adopted the ASU effective January 1, 2019, and concluded that the adoption did not have a material impact on its financial statements.
 
In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting.” The ASU provides guidance on the types of changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards to which an entity would be required to apply modification accounting under ASC 718. Under the new guidance, modification accounting is required only if the fair value, the vesting conditions, or the classification of the award changes as a result of the change in terms or conditions. For all entities, the standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
 
In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities.” The ASU expands the activities that qualify for hedge accounting and simplifies the rules for reporting hedging transactions. For public companies that file with the SEC, the standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.
 
In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, “Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.” The ASU amends ASC 220, “Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income,” to allow a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. In addition, under the ASU, an entity will be required to provide certain disclosures regarding stranded tax effects. For all entities, the ASU is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.
 
In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, “Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” This ASU supersedes ASC 505-50, “Equity Based Payment to Non-Employees,” (“ASC 505-50”) and expands the scope of ASC 718,“Compensation – Stock Compensation,” to include all share-based payment arrangements related to the acquisition of goods and services from both nonemployees and employees. For public companies that file with the SEC, the standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than an entity’s adoption date of ASC 606,“Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
 
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement.” This ASU eliminates, adds and modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements as part of its disclosure framework project. The standard is effective for all entities for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
 
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effected, accounting standards if currently adopted would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.